Wilhelm Tell | Page 6

it with bended knee, And head uncovered; thus the king will know Who are his true and loyal subjects here: His life and goods are forfeit to the crown, That shall refuse obedience to the order.
[The people burst out into laughter. The drum beats, and the procession passes on.
FIRST WORKMAN. A strange device to fall upon, indeed! Do reverence to a cap! a pretty farce! Heard ever mortal anything like this?
MASTER MASON. Down to a cap on bended knee, forsooth! Rare jesting this with men of sober sense!
FIRST WORKMAN. Nay, were it but the imperial crown, indeed! But 'tis the cap of Austria! I've seen it Hanging above the throne in Gessler's hall.
MASTER MASON. The cap of Austria! Mark that! A snare To get us into Austria's power, by heaven!
WORKMEN. No freeborn man will stoop to such disgrace.
MASTER MASON. Come--to our comrades, and advise with them!
[They retire up.
TELL (to STAUFFACHER). You see how matters stand: Farewell, my friend!
STAUFFACHER. Whither away? Oh, leave us not so soon.
TELL. They look for me at home. So fare ye well.
STAUFFACHER. My heart's so full, and has so much to tell you.
TELL. Words will not make a heart that's heavy light.
STAUFFACHER. Yet words may possibly conduct to deeds.
TELL. All we can do is to endure in silence.
STAUFFACHER. But shall we bear what is not to be borne?
TELL. Impetuous rulers have the shortest reigns. When the fierce south wind rises from his chasms, Men cover up their fires, the ships in haste Make for the harbor, and the mighty spirit Sweeps o'er the earth, and leaves no trace behind. Let every man live quietly at home; Peace to the peaceful rarely is denied.
STAUFFACHER. And is it thus you view our grievances?
TELL. The serpent stings not till it is provoked. Let them alone; they'll weary of themselves, Whene'er they see we are not to be roused.
STAUFFACHER. Much might be done--did we stand fast together.
TELL. When the ship founders, he will best escape Who seeks no other's safety but his own.
STAUFFACHER. And you desert the common cause so coldly?
TELL. A man can safely count but on himself!
STAUFFACHER. Nay, even the weak grow strong by union.
TELL. But the strong man is the strongest when alone.
STAUFFACHER. Your country, then, cannot rely on you If in despair she rise against her foes.
TELL. Tell rescues the lost sheep from yawning gulfs: Is he a man, then, to desert his friends? Yet, whatsoe'er you do, spare me from council! I was not born to ponder and select; But when your course of action is resolved, Then call on Tell; you shall not find him fail.
[Exeunt severally. A sudden tumult is heard around the scaffolding.
MASTER MASON (running in). What's wrong?
FIRST WORKMAN (running forward). The slater's fallen from the roof.
BERTHA (rushing in). Is he dashed to pieces? Run--save him, help! If help be possible, save him! Here is gold.
[Throws her trinkets among the people.
MASTER MASON. Hence with your gold,--your universal charm, And remedy for ill! When you have torn Fathers from children, husbands from their wives, And scattered woe and wail throughout the land, You think with gold to compensate for all. Hence! Till we saw you we were happy men; With you came misery and dark despair.
BERTHA (to the TASKMASTER, who has returned). Lives he? [TASKMASTER shakes his head. Ill-fated towers, with curses built, And doomed with curses to be tenanted!
[Exit.

SCENE IV.
The House of WALTER FURST. WALTER FURST and ARNOLD VON MELCHTHAL enter simultaneously at different sides.
MELCHTHAL. Good Walter Furst.
FURST. If we should be surprised! Stay where you are. We are beset with spies.
MELCHTHAL. Have you no news for me from Unterwald? What of my father? 'Tis not to be borne, Thus to be pent up like a felon here! What have I done of such a heinous stamp, To skulk and hide me like a murderer? I only laid my staff across the fingers Of the pert varlet, when before my eyes, By order of the governor, he tried To drive away my handsome team of oxen.
FURST. You are too rash by far. He did no more Than what the governor had ordered him. You had transgressed, and therefore should have paid The penalty, however hard, in silence.
MELCHTHAL. Was I to brook the fellow's saucy words? "That if the peasant must have bread to eat; Why, let him go and draw the plough himself!" It cut me to the very soul to see My oxen, noble creatures, when the knave Unyoked them from the plough. As though they felt The wrong, they lowed and butted with their horns. On this I could contain myself no longer, And, overcome by passion, struck him down.
FURST. Oh, we old men can scarce command ourselves! And can we wonder youth shall break its bounds?
MELCHTHAL. I'm only sorry for my father's sake! To be away from him, that