Boris Godunov | Page 2

halter.
VOROTINSKY. Monstrous misdeed! Listen; I warrant you?Remorse already gnaws the murderer;?Be sure the blood of that same innocent child?Will hinder him from mounting to the throne.
SHUISKY. That will not baulk him; Boris is not so timid!?What honour for ourselves, ay, for all Russia!?A slave of yesterday, a Tartar, son?By marriage of Maliuta, of a hangman,?Himself in soul a hangman, he to wear?The crown and robe of Monomakh!--
VOROTINSKY. You are right;?He is of lowly birth; we twain can boast?A nobler lineage.
SHUISKY. Indeed we may!
VOROTINSKY. Let us remember, Shuisky, Vorotinsky?Are, let me say, born princes.
SHUISKY. Yea, born princes,?And of the blood of Rurik.
VOROTINSKY. Listen, prince;?Then we, 'twould seem, should have the right to mount?Feodor's throne.
SHUISKY. Rather than Godunov.
VOROTINSKY. In very truth 'twould seem so.
SHUISKY. And what then??If still Boris pursue his crafty ways,?Let us contrive by skilful means to rouse?The people. Let them turn from Godunov;?Princes they have in plenty of their own;?Let them from out their number choose a tsar.
VOROTINSKY. Of us, Varyags in blood, there are full many,?But 'tis no easy thing for us to vie?With Godunov; the people are not wont?To recognise in us an ancient branch?Of their old warlike masters; long already?Have we our appanages forfeited,?Long served but as lieutenants of the tsars,?And he hath known, by fear, and love, and glory,?How to bewitch the people.
SHUISKY. (Looking through a window.) He has dared,?That's all--while we--Enough of this. Thou seest?Dispersedly the people are returning.?We'll go forthwith and learn what is resolved.
THE RED SQUARE
THE PEOPLE
1ST PERSON. He is inexorable! He thrust from him?Prelates, boyars, and Patriarch; in vain?Prostrate they fall; the splendour of the throne?Affrights him.
2ND PERSON. O, my God, who is to rule us??O, woe to us!
3RD PERSON. See! The Chief Minister?Is coming out to tell us what the Council?Has now resolved.
THE PEOPLE. Silence! Silence! He speaks,?The Minister of State. Hush, hush! Give ear!
SHCHELKALOV. (From the Red Balcony.)?The Council have resolved for the last time?To put to proof the power of supplication?Upon our ruler's mournful soul. At dawn,?After a solemn service in the Kremlin,?The blessed Patriarch will go, preceded?By sacred banners, with the holy ikons?Of Donsky and Vladimir; with him go?The Council, courtiers, delegates, boyars,?And all the orthodox folk of Moscow; all?Will go to pray once more the queen to pity?Fatherless Moscow, and to consecrate?Boris unto the crown. Now to your homes?Go ye in peace: pray; and to Heaven shall rise?The heart's petition of the orthodox.
(The PEOPLE disperse.)
THE VIRGIN'S FIELD
THE NEW NUNNERY. The People.
1ST PERSON. To plead with the tsaritsa in her cell?Now are they gone. Thither have gone Boris,?The Patriarch, and a host of boyars.
2ND PERSON. What news?
3RD PERSON. Still is he obdurate; yet there is hope.
PEASANT WOMAN. (With a child.)?Drat you! Stop crying, or else the bogie-man?Will carry you off. Drat you, drat you! Stop crying!
1ST PERSON. Can't we slip through behind the fence?
2ND PERSON. Impossible!?No chance at all! Not only is the nunnery?Crowded; the precincts too are crammed with people.?Look what a sight! All Moscow has thronged here.?See! Fences, roofs, and every single storey?Of the Cathedral bell tower, the church-domes,?The very crosses are studded thick with people.
1ST PERSON. A goodly sight indeed!
2ND PERSON. What is that noise?
3RD PERSON. Listen! What noise is that?--The people groaned; See there! They fall like waves, row upon row--?Again--again-- Now, brother, 'tis our turn;?Be quick, down on your knees!
THE PEOPLE. (On their knees, groaning and wailing.)
Have pity on us,?Our father! O, rule over us! O, be?Father to us, and tsar!
1ST PERSON. (Sotto voce.) Why are they wailing?
2ND PERSON. How can we know? The boyars know well enough.?It's not our business.
PEASANT WOMAN. (With child.)
Now, what's this? Just when?It ought to cry, the child stops crying. I'll show you!?Here comes the bogie-man! Cry, cry, you spoilt one!?(Throws it on the ground; the child screams.)?That's right, that's right!
1ST PERSON. As everyone is crying,?We also, brother, will begin to cry.
2ND PERSON. Brother, I try my best, but can't.
1ST PERSON. Nor I.?Have you not got an onion?
2ND PERSON. No; I'll wet?My eyes with spittle. What's up there now?
1ST PERSON. Who knows?What's going on?
THE PEOPLE. The crown for him! He is tsar!?He has yielded!--Boris!--Our tsar!--Long live Boris!
THE PALACE OF THE KREMLIN
BORIS, PATRIARCH, Boyars
BORIS. Thou, father Patriarch, all ye boyars!?My soul lies bare before you; ye have seen?With what humility and fear I took?This mighty power upon me. Ah! How heavy?My weight of obligation! I succeed?The great Ivans; succeed the angel tsar!--?O Righteous Father, King Of kings, look down?From Heaven upon the tears of Thy true servants,?And send on him whom Thou hast loved, whom Thou?Exalted hast on earth so wondrously,?Thy holy blessing. May I rule my people?In glory, and like Thee be good and righteous!?To you, boyars, I look for help. Serve me?As ye served him, what time I shared your labours,?Ere I was chosen by the people's will.
BOYARS. We will not from our plighted oath depart.
BORIS.