Wilhelm Tell Part 40

FURST (reading).

"To the worthy men Of Uri, Schwytz, and Unterwald, the Queen Elizabeth sends grace and all good wishes!"

MANY VOICES.

What wants the queen with us? Her reign is done.

FURST (reads).

"In the great grief and doleful widowhood, In which the b.l.o.o.d.y exit of her lord Has plunged her majesty, she still remembers The ancient faith and love of Switzerland."

MELCHTHAL.

She ne'er did that in her prosperity.

ROSSELMANN.

Hush, let us hear.

FURST (reads).

"And she is well a.s.sured, Her people will in due abhorrence hold The perpetrators of this d.a.m.ned deed.

On the three Cantons, therefore, she relies, That they in nowise lend the murderers aid; But rather, that they loyally a.s.sist To give them up to the avenger's hand, Remembering the love and grace which they Of old received from Rudolph's princely house."

[Symptoms of dissatisfaction among the peasantry.

MANY VOICES.

The love and grace!

STAUFFACHER.

Grace from the father we, indeed, received, But what have we to boast of from the son?

Did he confirm the charter of our freedom, As all preceding emperors had done?

Did he judge righteous judgment, or afford Shelter or stay to innocence oppressed?

Nay, did he e'en give audience to the envoys We sent to lay our grievances before him?

Not one of all these things e'er did the king.

And had we not ourselves achieved our rights By resolute valor our necessities Had never touched him. Grat.i.tude to him!

Within these vales he sowed not grat.i.tude.

He stood upon an eminence--he might Have been a very father to his people, But all his aim and pleasure was to raise Himself and his own house: and now may those Whom he has aggrandized lament for him!

FURST.

We will not triumph in his fall, nor now Recall to mind the wrongs we have endured.

Far be't from us! Yet, that we should avenge The sovereign's death, who never did us good, And hunt down those who ne'er molested us, Becomes us not, nor is our duty. Love Must bring its offerings free and unconstrained; From all enforced duties death absolves-- And unto him we are no longer bound.

MELCHTHAL.

And if the queen laments within her bower, Accusing heaven in sorrow's wild despair; Here see a people from its anguish freed.

To that same heaven send up its thankful praise, For who would reap regrets must sow affection.

[Exit the imperial courier.

STAUFFACHER (to the people).

But where is Tell? Shall he, our freedom's founder, Alone be absent from our festival?

He did the most--endured the worst of all.

Come--to his dwelling let us all repair, And bid the savior of our country hail!

[Exeunt omnes.

SCENE II.

Interior of TELL'S cottage. A fire burning on the hearth.

The open door shows the scene outside.

HEDWIG, WALTER, and WILHELM.

HEDWIG.

Boys, dearest boys! your father comes to-day.

He lives, is free, and we and all are free!

The country owes its liberty to him!

WALTER.

And I too, mother, bore my part in it; I shall be named with him. My father's shaft Went closely by my life, but yet I shook not!

HEDWIG (embracing him).

Yes, yes, thou art restored to me again.

Twice have I given thee birth, twice suffered all A mother's agonies for thee, my child!

But this is past; I have you both, boys, both!

And your dear father will be back to-day.

[A monk appears at the door.

WILHELM.

See, mother, yonder stands a holy friar; He's asking alms, no doubt.

HEDWIG.

Go lead him in, That we may give him cheer, and make him feel That he has come into the house of joy.

[Exit, and returns immediately with a cup.

WILHELM (to the monk).

Come in, good man. Mother will give you food.

WALTER.

Come in, and rest, then go refreshed away!

MONK (glancing round in terror, with unquiet looks).

Where am I? In what country?

WALTER.

Have you lost Your way, that you are ignorant of this?

You are at Buerglen, in the land of Uri, Just at the entrance of the Sheckenthal.

MONK (to HEDWIG).

Are you alone? Your husband, is he here?