Wilhelm Tell

SCENE IV.

The House of Walter Furst. Walter Furst and Arnold von Melchthal enter

simultaneously at different sides.

MELCH.

Good Walter Furst.

FURST.

If we should be surprised!

Stay where you are. We are beset with spies.

MELCH.

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 so heinous that I must

Skulk here in hiding, like a murderer?

I only laid my staff across the fists

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 transgress'd, and therefore should have paid

The penalty, however hard, in silence.

MELCH.

Was I to brook the fellow's saucy gibe,

"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.

O, we old men can scarce command ourselves!

And can we wonder youth breaks out of bounds?

MELCH.

I'm only sorry for my father's sake!

To be away from him, that needs so much

My fostering care! The Governor detests him,

Because, whene'er occasion served, he has

Stood stoutly up for right and liberty.

Therefore they'll bear him hard-the poor old man!

And there is none to shield him from their gripe.

Come what come may, I must go home again.

FURST.

Compose yourself, and wait in patience till

We get some tidings o'er from Unterwald.

Away! away! I hear a knock! Perhaps

A message from the Viceroy! Get thee in!

You are not safe from Landenberger's[*] arm

In Uri, for these tyrants pull together.

[*] Berenger von Landenberg, a man of noble family in Thurgau, and

Governor of Unterwald, infamous for his cruelties to the Swiss,

and particularly to the venerable Henry of the Halden. He was

slain at the battle of Morgarten, in 1315.

MELCH.

They teach us Switzers what we ought to do.

FURST.

Away! I'll call you when the coast is clear.

[Melchthal retires.]

Unhappy youth! I dare not tell him all

The evil that my boding heart predicts!

Who's there? The door ne'er opens, but I look

For tidings of mishap. Suspicion lurks

With darkling treachery in every nook.

Even to our inmost rooms they force their way,

These myrmidons of power; and soon we'll need

To fasten bolts and bars upon our doors.

[He opens the door, and steps back in surprise as Werner Stauffacher

enters.]

What do I see? You, Werner? Now, by Heaven!

A valued guest, indeed. No man e'er set

His foot across this threshold, more esteem'd,

Welcome! thrice welcome, Werner, to my roof!

What brings you here? What seek you here in Uri?

STAUFF. (shakes Furst by the hand).

The olden times and olden Switzerland.

FURST.

You bring them with you. See how glad I am,

My heart leaps at the very sight of you.

Sit down-sit down, and tell me how you left

Your charming wife, fair Gertrude? Iberg's child,

And clever as her father. Not a man,

That wends from Germany, by Meinrad's Cell,[*]

To Italy, but praises far and wide

Your house's hospitality. But say,

Have you come here direct from Fluelen,

And have you noticed nothing on your way,

Before you halted at my door?

[*] A cell built in the 9th century, by Meinrad, Count of

Hohenzollern, the founder of the Convent of Einsiedeln,

subsequently alluded to in the text.

STAUFF. (sits down).

I saw

A work in progress, as I came along,

I little thought to see-that likes me ill.

FURST.

O friend! you've lighted on my thought at once.

STAUFF.

Such things in Uri ne'er were known before.

Never was prison here in man's remembrance,

Nor ever any stronghold but the grave.

FURST.

You name it well. It is the grave of freedom.

STAUFF.

Friend, Walter Furst, I will be plain with you.

No idle curiosity it is

That brings me here, but heavy cares. I left

Thraldom at home, and thraldom meets me here.

Our wrongs, e'en now, are more than we can bear

And who shall tell us where they are to end?

From eldest time the Switzer has been free,

Accustom'd only to the mildest rule.

Such things as now we suffer ne'er were known,

Since herdsman first drove cattle to the hills.

FURST.

Yes, our oppressions are unparallel'd!

Why, even our own good lord of Attinghaus,

Who lived in olden times, himself declares

They are no longer to be tamely borne.

STAUFF.

In Unterwalden yonder 'tis the same;

And bloody has the retribution been.

The imperial Seneschal, the Wolfshot, who

At Rossberg dwelt, long'd for forbidden fruit-

Baumgarten's wife, that lives at Alzellen,

He tried to make a victim to his lust,

On which the husband slew him with his axe.

FURST.

O, Heaven is just in all its judgments still!

Baumgarten, say you? A most worthy man.

Has he escaped, and is he safely hid?

STAUFF.

Your son-in-law conveyed him o'er the lake,

And he lies hidden in my house at Steinen.

He brought the tidings with him of a thing

That has been done at Sarnen, worse than all,

A thing to make the very heart run blood!

FURST. (attentively).

Say on. What is it?

STAUFF.

There dwells in Melchthal, then,

Just as you enter by the road from Kerns,

An upright man, named Henry of the Halden,

A man of weight and influence in the Diet.

FURST.

Who knows him not? But what of him? Proceed.

STAUFF.

The Landenberg, to punish some offence

Committed by the old man's son, it seems,

Had given command to take the youth's best pair

Of oxen from his plough; on which the lad

Struck down the messenger and took to flight.

FURST.

But the old father-tell me, what of him?

STAUFF.

The Landenberg sent for him, and required

He should produce his son upon the spot;

And when the old man protested, and with truth,

That he knew nothing of the fugitive,

The tyrant call'd his torturers.

FURST. (springs up and tries to lead him to the other side).

Hush, no more!

STAUFF. (with increasing warmth).

"And though thy son," he cried, "has 'scaped me now,

I have thee fast, and thou shalt feel my vengeance."

With that they flung the old man to the ground,

And plunged the pointed steel into his eyes.

FURST.

Merciful Heaven!

MELCH. (rushing out).

Into his eyes, his eyes?

STAUFF. (addresses himself in astonishment to Walter Furst).

Who is this youth?

MELCH. (grasping him convulsively).

Into his eyes? Speak, speak!

FURST.

Oh, miserable hour!

STAUFF.

Who is it, tell me?

[Stauffacher makes a sign to him.]

It is his son! All-righteous Heaven!

MELCH.

And I

Must be from thence! What! Into both his eyes?

FURST.

Be calm, be calm; and bear it like a man!

MELCH.

And all for me-for my mad willful folly!

Blind, did you say? Quite blind-and both his eyes?

STAUFF.

Ev'n so. The fountain of his sight is quench'd,

He ne'er will see the blessed sunshine more.

FURST.

Oh, spare his anguish!

MELCH.

Never, never more!

[Presses his hands upon his eyes and is silent for some moments : then

turning from one to the other, speaks in a subdued tone, broken by

sobs.]

O, the eye's light, of all the gifts of Heaven,

The dearest, best! From light all beings live-

Each fair created thing-the very plants

Turn with a joyful transport to the light,

And he-he must drag on through all his days

In endless darkness! Never more for him

The sunny meads shall glow, the flow'rets bloom;

Nor shall he more behold the roseate tints

Of the iced mountain top! To die is nothing.

But to have life, and not have sight,-oh that

Is misery, indeed! Why do you look

So piteously at me? I have two eyes,

Yet to my poor blind father can give neither!

No, not one gleam of that great sea of light,

That with its dazzling splendour floods my gaze.

STAUFF.

Ah, I must swell the measure of your grief,

Instead of soothing it. The worst, alas!

Remains to tell. They've stripp'd him of his all;

Nought have they left him, save his staff, on which,

Blind, and in rags, he moves from door to door.

MELCH.

Nought but his staff to the old eyeless man!

Stripp'd of his all-even of the light of day,

The common blessing of the meanest wretch?

Tell me no more of patience, of concealment!

Oh, what a base and coward thing am I,

That on mine own security I thought,

And took no care of thine! Thy precious head

Left as a pledge within the tyrant's grasp!

Hence, craven-hearted prudence, hence! And all

My thoughts be vengeance, and the despot's blood!

I'll seek him straight-no power shall stay me now-

And at his hands demand my father's eyes.

I'll beard him 'mid a thousand myrmidons!

What's life to me, if in his heart's best blood

I cool the fever of this mighty anguish?

[He is going.]

FURST.

Stay, this is madness, Melchthal! What avails

Your single arm against his power? He sits

At Sarnen high within his lordly keep,

And, safe within its battlemented walls,

May laugh to scorn your unavailing rage.

MELCH.

And though he sat within the icy domes

Of yon far Schreckhorn-ay, or higher, where,

Veil'd since eternity, the Jungfrau soars,

Still to the tyrant would I make my way;

With twenty comrades minded like myself,

I'd lay his fastness level with the earth!

And if none follow me, and if you all,

In terror for your homesteads and your herds,

Bow in submission to the tyrant's yoke,

Round me I'll call the herdsmen on the hills,

And there beneath heaven's free and boundless roof,

Where men still feel as men, and hearts are true,

Proclaim aloud this foul enormity!

STAUFF. (to Furst.)

The measure's full-and are we then to wait

Till some extremity-

MELCH.

Peace! What extremity

Remains for us to dread? What, when our eyes

No longer in their sockets are secure?

Heavens! Are we helpless? Wherefore did we learn

To bend the cross-bow,-wield the battle-axe?

What living creature but in its despair,

Finds for itself a weapon of defence?

The baited stag will turn, and with the show

Of his dread antlers hold the hounds at bay;

The chamois drags the hunstman down th' abyss,

The very ox, the partner of man's toil,

The sharer of his roof, that meekly bends

The strength of his huge neck beneath the yoke,

Springs up, if he's provoked, whets his strong horn,

And tosses his tormentor to the clouds.

FURST.

If the three Cantons thought as we three do,

Something might then be done, with good effect.

STAUFF.

When Uri calls, when Unterwald replies,

Schwytz will be mindful of her ancient league.[*]

[*] The League, or Bond, of the Three Cantons was of very ancient

origin. They met and renewed it from time to time, especially when

their liberties were threatened with danger. A remarkable instance

of this occurred in the end of the 13th century, when Albert of

Austria became Emperor, and when, possibly, for the first time,

the Bond was reduced to writing. As it is important to the

understanding of many passages of the play, a translation is

subjoined of the oldest known document relating to it. The

original, which is in Latin and German, is dated in August, 1291,

and is under the seals of the whole of the men of Schwytz, the

commonalty of the vale of Uri, and the whole of the men of the

upper and lower vales of Stanz.

THE BOND

Be it known to every one, that the men of the Dale of Uri, the

Community of Schwytz, as also the men of the mountains of

Unterwald, in consideration of the evil times, have full

confidently bound themselves, and sworn to help each other with

all their power and might, property and people, against all who

shall do violence to them, or any of them. That is our Ancient

Bond.

Whoever hath a Seignior, let him obey according to the conditions

of his service.

We are agreed to receive into these dales no Judge, who is not a

countryman and indweller, or who hath bought his place.

Every controversy amongst the sworn confederates shall be

determined by some of the sagest of their number, and if any one

shall challenge their judgment, then shall he be constrained to

obey it by the rest.

Whoever intentionally or deceitfully kills another, shall be

executed, and whoever shelters him shall be banished.

Whoever burns the property of another shall no longer be regarded

as a countryman, and whoever shelters him shall make good the

damage done.

Whoever injures another, or robs him, and hath property in our

country, shall make satisfaction out of the same.

No one shall distrain a debtor without a judge, nor any one who is

not his debtor, or the surety of such debtor.

Every one in these dales shall submit to the judge, or we, the

sworn confederates, all will take satisfaction for all the injury

occasioned by his contumacy. And if in any internal division the

one party will not accept justice, all the rest shall help the

other party. These decrees shall, God willing, endure eternally

for our general advantage.

MELCH.

I've many friends in Unterwald, and none

That would not gladly venture life and limb,

If fairly back'd and aided by the rest.

Oh! sage and reverend fathers of this land,

Here do I stand before your riper years,

An unskill'd youth, who in the Diet must

Into respectful silence hush his voice.

Yet do not, for that I am young, and want

Experience, slight my counsel and my words.

'Tis not the wantonness of youthful blood

That fires my spirit; but a pang so deep

That e'en the flinty rocks must pity me.

You, too, are fathers, heads of families,

And you must wish to have a virtuous son,

To reverence your grey hairs, and shield your eyes

With pious and affectionate regard.

Do not, I pray, because in limb and fortune

You still are unassailed, and still your eyes

Revolve undimm'd and sparkling in their spheres;

Oh, do not, therefore, disregard our wrongs!

Above you, also, hangs the tyrant's sword.

You, too, have striven to alienate the land

From Austria. This was all my father's crime:

You share his guilt, and may his punishment.

STAUFF. (to Furst).

Do thou resolve! I am prepared to follow.

FURST.

First let us learn what steps the noble lords

Von Sillinen and Attinghaus propose.

Their names would rally thousands to the cause.

MELCH.

Is there a name within the Forest Mountains

That carried more respect than yours-and yours?

On names like these the people build their trust

In time of need-such names are household words.

Rich was your heritage of manly worth,

And richly have you added to its stores.

What need of nobles? Let us do the work

Ourselves. Yes, though we have to stand alone,

We shall be able to maintain our rights.

STAUFF.

The noble's wrongs are not so great as ours.

The torrent, that lays waste the lower grounds,

Hath not ascended to the uplands yet.

But let them see the country once in arms,

They'll not refuse to lend a helping hand.

FURST.

Were there an umpire 'twixt ourselves and Austria,

Justice and law might then decide our quarrel.

But out oppressor is our Emperor too,

And judge supreme. 'Tis God must help us, then,

And our own arm! Be yours the task to rouse

The men of Schwytz. I'll rally friends in Uri.

But whom are we to send to Unterwald?

MELCH.

Thither send me. Whom should it more concern!

FURST.

No, Melchthal, no; you are my guest, and I

Must answer for your safety.

MELCH.

Let me go. I know each forest track and mountain path;

Friends too, I'll find, be sure, on every hand,

To give me willing shelter from the foe.

STAUFF.

Nay, let him go; no traitors harbour there:

For tyranny is so abhorred in Unterwald,

No tools can there be found to work her will.

In the low valleys, too, the Alzeller

Will gain confederates, and rouse the country.

MELCH.

But how shall we communicate, and not

Awaken the suspicion of the tyrants?

STAUFF.

Might we not meet at Brunnen or at Treib,

Where merchant vessels with their cargoes come?

FURST.

We must not go so openly to work.

Hear my opinion. On the lake's left bank,

As we sail hence to Brunnen, right against

The Mytenstein, deep-hidden in the wood

A meadow lies, by shepherds called the Rootli,

Because the wood has been uprooted there.

[To Melchthal.]

'Tis where our Canton bound'ries verge on yours;

[To Stauffacher.]

Your boat will carry you across from Schwytz.

Thither by lonely bypaths let us wend

At midnight, and deliberate o'er our plans.

Let each bring with him there ten trusty men,

All one at heart with us; and then we may

Consult together for the general weal,

And, with God's guidance, fix what next to do.

STAUFF.

So let it be. And now your true right hand!

Yours, too, young man! and as we now three men

Among ourselves thus knit our hands together

In all sincerity and truth, e'en so

Shall we three cantons, too, together stand

In victory and defeat, in life and death.

FURST and MELCH.

In life and death!

[They hold their hands clasped together for some moments in silence.]

MELCH.

Alas, my old blind father!

The day of freedom, that thou canst not see,

But thou shalt hear it, when from Alp to Alp

The beacon fires throw up their flaming signs,

And the proud castles of the tyrants fall,

Into thy cottage shall the Switzer burst,

Bear the glad tidings to thine ear, and o'er

Thy darken'd way shall Freedom's radiance pour.

ACT II.