I was born free as Cæsar; so were you: And swim to yonder point?" Upon the word, And bade him follow: so, indeed, he did. The torrent roared; and we did buffet it Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder Is now become a god; and Cassius is A wretched creature, and must bend his body, He had a fever when he was in Spain, And, when the fit was on him, I did mark And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world, Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans Mark him, and write his speeches in their books, Alas! it cried," Give me some drink, Titinius," As a sick girl. Ye gods! it doth amaze me, A man of such a feeble temper should So get the start of the majestic world, And bear the palm alone. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Walk under his huge legs, and peep about To find ourselves dishonourable graves. Brutus, and Cæsar! What should be in that Cæsar? (Shout.) That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed! When went there by an age, since the great flood, Oh! you and I have heard our fathers say, There was a Brutus once, that would have brooked XII.-SCENE FROM WILLIAM TELL. His fame rests on his Mr. James Sheridan Knowles was born in Cork in 1794. Sarnem. Down, slave! Behold the Governor. Down! DOWN! and beg Gesler. Does he hear?-Thy name? Tell. My name? It matters not to keep it from thee now: Ges. What! he so famed 'bove all his countrymen And such a master of his bow, 'tis said His arrows never miss!-(Aside.) Indeed!-I'll take Tell. Name the trial you Would have me make. (Tell looks on Albert.) As though, instinctively, you guessed it. Upon my boy!—What mean you? Look upon Instinctively! You do not mean-no-no You would not have me make a trial of My skill upon my child! Impossible! Ges. I would see Thee hit an apple at the distance of A hundred paces. Tell. Is my boy to hold it? Ges. It is to rest upon his head. Thou hear'st him! Ges. Thou dost hear the choice I give,- Tell. O monster! Ferocious monster! Make A father murder his own child! Ges. Take off His chains, if he consents. (GESLER signs to his officers, who proceed to take off TELL'S chains, TELL all the while unconscious of what they do.) Tell. With his own hand! Murder his child with his own hand! The hand I've led him, when an infant, by! Are free from blood, and have no gust for it, Murder my boy for Gesler. Ges. Dost thou consent? Tell. Give me my bow and quiver! Ges. For what? Tell. To shoot my boy! Alb. No, father, no! To save me!-You'll be sure to hit the apple. Will you not save me, father? Tell. Lead me forth,— I'll make the trial! Alb. Thank you! Tell. Thank me!-Do You know for what?-I will not make the trial, To take him to his mother in my arms, And lay him down a corpse before her! Ges. Then He dies this moment; and you certainly Do murder him whose life you have a chance To save, and will not use it. Alb. 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 thunders muttered at The deed, and sent a bolt to stop it! Give me My bow and quiver! Ges. That is your ground. Now shall they measure thence A hundred paces. Take the distance. Tell. Is The line a true one? Ges. Be thankful, slave,. Our grace accords thee life on any terms. Tell. I will be thankful, Gesler!-Villain, stop! 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 cannot see to shoot against the sun: I will not shoot against the sun! Ges. Give him his way! Thou hast cause to bless my mercy. Tell. I shall remember it. I'd like to see The apple I'm about to shoot at. Ges. Show me The basket. There! (Gives a very small apple.) Ges. I know I have. Tell. Oh, do you? But you see The colour of 't is dark,—I'd have it light, Ges. Take it as it is: Thy skill will be the greater, if thou hit'st it. Tell. True, true,-I didn't think of that ;-I wonder I did not think of that. Give me some chance To save my boy,-(Throws away the apple) I will not murder him, If I can help it,-for the honour of The form thou wear'st, if all the heart is gone. Ges. Well, choose thyself. (Hands a basket of apples. Tell takes one.) Tell. Have I a friend among The lookers on? Verner. Here, Tell! Tell. I thank thee, Verner! Take the boy And set him, Verner, with his back to me. Set him upon his knees;-and place this apple Upon his head, so that the stem may front me,Thus, Verner: charge him to keep steady,-tell him I'll hit the apple! Verner, do all this More briefly than I tell it thee. Alb. May I not speak with him before I go? |