"Well?" asked Gessler.

"Er--ahem!" said Walter Furst.

"That's the way," whispered Werner; "_give_ it him!"

"Er--ahem!"
said Walter Furst again; "the fact is, your Governorship--"

"It's a small point," interrupted Gessler, "but I'm generally called
'your Excellency.' Yes?"

"The fact is, your Excellency, it seems to the people of Switzerland--"

"--Whom I represent," whispered Arnold of Melchthal.

"--Whom I represent, that things want changing."

"What things?" inquired Gessler.

"The taxes, your excellent Governorship."

"Change the taxes? Why, don't the people of Switzerland think there are
enough taxes?"

Arnold of Melchthal broke in hastily.

"They think there are many too many," he said. "What with the tax on
sheep, and the tax on cows, and the tax on bread, and the tax on tea,
and the tax--"