ng VERONIKA, the wife of KURT); JACOBUS
is meek; KURT very stern.--As they appear, the piping of the Dance-spell
begins softly, high in air. The hymn wavers; when the first burghers
reach the centre of the stage, it breaks down.

They look up, bewildered: then, with every sign of consternation,
struggle, and vacant fear, they begin to dance, willy-nilly. Their
faces work; they struggle to walk on; but it is useless. The music
whirls them irresistibly into a rhythmic pace of 3/4 time, and
jogs their words, when they try to speak, into the same dance-measure.
One by one,--two and two they go,--round and round like corks at first,
with every sign of struggle and protest, then off, on the long road
to Rudersheim. Fat priests waltz together.--KURT the fierce and
JACOBUS the sleek hug each other in frantic endeavor to be released.
Their words jolt insanely.

KURT, JACOBUS

( No, no.--No, no--No, no.--No, no!
( Yes, yes.--I, yes.--Yes, yes.--Yes, yes!

SOME
( _La--crymos--a--Dies--ill--_
( Bewitched--the Devil!--bewitched--bewitched!
( I will not--will not--will--I will!
( No, no--but where!--Help--help!--To arms!

OTHERS
( _Suppli--canti--suppli--Oh_!
( To Hamelln--back--to Hamelln--stay!
( No, no!--No, no,--Away,--away!
[They dance out, convulsively, towards Rudersheim.
KURT and JACOBUS, still whirling, cry,--

JACOBUS, KURT
( Yes, yes!--yes, yes!--Let go--let go--
( No, no!--I will not--No! . . . No

[Exeunt left, dancing.

OTHERS
( Keep time, keep time! Have mercy!--Time!
( Oh, let me--go!--Let go--let go!
( Yes, yes--Yes, yes--No, no--no--no!

[BARBARA appears, pale and beautiful;--richly dressed in white,
with flowing locks. She is wan and exhausted.--The dance-mania,
as it seizes her, makes her circle slowly and dazedly with a
certain pitiful silliness. The nuns and monks accompanying her
point in horror. But they, too, dance off with each other,
willy-nilly,--like leaves in a tempest. BARBARA is left alone,
still circling slowly. The piping sounds softer. She staggers
against a tree, and keeps on waving her hands and turning her head,
vaguely, in time.

MICHAEL looks forth from the well; then climbs out and approaches her.

MICHAEL

She is so beautiful,--how dare, I tell her?
My heart, how beautiful! The blessed saint! . . .
Fear nothing, fairest Lady.--You are saved.
[She looks at him unseeingly, and continues to dance.--He holds
out his