SCENE THE TWENTY SECOND.
Imperial Apartments in the Kremlin.
THE TSAR. THE TSAREVITCH. BASMANOFF. BOYARDS .
THE TSAR .
We but a fruitless victory have gained;
In vain we crown our brow with laurel wreath
Anew he has his scattered forces massed,
And from the walls of old Poutlieva threats.
But where are our all gallant heroes brave?
They stand at Krom, and there a handful small
Of Cossack troops, behind a battered wall,
Hold them at bay. Great cause have we to boast!
On thee I now confer supreme command
The leader true needs mind, not birth or rank:
Henceforth I'll let them vaunt their rights and claims,
And value at its worth the titled mob,
And give command where merit most deserves.
BASMANOFF .
Ah, Sire, we shall a hundredfold that day
Count blessed, when, with its jealous wranglings low,
And worship of high birth, the Book of Ranks
Be burned in flames.
THE TSAR
Nor distant is that day;
I ask but time to quell our rebel folk
And calm their minds.
BASMANOFF .
That need no trouble cause.
The people to rebel are e'er inclined:
As mettled steed will angry chafe his bit,
So sturdy stripling frets at sire's stern rule:
But what of that? The horseman tames his steed,
And father curbs his son's rebellious will.
THE TSAR .
And yet, at times, the steed his rider throws;
The son, grown up, casts off the father's rule.
He must be stern and watchful who would bow
The people's heady will. So judged Johann,
The storm-subduer, wisest guide of men;
So judged Ivan the Great, his grandson dread
Be merciful? As well cast pearls to swine!
Consult their good? They grunt and take the boon;
Oppress? and thy reward is still the same!
What is the news?
A BOYARD
Some stranger guests are come.
THE TSAR .
I go, to greet them straight, Basmanoff, stay!
With thee anon I would yet further speak.
BASMANOFF .
Boris, thou art in soul and mind a Tsar!
God graut thee strength with this Otrepieff curst
To finish once and all! Beneath thy sway,
Shall Russia reap both rich and lasting good.
Thou hast conceived the greatest of reforms,
Nor must we let thy plan grow cold. For me,
A future bright with hopes lies open wide,
If thou but breakst the nobles pompous pride.
No rival on the battle-field I know,
And nearest to the Royal Throne I stand...
Who knows?... What mean those cries and uproar wild?
FIRST BOYARD
The doctor fetch!
SECOND BOYARD
The Patriarch call here!
THIRD BOYARD
Go, summon the Tsarevitch, quick!
FOURTH BOYARD
For the Confessor send!
BASMANOFF
What means this noise?
FIFTH AND SIXTH BOYARDS .
The Tsar has swooned, is near to death!
BASMANOFF .
Great God!
FIFTH BOYARD
Upon his throne he sat, and sudden fell,
The blood fast flowing from his mouth and ears.
THE TSAR
Let all withdraw. With the Tsarevitch leave
Me here alone... I die ... A kiss, and ere I pass...
Farewell, my son, the tawdry crown will soon
Be thine. O God! O God! With all my sins
Unreckoned, unatoned, I come to Thee!
But thou, my son, I feel, art dearer far
Than soul's salvation... so, God's will be done!
A subject born, a subject it behoved to die;
But I to highest point have climbed... Ask not,
By what bye paths! Thou guiltless art;
And thou shalt reign by heritage divine,
And I alone need give account to God
Oh, dearest son, heed not the honied tongue,
Nor blind thyself and virtues count thy faults
In stormy times wilt thou be called to rule;
This vain Pretender is no easy foe,
For he with name of dread import is armed
I, who from youth am trained to power wield,
Have kept in check wild riot and revolt;
Before me men were wont to quake and fear,
Nor dared their treason-thoughts pronounce aloud
But thou art young, unused to govern men,
How wilt thou, then, when storms rage fierce,
Suppress revolt, the schemes of traitor thwart?
But God is great! and guileless youth makes wise,
The weak endows with strength... Now, listen well:
Without delay, adviser choose, whom thou
Canst trust, in judgment calm and ripe in years,
Loved by the people, a Boyard of rank,
Of noble race, and famous for his deeds:
Say, Shouisky. The troops a leader need
In war well trained and brave: Basmanoff choose,
And firmly brunt the murmuring Boyards.
Whilst young, thou didst with me in Council sit,
And knowest well the order of affairs:
Change not that order, since long custom is
The soul of government. I was compelled
Renew the punishments of death and ban;
Thou canst abolish them, for which thou wilt
Be blessed, as was thine uncle, when the crown
Of dread Ivan the Terrible he wore.
In time and by degrees thou mayst the reins
Of power thou hast relaxed more tightly draw,
But so, that they not once escape thy hands.
All guests from foreign lands with favour greet,
Their services accept with grateful trust.
Above all things the Church protect and watch.
Be niggard of thy speech; the kingly voice
Must not blab empty sounds in vacant air,
But, like cathedral bell, announce alone
The nation's woe, or some event of joy.
Oh, dearest son, thou now hast reached the years,
When woman's charms inflame the heated blood:
Preserve, preserve thy purity of youth,
Taint not thine innocence or pride of shame
He who in early years becomes the slave
Of passions low and vile, and vicious lust,
Will, when grown up, be sullen and morose,
His mind a prey to doubt and dull distrust.
Be master in thy home, and firmly rule;
Revere thy mother, but thy place maintain
As Tsar and husband both; thy sister love,
Alone remainst to guard her free from ill.
THEODORE .
Nay, live! nay live! and reign yet many years!
Without thy saving hand, we all are lost.
THE TSAR .
The end is come... 'tis dark... mine eyes grow dim
I feel the clammy cold of death...
Who's there?
The schema?... So, the monkish robe I now
Must wear, the Tsar a peaceful monk become;
My gloomy grave shall be a convent cell.
But, Patriarch, I pray, a moment wait
I still am Tsar. Receive my last command,
Boyards! Know, this is he on whom my rights
I do confer. The cross I bid you kiss
Basmanoff, Friends, I, dying, pray you all
In faith and truthfulness to serve him well
He is so young, as yet unspoiled and pure.
You swear?
BOYARDS .
We swear.
THE TSAR .
I am content
Forgive the wrongs and ills I may have done,
All acts of petulance, or deeds of private spite...
My father dear, draw nigh. Well, 'tis very well!
Imperial Apartments in the Kremlin.
THE TSAR. THE TSAREVITCH. BASMANOFF. BOYARDS .
THE TSAR .
We but a fruitless victory have gained;
In vain we crown our brow with laurel wreath
Anew he has his scattered forces massed,
And from the walls of old Poutlieva threats.
But where are our all gallant heroes brave?
They stand at Krom, and there a handful small
Of Cossack troops, behind a battered wall,
Hold them at bay. Great cause have we to boast!
On thee I now confer supreme command
The leader true needs mind, not birth or rank:
Henceforth I'll let them vaunt their rights and claims,
And value at its worth the titled mob,
And give command where merit most deserves.
BASMANOFF .
Ah, Sire, we shall a hundredfold that day
Count blessed, when, with its jealous wranglings low,
And worship of high birth, the Book of Ranks
Be burned in flames.
THE TSAR
Nor distant is that day;
I ask but time to quell our rebel folk
And calm their minds.
BASMANOFF .
That need no trouble cause.
The people to rebel are e'er inclined:
As mettled steed will angry chafe his bit,
So sturdy stripling frets at sire's stern rule:
But what of that? The horseman tames his steed,
And father curbs his son's rebellious will.
THE TSAR .
And yet, at times, the steed his rider throws;
The son, grown up, casts off the father's rule.
He must be stern and watchful who would bow
The people's heady will. So judged Johann,
The storm-subduer, wisest guide of men;
So judged Ivan the Great, his grandson dread
Be merciful? As well cast pearls to swine!
Consult their good? They grunt and take the boon;
Oppress? and thy reward is still the same!
What is the news?
A BOYARD
Some stranger guests are come.
THE TSAR .
I go, to greet them straight, Basmanoff, stay!
With thee anon I would yet further speak.
BASMANOFF .
Boris, thou art in soul and mind a Tsar!
God graut thee strength with this Otrepieff curst
To finish once and all! Beneath thy sway,
Shall Russia reap both rich and lasting good.
Thou hast conceived the greatest of reforms,
Nor must we let thy plan grow cold. For me,
A future bright with hopes lies open wide,
If thou but breakst the nobles pompous pride.
No rival on the battle-field I know,
And nearest to the Royal Throne I stand...
Who knows?... What mean those cries and uproar wild?
FIRST BOYARD
The doctor fetch!
SECOND BOYARD
The Patriarch call here!
THIRD BOYARD
Go, summon the Tsarevitch, quick!
FOURTH BOYARD
For the Confessor send!
BASMANOFF
What means this noise?
FIFTH AND SIXTH BOYARDS .
The Tsar has swooned, is near to death!
BASMANOFF .
Great God!
FIFTH BOYARD
Upon his throne he sat, and sudden fell,
The blood fast flowing from his mouth and ears.
THE TSAR
Let all withdraw. With the Tsarevitch leave
Me here alone... I die ... A kiss, and ere I pass...
Farewell, my son, the tawdry crown will soon
Be thine. O God! O God! With all my sins
Unreckoned, unatoned, I come to Thee!
But thou, my son, I feel, art dearer far
Than soul's salvation... so, God's will be done!
A subject born, a subject it behoved to die;
But I to highest point have climbed... Ask not,
By what bye paths! Thou guiltless art;
And thou shalt reign by heritage divine,
And I alone need give account to God
Oh, dearest son, heed not the honied tongue,
Nor blind thyself and virtues count thy faults
In stormy times wilt thou be called to rule;
This vain Pretender is no easy foe,
For he with name of dread import is armed
I, who from youth am trained to power wield,
Have kept in check wild riot and revolt;
Before me men were wont to quake and fear,
Nor dared their treason-thoughts pronounce aloud
But thou art young, unused to govern men,
How wilt thou, then, when storms rage fierce,
Suppress revolt, the schemes of traitor thwart?
But God is great! and guileless youth makes wise,
The weak endows with strength... Now, listen well:
Without delay, adviser choose, whom thou
Canst trust, in judgment calm and ripe in years,
Loved by the people, a Boyard of rank,
Of noble race, and famous for his deeds:
Say, Shouisky. The troops a leader need
In war well trained and brave: Basmanoff choose,
And firmly brunt the murmuring Boyards.
Whilst young, thou didst with me in Council sit,
And knowest well the order of affairs:
Change not that order, since long custom is
The soul of government. I was compelled
Renew the punishments of death and ban;
Thou canst abolish them, for which thou wilt
Be blessed, as was thine uncle, when the crown
Of dread Ivan the Terrible he wore.
In time and by degrees thou mayst the reins
Of power thou hast relaxed more tightly draw,
But so, that they not once escape thy hands.
All guests from foreign lands with favour greet,
Their services accept with grateful trust.
Above all things the Church protect and watch.
Be niggard of thy speech; the kingly voice
Must not blab empty sounds in vacant air,
But, like cathedral bell, announce alone
The nation's woe, or some event of joy.
Oh, dearest son, thou now hast reached the years,
When woman's charms inflame the heated blood:
Preserve, preserve thy purity of youth,
Taint not thine innocence or pride of shame
He who in early years becomes the slave
Of passions low and vile, and vicious lust,
Will, when grown up, be sullen and morose,
His mind a prey to doubt and dull distrust.
Be master in thy home, and firmly rule;
Revere thy mother, but thy place maintain
As Tsar and husband both; thy sister love,
Alone remainst to guard her free from ill.
THEODORE .
Nay, live! nay live! and reign yet many years!
Without thy saving hand, we all are lost.
THE TSAR .
The end is come... 'tis dark... mine eyes grow dim
I feel the clammy cold of death...
Who's there?
The schema?... So, the monkish robe I now
Must wear, the Tsar a peaceful monk become;
My gloomy grave shall be a convent cell.
But, Patriarch, I pray, a moment wait
I still am Tsar. Receive my last command,
Boyards! Know, this is he on whom my rights
I do confer. The cross I bid you kiss
Basmanoff, Friends, I, dying, pray you all
In faith and truthfulness to serve him well
He is so young, as yet unspoiled and pure.
You swear?
BOYARDS .
We swear.
THE TSAR .
I am content
Forgive the wrongs and ills I may have done,
All acts of petulance, or deeds of private spite...
My father dear, draw nigh. Well, 'tis very well!