Беспокойное бессмертие: 450 лет со дня рождения Уильяма Шекспира

Шекспир Уильям

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 aveng`ed 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?

Clarence

My brother’s love, the devil, and my rage.

First Murderer

Thy brother’s love, our duty, and thy faults Provoke us hither now to slaughter thee.

Clarence

If you do love my brother, hate not me. I am his brother, and I love him well. If you be hired for meed, go back again, And I will send you to my brother Gloucester, Who shall reward you better for my life Than Edward will for tidings of my death.

Second Murderer

You are deceived. Your brother Gloucester hates you.

Clarence

Oh, no, he loves me, and he holds me dear. Go you to him from me.

First Murderer

Ay, so we will.

Clarence

Tell him, when that our princely father York Blessed his three sons with his victorious arm, He little thought of this divided friendship. Bid Gloucester think of this, and he will weep.

First Murderer

Ay, millstones, as he lessoned us to weep.

Clarence

Oh, do not slander him, for he is kind.

First Murderer

Right, as snow in harvest. Come, you deceive yourself, ’Tis he that sent us to destroy you here.

Clarence

It cannot be, for he bewept my fortune, He hugged me in his arms, and swore with sobs That he would labour my delivery.

First Murderer

Why, so he doth, when he delivers you From this earth’s thraldom to the joys of heaven.

Second Murderer

Make peace with God, for you must die, my lord.

Clarence

Have you that holy feeling in your souls, To counsel me to make my peace with God, And are you yet to your own souls so blind. That you will war with God by murdering me? O sirs, consider, they that set you on To do this deed will hate you for the deed.