WALTER.

Have they not courage to protect themselves?

TELL.

The neighbor there dare not his neighbor trust.

WALTER.

I should want breathing room in such a land. 
I’d rather dwell beneath the avalanches.

TELL.

’Tis better, child, to have these glacier peaks
Behind one’s back than evil-minded men!

[They are about to pass on.]

WALTER.

See, father, see the cap on yonder pole!

TELL.

What is the cap to us?  Come, let’s begone.

[As he is going, FRIESSHARDT, presenting his pike, stops him.]

FRIESS.

Stand, I command you, in the Emperor’s name!

TELL (seizing the pike).

What would ye?  Wherefore do ye stop me thus?

FRIESS.

You’ve broke the mandate, and with us must go.

LEUTH.

You have not done obeisance to the cap.

TELL.

Friend, let me go.

FRIESS.

Away, away to prison!

WALTER.

Father to prison?  Help!

[Calling to the side scene.]

This way, you men! 
Good people, help!  They’re dragging him to prison!

[ROeSSELMANN the Priest, and the SACRISTAN, with three other men, enter.]

SACRIST.

What’s here amiss?

ROeSSELMANN.

Why do you seize this man?

FRIESS.

He is an enemy of the King—­a traitor.

TELL (seizing him with violence).

A traitor, I?

ROeSSELMANN.

Friend, thou art wrong.  ’Tis Tell,
An honest man, and worthy citizen.

WALTER (descries FUeRST and runs up to him).

Grandfather, help, they want to seize my father!

FRIESS.  Away to prison!

FUeRST (running in).

Stay, I offer bail. 
For God’s sake, Tell, what is the matter here?

[MELCHTHAL and STAUFFACHER enter.]

LEUTH.

He has contemn’d the Viceroy’s sovereign power,
Refusing flatly to acknowledge it.

STAUFF.

Has Tell done this?

MELCHTHAL.

Villain, you know ’tis false!

LEUTH.

He has not made obeisance to the cap.

FUeRST.

And shall for this to prison?  Come, my friend,
Take my security, and let him go.

FRIESS.

Keep your security for yourself—­you’ll need it. 
We only do our duty.  Hence with him.

MELCHTHAL (to the country people).

This is too bad—­shall we stand by and see
Him dragged away before our very eyes?

SACRIST.

We are the strongest.  Friends, endure it not,
Our countrymen will back us to a man.

FRIESS.

Who dares the governor’s commands?