"Ah," said Arnold of Sewa, "I see what it is. He has refused. You
didn't exercise tact, and he refused."

   "We

    did

   exercise tact," said Stauffacher indignantly; "but he
would not be persuaded. It was like this: We went to the house and
knocked at the door. Tell opened it. 'Good-morning,' I said.

   "'Good-morning,' said he. 'Take a seat.'

   "I took a seat.

   "'My heart is full,' I said, 'and longs to speak with you.' I thought
that a neat way of putting it."

   The company murmured approval.

   "'A heavy heart,' said Tell, 'will not
grow light with words.'"

   "Not bad that!" murmured Jost Weiler. "Clever way of putting things,

   Tell has got."

   "'Yet words,' I said, 'might lead us on to deeds.'"

   "Neat," said Jost Weiler—"very neat. Yes?"

   "To which Tell's extraordinary reply was: 'The only thing to do is to
sit still.'

   "'What!' I said; 'bear in silence things unbearable?'

   "'Yes,' said Tell; 'to peaceable men peace is gladly granted. When the
Governor finds that his oppression does not make us revolt, he will
grow tired of oppressing.'"

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