William Tell, Act 3 scene 2

Scene Two





The main square in Altdorf, where preparations are
in hand for a festival. Here and there stand apple
and lime trees. Gessler's castle is in the
background. Workmen are busy putting up a
platform where the Court are to take their seats;
others are setting up, towards the back of the stage,
a "trophy" composed of the Governor's arms and
surmounted by his hat.





CHORUS OF MEN
Glory to the supreme power!
Glory to the supreme power!
Glory!
Awe to Gessler, who dispenses its laws!
Awe!
Yes, yes, it is the Emperor himself
who hurls anathema
through his terrible voice!
Yes, yes, it is the Emperor himself, etc.
Glory to the supreme power, etc.





CHORUS OF WOMEN
Peace to the power we love!
Let us hope for Mathilde's laws!
What need is there for a diadem?
Love is a supreme power,
equal to that of kings.





CHORUS
Glory to the supreme power, etc.





GESSLER
Vainly in their insolence
do the people defy my vengeance,
they must submit to my rule,
they must submit to my rule.
(pointing to the trophy)
Before this sign of power
let everyone bow down in silence,
as he bows before me,
as he bows before me!
Let everyone, etc.
(During the following the people are made to pass by in groups, and forced to bow before the trophy.)





CHORUS OF MEN
Glory to the supreme power, etc.





CHORUS OF WOMEN
Peace to the power we love, etc.





CHORUS
Glory to the supreme power, etc.





GESSLER
(standing on the raised platform)
Let the German Empire today receive the pledge
of your obedience!
For a century now its power
has deigned to grant a support to your weakness.
On that day, our rights, sealed by victory,
were extended over your ancestors.
Through your songs and your games
celebrate the memory
of such a glorious day,
I will it!




(Here the festivities begin. One of Gessler's lieutenants has had brought in forcibly some Tyrolean men and girls who dance to the sound of voices only.)





GIRLS
You whom the bird would not follow,
fit your steps to our tunes!
In our fields
the sons of the mountains
to their partners
will teach your steps.
You whom the bird would not follow,
fit your steps to our tunes!
You who are not
of these climes,
to our frosts
you will return.
In our fields
the sons of the mountains
to their partners
will teach your steps.





MEN
Come blend your steps with our songs!
Stranger
so fleet,
do you wish to please?
Ah, do not run away!
The fresh flower
is less beautiful
when your steps
go near it.
In our fields
the sons of the mountains
to their partners
will teach your steps.
The fresh flower
compared with her
is pale and without attractions.
Come blend your steps with our songs!
Stranger
so fleet, etc.
(They dance.)





GIRLS
You whom the bird, etc.





MEN
Come blend your songs, etc.





(Gessler's soldiers force the Swiss women to dance with them: the people show by their gestures their indignation at this violence. At the conclusion of the dance they all prostrate themselves before the trophy. Some soldiers drag forward Tell and his son, whom they have noticed still standing in the middle of the scene.)





RODOLPHE
Insolent fellow, bow!





TELL
Taking your strength from their weakness
you can degrade this people, but I,
I do not recognise the law
that prescribes for me a base action.





RODOLPHE
Villain!





CHORUS OF SWISS MEN
O moment of terror!
For him we have everything to fear!





RODOLPHE
Governor, your law is being defied.





GESSLER
What rash fellow dares to infringe it?





RODOLPHE
He is standing before you.





TELL
Standing, I honour power
when it frees us from a shameful slavery,
but the independence of my brow
bends before God alone.





GESSLER
Traitor, obey or tremble!
My voice and the perils threaten you together;
see these arms, see these soldiers.





TELL
I listen, I look, and I do not understand you.





GESSLER
The slave in revolt against his master
does not tremble as he foresees his fate?





TELL
Should I be before you, if I feared death?





RODOLPHE
Such audacity, my lord, makes me recognise him;
this is William Tell, this is that traitor
who rescued the murderer Leuthold from our
blows.





GESSLER
Seize him, seize him!





SOLDIERS (hesitating)
That's that redoubtable archer,
that's that intrepid boatman.





GESSLER
No criminal pity;
that is my prisoner.





TELL
May he be the last!
May he be the last!





GESSLER
Such arrogance wearies me,
The thunder gathers,
let it pass over you
and you will submit!





RODOLPHE
What excess of audacity!
He defies, he threatens,
come, no mercy,
let's disarm him.





GESSLER
What excess of audacity!
Such arrogance wearies me.
No, no mercy,
let's disarm him.





TELL
Mortal disgrace!
(quietly to his son)
Hope of my line,
To you whom I embrace,
away with you, far away from here!
Hope of my line, etc.





GESSLER
See, fear strikes him,
see, fear strikes him,
he's afraid of death,
he's afraid of death, etc.
Yes! Yes!





JEMMY
Let your fear vanish,
my place is here,
for mercy's sake let me
die in your arms!
Ah, let me, etc.





RODOLPHE
No mercy for him,
he goes quickly to his death,
yes, yes!





GESSLER
Such arrogance wearies me,
the thunder gathers, etc.





TELL
O you whom I embrace,
away with you from here!





RODOLPHE
What excess of audacity!
He defies, he threatens,
let's disarm him,
come, let's disarm him, etc.





JEMMY
Let your fear vanish,
my place is here, etc.





SOLDIERS
What excess of audacity!
Let's disarm him, etc.
(Tell's crossbow and quiver are taken from him.)





TELL (in a low voice, to Jemmy)
Rejoin your mother, I order it,
let the fire blaze out on our hill-tops and give
the three cantons the signal for battle!





GESSLER (holding the boy back)
Stop! -
(aside)
their tenderness gives a lead to my vengeance -
(to Tell)
answer, you who dare to defy me,
is this your child?





TELL
The only one.





GESSLER
You want to save him?





TELL
To save him? Him? What is his crime?





GESSLER
His parentage,
your speeches, your schemings, your culpable
insolence.





TELL
I alone have defied you, it is I who must be punished.





GESSLER
His pardon is in your hands, and you can obtain it.
You are celebrated everywhere as a skilful archer.
(to Rodolphe, as he picks an apple off a nearby tree)
Have this apple placed upon the son's head.
(to Tell)
With one sure arrow you will lift it off before my eyes;
or you will both of you perish.





TELL
What are you saying?





GESSLER
I will have it.





TELL
What a dreadful decree - I'm all confusion -
you could order upon my son, you barbarian!
No, the crime is too great.





GESSLER
Obey.





TELL
Ah! You have no child!
There is a God, Gessler!





GESSLER
A master.





TELL (pointing to the sky)
He hears us!





GESSLER
This is to dally too long, yield instantly.





TELL
I cannot.





GESSLER
Let his son die!





TELL
Stop! Abominable decree!
You triumph over weakness;
Jemmy's peril imposes a base action upon me,
Gessler; and I bend the knee before you.
(He kneels.)





GESSLER
So there's that redoubtable archer,
there's that intrepid boatman!
Fear overtakes him, a word crushes him.





TELL (rising to his feet again)
This punishment at least is just;
you punish me for having been able to forget myself.





JEMMY
Father, think of your skill.





TELL
Ah, I fear all from my tenderness.





JEMMY
Put out your hand, examine my heart:
under your arrow it will beat fearlessly.





TELL
Shedding tears, I bless you
and I recover my strength on your breast.
The calm in your heart has steadied my hand.
No more weakness, no more alarms;
give me back my weapons:
I am William Tell at last!
(Tell's bow and quiver are given back to him; bending low, he selects two bolts, one of which he conceals in his garments.)





GESSLER
Tie up the child!
(At this moment one of Mathilde's pages is seen leaving the stage and running off towards the castle.)





JEMMY
Tie me up? What an insult!
No, no, free at least will I die.
I expose my head to the fatal shot without
murmur,
and I shall await it without blanching.





CHORUS OF SWISS PEOPLE
What! The accents of innocence
do not disarm his vengeance?





JEMMY
(as he sees his father getting ready his weapons)
Courage, father!




TELL
At the sound of his voice
my hand lets slip my weapons,
my eyes are clouded by dangerous tears...
(to Gessler)
My son! My son! let me embrace him one last time.
(Gessler nods assent and Jemmy runs towards his father.)
(to Jemmy)
Stay quite still, and bend
an imploring knee to the ground.
Call upon God, call upon God, it is He alone,
my child,
who through the son can save the father.
Stay like that, but look up at the sky,
stay like that, but look up at the sky.
In threatening this beloved head
this steel tip may startle your eyes.
Move as little as you can, as little as you can...
Jemmy, Jemmy, think of your mother!
She waits for us both!
Jemmy, Jemmy, think of your mother, etc.
(Jemmy quickly returns to his position at the stake. Tell gazes dully round the assembly. When his eye falls on Gessler his hand unconsciously moves to the place where he has concealed the second bolt; finally, he takes aim, shoots, and the apple flies off the child's head.)





CHORUS OF SWISS PEOPLE
Victory! Victory!





JEMMY
Father!





SWISS PEOPLE
His life has been saved!





TELL
Heaven!





GESSLER
What! the apple shot away!





SWISS PEOPLE
The apple has been shot away,
William is triumphant!





GESSLER
O fury!





SWISS PEOPLE
O joy!





GESSLER
O fury!





SWISS PEOPLE
O joy!
Victory! victory! victory!





JEMMY
My life has been saved:
could my father sacrifice his child?





TELL
I can no longer see, I can hardly stand up;
is it really you, my son? I am overcome by happiness.





JEMMY
(loosening Tell's clothing)
Ah! Let us help my father!





GESSLER
He escapes from my hatred.
(noticing the second bolt)
What do I see?





TELL
Ah! I have saved my dearest treasure!





GESSLER
For whom did you intend this arrow?





TELL
For you, Gessler!





GESSLER
Tremble!





TELL (embracing his son)
I'm no longer afraid.





GESSLER
Rodolphe, have him shackled!
(Enter Mathilde with her ladies and pages.)





MATHILDE
What did I hear? What did I hear? Atrocious
sacrifice!





SWISS PEOPLE
Must we still fear for them?





CHORUS OF SOLDIERS
They must both of them perish.





GESSLER
I shall not cut short such miserable lives,
I have promised it; but both are guilty
and both shall await death in fetters.





MATHILDE
What! His son? A child! My lord, my lord, you
must hear me.





GESSLER
The order has been given. Nothing can suspend it. -
The son too!





MATHILDE
You shall not have him, no, no, no, no.
In the Sovereign's name I take him under my protection.
In the Sovereign's name I take him under my protection.
With a whole indignant people looking on at you,
dare, dare to snatch him from my arms!
With a whole indignant people, etc.





RODOLPHE
Give way: at least we still have William.





MATHILDE'S LADIES
Blessed assistance, celestial benevolence!





SOLDIERS
Let's give way, at least we still have the father.





SWISS PEOPLE
O dear William, dismal fate!
Shackles will punish your virtue,
shackles will punish your virtue.





RODOLPHE
They are muttering, do you hear them?





GESSLER
The prisoner's audacity has passed into their hatred.
Over the waters, tonight,
I am hurrying him away to Küssnacht.





RODOLPHE
Over the waters! But the winds, the storm?...





GESSLER (pointing to Tell)
Idle fear!
Is not the expert boatman with me?
Is not the expert boatman with me?
At the castle that the lake surrounds
a new torment awaits him.





SWISS PEOPLE
Have mercy! Have mercy!





GESSLER
Learn how Gessler pardons:
I abandon him to the reptiles,
and their dreadful hunger will answer him with a
tomb.





JEMMY
O my father!





TELL
O Jemmy!





SWISS PEOPLE
Have mercy! Have mercy!





GESSLER
Never! No, no, no, never!





MATHILDE
Barbarian!





GESSLER
When arrogance misleads them,
to be sparing with their blood
is to betray my anger! etc.





RODOLPHE, SOLDIERS
When arrogance misleads them
to be sparing with their blood
is to dishonour yourself with us! etc.




MATHILDE
It is his death he prepares,
I take possession of his son,
let him leave with us! etc.





JEMMY (to Mathilde)
When a barbarian's decree
separates me from his arms,
I trust only in you!





TELL
When my death is being prepared
may my son, o barbarian,
escape from your blows! etc.





SWISS PEOPLE
It is his death he prepares.
The rarest of virtue
will fall beneath his blows! etc.





GESSLER
People, draw back
or the guilty man dies, or the guilty man dies.
(touching his dagger)
I call this sword to witness!
(These words are succeeded by a moment of stupefaction among the people.)





RODOLPHE (in a low voice)
They stay silent.





SOLDIERS
They stay silent.





SWISS PEOPLE
Let us in silence ensure...





GESSLER, SOLDIERS
They fear my/his vengeance.





SWISS PEOPLE
...the blows of vengeance.





TELL
(in a very loud voice, and clanking his chains)
Anathema on Gessler!





RODOLPHE
To suffer such insolence,
o torments of hell,
o torments of hell!





JEMMY AND SWISS PEOPLE
(struggling and surging nearer)
Hear the sentence: anathema on Gessler!





GESSLER (pointing to the Swiss)
If one of them steps forward,
(indicating Tell)
let him fall beneath the sword.





MATHILDE
Ah! let us escape from Gessler!





SOLDIERS
Long live Gessler!





TELL, SWISS PEOPLE
Anathema on Gessler!





RODOLPHE
To suffer such insolence, etc.





JEMMY AND SWISS PEOPLE
Listen to the sentence, etc.





GESSLER
If one of them steps forward, etc.





MATHILDE
Ah! let us escape from Gessler!





SOLDIERS
Long live Gessler! Long live Gessler!





MATHILDE, JEMMY, TELL, SWISS
Such violence...





RODOLPHE, GESSLER, SOLDIERS
To suffer such insolence -





MATHILDE, JEMMY, TELL, SWISS
...is answered by the sword.





RODOLPHE, GESSLER, SOLDIERS
O torments of hell!





MATHILDE, JEMMY, TELL
Anathema on Gessler! Anathema on Gessler! etc.





RODOLPHE
O torments of hell! O torments of hell! etc.





GESSLER
They'll have Gessler to deal with! etc.





SOLDIERS
Long live Gessler! etc.





SWISS PEOPLE
(on the square, on the roofs, up the trees)
Anathema on Gessler! Anathema on Gessler! etc.
(Gessler, Rodolphe and the soldiers force a way through the crowd dragging Tell with them. Mathilde leaves with Jemmy. The soldiers charge the crowd which disperses in a state of the greatest anxiety.)





Appendix





JEMMY (to his father)
Ah, let your soul be reassured,
Heaven, the rights of nature
will speak to him for us.
Ah, let your soul be reassured, etc.
(to Gessler)
See his grief, think of my age.
You require him to direct his shots against his son,
you cause your anger to fall upon a child?
But into my breast he has put his courage.
Even if at the pleasure of your wrath
death becomes my lot,
go on, from his hand it will seem sweet, etc.
(to his father)
Ah, let your soul be reassured,
Heaven, men and nature, do they not side with
us? etc.
I await the trial with courage,
and I await it at your knees.
I implore it, I implore it with courage,
yes, I await it at your knees.
The death that I face
smiles upon my young soul,
I await the trial with courage,
I implore it, I implore it at your knees.
The death that I face, etc.
Ah, let your soul be reassured, etc.
...I implore it at your knees!