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· Alb. Father Tell. Speak not to me: Let me not hear thy voice Thou must be dumb; And so should all things be- Earth should be dumb And Heaven - unless its thunders muttered at The deed, and sent a bolt to stop it! My bow and quiver! — Ges. When all's ready. Tell. Well! lead on! SCENE II. Give me PERSONS. Enter, slowly, People in evident distressOfficers, Sarnem, Gesler, Tell, Albert, and soldiersone bearing Tell's bow and quiver, another with a basket of apples. Ges. That is your ground. Now shall they measure thence A hundred paces. Take the distance. Tell. Is the line a true one? Ges. True or not, what is 't to thee? Ges. Be thankful, slave, 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- Ges. I know I have. Tell. O! do you?— The color on 't is darkTo see it better. Ges. Take it as it is: But you see I'd have it light, 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. 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: The boy! - the boy! Thinkest thou he hath the courage Ver. He bears himself so much above his years— Ver. And looks with such relying love And reverence upon you Tell. Man! Man! Man! No more! Already I'm too much the father 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? Alb. I must! I cannot go from him without. Tell. My boy! Alb. My father! [Holding out his arms to him.] [Rushing into Tell's arms.] Tell. If thou canst bear it, should not I?- Go, now, My son and keep in mind that I can shoot Go, boy-be thou but steady, I will hit The apple bow! Go!- God bless thee-go.- My [The bow is handed to him. Thou wilt not fail thy master, wilt thou?- Thou 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: 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: [Breaks it.] 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 prayers― your prayers and be my witnesses Your prayers That if his life's in peril from my hand, |