) My dear bridegroom, comely
son of a king, not to me wast thou given, not to thy affianced
bride, but to a dark sepulchre in a strange
land; never shall I take comfort, ever shall I weep for
thee.
Pushkin - Boris Gudonov
Thou'rt right; but be advised;
Of this, of all things, for a time we'll speak
No word.
PUSHKIN. Assuredly, keep thine own counsel.
Thou art--a person of discretion; always
I am glad to commune with thee; and if aught
At any time disturbs me, I endure not
To keep it from thee; and, truth to tell, thy mead
And velvet ale today have so untied
My tongue...Farewell then, prince.
SHUISKY. Brother, farewell.
Farewell, my brother, till we meet again.
(He escorts PUSHKIN out.)
PALACE OF THE TSAR
The TSAREVICH is drawing a map. The TSAREVNA. The NURSE of the Tsarevna
KSENIA. (Kisses a portrait.
) My dear bridegroom, comely
son of a king, not to me wast thou given, not to thy affianced
bride, but to a dark sepulchre in a strange
land; never shall I take comfort, ever shall I weep for
thee.
NURSE. Eh, tsarevna! A maiden weeps as the dew falls;
the sun will rise, will dry the dew. Thou wilt have
another bridegroom--and handsome and affable. My
charming child, thou wilt learn to love him, thou wilt
forget Ivan the king's son.
KSENIA. Nay, nurse, I will be true to him even in death.
(Boris enters.)
TSAR. What, Ksenia? What, my sweet one? In thy girlhood
Already a woe-stricken widow, ever
Bewailing thy dead bridegroom! Fate forbade me
To be the author of thy bliss. Perchance
I angered Heaven; it was not mine to compass
Thy happiness. Innocent one, for what
Art thou a sufferer?
