ler to you than a father:
He would be brothers five, and dearest friend,
And sweetheart,--ay, and knight and serving-man!

BARBARA
Yes, yes, I know he will. And can he talk, too?

PIPER
Lady, you have bewitched him.

MICHAEL
Oh! dear Lady,
With you--with you, I dare not ope my mouth
Saving to sing, or pray!

PIPER
Let it be singing!
Lad, 't is a wildered maiden, with no home
Save only thee; and she is more a child
Than yesterday.

MICHAEL
Oh, lordly, wondrous world!--
How is it, Sweet, you smile upon me now?

BARBARA
Sure I have ever smiled on thee. How not?
Art thou not Michael?--_And thou lovest me_.
_And I love thee_!--If I unloved thee ever,
It was some spell.--
[Rapturously]
But this,--ah, _This is I_!
[MICHAEL, on his knees, winds his arms about her.

PIPER
[softly]
It is all true,--all true. Lad, do not doubt;
The golden cage is broken.

MICHAEL
Oh! more strange
Than morning dreams! I am like one new-born;
I am a speechless babe.--And this is she,
My Moon I cried for,--here,--

PIPER
It is thy bride.

MICHAEL
Thou wilt not fear to come with me?

BARBARA
With thee?
With thee! Ah, look! What have I more than thee?
And thou art mine, tall fellow! How comes it now
Right happily that I am pranked so fair!
[She touches her fineries, her long pearl-strings, joyously]
And all this came so near to burying;
This!

MICHAEL
And this dearer gold.
[Kissing her hair.]

BARBARA
All, all for thee!--
[She leans over in a playful rapture and
binds her hair about him]
Look,--I will be thy garden that we lost,
Yea, everywhere,--in every wilderness.
There shall none fright us with a flaming sword!
But I will be thy garden!

[There is the sound of a herd-bell approaching.

PIPER
See,--how the sunlight soon shall pour red wine
To make your marriage-feast!--And do you hear
That faery bell?--No fear!--'T is some white creature,
Seeking her whiter lamb.--Go; find our hermit;
And he shall bless you,--as a hermit can!
And be your pledge for shelter. There's the path.--
[To MICHAEL]
Follow each other, close!

MICHAEL
Beyond the Sun!

PIPER
A golden afternoon,--and all is well!

[He gives MICHAEL his cloak to wrap round BARBARA. They go, hand
in hand, up into the hills, The herd-bell sounds softly.--The PIPER
cocks his head like a squirrel, and listens with delight. He watches
the two till they disappear; then comes down joyously.

PIPER
If you can only ca