The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Iii Part 134

Where art thou, Tell?

My father comes, and in exulting bands All the confederates approach.

DUKE JOHN (_covering himself_).

Woe's me!

I dare not tarry 'mong these happy men!

TELL.

Go, dearest wife, and give this man to eat.

Spare not your bounty; for his road is long, And one where shelter will be hard to find.

Quick--they approach!

HEDWIG.

Who is he?

TELL.

Do not ask!

And when he quits you, turn your eyes away, So that they do not see which way he goes.

[DUKE JOHN _advances hastily toward_ TELL, _but he beckons him aside and goes out. When both have left the stage, the scene changes_.]

SCENE III

_The whole valley before_ TELL's _house, the heights which inclose it occupied by peasants, grouped into tableaux. Some are seen crossing a lofty bridge, which crosses the Shechen_. WALTER FuRST _with the two boys_, WERNER _and_ STAUFFACHER, _come forward. Others throng after them. When_ TELL _appears, all receive him with loud cheers._

ALL.

Long live brave Tell, our shield, our Savior!

[_While those in front are crowding round_ TELL, _and embracing him_, RUDENZ _and_ BERTHA _appear. The former salutes the peasantry, the latter embraces_ HEDWIG. _The music front the mountains continues to play. When it has stopped_, BERTHA _steps into the centre of the crowd_.]

BERTHA.

Peasants! Confederates! Into your league Receive me, who was happily the first That found deliverance in the land of freedom.

To your brave hands I now intrust my rights.

Will you protect me as your citizen?

PEASANTS.

Ay, that we will, with life and goods!

BERTHA. 'Tis well!

And now to him (_turning to_ RUDENZ) I frankly give my hand.

A free Swiss maiden to a free Swiss man!

RUDENZ.

And from this moment all my serfs are free!

[_Music, and the curtain falls_.]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 36: Permission The Macmillan Co., New York, and G. Bell & Sons, Ltd., London.]

[Footnote 37: The German is, _Thalvogt_, Ruler of the Valley--the name given figuratively to a dense gray mist which the south wind sweeps into the valleys from the mountain tops. It is well known as the precursor of stormy weather.]

[Footnote 38: A steep rock, standing on the north of Rutli, and nearly opposite to Brumen.]

[Footnote 39: In German, _Wolfenschiessen_--a young man of n.o.ble family, and a native of Unterwalden, who attached himself to the House of Austria, and was appointed _Burvogt_, or Seneschal, of the Castle of Rossberg. He was killed by Baumgarten in the manner, and for the cause, mentioned in the text.]

[Footnote 40: Literally, The _Fohn_ is loose! "When," says Muller, in his History of Switzerland, "the wind called the Fohn is high, the navigation of the lake becomes extremely dangerous. Such is its vehemence that the laws of the country require that the fires shall be extinguished in the houses while it lasts, and the night watches are doubled. The inhabitants lay heavy stones upon the roofs of their houses, to prevent their being blown away."]

[Footnote 41: Burglen, the birthplace and residence of Tell. A chapel, erected in 1522, remains on the spot formerly occupied by his house.]

[Footnote 42: Berenger von Landenberg, a man of n.o.ble 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.]

[Footnote 43: 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.]

[Footnote 44: 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 pa.s.sages of the play, a translation is subjoined of the oldest known doc.u.ment 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 for 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, G.o.d willing, endure eternally for our general advantage.]