A lane there!  Room!

STAUFFACHER.

What, Tell?  You would—­no, no! 
You shake—­your hand’s unsteady—­your knees tremble.

TELL (letting the bow sink down).

There’s something swims before mine eyes!

WOMEN.

Great Heaven!

TELL.  Release me from this shot!  Here is my heart!

[Tears open his breast.]

Summon your troopers—­let them strike me down!

GESSLER.

’Tis not thy life I want—­I want the shot. 
Thy talent’s universal!  Nothing daunts thee! 
The rudder thou canst handle like the bow! 
No storms affright thee, when a life’s at stake. 
Now, savior, help thyself—­thou savest all!

[TELL stands fearfully agitated by contending emotions, his hands moving convulsively, and his eyes turning alternately to the governor and Heaven.  Suddenly he takes a second arrow from his quiver, and sticks it in his belt.  The governor notes all he does.]

WALTER (beneath the lime tree).

Shoot, father, shoot! fear not!

TELL.

It must be!

[Collects himself and levels the bow.]

RUDENZ (who all the while has been standing in a state of violent excitement, and has with difficulty restrained himself, advances).

My lord, you will not urge this matter further;
You will not.  It was surely but a test. 
You’ve gained your object.  Rigor push’d too far
Is sure to miss its aim, however good,
As snaps the bow that’s all too straitly bent.

GESSLER.

Peace, till your counsel’s ask’d for!

RUDENZ.

I will speak! 
Ay, and I dare!  I reverence my king;
But acts like these must make his name abhorr’d. 
He sanctions not this cruelty.  I dare
Avouch the fact.  And you outstep your powers
In handling thus my harmless countrymen.

GESSLER.

Ha! thou grow’st, bold, methinks!

RUDENZ.

I have been dumb
To all the oppressions I was doomed to see. 
I’ve closed mine eyes to shut them from my view,
Bade my rebellious, swelling heart be still,
And pent its struggles down within my breast. 
But to be silent longer, were to be
A traitor to my king and country both.

BERTHA (casting herself between him and the governor).

Oh Heavens! you but exasperate his rage!

RUDENZ.

My people I forsook—­renounced my kindred—­
Broke all the ties of nature, that I might
Attach myself to you.  I madly thought
That I should best advance the general weal
By adding sinews to the Emperor’s power. 
The scales have fallen from mine eyes—­I see
The fearful precipice on which I stand. 
You’ve led my youthful judgment far astray—­
Deceived my honest heart.  With best intent,
I had well-nigh achiev’d my country’s ruin.