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To the left the view opens upon numerous mountains, on all of which signal fires are burning. Day is breaking, and bells are heard ringing from various distances. RUODI, KUONI, WERNI, MASTER MASON, and many other country people, also women and children. RUODI. Look at the fiery signals on the mountains! MASTER MASON. Hark to the bells above the forest there! RUODI. The enemy's expelled.
WERNER STAUFFACHER, | CONRAD HUNN, | HANS AUF DER MAUER, | JORG IM HOFE, | People of Schwytz. WALTER FURST, | WILHELM TELL, | ROSSELMANN, the Priest, | PETERMANN, Sacristan, | People of Uri. KUONI, Herdsman, | WERNI, Huntsman, | RUODI, Fisherman, | ARNOLD OF MELCHTHAL, | CONRAD BAUMGARTEN, | MEYER VON SARNEN, | STRUTH VON WINKELRIED, | People of Unterwald.
RUODI. Why are the troopers in pursuit of you? BAUMGARTEN. First save my life and then I'll tell you all. WERNI. There's blood upon your garments how is this? BAUMGARTEN. The imperial seneschal, who dwelt at Rossberg. KUONI. How! What! The Wolfshot? Is it he pursues you? BAUMGARTEN. He'll ne'er hunt man again; I've settled him. Now, God forgive you, what is this you've done!
KUONI. He is from Alzellen, and to guard his honor From touch of foulest shame, has slain the Wolfshot! The imperial seneschal, who dwelt at Rossberg. The viceroy's troopers are upon his heels; He begs the boatman here to take him over, But he, in terror of the storm, refuses. RUODI. Well, there is Tell can steer as well as I. He'll be my judge, if it be possible.
Then must I fall into the tyrant's hands, And with the port of safety close in sight! Yonder it lies! My eyes can measure it, My very voice can echo to its shores. There is the boat to carry me across, Yet must I lie here helpless and forlorn. KUONI. Look! who comes here? RUODI. 'Tis Tell, brave Tell, of Buerglen. TELL. Who is the man that here implores for aid?
The accursed tyrant's dead, And the bright day of liberty has dawned! MASTER MASON. How! Do these flaming signals not suffice, That blaze on every mountain top around? RUODI. Come all, fall to come, men and women, all! Destroy the scaffold! Tear the arches down! Down with the walls; let not a stone remain. MASTER MASON. Come, comrades, come! We built it, and we know How best to hurl it down.
Am I to plunge into the jaws of hell? I should be mad to dare the desperate act. TELL. The brave man thinks upon himself the last. Put trust in God, and help him in his need! RUODI. Safe in the port, 'tis easy to advise. There is the boat, and there the lake! Try you! TELL. The lake may pity, but the viceroy will not. Come, venture, man! SHEPHERD and HUNTSMAN. Oh, save him! save him! save him!
"Here's the hat!" shouted Ruodi "the hat to which we were to bow!" "What shall we do with it?" cried several voices. "Destroy it! Burn it!" said others. "To the flames with this emblem of tyranny!" But Tell stopped them. "Let us preserve it," he said. "Gessler set it up to be a means of enslaving the country; we will set it up as a memorial of our newly-gained liberty.
MASTER MASON. The forts are taken. RUODI. And we of Uri, do we still endure Upon our native soil the tyrant's keep? Are we the last to strike for liberty? MASTER MASON. Shall the yoke stand that was to bow our necks? Up! Tear it to the ground! ALL. Down, down with it! RUODI. Where is the Stier of Uri? URI. Here. What would ye?
WERNI. His life's at stake. Have pity on him, man! KUONI. He is a father: has a wife and children. RUODI. What! and have I not, then, a life to lose, A wife and child at home as well as he? See, how the breakers foam, and toss, and whirl, And the lake eddies up from all its depths! Right gladly would I save the worthy man, But 'tis impossible, as you must see.
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