Беспокойное бессмертие: 450 лет со дня рождения Уильяма Шекспира - [62]

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,

ʼTis 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.

Second Murderer

What shall we do?

Clarence

                  Relent, and save your souls,

Which of you, if you were a prince’s son,

Being pent from liberty, as am I now,

If two such murderers as yourself came to you,

Would not entreat for life as you would beg,

Were you in my distress?

First Murderer

Relent? No. ʼTis cowardly and womanish.

Clarence

Not to relent is beastly, savage, devilish.

My friend, I spy some pity in thy looks.

Oh, if thine eye be not a flatterer,

Come thou on my side and entreat for me;

A begging prince what beggar pities not?

Second Murderer

Look behind you, my lord.

First Murderer

Take that, and that.

(Stabs him.)

                    If all this will not do,

I’ll drown you in the malmsey butt within.

^{Exit [with Clarence’s body].}

Second Murderer

A bloody deed, and desperately dispatched.

How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands

Of this most grievous murder.

^{Enter First Murderer.}

First Murderer

How now? what mean’st thou, that thou help’st me not?

By heavens, the duke shall know how slack you have been.

Second Murderer

I would he knew that I had saved his brother.

Take thou the fee, and tell him what I say,

For I repent me that the duke is slain.

^Exit.

First Murderer

So do not I. Go, coward as thou art.

Well, I’ll go hide the body in some hole

Till that the duke take order for his burial;

And when I have my meed, I must away,

For this will out, and then I must not stay.

Act II

Scene 1

^{Flourish. Enter the King [Edward] (sick), the Queen [Elizabeth], lord marquess Dorset, Rivers, Hastings, Catesby, Buckingham and others.}

King Edward

Why, so. Now have I done a good day’s work.

You peers, continue this united league.

I every day expect an embassage

From my redeemer to redeem me hence.

And more to peace my soul shall part to heaven,

Since I have made my friends at peace on earth.

Rivers and Hastings, take each other’s hand.

Dissemble not your hatred; swear your love.

Rivers

By heaven, my soul is purged from grudging hate,

And with my hand I seal my true heart’s love.

Hastings

So thrive I, as I truly swear the like.

King Edward

Take heed you dally not before your king,

Lest he that is the supreme King of kings

Confound your hidden falsehood and award

Either of you to be the other’s end.

Hastings

So prosper I, as I swear perfect love.

Rivers

And I, as I love Hastings with my heart.

King Edward

Madam, yourself are not exempt from this,

Nor you, son Dorset, Buckingham, nor you;

You have been factious one against the other,

Wife, love Lord Hastings, let him kiss your hand,

And what you do, do it unfeignedly.

Elizabeth

Here, Hastings, I will never more remember

Our former hatred, so thrive I and mine.

King Edward

Dorset, embrace him. Hastings, love lord marquess.

Dorset

This interchange of love, I here protest,

Upon my part shall be unviolable.

Hastings

And so swear I.

King Edward

Now, princely Buckingham, seal thou this league

With thy embracements to my wife’s allies,

And make me happy in your unity.

Buckingham

Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate

Upon your grace, but with all duteous love

Doth cherish you and yours, God punish me

With hate in those where I expect most love.

When I have most need to employ a friend,

And most assurèd that he is a friend,

Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile

Be he unto me. This do I beg of heaven,

When I am cold in love to you or yours.

^Embrace.

King Edward

A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham,