Boris Godounoff - Scene the Nineteenth

SCENE THE NINETEENTH.

Square before the Cathedral in Moscow.

A CROWD OF PEOPLE .

FIRST CITIZEN .

Will the Tsar soon come out from the cathedral?

SECOND CITIZEN .

The Liturgy is finished, and they are now chanting the Moleben.

FIRST CITIZEN .

And is it true, they read the Anathema?

THIRD CITIZEN .

I was standing in the porch, and I heard the Reader cry out: " Let Grigory Otrepieff be accursed for ever! "

FIRST CITIZEN .

If they must be cursing, it were better if they cursed themselves! The Tsarevitch has nothing to do with the Otrepieffs.

THIRD CITIZEN .

As to the Tsarevitch, they prayed for the repose of his soul.

FIRST CITIZEN .

Prayed for the repose of the soul of a living man What blasphemy will they next be up to?

THIRD CITIZEN

Hush! What noise is that? Is it the Tsar?

SECOND CITIZEN

No, it is the begging-saint.

BOYS .

The brazen night-cap! There goes brazen night-cap!

OLD WOMAN .

Let him alone, you imps of evil! Pray for me, a sinner, holy saint!

BEGGING-SAINT .

Give then, give, give a copeck!

OLD WOMAN .

Here is a copeck. Remember me in thy prayers!

BEGGING-SAINT .

In sky the pale moon creeps,
On earth the kitten weeps;
Arise, thou holy saint,
To God confide thy plaint.

ONE OF THE BOYS .

Good morrow, begging-saint! Why dost thou not take off thy cap? ( Giving a heavy blow on the top of the cap ). Ah, how hollow it sounds!

BEGGING-SAINT

I have a whole copeck!

THE BOYS .

It is not true. Show it!

BEGGING-SAINT .

They have taken my copeck! They have robbed the poor beggar-saint!

THE PEOPLE .

The Tsar! The Tsar!

BEGGING-SAINT .

Boris! Boris! The boys have robbed the begging-saint!

THE TSAR .

Give him alms! Why does he weep?

BEGGING-SAINT .

The boys have robbed and insulted me! Bid thy men cut their throats, as thou didst cut the throat of the Tsarevitch.

BOYARDS .

Away, fool! Seize the crazy fool!

THE TSAR .

Let him in peace! Pray for me, holy man!

BEGGING-SAINT .

Nay, nay! I must not pray for the Tsar-Herod!
Our Lady will be angry, if I pray for him.
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Author of original: 
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin
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