Беспокойное бессмертие: 450 лет со дня рождения Уильяма Шекспира (Честертон, Грин) - страница 117

На первую страницу

Second Murderer

Nor you, as we are, loyal.


Clarence

Thy voice is thunder, but thy looks are humble.


Second Murderer

My voice is now the king’s, my looks mine own.


Clarence

How darkly and how deadly dost thou speak!
Your eyes do menace me. Why look you pale?
Who sent you hither? Wherefore do you come?

Second Murderer

To, to, to —

Clarence

To murder me?


Both

Ay, ay.


Clarence

You scarcely have the hearts to tell me so,
And therefore cannot have the hearts to do it.
Wherein, my friends, have I offended you?

First Murderer

Offended us you have not, but the king.


Clarence

I shall be reconciled to him again.


Second Murderer

Never, my lord. Therefore prepare to die.


Clarence

 Are you drawn forth among a world of men
To slay the innocent? What is my offence?
Where are the evidence that doth accuse me?
What lawful quest have given their verdict up
Unto the frowning judge? Or who pronounced
The bitter sentence of poor Clarence’ death
Before I be convict by course of law?
To threaten me with death is most unlawful.
I charge you, as you hope for any goodness,
By Christ’s dear blood shed for our grievous sins,
That you depart and lay no hands on me.
The deed you undertake is damnable.

First Murderer

What we will do, we do upon command.


Second Murderer

And he that hath commanded is our king.


Clarence

Erroneous vassals! The great King of kings
Hath in the table of his law commanded
That thou shalt do no murder. Will you then
Spurn at his edict and fulfil a man’s?
Take heed, for he holds vengeance in his hand
To hurl upon their heads that break his law.

Second Murderer

And that same vengeance doth he hurl on thee
For false forswearing and for murder, too.
Thou didst receive the holy sacrament to fight
In quarrel of the house of Lancaster.

First Murderer

And, like a traitor to the name of God,
Didst break that vow, and with thy treacherous blade
Unripped’st the bowels of thy sovereign’s son.

Second Murderer

Whom thou wert sworn to cherish and defend.


First Murderer

How canst thou urge God’s dreadful law to us
When thou hast broke it in such dear degree?

Clarence

Alas! For whose sake did I that ill deed?
For Edward, for my brother, for his sake.
He sends you not to murder me for this,
For in that sin he is as deep as I.
If God will be avengèd for the deed,
Oh, know you yet, he doth it publicly.
Take not the quarrel from his powerful arm.
He needs no indirect nor lawless course
To cut off those that have offended him.

First Murderer

Who made thee, then, a bloody minister
When gallant-springing brave Plantagenet,
That princely novice, was struck dead by thee?
Следующая страница