arrow through thy brain? Or, missing that,
Shoot out an eye? Or, if thine eye escape,
Mangle the cheek I've seen thy mother's lips
Cover with kisses? Hit thee? Hit a hair
Of thee, and cleave thy mother's heart?

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! Give me
My bow and quiver!

Ges. When all's ready.

Tell. Ready!--
I must be calm with such a mark to hit!
Don't touch me, child!--Don't speak to me!--Lead on!

DEFINITIONS.--Come'li-ness, that which is becoming or graceful. Port,
manner of movement or walk. At-tire', dress, clothes. Tar'-nish, to soil,
to sully. Av'a-lanche, a vast body of snow, earth, and ice, sliding down
from a mountain. Vouch-safes', yields, conde-scends, gives. Wan'ton,
luxuriant. Net'ted, caught in a net. Fledge'ling, a young bird.
Rec-og-ni'tion, acknowledgment of ac-quaintance. Pre-con-cert'ed, planned
beforehand. Cai'tiff (pro. ka'tif), a mean villain. Thral'dom, bondage,
slavery. Scan, to examine closely. Neth'er, lower, lying beneath. Blanch,
to turn white. Gust, taste, relish.

NOTE.--William Tell is a legendary hero of Switzerland. The events of this
drama are represented as occurring in 1307 A.D., when Austria held
Switzerland under her control. Gesler, also a purely mythical personage,
is one of the Austrian bailiffs. The legend relates that Gesler had his
cap placed on a pole in the market place, and all the Swiss were required
to salute it in passing in recognition of his authority. Tell refusing to
do this was arrested, and condemned to death. This and the following
lesson narrate how the sentence was changed, and the res