governors claimed a
great part of the money; the slightest fault was punished with long
imprisonment and heavy fines. The people became sad and downcast, but
still they would not yield to Austria.

Gessler lived in a great castle at Kuessnacht in Schwyz. In it were
dreadful dungeons where he imprisoned the people and tortured them
according to his wicked will. But he was not pleased to have only one
castle, and he made up his mind to build another in Uri. So he began
to build one near the little town of Altorf, which lay at the other
end of the Lake of the Forest Cantons. Gessler forced the men of Uri
to build this castle, and he meant to use it not only as a house for
himself, but as a prison for the people.

"What will you call your castle?" asked a friend one day, as they
stood to watch the building. "I will call it the Curb of Uri," said
Gessler, with a cruel laugh, "for with it I will curb the proud spirit
of these peasants." After watching the work for some time, Gessler and
his friend rode away. "My friend," said Gessler, as he rode, "we will
go back to Kiissnacht by another way. I have heard that an insolent
peasant called Werner Stauffacher has built himself a new house. I
wish to see it. There is no end to the impudence of these peasants."
"But what will you do?" asked his friend. "Do" said Gessler, "why,
turn him out, to be sure. What need have these peasants for great
houses?" So they rode on to Stauffacher's house. "Whose house is
this?" he demanded. Stauffacher answered quietly, "My lord, this house
belongs to the Emperor, and is yours and mine in fief to hold and use
for his service." "I rule this land," said Gessler, "in the name of
the Emperor, and I will not allow peasants to build houses without
asking leave. I will have you understand that." And he rode from the
doorway. Stauffacher told his wife what had happened and she advised
him to call a secret meeting of his friends to plan to free themselves
from the governor's rule.

Werner Stauffacher spent some days in going from village to village,
trying to find out how the peasants and common people felt, and
everywhere heard complaints and groans. Coming to Altorf, where his
friend Walter Fuerst lived, he heard in the market-place a great noise
of shouting and trampling of feet.

Down the street a party of Austrian soldiers came marching. One of
them carried a long pole, and another a red cap with a peacock's
feather in it. Then the pole with the