VERNER. (Rushing in with ALBERT.) Thy boy is safe; no hair of him is touched! ALBERT. Father, I'm safe!-your Albert's safe. Dear father, Speak to me! Speak to me! VERNER. He cannot, boy! ALBERT. You grant him life? ALBERT. And we are free? GESSLER. You are. ALBERT. Thank heaven!-thank heaven! VERNER. 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! GESSLER. For what Hid you that arrow in your breast? Speak, slave! VERNER. He cannot!-He's o'ercome! [Whispers to TELL. William, the tyrant stands aloof from all! Thy deadly aim, alone, transfixes him, And with him all the rest, through fear for him; While pace by pace thou canst withdraw;-But gain A dozen yards, thou'rt free! I'll mind the boy! GESSLER. How came that arrow in thy breast? Speak, slave! TELL. To kill thee, tyrant, had I slain my son! And now beware! Stir thou, or any, stir! [TELL suddenly takes aim at Gessler. The shaft is in thy heart! [TELL retreats slowly, while VERNER removes ALBERT. GESS LER and the rest, following TELL with their eyes, remain in breathless and motionless suspense. SOLDIER. He shoots! GESSLER. Oh! [Falls dead, transfixed with the arrow. [Before the startled Austrians can seize TELL, great numbers of armed Swiss rush in upon the scene, shut off the retreat of the Austrians to their castle, and completely surround them. 140 145 150 155 160 TELL. Yield! Resistance now is hopeless! 165 Your lives are spared!— The tyrant's will suffice! Our country is free! Austrians, you'll quit a land The country's never lost, that's left a son 170 To struggle with the foe that would enslave her! GLOSSARY. Naked; thrall. STUDY. What questions did Tell raise about measuring the ground, about the direction in which he must shoot, about the choice of the apple, and about the arrow to be used? Was Gessler trying to take advantage of Tell, or just tantalizing him (that is, taking "exquisite vengeance")? Why was Gessler willing to let Tell finally have his way about all the points mentioned? Why did Tell call for a friend from the lookers on? Explain the meaning of his words to Verner, "Whatever the issue of this hour, the common cause must not stand still." What questions did he ask Verner about the boy? Why did he ask Verner instead of finding out for himself? Why did he order Verner to stop speaking of Albert? How did Albert's attitude strengthen Tell for the test? What does his address to his bow tell you of his confidence? Why did Tell ask every one to keep "motionless and silent"? What was the result of the shooting? How did it affect the crowd? Albert? Tell? the final events and of the death of Gessler. speech? Commit the last two lines. LIBERTY BELL IVAN SWIFT Ah, here is our Liberty Bell, Give a clear account of I would that my tongue could dwell I would it were mine to reveal, And the motley and militant throng. GLOSSARY. Liberty Bell; sibyls; horn; brig; powder; falcon; Te Deums. STUDY. What do the opening lines tell you about the inspiration of this poem? What do the third and fourth lines tell you about the writer's desire? What connection do stanzas 2 to 6 have with this desire? Mention in detail all the features of the past suggested in these stanzas. What part did the Liberty Bell play in this life of the past? What does the final stanza suggest to you about the value of the Liberty Bell? 30 5 THE ERUPTION OF VESUVIUS PLINY THE YOUNGER I. THE STORY OF AN EYEWITNESS You tell me that the letter which I wrote at your request about the death of my uncle has excited your curiosity, and that you are anxious to learn about the horrible disaster which befell me when I was left alone at Misenum: for it was at this point, I think, that I broke off my narrative. Here then is the full account. I had stayed behind to work: and so, as soon as my uncle had started, I devoted the rest of the day to my reading. After a while I had a bath, took my supper, and retired to bed, where I 10 passed a restless night. Several days before a slight shaking of the earth had been noticed; but as this was not unusual in Campania, very little heed was paid to it. On this particular night, however, it was so pronounced that everything seemed to collapse completely and not merely to shake, as on the previous occasions. 15 My mother rushed into my room, where she found that I had risen as well, in order to arouse her, had not the earthquake already done so. I consider that for a boy of eighteen I displayed marvelous presence of mind (or perhaps I should call it stubbornness). I asked for my Livy, and proceeded to read it in a leisurely 20 fashion, and even made some additions to my list of quotations. At this juncture a friend of my uncle's, who had just lately come from Spain to join him, chanced to notice that my mother and I were sitting still, and that I was actually reading. Thereupon he rebuked me because I did not realize the extreme peril in which 25 we were placed, and blamed my mother for offering no resistance I paid no attention to him, and became more engrossed than ever in my reading. to me. By this time it was daybreak; though as yet there was only the dim gray uncertain light of early morning. The surrounding 30 houses had all collapsed; the place we occupied, though perfectly open, was extremely narrow; and it was clear, that if we waited any longer, certain death was in store for us. Accordingly, we determined to leave the town. We were immediately followed by the terrified populace, who, as is always the case, adopted any one's plan of escape in preference to their own (for a panic-stricken 35 mob is always more impetuous than independent), and pressed on in one continuous stream at the heels of the fugitives. When we had left the last house behind us, we halted for a while. There our experiences were more marvelous than comforting. The carriages, which we had brought out for us, swayed to and fro, though 40 they were standing on perfectly level ground, and would not even remain in one position when we scotched them with stones. Moreover, the sea seemed to be gradually withdrawing, and, as it were, recoiling before the violence of the earthquake. It was palpable that the land had gained upon it, as shoals of fish were left high 45 and dry on the sand. On the other side there hovered a dark lowering cloud of fiery vapor, which quivered and flashed to and fro over our heads, cleft at times by forked tongues of flame resembling lightning flashes, but of somewhat longer duration. Then my Spanish 50 friend turned round to me and said sharply: "If your brother and your uncle are alive, they are anxious for your safety; if they are dead, they are anxious that you should outlive them. Why not escape, while you can?" We replied that we could not undertake to insure our own safety in order to accommodate that of so 55 uncertain an individual. Thereupon he immediately took to his heels, and rushed away at full speed from the scene of danger. Presently the cloud floated down to the level of the ground and covered the sea: it had already enveloped Capreæ, and concealed the promontory of Misenum from our view. 60 My mother fell on her knees and implored me to make my escape as best I could. "You are young and active," she said, "and will easily get away. I shall only be a hindrance to you; moreover I am worn out by age and weary of life, and death will be a boon to me." I replied that I could not go and leave her 65 to perish; then I caught her by the hand, and hurried away. She |