More lawful still be living?

BASMANOV. Listen, Pushkin:

Enough of that; tell me no idle tales!

I know the man.

PUSHKIN. Russia and Lithuania

Have long acknowledged him to be Dimitry;

But, for the rest, I do not vouch for it.

Perchance he is indeed the real Dimitry;

Perchance but a pretender; only this

I know, that soon or late the son of Boris

Will yield Moscow to him.

BASMANOV. So long as I

Stand by the youthful tsar, so long he will not

Forsake the throne. We have enough of troops,

Thank God! With victory I will inspire them.

And whom will you against me send, the Cossack

Karel or Mnishek? Are your numbers many?

In all, eight thousand.

PUSHKIN. You mistake; they will not

Amount even to that. I say myself

Our army is mere trash, the Cossacks only

Rob villages, the Poles but brag and drink;

The Russians - what shall I say? - with you I'll not

Dissemble; but, Basmanov, dost thou know

Wherein our strength lies? Not in the army, no.

Nor Polish aid, but in opinion - yes,

In popular opinion. Dost remember

The triumph of Dimitry, dost remember

His peaceful conquests, when, without a blow

The docile towns surrendered, and the mob

Bound the recalcitrant leaders? Thou thyself

Saw'st it; was it of their free-will our troops

Fought with him? And when did they so? Boris