Беспокойное бессмертие: 450 лет со дня рождения Уильяма Шекспира

I would they were, that I might die at once,
For now they kill me with a living death.
Those eyes of thine from mine have drawn salt tears,
Shamed their asp`ects with store of childish drops.
These eyes, that never shed remorseful tear,
No, when my father York and Edward wept
To hear the piteous moan that Rutland made
When black-faced Clifford shook his sword at him,
Nor when thy warlike father, like a child,
Told the sad story of my father’s death
And twenty times made pause to sob and weep,
That all the standers-by had wet their cheeks
Like trees bedashed with rain. In that sad time
My manly eyes did scorn an humble tear.
And what these sorrows could not thence exhale
Thy beauty hath, and made them blind with weeping.
I never sued to friend nor enemy.
My tongue could never learn sweet smoothing word.
But now thy beauty is proposed my fee,
My proud heart sues and prompts my tongue to speak.

^{She looks scornfully at him.}

Teach not thy lip such scorn, for it was made
For kissing, lady, not for such contempt.
If thy revengeful heart cannot forgive,
Lo, here I lend thee this sharp-pointed sword,
Which if thou please to hide in this true breast
And let the soul forth that adoreth thee,
I lay it naked to the deadly stroke
And humbly beg the death upon my knee.

^{He lays his breast open; she offers at with his sword.}

Nay, do not pause, for I did kill King Henry,
But ’twas thy beauty that provok`ed me.
Nay, now dispatch; ’twas I that stabbed young Edward,
But ’twas thy heavenly face that set me on.

^{She falls the sword.}

Take up the sword again, or take up me.

Anne

Arise, dissembler; though I wish thy death,
I will not be the executioner.

Richard

Then bid me kill myself, and I will do it.

Anne

I have already.

Richard

                                     That was in thy rage.
Speak it again, and even with the word,
That hand, which for thy love did kill thy love,
Shall for thy love kill a far truer love.
To both their deaths shalt thou be `accessary.

Anne

I would I knew thy heart.

Richard

’Tis figured in my tongue.

Anne

I fear me both are false.

Richard

Then never man was true.

Anne

Well, well, put up your sword.

Richard

Say then my peace is made.

Anne

That shalt thou know hereafter.

Richard

But shall I live in hope?

Anne

All men, I hope, live so.

Richard

Vouchsafe to wear this ring.

Anne

To take is not to give.

Richard

Look, how this ring encompasseth thy finger.
Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart.
Wear both of them, for both of them are thine.
And if thy poor devoted servant may
But beg one favour at thy gracious hand,
Thou dost confirm his happiness for ever.

Anne

What is it?

Richard