Dramatic Reader for Lower Grades Part 22

_Lady Lea_ (_entering_). Oh, my dear husband! how glad I am to hear your voice again.

_The Knight._ Happy am I to see you and to be at home again. I must tell you how kind Robin Hood has been to me.

_Lady Lea._ Robin Hood your friend? Is he not the outlaw of the forest?

_The Knight._ Yes; but he is kind to all who are unhappy or oppressed.

He saved me from leaving England and gave me money to redeem my land.

_Lady Lea._ How I long to thank him for his goodness to you.

_The Knight._ In a year we will go to him and repay the four hundred pounds.

_Lady Lea._ I shall be glad to see him and his merry men, and try to thank them all.

WILLIAM TELL

A STORY OF SWITZERLAND. A.D. 1307

PERSONS IN THE PLAY--WILLIAM TELL; LEWIS, HIS SON; ALBERT, HIS SON; ANNETTE, HIS WIFE; LALOTTE, HIS NIECE, GESSLER, SOLDIERS

SCENE I.--_At Tell's Home_

_Albert._ Lewis, doesn't the quail smell good?

_Lewis._ Yes, I wish I could have some of it!

_Lalotte._ Hush! the quail is for your father.

_Albert._ I know that, Lalotte; but I am hungry, and I like quail.

_Lalotte._ Your father will be cold and hungry, for he has been on a long journey.

_Albert._ But perhaps he will not come. Mother, mother! may we have the quail if father is late? It is done now, and it will not be good if it is cooked any more.

_Lalotte._ Hush, you greedy boy! If I were your mother, I would send you to bed for thinking of such a thing.

_Albert._ You are not the mistress. You are not the mistress, and I shall not go to bed because you say so!

_William Tell_ (_at door_). But you shall go to bed, young man, if your Cousin Lalotte tells you to do so. Take them to bed, Lalotte.

_Albert._ Oh, father! We were only joking.

_Lewis._ Please, father, don't send us to bed.

_William Tell._ I must, my boy, because it is late, and I have news for your mother. Good night, my sons.

_Boys._ Good night, dear father.

[_They go out with Lalotte._]

_William Tell._ Thy father's news is not for young ears.

_Annette._ There is a sadness in thy voice, and trouble in thy face!

Tell me what has happened to thee! Wilt thou not trust me?

_William Tell._ Yes, my Annette! Thou hast ever been a good wife and faithful friend. Why should I conceal my deeds from thee?

_Annette._ What hast thou done, my husband?

_William Tell._ Perhaps thou wilt blame me.

_Annette._ Nay, for thou art a good man, and whatever thou doest is right in my eyes.

_William Tell._ Thou knowest how our foreign rulers oppress the good people of Switzerland?

_Annette._ I do, but why should we poor peasants worry over the affairs of the n.o.bles?

_William Tell._ But they are our troubles, too. So to-night I have met with three and thirty men, brave and loyal hearts, who have sworn to resist our oppressors and free our land from tyranny.

_Annette._ But how can three-and-thirty men think to conquer the armies of foreign tyrants?

_William Tell._ Sometimes great events are brought about by small means.

All the people in their hearts hate the false ruler of our poor country, and many of these will willingly die for her sake.

_Annette._ Thou art brave, my husband, but what can so few do?

_William Tell._ Think of it! The father of one of our band has just been put to a cruel death. No man knows where the tyrant will strike next.

Perhaps Gessler will pick me out for the next victim.

_Annette._ Thee! What charge could he bring against thee?

_William Tell._ He could say that I am the friend of my country, which in the tyrant Gessler's mind is a crime.

_Annette._ But Gessler will never hear of us, humble peasants. He is too far above us to care what we think.

_William Tell._ Not so, my dear wife. Gessler will not permit us to hold our thoughts in secret. He has a plan to discover our inmost thoughts.

_Annette._ What plan can he make to read our minds?

_William Tell._ A clever plan to tell a freeman from a slave. In Altdorf, our capital city, he has set up a pole. Upon the top of this pole he has put the cap of the Austrian king and has ordered every man to take off his hat as he pa.s.ses by, to show that he yields to the Austrian rule. Is not this a brave plan? He who obeys the tyrant is a slave. Wouldst thou have thy husband doff his cap to his country's tyrant?

_Annette._ Never! I should despise thee, couldst thou do it!

_William Tell._ That is my own brave wife! Thou speakest as a free woman, the mother of free children, should speak. And our children shall be free! When I go to Altdorf I shall refuse to obey the order of Gessler and all Switzerland shall know that William Tell will not bow to a foreign tyrant.