Tell. With his own hand!

Ges. Does he consent?

Alb. He does.

(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!

(His chains fall off.) What's that you
Have done to me? (To the guard.)

Villains! put on my chains again.
My hands

Are free from blood, and have no gust for it,
That they should drink my child's!—

I'll not

Murder my boy for Gesler.

Alb. Father-father!

You will not hit me, father!

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 corse 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.

Tell. Well-I'll do it!

I'll make the trial.

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. This is your ground.--Now shall they measure thence
A hundred paces.
Take the distance.

Tell. Is

The line a true one?

Ges. True or not, what is't

To thee?

Tell. What is't to me? A little thing,
A very little thing:—a yard or two

Is nothing here or there, were it a wolf
I shot at!

Ges. Be thankful, slave,

Our grace accords thee life on any terms. Tell. I will be thankful, Gesler!-Villain, stop;

You measure to the sun. (To the attendant.)
Ges. And what of that?

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.)

Tell. You've picked the smallest one.

Ges. I know I have.

Tell. Oh! do you?-But you see

The colour of it is dark--I'd have it light,

To see it better.

Ges. Take it as it is:

Thy skill will be the greater if thou hitt❜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.

Ver. Come, Albert! (Leading him out.)
Alb. May I not speak with him before I go?
Ver. No.--

Alb. I would only kiss his hand-

Ver. You must not.

Alb. I must!-I cannot go from him without!
Ver. It is his will you should.

Alb. His will, is it?

I am content, then,-come.

Tell. My boy! (Holding out his arms to him.)
Alb. My father! (Running into Tell's arms.)
Tell. If thou canst bear it, should not I?-Go now,

My son and keep in mind that I can shoot.-
Go, boy-be thou but steady, I will hit
The apple. Go-God bless thee!-Go.
My bow! (Sarnem gives the bow.)

Thou wilt not fail thy master, wilt thou?-Thou
Hast never failed him yet, old servant.-No,

I'm sure of thee-I know thy honesty;

Thou'rt stanch-stanch:-I'd deserve to find thee treacherous,

Could I suspect thee so. Come, I will stake

My all

upon thee! Let me see my quiver. (Retires.)

Ges. Let him have

Another. (Tell examines it.)

Tell. Why, 'tis better than the first,

But yet not good enough for such an aim

As I'm to take. 'Tis heavy in the shaft:

I'll not shoot with it! (Throws it away.) Let me see

my quiver.

Bring it! 'tis not one arrow in a dozen

I'd take to shoot with at a dove, much less

A dove like that!-What is't you fear? I'm but

A naked man, a wretched naked man!

Your helpless thrall, alone in the midst of you,
With every one of you a weapon in

His hand. What can I do in such a strait

With all the arrows in that quiver?-Come,

Will you give it me or not?

Ges. It matters not.

Show him the quiver.

(Tell kneels and picks out an arrow, then secretes

one in his vest.)

Tell. See if the boy is ready.

Ver. He is.

Tell. I'm ready too! Keep silence, for (To the people)

Heaven's sake! and do not stir, and let me have

Your prayers-your prayers:-and be my witnesses,
That if his life's in peril from my hand,

'Tis only for the chance of saving it.

Now, friends, for mercy's sake, keep motionless
And silent!

(Tell shoots, and a shout of exultation bursts from
the crowd.)

Ver. (Rushing in with Albert.) Thy boy is safe, no hair of

him is touched!

Alb. Father, I'm safe!--Your Albert's safe! Dear father,

Speak to me! speak to me!

Ver. He cannot, boy!

Open his vest

And give him air.

(Albert opens his father's vest, and an arrow drops; Tell starts, fixes his eyes on Albert, and clasps him to his breast.)

Tell. My boy! my boy!

Ges. For what

Hid you that arrow in your breast? Speak, slave! Tell. To kill thee, tyrant, had I slain my boy!

Liberty

Would at thy downfall shout from every peak!
My country then were free!

J. S. Knowles (1784 - 1862).

DRAMATIC POETRY.-COMEDY.

SCENE FROM SHAKSPEARE'S MERCHANT
OF VENICE.

ACT ii. SCENE 9.

SCENE: A room in Portia's house.

Enter the PRINCE OF ARRAGON with his train, and PORTIA with her waiting-maid, NERISSA, and train.

Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince:
If you choose that wherein I am contain❜d,
Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemnized:
But if you fail, without more speech, my lord,
You must be gone from hence immediately.
Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things: