Александр Пушкин
Boris Godunov

Полная версия

A TENT

BASMANOV leads in PUSHKIN

   BASMANOV. Here enter, and speak freely. So to me
   He sent thee.

   PUSHKIN.    He doth offer thee his friendship
   And the next place to his in the realm of Moscow.

   BASMANOV. But even thus highly by Feodor am I
   Already raised; the army I command;
   For me he scorned nobility of rank
   And the wrath of the boyars. I have sworn to him
   Allegiance.

   PUSHKIN. To the throne's lawful successor
   Allegiance thou hast sworn; but what if one
   More lawful still be living?

   BASMANOV.                  Listen, Pushkin:
   Enough of that; tell me no idle tales!
   I know the man.

   PUSHKIN.      Russia and Lithuania
   Have long acknowledged him to be Dimitry;
   But, for the rest, I do not vouch for it.
   Perchance he is indeed the real Dimitry;
   Perchance but a pretender; only this
   I know, that soon or late the son of Boris
   Will yield Moscow to him.

   BASMANOV.               So long as I
   Stand by the youthful tsar, so long he will not
   Forsake the throne. We have enough of troops,
   Thank God! With victory I will inspire them.
   And whom will you against me send, the Cossack
   Karel or Mnishek? Are your numbers many?
   In all, eight thousand.

   PUSHKIN.              You mistake; they will not
   Amount even to that. I say myself
   Our army is mere trash, the Cossacks only
   Rob villages, the Poles but brag and drink;
   The Russians—what shall I say?—with you I'll not
   Dissemble; but, Basmanov, dost thou know
   Wherein our strength lies? Not in the army, no.
   Nor Polish aid, but in opinion—yes,
   In popular opinion. Dost remember
   The triumph of Dimitry, dost remember
   His peaceful conquests, when, without a blow
   The docile towns surrendered, and the mob
   Bound the recalcitrant leaders? Thou thyself
   Saw'st it; was it of their free-will our troops
   Fought with him? And when did they so? Boris
   Was then supreme. But would they now?—Nay, nay,
   It is too late to blow on the cold embers
   Of this dispute; with all thy wits and firmness
   Thou'lt not withstand him. Were't not better for thee
   To furnish to our chief a wise example,
   Proclaim Dimitry tsar, and by that act
   Bind him your friend for ever? How thinkest thou?

   BASMANOV. Tomorrow thou shalt know.

   PUSHKIN.                          Resolve.

   BASMANOV.                                Farewell.

   PUSHKIN. Ponder it well, Basmanov.

(Exit.)

   BASMANOV.                        He is right.
   Everywhere treason ripens; what shall I do?
   Wait, that the rebels may deliver me
   In bonds to the Otrepiev? Had I not better
   Forestall the stormy onset of the flood,
   Myself to—ah! But to forswear mine oath!
   Dishonour to deserve from age to age!
   The trust of my young sovereign to requite
   With horrible betrayal! 'Tis a light thing
   For a disgraced exile to meditate
   Sedition and conspiracy; but I?
   Is it for me, the favourite of my lord?—
   But death—but power—the people's miseries…

(He ponders.)

Here! Who is there? (Whistles.) A horse here!
Sound the muster!

PUBLIC SQUARE IN MOSCOW

PUSHKIN enters, surrounded by the people

   THE PEOPLE. The tsarevich a boyar hath sent to us.
   Let's hear what the boyar will tell us. Hither!
   Hither!

   PUSHKIN. (On a platform.) Townsmen of Moscow! The tsarevich
   Bids me convey his greetings to you. (He bows.) Ye know
   How Divine Providence saved the tsarevich
   From out the murderer's hands; he went to punish
   His murderer, but God's judgment hath already
   Struck down Boris. All Russia hath submitted
   Unto Dimitry; with heartfelt repentance
   Basmanov hath himself led forth his troops
   To swear allegiance to him. In love, in peace
   Dimitry comes to you. Would ye, to please
   The house of Godunov, uplift a hand
   Against the lawful tsar, against the grandson
   Of Monomakh?

   THE PEOPLE. Not we.

   PUSHKIN.          Townsmen of Moscow!
   The world well knows how much ye have endured
   Under the rule of the cruel stranger; ban,
   Dishonour, executions, taxes, hardships,
   Hunger—all these ye have experienced.
   Dimitry is disposed to show you favour,
   Courtiers, boyars, state-servants, soldiers, strangers,
   Merchants—and every honest man. Will ye
   Be stubborn without reason, and in pride
   Flee from his kindness? But he himself is coming
   To his ancestral throne with dreadful escort.
   Provoke not ye the tsar to wrath, fear God,
   And swear allegiance to the lawful ruler;
   Humble yourselves; forthwith send to Dimitry
   The Metropolitan, deacons, boyars,
   And chosen men, that they may homage do
   To their lord and father.

(Exit. Clamour of the People.)

   THE PEOPLE.             What is to be said?
   The boyar spake truth. Long live Dimitry, our father!

   A PEASANT ON THE PLATFORM. People! To the Kremlin!
   To the Royal palace!
   The whelp of Boris go bind!

   THE PEOPLE. (Rushing in a crowd.)
                             Bind, drown him! Hail
   Dimitry! Perish the race of Godunov!

THE KREMLIN. HOUSE OF BORIS

A GUARD on the Staircase. FEODOR at a Window

   BEGGAR. Give alms, for Christ's sake.

   GUARD. Go away; it is forbidden to speak to the prisoners.

   FEODOR. Go, old man, I am poorer than thou; thou art at
   liberty.

(KSENIA, veiled, also comes to the window.)

   ONE OF THE PEOPLE. Brother and sister—poor children, like
   birds in a cage.

   SECOND PERSON. Are you going to pity them? Accursed
   Family!

   FIRST PERSON. The father was a villain, but the children are
   innocent.

   SECOND PERSON. The apple does not fall far from the
   apple-tree.

   KSENIA. Dear brother! Dear brother! I think the boyars
   are coming to us.

   FEODOR. That is Golitsin, Mosalsky. I do not know the
   others.

   KSENIA. Ah! Dear brother, my heart sinks.

(GOLITSIN, MOSALSKY, MOLCHANOV, and SHEREFEDINOV; behind them three archers.)

THE PEOPLE. Make way, make way; the boyars come.

(They enter the house.)

   ONE OF THE PEOPLE. What have they come for?

   SECOND. Most like to make Feodor Godunov take the oath.

   THIRD. Very like. Hark! What a noise in the house!
   What an uproar! They are fighting!

   THE PEOPLE. Do you hear? A scream! That was a
   woman's voice. We will go up. We will go up!—The
   doors are fastened—the cries cease—the noise continues.

(The doors are thrown open. MOSALSKY appears on the staircase.)