TELL. And oftentimes the one leads to the other.

STuSSI. The way o' th' world at present! There is nought But mischief everywhere: an avalanche Has come away in Glarus; and, they tell me, A side o' th' Glarnish has sunk under ground.

TELL. Do, then, the very hills give way! On earth Is nothing that endures.

STuSSI. In foreign parts, too, Are strange wonders. I was speaking with a man From Baden: a Knight, it seems, was riding To the King; a swarm of hornets met him By the way, and fell on's horse, and stung it Till it dropt down dead of very torment, And the poor Knight was forced to go afoot.

TELL. Weak creatures too have stings.

[_Armgart's Wife enters with several children, and places herself at the entrance of the Pa.s.s._

STuSSI. 'Tis thought to bode Some great misfortune to the land; some black Unnatural action.

TELL. Ev'ry day such actions Occur in plenty: needs no sign or wonder To foreshow them.

STuSSI. Ay, truly! Well for him That tills his field in peace, and undisturb'd Sits by his own fireside!

TELL. The peacefulest Dwells not in peace, if wicked neighbours hinder.

[_Tell looks often, with restless expectation, towards the top of the Pa.s.s._

STuSSI. Too true.-Good b'ye!-You're waiting here for some one?

TELL. That am I.

STuSSI. Glad meeting with your friends!

You are from Uri? His Grace the Landvogt Is expected thence today.

TRAVELLER [_enters_]. Expect not The Landvogt now. The waters, from the rain, Are flooded, and have swept down all the bridges. [_Tell stands up._

ARMGART [_coming forward_].

The Vogt not come!

STuSSI. Did you want aught with him?

ARMGART. Ah! yes, indeed!

STuSSI. Why have you placed yourself In this strait pa.s.s to meet him?

ARMGART. In the pa.s.s He cannot turn aside from me, must hear me.

FRIESSHARDT [_comes hastily down the Pa.s.s, and calls into the Scene_].

Make way! make way! My lord the Landvogt Is riding close at hand.

ARMGART. The Landvogt coming!

[_She goes with her children to the front of the Scene. Gessler and Rudolph der Harras appear on horseback at the top of the Pa.s.s._

STuSSI [_to Friesshardt_].

How got you through the water, when the flood Had carried down the bridges?

FRIESS. We have battled With the billows, friend; we heed no Alp-flood.

STuSSI. Were you o' board i' th' storm?

FRIESS. That were we; While I live, I shall remember 't.

STuSSI. Stay, stay!

O, tell me!

FRIESS. Cannot; must run on t' announce His lordship in the Castle. [_Exit._

STuSSI. Had these fellows I' th' boat been honest people, 't would have sunk With ev'ry soul of them. But for such rakeh.e.l.ls, Neither fire nor flood will kill them. [_He looks round._] Whither Went the Mountain-man was talking with me? [_Exit._

GESSLER _and_ RUDOLPH DER HARRAS _on horseback_.

GESSLER. Say what you like, I am the Kaiser's servant, And must think of pleasing him. He sent me Not to caress these hinds, to soothe or nurse them: Obedience is the word! The point at issue is Shall Boor or Kaiser here be lord o' th' land.

ARMGART. Now is the moment! Now for my pet.i.tion!

[_Approaches timidly._

GESSLER. This Hat at Aldorf, mark you, I set up Not for the joke's sake, or to try the hearts O' th' people; these I know of old: but that They might be taught to bend their necks to me, Which are too straight and stiff: and in the way Where they are hourly pa.s.sing, I have planted This offence, that so their eyes may fall on't, And remind them of their lord, whom they forget.

RUDOLPH. But yet the people have some rights-

GESSLER. Which now Is not a time for settling or admitting.

Mighty things are on the anvil. The house Of Hapsburg must wax powerful; what the Father Gloriously began, the Son must forward: This people is a stone of stumbling, which One way or t'other must be put aside.

[_They are about to pa.s.s along. The Woman throws herself before the Landvogt._

ARMGART. Mercy, gracious Landvogt! Justice! Justice!

GESSLER. Why do you plague me here, and stop my way, I' th' open road? Off! Let me pa.s.s!

ARMGART. My husband Is in prison; these orphans cry for bread.

Have pity, good your Grace, have pity on us!

RUDOLPH. Who or what are you, then? Who is your husband?

ARMGART. A poor wild-hay-man of the Rigiberg, Whose trade is, on the brow of the abyss, To mow the common gra.s.s from craggy shelves And nooks to which the cattle dare not climb.

RUDOLPH [_to Gessler_]. By Heaven, a wild and miserable life!

Do now! do let the poor drudge free, I pray you!

Whatever be his crime, that horrid trade Is punishment enough.

[_To the Woman_] You shall have justice: In the Castle there, make your pet.i.tion; This is not the place.