as Jonas raised his sword to
strike the old mother down:

"Hold! respect the day! I, thy Prophet, hath to-day received His
crown. No bloodshed. This poor creature is demented. A miracle alone
can restore her reason," and he went toward Faith. "Woman, to thy
knees!" he said, but she made a gesture of indignation. He continued
to go toward her, then laying his hands lovingly upon her head he
looked meaningly into her eyes.

"To thy knees." His voice was soft and gentle, and slowly Faith fell
upon her knees, half comprehending that he was acting as fate
compelled him.

"Put up thy swords!" he commanded the people who had drawn them. Then
to Faith: "Thou wert wrong, good mother!" She looked at him a moment
longer.

"Yes!--wrong," she said, and bowed her head. At that the people burst
into cries of enthusiasm.

"Is he thy child?" Jonas asked loudly, placing his sword-point upon
her breast.

"Alas! No, he is not my son!" she answered in a weak voice.

"A miracle! A miracle!" all cried, and then the Prophet passed on,
Faith looking after him without following, the people again acclaiming
him with joyous shouts.

ACT V

In a dungeon underneath the palace, John found his mother. He went to
the place where he had privately ordered the Anabaptists to have her
taken, the moment he could leave the ceremonies of his coronation. The
feast of the day was yet to come, but while the ceremonies had been
going on, the three Anabaptists had had a message from the Emperor of
Germany, which promised safety to themselves, if they would give the
Prophet into his hands. They had treacherously decided to do this at
the coronation feast.

In the dungeon the poor old mother had huddled down, no longer in
fear, because her grief had rendered her insensible to everything
else.

"I forgive him," she sobbed, thinking of her son. "Let no ill come to
him for what he has done to me this day." As she was thus plunged in
deepest grief, the iron door opened, flambeaux lighted the palace up,
and the guard cried the Prophet's name.

"Woman, get upon thy knees; the Prophet is coming to thee," an officer
said.

She started up: "He is coming here--I shall see him?" she whispered to
herself. Then the guard left, and John of Leyden came in. He ran
toward his mother.

"Mother! My mother!" he cried.

"Nay!" she answered. "In the crowd I obeyed thee--I read some strange
message in thy face. But here, with only God's eye upon thee, go down
on