The Piper Part 14

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 me truly; Can you spin cloth?

BARBARA [amazed]

I? Spin?

PIPER [eagerly]

Can you make shoes?

BARBARA I--_I_ make shoes!--Fellow!

PIPER So.

MICHAEL Art thou mad!

PIPER With me you may not go! But you'll be safe.

Hearken:--you, Michael, go to Rudersheim; And tell the nuns--

BARBARA No, no! I dare not have it!

Oh, they would send and take me! No, no, no!

PIPER Would you go back to Hamelin?

BARBARA No--no--no!

Ah, I am spent.

[Droops towards the PIPER; falters and sinks down on the bank beside the well, in a swoon.--The PIPER is abashed and rueful for the moment.