FURST. You, Melchthal, here? D'ye bring us liberty? Are all the Cantons from our tyrants freed? MELCH. We've swept them from the soil. Rejoice, my friend, Now, at this very moment, while we speak, There's not one tyrant left in Switzerland! FURST. How did you get the forts into your power? MELCH. Rudenz it was who by a bold assault With manly valour mastered Sarnen's keep. The Rossberg I had storm'd the night before. But hear, what chanced. Scarce had we driven the foe Forth from the keep, and given it to the flames, That now rose crackling upwards to the skies, When from the blaze rush'd Diethelm, Gessler's page, Exclaiming, "Lady Bertha will be burnt!" FURST. Good heavens! [The beams of the scaffold are heard falling.] MELCH. 'Twas she herself. Here had she been By Gessler's orders secretly immured. Up sprang Rudenz in frenzy. For even now The beams and massive posts were crashing down, And through the stifling smoke the piteous shrieks Of the unhappy lady. FURST. Is she saved? MELCH. 'Twas not a time to hesitate or pause! Had he been but our baron, and no more, We should have been most chary of our lives; But he was our confederate, and Bertha Honour'd the people. So, without a thought, We risk'd the worst, and rush'd into the flames. FURST. But is she saved? MELCH. She is. Rudenz and I Bore her between us from the blazing pile. With crashing timbers toppling all around. And when she had revived, the danger past, And raised her eyes to look upon the sun, The baron fell upon my breast; and then A silent vow between us two was sworn, A vow that, welded in yon furnace heat, Will last through ev'ry shock of time and fate. FURST. Where is the Landenberg? MELCH. Across the Brunig. 'Twas not my fault he bore his sight away; He who had robb'd my father of his eyes! He fled--I followed--overtook him soon, And dragg'd him to my father's feet. The sword Already quiver'd o'er the caitiff's head, When from the pity of the blind old man, He wrung the life which, craven-like, he begged. He swore URPHEDE,[*] never to return: He'll keep his oath, for he has felt our arm. [*] The Urphede was an oath of peculiar force. When a man, who was at feud with another, invaded his lands and was worsted, he often made terms with his enemy by swearing the Urphede, by which he bound himself to depart, and never to return with a hostile intention. FURST. Oh! well for you, you have not stain'd with blood Our spotless victory! CHILDREN (running across the stage with fragments of wood). We're free! we're free! FURST. Oh! what a joyous scene! These children will Remember it when all their heads are grey. [Girls bring in the cap upon a pole. The whole stage is filled with people.] RUODI. Here is the cap, to which we were to bow! BAUM. What shall we do with it? Do you decide! FURST. Heavens! 'Twas beneath this cap my grandson stood! SEVERAL VOICES. Destroy the emblem of the tyrant's power! Let it be burnt!