I gave my word. Unhand me! I am bound.
ATTING. (_drops his hand and says sternly_).
Bound, didst thou say? Oh yes, unhappy boy, Thou art indeed. But not by word or oath.
"Tis by the silken mesh of love thou"rt bound.
[RUDENZ _turns away_.]
Ay, hide thee, as thou wilt. "Tis she, I know, Bertha of Bruneck, draws thee to the court; "Tis she that chains thee to the Emperor"s service.
Thou think"st to win the n.o.ble knightly maid By thy apostacy. Be not deceived.
She is held out before thee as a lure; But never meant for innocence like thine.
RUDENZ.
No more, I"ve heard enough. So fare you well.
_[Exit.]_
ATTING.
Stay, Uly! Stay! Rash boy, he"s gone! I can Nor hold him back, nor save him from destruction.
And so the Wolfshot has deserted us; Others will follow his example soon.
This foreign witchery, sweeping o"er our hills, Tears with its potent spell our youth away.
O luckless hour, when men and manners strange Into these calm and happy valleys came, To warp our primitive and guileless ways!
The new is pressing on with might. The old, The good, the simple, all fleet fast away.
New times come on. A race is springing up That think not as their fathers thought before!
What do I hear? All, all are in the grave With whom erewhile I moved, and held converse; My age has long been laid beneath the sod Happy the man, who may not live to see What shall be done by those that follow me!
SCENE II
_A meadow surrounded by high rocks and wooded ground. On the rocks are tracks, with rails and ladders, by which the peasants are afterward seen descending. In the background the lake is observed, and over it a moon rainbow in the early part of the scene. The prospect is closed by lofty mountains, with glaciers rising behind them. The stage is dark, but the lake and glaciers glisten in the moonlight._
MELCHTHAL, BAUMGARTEN, WINKELRIED, MEYER VON SARNEN BURKHART AM BUHEL, ARNOLD VON SEWA, KLAUS VON DER FLUE, _and four other peasants, all armed._
MELCHTHAL _(behind the scenes)_.
The mountain pa.s.s is open. Follow me!
I see the rock, and little cross upon it: This is the spot; here is the Rootli.
_[They enter with torches.]_
WINKELRIED.
Hark!
SEWA.
The coast is clear.
MEYER.
None of our comrades come?
We are the first, we Unterwaldeners.
MELCH.
How far is"t i" the night?
BAUMGARTEN.
The beacon watch Upon the Selisberg has just called two.
_[A bell is heard at a distance.]_
MEYER.
Hush! Hark!
BUHEL.
The forest chapel"s matin bell Chimes clearly o"er the lake from Switzerland.
VON F.
The air is clear and bears the sound so far.
MELCH.
Go, you and you, and light some broken boughs, Let"s bid them welcome with a cheerful blaze.
_[Two peasants exeunt_.]
SEWA.
The moon shines fair tonight. Beneath its beams The lake reposes, bright as burnish"d steel.
BUHEL. They"ll have an easy pa.s.sage.
WINK. _(pointing to the lake_).
Ha! look there!
Do you see nothing?
MEYER.
Ay, indeed, I do!