A THIRD. Hist! A sound. Is it not the tsar?

A FOURTH. No, it is the idiot.

(An idiot enters, in an iron cap, hung round with

chains, surrounded by boys.)

THE BOYS. Nick, Nick, iron nightcap! T-r-r-r-r - OLD WOMAN. Let him be, you young devils. Innocent one,

pray thou for me a sinner.

IDIOT. Give, give, give a penny.

OLD WOMAN. There is a penny for thee; remember me in

thy prayers.

IDIOT. (Seats himself on the ground and sings:) The moon sails on,

The kitten cries,

Nick, arise,

Pray to God.

(The boys surround him again.) ONE OF THEM. How do you do, Nick? Why don't you

take off your cap?

(Raps him on the iron cap.) How it rings!

IDIOT. But I have got a penny.

BOYS. That's not true; now, show it.

(They snatch the penny and run away.) IDIOT. (Weeps.) They have taken my penny, they are

hurting Nick.

THE PEOPLE. The tsar, the tsar is coming!

(The TSAR comes out from the Cathedral; a boyar in

front of him scatters alms among the poor. Boyars.)

IDIOT. Boris, Boris! The boys are hurting Nick.

TSAR. Give him alms! What is he crying for?

IDIOT. The boys are hurting me...Give orders to slay

them, as thou slewest the little tsarevich.

BOYARS. Go away, fool! Seize the fool!

TSAR. Leave him alone. Pray thou for me, Nick.

(Exit.) IDIOT. (To himself.) No, no! It is impossible to pray for

tsar Herod; the Mother of God forbids it.

SYEVSK.

The PRETENDER, surrounded by his supporters PRETENDER. Where is the prisoner?

A POLE. Here.

PRETENDER. Call him before me.

(A Russian prisoner enters.) Who art thou?

PRISONER. Rozhnov, a nobleman of Moscow.

PRETENDER. Hast long been in the service?

PRISONER. About a month.

PRETENDER. Art not ashamed, Rozhnov, that thou hast drawn

The sword against me?

PRISONER. What else could I do?

'Twas not our fault.

PRETENDER. Didst fight beneath the walls

Of Seversk?

PRISONER. 'Twas two weeks after the battle