Who is he? TELL. Do not ask! And when he quits you, turn your eyes away, So that they do not see which way he goes. [DUKE JOHN _advances hastily toward_ TELL, _but he beckons him aside and goes out. When both have left the stage, the scene changes_.] SCENE III _The whole valley before_ TELL's _house, the heights which inclose it occupied by peasants, grouped into tableaux. Some are seen crossing a lofty bridge, which crosses the Shechen_. WALTER FÜRST _with the two boys_, WERNER _and_ STAUFFACHER, _come forward. Others throng after them. When_ TELL _appears, all receive him with loud cheers._ ALL. Long live brave Tell, our shield, our Savior! [_While those in front are crowding round_ TELL, _and embracing him_, RUDENZ _and_ BERTHA _appear. The former salutes the peasantry, the latter embraces_ HEDWIG. _The music front the mountains continues to play. When it has stopped_, BERTHA _steps into the centre of the crowd_.] BERTHA. Peasants! Confederates! Into your league Receive me, who was happily the first That found deliverance in the land of freedom. To your brave hands I now intrust my rights. Will you protect me as your citizen? PEASANTS. Ay, that we will, with life and goods! BERTHA. 'Tis well! And now to him (_turning to_ RUDENZ) I frankly give my hand. A free Swiss maiden to a free Swiss man! RUDENZ. And from this moment all my serfs are free! [_Music, and the curtain falls_.] * * * * * FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 36: Permission The Macmillan Co., New York, and G. Bell & Sons, Ltd., London.] [Footnote 37: The German is, _Thalvogt_, Ruler of the Valley--the name given figuratively to a dense gray mist which the south wind sweeps into the valleys from the mountain tops. It is well known as the precursor of stormy weather.] [Footnote 38: A steep rock, standing on the north of Rütli, and nearly opposite to Brumen.] [Footnote 39: In German, _Wolfenschiessen_--a young man of noble family, and a native of Unterwalden, who attached himself to the House of Austria, and was appointed _Burvogt_, or Seneschal, of the Castle of Rossberg. He was killed by Baumgarten in the manner, and for the cause, mentioned in the text.] [Footnote 40: Literally, The _Föhn_ is loose! "When," says Müller, in his History of Switzerland, "the wind called the Föhn is high, the navigation of the lake becomes extremely dangerous. Such is its vehemence that the laws of the country require that the fires shall be extinguished in the houses while it lasts, and the night watches are doubled. The inhabitants lay heavy stones upon the roofs of their houses, to prevent their being blown away."] [Footnote 41: Bürglen, the birthplace and residence of Tell. A chapel, erected in 1522, remains on the spot formerly occupied by his house.]