Baronial mansion of Attinghausen.The Baron upon a couch dying.Walter Furst, Stauffacher, Melchthal, and Baumgarten attending round him.
Walter Tell kneeling before the dying man.
FURST.
All now is over with him.He is gone.
STAUFF.
He lies not like one dead.The feather, see, Moves on his lips! His sleep is very calm, And on his features plays a placid smile.
[Baumgarten goes to the door and speaks with some one.]
FURST.
Who's there?
BAUM.(returning).
Tell's wife, your daughter, she insists That she must speak with you, and see her boy.
[Walter Tell rises.]
FURST.
I who need comfort--can I comfort her?
Does every sorrow centre on my head?
HEDW.(forcing her way in).
Where is my child? unhand me! I must see him.
STAUFF.
Be calm! Reflect, you're in the house of death!
HEDW.(falling upon her boy's neck).
My Walter! Oh, he yet is mine!
WALT.
Dear mother!
HEDW.
And is it surely so? Art thou unhurt?
[Gazing at him with anxious tenderness.]
And is it possible he aim'd at thee?
How could he do it? Oh, he has no heart--And he could wing an arrow at his child!
FURST.
His soul was rack'd with anguish when he did it.
No choice was left him, but to shoot or die!
HEDW.
Oh, if he had a father's heart, he would Have sooner perish'd by a thousand deaths!
STAUFF.
You should be grateful for God's gracious care, That ordered things so well.
HEDW.
Can I forget What might have been the issue? God of Heaven, Were I to live for centuries, I still Should see my boy tied up,--his father's mark,--And still the shaft would quiver in my heart.
MELCH.
You know not how the Viceroy taunted him!
HEDW.
Oh, ruthless heart of man! Offend his pride, And reason in his breast forsakes her seat;In his blind wrath he'll stake upon a cast A child's existence, and a mother's heart!
BAUM.
Is then your husband's fate not hard enough, That you embitter it by such reproaches?
Have you not feeling for his sufferings?
HEDW.(turning to him and gazing full upon him).
Hast thou tears only for thy friend's distress?
Say, where were you when he--my noble Tell--Was bound in chains? Where was your friendship then?
The shameful wrong was done before your eyes;Patient you stood, and let your friend be dragg'd, Ay, from your very hands.Did ever Tell Act thus to you? Did he stand whining by, When on your heels the Viceroy's horsemen press'd, And full before you roared the storm-toss'd lake?
Oh, not with idle tears his pity show'd;
Into the boat he sprang, forgot his home, His wife, his children, and delivered thee!
FURST.
It had been madness to attempt his rescue, Unarm'd and few in numbers as we were!
HEDW.(casting herself upon his bosom).
Oh, father, and thou, too, hast lost my Tell!
The country--all have lost him! All lament His loss; and, oh, how he must pine for us!
Heaven keep his soul from sinking to despair!
No friend's consoling voice can penetrate His dreary dungeon walls.Should he fall sick!
Ah! In the vapours of the murky vault He must fall sick.Even as the Alpine rose Grows pale and withers in the swampy air, There is no life for him, but in the sun, And in the breath of Heaven's fresh-blowing airs.
Imprison'd! Liberty to him is breath;
He cannot live in the rank dungeon air!
STAUFF.
Pray you be calm! And hand in hand we'll all Combine to burst his prison doors.
HEDW.
He gone, What have you power to do? While Tell was free, There still, indeed, was hope--weak innocence Had still a friend, and the oppress'd a stay.
Tell saved you all! You cannot all combined Release him from his cruel prison bonds.
[The Baron wakes.]
BAUM.
Hush, hush! He starts!
ATTING.(sitting up).
Where is he?
STAUFF.
Who?
ATTING.
He leaves me,--
In my last moments he abandons me.
STAUFF.
He means his nephew.Have they sent for him?
FURST.
He has been summoned.Cheerly, sir! Take comfort!
He has found his heart at last, and is our own.
ATTING.
Say, has he spoken for his native land?
STAUFF.
Ay, like a hero!
ATTING.
Wherefore comes he not, That he may take my blessing ere I die?
I feel my life fast ebbing to a close.
STAUFF.
Nay, talk not thus, dear sir! This last short sleep Has much refresh'd you, and your eye is bright.
ATTING.
Life is but pain, and that has left me now;My sufferings, like my hopes, have pass'd away.
[Observing the boy.]
What boy is that?
FURST.
Bless him.Oh, good my lord!
He is my grandson, and is fatherless.
[Hedwig kneels with the boy before the dying man.]
ATTING.
And fatherless--I leave you all, ay, all!
Oh wretched fate, that these old eyes should see My country's ruin, as they close in death!
Must I attain the utmost verge of life, To feel my hopes go with me to the grave?
STAUFF.(to Furst).
Shall he depart 'mid grief and gloom like this?
Shall not his parting moments be illumed By hope's inspiring beams? My noble lord, Raise up your drooping spirit! We are not Forsaken quite--past all deliverance.
ATTING.
Who shall deliver you?
FURST.
Ourselves.For know, The Cantons three are to each other pledged, To hunt the tyrants from the land.The league Has been concluded, and a sacred oath Confirms our union.Ere another year Begins its circling course--the blow shall fall.
In a free land your ashes shall repose.
ATTING.
The league concluded! Is it really so?
MELCH.
On one day shall the Cantons rise together.
All is prepared to strike--and to this hour The secret closely kept, though hundreds share it;The ground is hollow 'neath the tyrants' feet;Their days of rule are number'd, and ere long No trace will of their hateful sway be left.
ATTING.
Ay, but their castles, how to master them?
MELCH.
On the same day they, too, are doom'd to fall.
ATTING.
And are the nobles parties to this league?
STAUFF.
We trust to their assistance, should we need it;As yet the peasantry alone have sworn.
ATTING.(raising himself up in great astonishment).
And have the peasantry dared such a deed On their own charge, without the nobles' aid--Relied so much on their own proper strength?
Nay then, indeed, they want our help no more;We may go down to death cheer'd by the thought, That after us the majesty of man Will live, and be maintain'd by other hands.
