arms to stop her.
Pray you, the danger's gone. Pray you, take breath!
Poor, shining dove,--I would not hold thee here,
Against thy wish.--'Tis Michael, the sword-eater.
[The piping ceases.]

BARBARA
[murmuring]
Yes, yes--I must--I must--I must. . .
[Reenter the PIPER from the thickets.]

MICHAEL
Look, I will guard you like a princess, here;
Yes, like Our Lady's rose-vine.

BARBARA
[gasping]
Ah, my heart!
[The PIPER comes towards her. She sees him and holds out
her arms, crying:--
Oh, he has saved me!--I am thine--thine--thine!
[Falls into his arms half-fainting. The PIPER
stands amazed, alarmed, chagrined.

PIPER
Mine?

MICHAEL
[furiously]
_Thine_?--So was it? All a trap? Cock's blood!
Thine, thine!--And thou hast piped her wits away.
Thine!

PIPER
[holding her off]
No, not mine!

BARBARA
[to him]
Why did you steal me hence?
When did you love me?--Was it on first sight?

PIPER
[confounded]
I, love thee?

MICHAEL
--Knave! thief! liar!

PIPER
--Give me breath.
[Holds off BARBARA gently.]

BARBARA
Where are you taking me?

PIPER
I? Taking thee?

MICHAEL
[to her]
He shall not steal thee!

BARBARA
[in a daze]
I must follow him.

PIPER
No! 'T is too much. You shall not follow me!
I'll not be followed.--Damsel, sit you down.
Here is too much! I love you not.

BARBARA
[wonderingly]
You do not?
Why did you pipe to me?

MICHAEL
--And steal her wits,
Stealer of all the children!

BARBARA
[vaguely]
Are they safe?

PIPER
[to MICHAEL]
Oh, your good faith!--
[To her]
They're safe.

BARBARA
I knew--I knew it!

PIPER
And so art thou. But never shall they go
To Hamelin more; and never shale thou go
To be a nun.

BARBARA
To be a nun,--no, no! Ah me, I'm spent.
Sir, take me with you.

MICHAEL
[still enraged to the PIPES]
Rid her of the spell!
Is this thy pledge?

PIPER
[distracted]
I do but rub my wits--
To think--to think.
[To himself]
What shall I do with her,
Now that she's here!--Suppose her bound to stay!
[To them]
Hearken.--You, Michael, on to Rudersheim--

MICHAEL
And leave her here? No, no!

PIPER
Then take the girl.

BARBARA
To Rudersheim? No, never, never!

PIPER
Well . . .
Hearken.--There is the hermit, over the hill.
[Apart, wildly]
But how--suppose she will not marry him?
I will not take her where the children are.
And yet--
[An idea strikes him. To her]
Hark, now;--hark, now, and tell