Читать книгу Peter and Alexis - Frank J. Morlock - Страница 8

ACT I

SCENE 3

The other side of the Neva river, across from the Peterhof gardens, the same night.

A clearing with barges. Cannon fire and cheers can be heard from the other side of the river.

Ivan (singing)

A coffin of pinewood tree

Stands ready prepared for me.

Within its narrow wall,

I wait the trumpet call.

Cornelius (an old man)

Come to supper, Ivan.

(Larion Dokoukin enters.)

Dokoukin

May I join you, brothers?

Cornelius

If you come with God.

Dokoukin

I do.

Ivan

You are welcome.

Cornelius (suspiciously)

You come from Petersburg?

Dokoukin

From that cursed place.

Cornelius

The times are sad for fear that Antichrist is invading the world.

(Cannonading.)

Ivan

What hellish thing are they doing in the Palace?

Dokoukin

They have found a statue of a female devil and are worshipping it.

(They all cross themselves.)

All

Abominations!

Cornelius

The world’s sands are running short.

Dokoukin

The Lord be merciful unto us.

All

Amen.

Ivan

I heard today, in the market, that there is no Tsar in Russia. This Peter publicly dances with foreign courtesans and drinks wine and spirits like a drunkard. He calls his drinking companions by holy names like Bishop and Cardinal to defile sacred names.

Dokoukin

It is true. I have seen it. And worse still, he defiles icons.

Cornelius

He keeps the true Tsaritsa, Eudoxia shut up in a nunnery.

Ivan

They say the present Tsaritsa, Catherine, had a lover. The Tsar beheaded him and makes the Tsaritsa keep the head in a bottle on her dressing table.

Dokoukin

He is trying his best to make the Tsarevitch imitate him, but cannot succeed. That is why Peter wants to rid himself of his son.

Cornelius

Lord. What trouble God has sent. Father against son—son against father.

Dokoukin

The Tsar loves foreigners; the Tsarevitch loves Russians.

Cornelius

Truly, The Tsarevitch dearly loves the ancient ways.

Dokoukin

Amen, amen. Since this Peter was sent to rule over us we have seen no happy days. How is it God tolerates so much cruelty to the godly?

Ivan

He is only a mock Tsar.

Cornelius

Three attempts have been made to kill the Tsar, but all have failed. Why? Because evil spirits attend and protect him.

Ivan (showing his hand)

See what the demon has done to me, brothers.

Cornelius

What is it?

Ivan

The Tsar decreed that recruits are to be marked by pricking a cross with a needle and rubbing gunpowder in it. It is the devil’s mark. Try as I may to bless myself with this hand, I cannot.

Cornelius (excitedly)

That is it. The mark of Antichrist. It is written that he will mark them on the hand.

Ivan

Brothers, brothers, what have they done to me? They have spoilt a human body.

Dokoukin

He is the Antichrist. The beast feigns goodness that the people may worship him.

Cornelius

We must flee into the woods and the deserts.

(Sounds from the other side of the river. “Vivat, vivat, Peter the Great, Tsar of all the Russias.” Cannon fire.)

Cornelius

That is the last of his signs. Antichrist will be glorified. Night will be changed into day and day into night. (pause) The only salvation is in death. Fiery death. We cannot escape the dragon. He has empoisoned the earth; everything is defiled. Everything accursed. We must burn, burn together to escape the poisoning.

Ivan

Let us each go his separate way to preach redemption through the Red Death.

Cornelius

Be it so.

All

Amen.

Cornelius

In the fire, purity will be revealed. We will be saved.

(More Cannonades. “Vivat, vivat, Peter the Great.”)

(All cross themselves.)

Cornelius

Burn, rather than fall into the hands of Antichrist. One day, all Russia will burn with us. Women and children, too. All must burn to be saved.

Dokoukin

You are an old believer—A Raskolnik?

Cornelius

Yes. Already, I have preached the Red death for ten years. We have kindled many fires. Join us, God will bless our zeal and all Russia will blaze up.

Ivan

Then spake Christ, the Heavenly King. “Go tell my will to the faithful. Let them cast themselves into the fire for love of me.”

Cornelius (fervently)

We shall burn like candles, a living sacrifice to God.

Ivan

Are you with us, brother?

Dokoukin

I am.

(More noise from across the river. “Vivat, vivat, Peter the Great.”)

Ivan (low, keening)

A coffin of pinewood tree

Stands ready prepared for me

Within its narrow wall,

I wait the judgment call.