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104
WILLIAM TELL
“Why, what’s the matter?"
“The Emperor”
“Yes?”
“The Emperor is dead."
“What! dead?"
“Dead!”
“Impossible! How came you by the news?”
“John Müller of Schaffhausen brought it. And he is a truthful man."
“But how did it happen?”
“As the Emperor rode from Stein to Baden the lords of Eschenhach and Tegerfelden, jealous, it is said, of his power, fell upon him with their spears. His bodyguard were on the other side of a stream—the Emperor had just crossed it—and could not come to his assistance. He died instantly.”
By the death of the Emperor the revolution in Switzerland was enabled to proceed without check. The successor of the Emperor had
