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WILLIAM TELL
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had pointed his arrow, not at his son, but straight into the heart of the crowd.
“Here! Hi! That's the wrong way! More to the left!” shouted the people in a panic, while Gessler roared with laughter, and bade Tell shoot and chance it.
“If you can't hit the apple or your son,” he chuckled, “you can bring down one of your dear fellow-countrymen."
Tell lowered his bow, and a sigh of relief went through the crowd.
“My eyes are swimming,” he said; “I cannot see."
Then he turned to the Governor.
"I cannot shoot.” he said; “bid your soldiers kill me.”
“No," said Gessler—“no, Tell. That is not at all what I want. If I had wished my soldiers to kill you, I should not have waited for a formal invitation from you. I have no
