Boris Godunov. Александр Пушкин

oris Godunov: a drama in verse

Rendered into English verse by Alfred Hayes

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE1

      BORIS GODUNOV, afterwards Tsar.

      PRINCE SHUISKY, Russian noble.

      PRINCE VOROTINSKY, Russian noble.

      SHCHELKALOV, Russian Minister of State.

      FATHER PIMEN, an old monk and chronicler.

      GREGORY OTREPIEV, a young monk, afterwards the Pretender to the throne of Russia.

      THE PATRIARCH, Abbot of the Chudov Monastery.

      MISSAIL, wandering friar.

      VARLAAM, wandering friar.

      ATHANASIUS MIKAILOVICH PUSHKIN, friend of Prince Shuisky.

      FEODOR, young son of Boris Godunov.

      SEMYON NIKITICH GODUNOV, secret agent of Boris Godunov.

      GABRIEL PUSHKIN, nephew of A. M. Pushkin.

      PRINCE KURBSKY, disgraced Russian noble.

      KHRUSHCHOV, disgraced Russian noble.

      KARELA, a Cossack.

      PRINCE VISHNEVETSKY.

      MNISHEK, Governor of Sambor.

      BASMANOV, a Russian officer.

      MARZHERET, officer of the Pretender.

      ROZEN, officer of the Pretender.

      DIMITRY, the Pretender, formerly Gregory Otrepiev.

      MOSALSKY, a Boyar.

      KSENIA, daughter of Boris Godunov.

      NURSE of Ksenia.

      MARINA, daughter of Mnishek.

      ROUZYA, tire-woman of Ksenia.

      HOSTESS of tavern.

      Boyars, The People, Inspectors, Officers, Attendants, Guests, a Boy in attendance on Prince Shuisky, a Catholic Priest, a Polish Noble, a Poet, an Idiot, a Beggar, Gentlemen, Peasants, Guards, Russian, Polish, and German Soldiers, a Russian Prisoner of War, Boys, an old Woman, Ladies, Serving-women.

      PALACE OF THE KREMLIN

      (FEBRUARY 20th, A.D. 1598)

      PRINCE SHUISKY and VOROTINSKY

         VOROTINSKY. To keep the city's peace, that is the task

         Entrusted to us twain, but you forsooth

         Have little need to watch; Moscow is empty;

         The people to the Monastery have flocked

         After the patriarch. What thinkest thou?

         How will this trouble end?

         SHUISKY.                 How will it end?

         That is not hard to tell. A little more

         The multitude will groan and wail, Boris

         Pucker awhile his forehead, like a toper

         Eyeing a glass of wine, and in the end

         Will humbly of his graciousness consent

         To take the crown; and then—and then will rule us

         Just as before.

         VOROTINSKY.   A month has flown already

         Since, cloistered with his sister, he forsook

         The world's affairs. None hitherto hath shaken

         His purpose, not the patriarch, not the boyars

         His counselors; their tears, their prayers he heeds not;

         Deaf is he to the wail of Moscow, deaf

         To the Great Council's voice; vainly they urged

         The sorrowful nun-queen to consecrate

         Boris to sovereignty; firm was his sister,

         Inexorable as he; methinks Boris

         Inspired her with this spirit. What if our ruler

         Be sick in very deed of cares of state

         And hath no strength to mount the throne? What

         Say'st thou?

         SHUISKY. I say that in that case the blood in vain

         Flowed of the young tsarevich, that Dimitry

         Might just as well be living.

         VOROTINSKY.                 Fearful crime!

         Is it beyond all doubt Boris contrived

         The young boy's murder?

         SHUISKY.              Who besides? Who else

         Bribed Chepchugov in vain? Who sent in secret

         The brothers Bityagovsky with Kachalov?

         Myself was sent to Uglich, there to probe

         This matter on the spot; fresh traces there

         I found; the whole town bore witness to the crime;

         With one accord the burghers all affirmed it;

         And with a single word, when I returned,

         I could have proved the secret villain's guilt.

         VOROTINSKY. Why didst thou then not crush him?

         SHUISKY.                        At the time,

         I do confess, his unexpected calmness,

         His shamelessness, dismayed me. Honestly

         He looked me in the eyes; he questioned me

         Closely, and I repeated to his face

         The foolish tale himself had whispered to me.

         VOROTINSKY. An ugly business, prince.

         SHUISKY.                    What could I do?

         Declare all to Feodor? But the tsar

         Saw all things with the eyes of Godunov.

         Heard all things with the ears of Godunov;

         Grant even that I might have fully proved it,

         Boris would have denied it there and then,

         And I should have been haled away to prison,

         And in good time—like mine own uncle—strangled

         Within the silence of some deaf-walled dungeon.

         I boast not when I say that, given occasion,

         No penalty affrights me. I am no coward,

         But also am no fool, and do not choose

         Of my free will to walk into a 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.                  

1

The list of Dramatis Personae which does not appear in the original has been added for the convenience of the reader—A.H.