Ges. Whence comest thou? Tell. From the mountains. Ges. Can'st thou tell me any news from them? Tell. Ay, they watch no more the avalanche. Ges. Why so? Tell. Because they look for thee. The hurricane Comes unawares upon them; from its bed The torrent breaks, and finds then in its track. Ges. What then? Tell. They thank kind Providence it is not thou. Thou hast perverted nature in them. The earth There's not a blessing Heaven vouchsafes them, but Ges. "Tis well. I'd have them as their hills That never smile, though wanton summer tempt Them e'er so much. Tell. But they do sometimes smile. Ges. Ah! when is that? Tell. When they do pray for vengeance. Ges. Dare they pray for that? Tell. They dare, and they expect it too. Ges. From whence ? Tell. From Heaven and their true hearts. Ges. (To Sarnem.) Lead in his son. take Exquisite vengeance. Now will I (To Tell as the boy enters.) I have destined him To die along with thee. Tell. To die? for what? he's but a child. Ges. He's thine, however. Tell. He is an only child. Ges. So much the easier to crush the race. Tell. He may have a mother. Ges. So the viper hath; And yet who spares it for the mother's sake? Tell. I talk to stone. I'll talk to it no more: Come, my boy, I taught thee how to live, I'll teach thee how to die. Ges. But first I'd see thee make A trial of thy skill, with that same bow. Tell. What is the trial? Ges. Thou look'st upon thy boy, as though thou guessedst it. Tell. Look upon my boy! What mean you? Look upon my boy, as though I guessed it!— Guess the trial thoud'st have me make ! Guessed it instinctively! Thou dost not mean—- Ges. I'd see thee hit an apple on his head, Three hundred paces off. Tell. Great Heaven! Ges. On this condition only, will I spare His life and thine. Tell. Ferocious monster! make a father murder his The hand I've led him when an infant, by! My hands are free from blood, and have no gust For it, that they should drink my child's. I'll not murder my boy, for Gesler. Boy. You will not hit me, father. You'll be sure To hit the apple. Will you not save me, father? Tell. Lead me forth-I'll make the trial. Boy. Father Tell. Speak not to me ; Let me not hear thy voice. Thou must be dumb; And so should all things be-Earth should be dumb And Heaven, unless its thunder muttered at The deed, and sent a bolt to stop it. Give me my bow and quiver. Ges. When all is ready, Sarnem, measure hence The distance three hundred paces. Tell. Will he do it fairly? Ges. What is't to thee, fairly or not? Tell. (Sarcastically.) O, nothing, a little thing, A very little thing, I only shoot At my child! [Sarnem prepares to measure.] Villain, Stop! you measure against the sun. Ges. And what of that? What matter whether to or from the sun? Tell. I'd have it at my back. The sun should shine Upon the mark, and not on him that shoots; I will not shoot against the sun. Ges. Give him his way. [Sarnem paces and goes out.] Tell. I should like to see the apple I must hit. Ges. (Picks out the smallest one.) There, take that. Tell. You've pick'd the smallest one. Ges. I know I have. Thy skill will be The greater if thou hittest it. Tell. (Sarcastically.) True-true! I did not think of that. I wonder I did not think of that. A larger one Give me my bow. Let me see my quiver. Ges. [To an attendant.] Give him a single arrow. [Tell looks at the arrow and breaks it.] Tell. Let me see my quiver. It is not To shoot with at a dove, much less, a dove Ges. Show him the quiver. [Sarnem returns, and takes the apple and the boy to place them. While this is doing, Tell conceals an arrow under his garment. He then selects another arrow.] Tell. Is the boy ready? Keep silence now, For mercy's sake keep motionless and silent. [He aims and shoots in the direction of the boy. In a moment Sarnem enters with the apple on the arrow's point.] Sar. The boy is safe. Tell. [Raising his arms.] Thank Heaven! [As he raises his arms, the concealed arrow falls.] Ges. [Picking it up.] Unequalled archer! Why was this concealed? Tell. To kill thee, tyrant, had I slain my boy. Knowles. Gesler, the Austrian Governor, ordered homage to be paid to his hat. Wm. Tell, of Switzerland, for refusing thus to degrade himself, was compelled by the tyrant to shoot an arrow at an apple, placed on his own son's head, or else suffer, with his child, instant death. Fortunately, he hit the apple. Ought he not to have killed the tyrant, rather than run the risk of shooting his son, that is, if he could? EXTRACT FROM DAMON AND PYTHIAS. DAMON, LUÇULLUS, PROCLES, AND PYTHIAS. [Damon alone.] Damon. Philistus, then, is president at last, It is what I expected :-there is now |