Imaginary Conversations and Poems | Page 8

are; that they were inoffensive; that they were free; that they wandered with their carts from pasture to pasture, from river to river; that they traded with good faith; that they fought with good courage; that they injured none, invaded none, and feared none? At this rate I have effected nothing. The great founder of Rome, I heard in Holland, slew his brother for despiting the weakness of his walls; and shall the founder of this better place spare a degenerate son, who prefers a vagabond life to a civilized one, a cart to a city, a Scythian to a Muscovite? Have I not shaved my people, and breeched them? Have I not formed them into regular armies, with bands of music and haversacks? Are bows better than cannon? shepherds than dragoons, mare's milk than brandy, raw steaks than broiled? Thine are tenets that strike at the root of politeness and sound government. Every prince in Europe is interested in rooting them out by fire and sword. There is no other way with false doctrines: breath against breath does little.
_Alexis._ Sire, I never have attempted to disseminate my opinions.
_Peter._ How couldst thou? the seed would fall only on granite. Those, however, who caught it brought it to me.
_Alexis._ Never have I undervalued civilization: on the contrary, I regretted whatever impeded it. In my opinion, the evils that have been attributed to it sprang from its imperfections and voids; and no nation has yet acquired it more than very scantily.
_Peter._ How so? give me thy reasons--thy fancies, rather; for reason thou hast none.
_Alexis._ When I find the first of men, in rank and genius, hating one another, and becoming slanderers and liars in order to lower and vilify an opponent; when I hear the God of mercy invoked to massacres, and thanked for furthering what He reprobates and condemns--I look back in vain on any barbarous people for worse barbarism. I have expressed my admiration of our forefathers, who, not being Christians, were yet more virtuous than those who are; more temperate, more just, more sincere, more chaste, more peaceable.
_Peter._ Malignant atheist!
_Alexis._ Indeed, my father, were I malignant I must be an atheist; for malignity is contrary to the command, and inconsistent with the belief, of God.
_Peter._ Am I Czar of Muscovy, and hear discourses on reason and religion? from my own son, too! No, by the Holy Trinity! thou art no son of mine. If thou touchest my knee again, I crack thy knuckles with this tobacco-stopper: I wish it were a sledge-hammer for thy sake. Off, sycophant! Off, runaway slave!
_Alexis._ Father! father! my heart is broken! If I have offended, forgive me!
_Peter._ The State requires thy signal punishment.
_Alexis._ If the State requires it, be it so; but let my father's anger cease!
_Peter._ The world shall judge between us. I will brand thee with infamy.
_Alexis._ Until now, O father! I never had a proper sense of glory. Hear me, O Czar! let not a thing so vile as I am stand between you and the world! Let none accuse you!
_Peter._ Accuse me, rebel! Accuse me, traitor!
_Alexis._ Let none speak ill of you, O my father! The public voice shakes the palace; the public voice penetrates the grave; it precedes the chariot of Almighty God, and is heard at the judgment-seat.
_Peter._ Let it go to the devil! I will have none of it here in Petersburg. Our church says nothing about it; our laws forbid it. As for thee, unnatural brute, I have no more to do with thee neither!
Ho, there! chancellor! What! come at last! Wert napping, or counting thy ducats?
_Chancellor._ Your Majesty's will and pleasure!
_Peter._ Is the Senate assembled in that room?
_Chancellor._ Every member, sire.
_Peter._ Conduct this youth with thee, and let them judge him; thou understandest me.
_Chancellor._ Your Majesty's commands are the breath of our nostrils.
_Peter._ If these rascals are amiss, I will try my new cargo of Livonian hemp upon 'em.
_Chancellor._ [_Returning._] Sire, sire!
_Peter._ Speak, fellow! Surely they have not condemned him to death, without giving themselves time to read the accusation, that thou comest back so quickly.
_Chancellor._ No, sire! Nor has either been done.
_Peter._ Then thy head quits thy shoulders.
_Chancellor._ O sire!
_Peter._ Curse thy silly _sires_! what art thou about?
_Chancellor._ Alas! he fell.
_Peter._ Tie him up to thy chair, then. Cowardly beast! what made him fall?
_Chancellor._ The hand of Death; the name of father.
_Peter._ Thou puzzlest me; prithee speak plainlier.
_Chancellor._ We told him that his crime was proven and manifest; that his life was forfeited.
_Peter._ So far, well enough.
_Chancellor._ He smiled.
_Peter._ He did! did he? Impudence shall do him little good. Who could have expected it from that smock-face! Go on--what then?
_Chancellor._ He said calmly, but not without sighing twice or thrice, 'Lead me to the scaffold: I am weary of life; nobody loves me.' I