Chapter 79

_Interior of_ TELL's _cottage. A fire burning on the hearth. The open door shows the scene outside._

HEDWIG, WALTER, _and_ WILLIAM

HEDWIG.

My own dear boys! your father comes today; 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 must be named with him. My father's shaft Ran my life close, but yet I never flinch'd.

HEDWIG (_embracing him_).

Yes, yes, thou art restored to me again! Twice have I seen thee given to my sad eyes, Twice suffered all a mother's pangs for thee! But this is past--I have you both, boys, both! And your dear father will be back today.

[_A monk appears at the door_.]

WILLIAM.

See, mother, yonder stands a holy friar; He comes for 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_.]

WILLIAM (_to the monk_).

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

WALTER.

Come in and rest, then go refresh'd away!

MONK (_glancing round in terror, with unquiet looks_).

Where am I? In what country? Tell me.

WALTER.

How! Are you bewildered, that you know not where? You are at Bürglen, in the land of Uri, Just at the entrance of the Shechenthal.

MONK. (_to_ HEDWIG).

Are you alone? Your husband, is he here?

HEDWIG.

I am expecting him. But what ails you, man? There's something in your looks, that omens ill! Whoe'er you be, you are in want--take that.

[_Offers him the cup_.]

MONK.

Howe'er my sinking heart may yearn for food, Nought will I taste till you have promised first--

HEDWIG.

Touch not my garments, come not near me, monk! You must stand farther back, if I'm to hear you.

MONK.

Oh, by this hearth's bright hospitable blaze, By your dear children's heads, which I embrace--

[_Grasps the boys_.]

HEDWIG.

Stand back, I say! What is your purpose, man? Back from my boys! You are no monk,--no, no, Beneath the robe you wear peace should abide, But peace abides not in such looks as yours.

MONK.

I am the wretchedest of living men.

HEDWIG.

The heart is never deaf to wretchedness; But your look freezes up my inmost soul.

WALTER (_springs up_).

Mother, here's father!

HEDWIG.

Oh, my God!

[_Is about to follow, trembles and stops_.]

WILLIAM (_running after his brother_).

My father!

WALTER (_without_).

Here, here once more!

WILLIAM (_without_).

My father, my dear father!

TELL (_without_).

Yes, here once more! Where is your mother, boys?

[_They enter_.]

WALTER.

There at the door she stands, and can no further, She trembles so with terror and with joy.

TELL.

Oh Hedwidg, Hedwig, mother of my children! God has been kind and helpful in our woes. No tyrant's hand shall e'er divide us more.

HEDWIG (_falling on his neck_).

Oh, Tell, what anguish have I borne for thee!

[_Monk becomes attentive_.]

TELL.

Forget it now, and live for joy alone! I'm here again with you! This is my cot! I stand again upon mine own hearth stone!

WILLIAM.

But, father, where's your cross-bow? Not with you?

TELL.

Thou shalt not ever see it more, my boy. Within a holy shrine it has been placed, And in the chase shall ne'er be used again.

HEDWIG. Oh, Tell! Tell!

[_Steps back, dropping his hand_.]

TELL. What alarms thee, dearest wife?

HEDWIG. How--how dost thou return to me? This hand-- Dare I take hold of it? This hand--Oh God!

TELL (_with firmness and animation_).

Has shielded you and set my country free; Freely I raise it in the face of Heaven.

[MONK _gives a sudden start--he looks at him_.]

Who is this friar here?

HEDWIG.

Ah, I forgot him; Speak thou with him; I shudder at his presence.

MONK (_stepping nearer_).

Are you the Tell who slew the governor?

TELL.

Yes, I am he. I hide the fact from no man.

MONK.

And you are Tell! Ah! it is God's own hand, That hath conducted me beneath your roof.

TELL (_examining him closely_).

You are no monk. Who are you?

MONK.

You have slain The governor, who did you wrong. I, too, Have slain a foe, who robb'd me of my rights. He was no less your enemy than mine. I've rid the land of him.

TELL (_drawing back_).

You are--oh, horror! In--children, children--in, without a word, Go, my dear wife! Go! Go! Unhappy man, You should be--

HEDWIG.

Heav'ns, who is it?

TELL.

Do not ask. Away! away! the children must not hear it. Out of the house--away! You must not rest 'Neath the same roof with this unhappy man!

HEDWIG.

Alas! What is it? Come.

[_Exit with the children_.]

TELL (_to the_ MONK).

You are the Duke Of Austria--I know it. You have slain The Emperor, your uncle, and liege lord.

JOHN.

He robb'd me of my patrimony.

TELL.

How! Slain him--your king, your uncle! And the earth Still bears you! And the sun still shines on you!

JOHN.

Tell, hear me, ere you--

TELL.

Reeking with the blood Of him that was your Emperor, your kinsman, Dare you set foot within my spotless house, Dare to a honest man to show your face, And claim the rites of hospitality?

JOHN.

I hoped to find compassion at your hands. You took, like me, revenge upon your foe!

TELL.

Unhappy man! Dare you confound the crime Of blood-imbued ambition with the act Forced on a father in mere self-defence? Have you to shield your children's darling heads, To guard your fireside's sanctuary--ward off The last, the direst doom from all you loved? To Heaven I raise my unpolluted hands, To curse your act and you! I have avenged That holy nature which you have profaned. I have no part with you. You murdered, I Have shielded all that was most dear to me.

JOHN.

You cast me off to comfortless despair!

TELL.

I shrink with horror while I talk with you. Hence, on the dread career you have begun, Cease to pollute the home of innocence!

[JOHN _turns to depart._]

JOHN.

I cannot and I will not live this life!

TELL.

And yet my soul bleeds for you. Gracious Heaven, So young, of such a noble line, the grandson Of Rudolph, once my lord and emperor, An outcast--murderer--standing at my door, The poor man's door--a suppliant, in despair!

[_Covers his face_.]

JOHN.

If you have power to weep, oh let my fate Move your compassion--it is horrible! I am--say, rather was--a prince. I might Have been most happy, had I only curb'd The impatience of my passionate desires: But envy gnaw'd my heart--I saw the youth Of mine own cousin Leopold endow'd With honor, and enrich'd with broad domains, The while myself, of equal age with him, In abject slavish nonage was kept back.

TELL.

Unhappy man, your uncle knew you well, When from you land and subjects he withheld! You, by your mad and desperate act have set A fearful seal upon his wise resolve. Where are the bloody partners of your crime?

JOHN.

Where'er the avenging furies may have borne them; I have not seen them since the luckless deed.

TELL.

Know you the Empire's ban is out--that you Are interdicted to your friends, and given An outlaw'd victim to your enemies!

JOHN.

Therefore I shun all public thoroughfares, And venture not to knock at any door-- I turn my footsteps to the wilds, and through The mountains roam, a terror to myself. From mine own self I shrink with horror back, If in a brook I see my ill-starr'd form. If you have pity or a human heart--

[_Falls down before him_.]

TELL.

Stand up, stand up! I say.

JOHN.

Not till you give Your hand in promise of assistance to me.

TELL.

Can I assist you? Can a sinful man? Yet get ye up--how black soe'er your crime-- You are a man. I, too, am one. From Tell Shall no one part uncomforted. I will Do all that lies within my power.

DUKE JOHN (_springs up and grasps him ardently by the hand_).

Oh, Tell, You save me from the terrors of despair.

TELL.

Let go my hand! You must away. You cannot Remain here undiscover'd, and, discover'd, You cannot count on succor. Which way, then, Would you be going? Where do you hope to find A place of rest?

DUKE JOHN.

Alas! I know not where.

TELL.

Hear, then, what Heaven unto my heart suggests. You must to Italy--to Saint Peter's City-- There cast yourself at the Pope's feet--confess Your guilt to him, and ease your laden soul!

JOHN.

Will he not to the avengers yield me up?

TELL.

Whate'er he does, accept it as from God.

JOHN.

But how am I to reach that unknown land? I have no knowledge of the way, and dare not Attach myself to other travelers.

TELL.

I will describe the road, so mark me well! You must ascend, keeping along the Reuss, Which from the mountains dashes wildly down.

DUKE JOHN (_in alarm_).

What! See the Reuss? The witness of my deed!

TELL.

The road you take lies through the river's gorge, And many a cross proclaims where travelers Have been by avalanches done to death.

JOHN.

I have no fear for nature's terrors, so I can appease the torments of my soul.

TELL.

At every cross, kneel down and expiate Your crime with burning penitential tears-- And if you 'scape the perils of the pass, And are not whelm'd beneath the drifted snows, That from the frozen peaks come sweeping down, You'll reach the bridge that's drench'd with drizzling spray. Then if it give not way beneath your guilt, When you have left it safely in your rear, Before you frowns the gloomy Gate of Rocks, Where never sun did shine. Proceed through this, And you will reach a bright and gladsome vale. Yet must you hurry on with hasty steps, You must not linger in the haunts of peace.

JOHN.

O Rudolph, Rudolph, royal grandsire! thus Thy grandson first sets foot within thy realms!

TELL.

Ascending still, you gain the Gotthardt's heights, Where are the tarns, the everlasting tarns, That from the streams of Heaven itself are fed, There to the German soil you bid farewell; And thence, with swift descent, another stream Leads you to Italy, your promised land.

[_Ranz des Vaches sounded on Alp-horns is heard without_.]

But I hear voices! Hence!

HEDWIG (_hurrying in_).

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_.]