The Piper Part 16

[MICHAEL watches, with jealous wistfulness, from the road (left rear).--BARBARA half fearfully sits up, on the bank by the well.

BARBARA Not love? And yet . . . you do not want my pearls?

Then why--

PIPER For why should all be love or money?

Money! Oho,--that mouldy thousand guilders You think of!--But it was your Hamelin friends That loved the guilders, and not I.

BARBARA Then why-- Why did you steal me hence?

PIPER Why did yourself Long to be stolen?

BARBARA [shuddering]

Ah! to be shut up. . .

Forever,--young--alive!

PIPER Alive and singing; Young,--young;--and four thick walls and no more sun, No music, and no wandering, and no life!

Think you, I would not steal ail things alive Out of such doom?--How can I breathe and laugh While there are things in cages?--You are free; And you shall never more go back again.

BARBARA And you, who are you then?

PIPER How do _I_ know?

Moths in the Moon!--Ask me a thing in reason.

BARBARA And 't was not . . . that you loved me.

PIPER Loved thee? No!-- Save but along with squirrels, and bright fish, And bubbling water.

BARBARA Then where shall I go?

PIPER Oh, little bird,--is that your only song?

Go? Everywhere! Here be no walls, no hedges, No tolls, no taxes,--rats nor aldermen!

Go, say you? Round the world, and round again!

[Apart]

--Ah, she was Hamelin-born.

[He watches her]

But there's a man,-- Sky-true, sword-strong, and brave to look upon; One that would thrust his hand in dragon's mouth For your bright sake; one that would face the Devil, Would swallow fire--

BARBARA You would?

PIPER [desperately]

_I_?--No, not I!

Michael,--yon goodman Michael.

BARBARA [bitterly]

A stroller!---oh, nought but a wandering man.

PIPER, Well, would you have a man take root, I ask?

BARBARA That swallows swords. . . .

PIPER Is he a comely man?

BARBARA That swallows swords!--

PIPER What's manlier to swallow?

Did he but swallow pancakes, were that praise?

Pancakes and sausage, like your Hamelin yokels?

He swallows fire and swords, I say, and more.

And yet this man hath for a whole noon-hour Guarded you while you slept;--still as a dove, Distant and kind as shadow; giant-strong For his enchanted princess,--even you.

BARBARA So you bewitched me, then.

PIPER [wildly]

How do I know?

BARBARA Where are the children?

PIPER I'll not tell you that.

You are too much of Hamelin.

BARBARA You bewitched them!

PIPER Yes, so it seems. But how?--Upon my life, 'T is more than I know,--yes, a little more.

[Rapidly: half in earnest and half in whimsy]

Sometimes it works, and sometimes no. There are Some things upon my soul, I cannot do.

[Watching her.]

BARBARA [expectantly]

Not even with thy pipe?

PIPER Not even so.

Some are too hard.--Yet, yet, I love to try: And most, to try with all the hidden charms I have, that I have never counted through.

BARBARA [fascinated]

Where are they?

PIPER [touching his heart]

Here.

BARBARA What are they?

PIPER How do I know?

If I knew all, why should I care to live?

No, no! The game is What-Will-Happen-Next?

BARBARA And what will happen?

PIPER [tantalizingly]