LEUTHOLD.

He has not made obeisance to the cap.

FURST.

And shall for this to prison? Come, my friend, Take my security, and let him go.

FRIESSHARDT.

Keep your security for yourself--you"ll need it.

We only do our duty. Hence with him.

MELCHTHAL (to the country people).

This is too bad--shall we stand by, and see them.

Drag him away before our very eyes?

SACRISTAN.

We are the strongest. Don"t endure it, friends.

Our countrymen will back us to a man.

FRIESSHARDT.

Who dares resist the governor"s commands?

OTHER THREE PEASANTS (running in).

We"ll help you. What"s the matter? Down with them!

[HILDEGARD, MECHTHILD, and ELSBETH return.

TELL.

Go, go, good people, I can help myself.

Think you, had I a mind to use my strength, These pikes of theirs should daunt me?

MELCHTHAL (to FRIESSHARDT).

Only try-- Try, if you dare, to force him from amongst us.

FURST and STAUFFACHER.

Peace, peace, friends!

FRIESSHARDT (loudly).

Riot! Insurrection, ho!

[Hunting horns without.

WOMEN.

The governor!

FRIESSHARDT (raising his voice).

Rebellion! Mutiny!

STAUFFACHER.

Roar, till you burst, knave!

ROSSELMANN and MELCHTHAL.

Will you hold your tongue?

FRIESSHARDT (calling still louder).

Help, help, I say, the servants of the law!

FURST.

The viceroy here! Then we shall smart for this!

[Enter GESSLER on horseback, with a falcon on his wrist; RUDOLPH DER HARRAS, BERTHA, and RUDENZ, and a numerous train of armed attendants, who form a circle of lances around the whole stage.

HARRAS.

Room for the viceroy!

GESSLER.

Drive the clowns apart.

Why throng the people thus? Who calls for help?

[General silence.

Who was it? I will know.

[FRIESSHARDT steps forward.

And who art thou?

And why hast thou this man in custody?

[Gives his falcon to an attendant.

FRIESSHARDT.

Dread sir, I am a soldier of your guard, And stationed sentinel beside the cap; This man I apprehended in the act Of pa.s.sing it without obeisance due, So I arrested him, as you gave order, Whereon the people tried to rescue him.

GESSLER (after a pause).

And do you, Tell, so lightly hold your king, And me, who act as his vicegerent here, That you refuse the greeting to the cap I hung aloft to test your loyalty?

I read in this a disaffected spirit.

TELL.

Pardon me, good my lord! The action sprung From inadvertence,--not from disrespect.

Were I discreet, I were not William Tell.

Forgive me now--I"ll not offend again.

GESSLER (after a pause).

I hear, Tell, you"re a master with the bow,-- And bear the palm away from every rival.

WALTER.

That must be true, sir! At a hundred yards He"ll shoot an apple for you off the tree.

GESSLER.

Is that boy thine, Tell?