Page 93 - English_Spark_5

The crowd wanted to see what Wilson replied. ‘‘What! Salute! Why? I have

done nothing wrong?’’ replied Wilson facing the soldiers. ‘‘You didn’t salute the
Duke’s cap’’, said the soldier. Wilson was surprised, ‘‘Why should I bow before

an empty cap on the pole?’’

It made the soldiers angry. They captured Wilson and his son and took them to

the Governor of the town. He was an Austrian named Gessler, a cruel tyrant.
‘‘This man has not saluted the Duke’s cap in the market place and he is also

making other people insult the cap by not saluting it’’, said the soldiers to the
Governor. ‘‘No, this is not true’’, replied Wilson, ‘‘My fault is only that I didn’t

salute the cap’’.

Gessler caught hold of Wilson’s son, told his soldiers to tie the boy to a tree at
some distance and said, ‘‘Wilson, you insulted the Duke by not saluting his cap.

You are a traitor. You will have to pay for it.’’ Then he ordered one of his soldiers

to put an apple on the child’s head. ‘‘What is this?’’ asked Wilson. ‘‘I have heard
that you are a very skillful bowman. I want to see your aim. If from this point,

you can shoot and arrow and pierce the apple, I will spare you and your son’s
life. If you miss, or refuse to shoot, you will face death’’, said Gessler.

Wilson’s eyes flashed with anger. But hiding it, he said, ‘‘I am ready’’. A soldier

gave him a bow. He took two arrows from his quiver, stuck one in his belt and
the other on the bow. He stood for a moment in silence, praying to God. Then

he raised his head and took aim.

The onlookers held their breath. The arrow shot forward and cut the apple into

two. The onlookers shouted with joy. ‘‘Good shot’’, said Gessler, ‘‘But tell me
why did you take two arrows and stuck one in your belt? What was the second

arrow for?’’

‘‘It was for you, cruel tyrant’’, replied Wilson.

‘‘I have promised not to kill you, So I will not kill you. But I am going to imprison
you for the rest of your life’’, said Gessler.

capture — to take control by force; tyrant — a cruel ruler; traitor — the person who
betrays; bowman — an archer (person who shoots with a bow and arrows); pierce —
to go into something; quiver — a case for carrying arrows

English-5 93