Villains! put on my chains again. My hands
Are free from blood, and have no gust for it,

That they should drink my child's! Here! here! I'll not
Murder my boy for Gesler.

The arrow through thy brain; or, missing that,
Shoot out an eye; or, if thine eye escape,

Mangle the cheek I've seen thy mother's lips

To save me ! You'll be sure to hit the apple,

Will you not save me, father?

TELL. Lead me forth;

I'll make the trial!

ALB. Thank you!

TELL. Thank me! Do

You know for what? I will not make the trial,

To take him to his mother in my arms,

And lay him down a corpse before her!
GES. Then he dies this moment,

and you certainly

Do murder him whose life you have a chance
To save, and will not use it.

TELL. Well, I'll do it: I'll make the trial.
ALB. Father-

TELL. Speak not to me:
Let me not hear thy voice.
And so should all things be.

Thou must be dumb;

Earth should be dumb,

And Heaven, - unless its thunders muttered at

The deed, and sent a bolt to stop it! Give me

My bow and quiver!

GES. When all's ready.

TELL. Well! Lead on!

PERSONS.

Enter, slowly, people in evident distress, NEM, GESLER, TELL, ALBERT, and SOLDIERS, bow and quiver, another with a basket of apples.

OFFICERS, SAR

one bearing TELL'S

GES. That is your ground. Now shall they measure thence Take the distance.

A hundred paces.

TELL. Is the line a true one?

GES. True or not, what is 't to thee?

TELL. What is 't to me? A little thing,

A very little thing; a yard or two

Is nothing here or there

I shot at! Never mind.

GES. Be thankful, slave,

were it a wolf

Our grace accords thee life on any terms.

TELL. I will be thankful, Gesler! - Villain, stop!

You measure to the sun.

GES. And what of that?

What matter whether to or from the sun?

TELL. I'd have it at my back; the sun should shine

Upon the mark, and not on him that shoots.

I cannot see to shoot against the sun,

I will not shoot against the sun!

GES. Give him his way! Thou hast cause to bless my

mercy.

TELL. I shall remember it. I'd like to see

The apple I'm to shoot at.

GES. Stay show me the basket! There

TELL. You've picked the smallest one.
GES. I know I have.

TELL. Oh! do you?·

But you see

The color on 't is dark, I'd have it light,

To see it better.

GES. Take it as it is:

Thy skill will be the greater if thou hit'st it.

TELL. True, true!

I did not think of that; I wonder

I did not think of that. Give me some chance

To save my boy!

(Throws away the apple with all his force.)

I will not murder him,

If I can help it for the honor of

The form thou wearest, if all the heart is gone.
GES. Well choose thyself.

TELL. Have I a friend among the lookers-on?
VERNER. (Rushing forward.) Here, Tell.
TELL. I thank thee, Verner!

He is a friend runs out into a storm

To shake a hand with us. I must be brief:
When once the bow is bent, we cannot take
The shot too soon. Verner, whatever be
The issue of this hour, the common cause
Must not stand still. Let not to-morrow's sun

Set on the tyrant's banner! Verner! Verner!

The boy!the boy! Thinkest thou he hath the courage To stand it?

VER. Yes.

TELL. Does he tremble?

VER. NO.

TELL. Art sure?

VER. I am.

TELL. How looks he?

VER. Clear and smilingly : If you doubt it, look yourself.

VER. He bears himself so much above his years

VER. With constancy so modest

TELL. I was sure he would!

VER. And looks with such relying love

And reverence upon you ·

TELL. Man! Man! Man!

No more! Already I'm too much the father

To act the man! — Verner, no more, my friend!

I would be flint, flint, flint. Don't make me feel

I'm not, do not mind me!

Take the boy

And set him, Verner, with his back to me.

Set him upon his knees, and place this apple
Upon his head, so that the stem may front me,
Thus, Verner; charge him to keep steady, tell him
I'll hit the apple! Verner, do all this

More briefly than I tell it thee.

VER. Come, Albert! (Leading him out.)

ALB. May I not speak with him before I go?
VER. NO.

ALB. I would only kiss his hand.

VER. You must not.

ALB. I must! I cannot go from him without.

VER. It is his will you should.

ALB. His will, is it?

I am content then; come.

TELL. My boy!

(Holding out his arms to him.)

(Rushing into TELL's arms.)

ALB. My father!

TELL. If thou canst bear it, should not I? - Go, now,

My son, and keep in mind that I can shoot

Thou wilt not fail thy master, wilt thou? Thou

Hast never failed him yet, old servant.

No,

I'm sure of thee; I know thy honesty.

Thou art stanch, stanch. Let me see my quiver.

GES. Give him a single arrow.

TELL. Do you shoot?

SOL. I do.

TELL. Is it so you pick an arrow, friend?

The point, you see, is bent; the feather jagged: (Breaks it.) That's all the use 't is fit for.

GES. Let him have another.

TELL. Why, 't is better than the first, But yet not good enough for such an aim

As I'm to take, 't is heavy in the shaft :

I'll not shoot with it! (Throws it away.) Let me see my quiver.

Bring it! 'T is not one arrow in a dozen

I'd take to shoot with at a dove, much less

A dove like that.

GES. It matters not.

Show him the quiver.

TELL. See if the boy is ready.

VER. He is.

(TELL here hides an arrow under his vest.)

TELL. I'm ready, too! Keep silent for

Heaven's sake, and do not stir; and let me have

Your prayers,

your prayers; and be my witnesses,

That if his life 's in peril from my hand,

'T is only for the chance of saving it. (To the people.)

GES. Go on.

TELL. I will.

O friends, for mercy's sake, keep motionless

And silent!

(TELL shoots; a shout of exultation bursts from the crowd. TELL's head drops on his bosom; he with difficulty supports himself upon his bow.)