That they have strewn along thy humble path, That I shall live in thee, unless that curse- The gods have shed such sweetness in this moment, I shall not deem them angry. Let me call For help to staunch thy wound; thou art strong yet, Adras. Do not stir; My strength is ebbing fast; yet, as it leaves me, Which at thy voice, started from blank oblivion, Now glimmer on me in the lovely light, Which at thy age they wore. Thou art all thy mother's, Her elements of gentlest virtue cast In mould heroical. Ion. Thy speech grows fainter; Yes:-my son, Can I do nothing for thee? Adras. Thou art the best, the bravest, of a race Of rightful monarchs; thou must mount the throne Efface the memory of thy fated sire, And win the blessings of the gods for men Stricken for him. Swear to me thou wilt do this, Ion. I will. Adras. Rejoice, Sufferers of Argos! I am growing weak, And I die happy. Bless thee, King of Argos! (Dies.) King, did he hail me? Shall I make that word Throughout the lovely land that father'd me (He sees the knife on the ground, and picks it up.) The voice of joy! Is this thy funeral wailing? Oh, my father! Mournful and brief will be the heritage Thou leavest me; yet I promised thee in death, To grasp it ;-and I will embrace it now. (Enter Agenor, and others.) Agenor. Does the king live? Ion. Alas! in me. The son Of him whose princely spirit is at rest, Claims his ancestral honors. Age. That high thought That anticipates the prayer of Argos, roused Ion. Now-the city's state Allows the past no sorrow. XXXVI.-FROM WILLIAM TELL.-Knowles. GESLER-SARNEM-RODOLPH-GERARD-LUTOLD-SENTINELTELL-VERNER-ERNI-MELCTAL-FURST-MICHAEL-THEODORE-PIERRE-ALBERT-SAVOYARDS-EMMA-SOLDIERS- PEOPLE. Scene 1.-The outside of the Castle of Altorf. Gesler's Archers, escorting some peasants, prisoners. (Enter Tell and Michael, at a distance.) Tell. Do you know them? Michael. No. Tell. Nor I, thank heaven? How like you that? Mic. It might. Tell. Do you live in Altorf? Mic. Yes. Tell. How go they on In Altorf? Mic. As you see. What was a sight A month ago, hath not the wonder now To draw them 'cross the threshold ! Tell. Would you like Mic. What wouldst thou say to me? Tell. No matter, friend. Something so slight, that in the thinking on't Mic. Stay, friend, a word. If of my mind thou haply art, and thinkest When fortune will not make us theme of mirth, Tell. For what? Good day! Mic. Acquaintance briefly broke as made! Scene 2.-The Field of Grutli. (Enter Tell, with a long bow.) Tell. Ye crags and peaks, I'm with you once again! I hold to you the hands you-first beheld, To show they still are free. O sacred forms, how proud you look! How high you lift your heads into the sky! How huge you are! how mighty and how free! Ye guards of liberty, I'm with you once again!-I call to you With all my voice! I rush to you, As though I could embrace you! Erni. (Without.) William! William! (Enter Erni.) Erni. Thou'rt sure to keep the time, That comest before the hour. Tell. The hour, my friend, Will soon be here. O, when will liberty I saw an eagle wheeling near its brow: The death that threatened him. I could not shoot- And let him soar away. Verner. (Without.) Tell! Tell! (Enter Verner.) Tell. (Crosses to him.) Here, Verner! (Enter Furst.) Tell. Here, friends!Well met.-Do we go on? Ver. We do. Tell. Then you can count upon the friends you named? Ver. On every man of them. Furst. And I on mine. Erni. Not one I sounded, but doth rate his blood As water, in the cause! Then fix the day Before we part. Ver. No, Erni; rather wait For some new outrage to amaze and rouse The common mind, which does not brood so much The sense of present ones. Tell. (To Verner.) I wish with Erni, But I think with thee. Yet, when I ask myself, On whom the wrong shall light, for which we wait Whose vineyard they'll uproot-whose flocks they'll ravaogWhose threshold they'll profane-whose earth pollute Whose roof they'll fire?-When this I ask myself, And think upon the blood of pious sons, The tears of venerable fathers, and The shrieks of mothers, fluttering round their spoiled Of generous indignation, that doth blush At such expense to wait on sober prudence. Tell. On that, we're all agreed! Who fears the issue, when the day shall come? To mar this harmony.-You commit to me As time may press-is word enough.-Dear Erni, (To Erni and Verner.) The next aggression of the tyrant is Farewell!-When next we meet upon this theme, (Exeunt.) Scene 3.-Tell's Cottage, with mountain and lake scenery. Emma. (Enter Emma.) O, the fresh morning! Heaven's kind messenger, That never empty-handed comes to those Who know to use its gifts.-Praise be to Him Who loads it still, and bids it constant run The errand of his bounty.-Praise be to Him! (Enter Albert.) Albert. My mother! Emma. Albert! Bless thee ! How early were you up? Alb. Before the sun. Emma. Ay, strive with him. He never lies abed When it is time to rise. Be like the sun. Alb. What you would have me like, I'll be like, As far as will, to labor joined, can make me. Emma. Well said, my boy! Knelt you, when you got up To-day? Alb. I did; and do so every day. Emma. I know you do! And think you, when you kneel, To whom you kneel? Alb. To Him who made me, mother. |