xt702v2c8b85 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt702v2c8b85/data/mets.xml Peabody, Josephine Preston, 1874-1922. 1909 books b92-61-27078270 English Houghton Mifflin, : Boston ; New York : Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Pied Piper of Hamelin (Tale) Piper : a play in four acts / by Josephine Preston Peabody. text Piper : a play in four acts / by Josephine Preston Peabody. 1909 2002 true xt702v2c8b85 section xt702v2c8b85

3omepbine treoton IPeabobp
(MRs. LIONEL MARKS)
THE SINGING MAN.
THE PIPER.
THE BOOK OF THE LITTLE PAST. Illus-
trated in color.
THE SINGING LEAVES.
MARLOWE: A DRAMA.
FORTUNE AND MEN'S EYES.
OLD GREEK FOLK STORIES.
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
BOSTON AND NEw YORK

THE PIPER

This page in the original text is blank.

The Piper
A PLAY IN FouR ACTS
By JOSEPHINE PRESTON PEABODY
BOSTON and NEW r0RK
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
a:b altrb rs audg
fmmamrm-Irs-51mum roffiformfomn - Itst

To
LIONEL S. MARKS

This page in the original text is blank.

MEMORIAL THEATRE, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
Tuesday Evening, July 26th, 191o
FIRST PERFORMANCE
OF
The Piper
(The Prize Play)
By JOSEPHINE PRESTON PEABODY
Produced by MR. and MRS. F. R. BENSON
and THEIR SHAKESPEAREAN COMPANY
Including MISS MARION TERRY
CHARACTERS
Strolling Players
THE PIPER
MICHAEL-THE-SWORD-EATER
CHEAT-THE-DEVIL
Men and Women
JACOBUS, the Burgomeister
KURT, the Syndic
PETER, the Cobbler
HANS, the Butcher
AXEL, the Smith
MARTIN, the Watch
PETER, the Sacristan
ANSELM, a young Priest
Mr. F. R. Benson
Mr. Eric Maxon
Mr. Alfred Wild
of Hamelin
Mr. Alfred Brydone
Mr. 7. Moffat 7ohbnton
Mr. W. W. Caithness
Mr. Harry Caine
Mr. G. F. Hannam Clarke
Mr. 7ohn Howell
Mr. Nigel Barry
Mr. Marray Carrington

OLD CLAUS, a Miser
TOWN CRIER
VERONIKA, the wife of Kurt
BARBARA, daughter of Jacobus
WIFE OF HANS THE BUTCHER
WIFE OF AXEL THE SMITH
WIFE OF MARTIN THE WATCH
OLD URSULA
JAN
HANSEL
ILSE
TRUDE
RUDI
Mr. 7. P. Wilson
Mr. Frank Growcott
Mils Marion Terry
Miss Violet Farehrother
Miss Marion Foreman
Miss Win fred Durie
Miss C. MacDowell
Miss Elinor Aickin
Children
Miss Hetty Kenyon
Miss Kathleen rorke
Miss Beatrice Pither
Miss 7oan Hastings
Master Audrey Summerheys
Scenery by Messrs. Joseph and Phil Harker
Music specially composed by Mr. Christopher Wilson

THE NEW THEATRE, NEW YORK
Monday Evening, January 3oth, 191I
FIRST PERFORMANCE IN AMERICA
OF
The Piper
By JOSEPHINE PRESTON PEABODY
CHARACTERS
Strolling Playerr
THE PIPER
MICHAEL-THE-SWORD-EATER
CHEAT-THE-DEVIL
Mill Edith Wynne Matthison
Mr. Frank Gillmore
Mr. 7acob Wendell, Jr.
Men and Women of Hamelin
JACOBUS, the Burgomeister
KURT, the Syndic
PETER, the Cobbler
HANS, the Butcher
AXEL, the Smith
MARTIN, the Watch
PETER, the Sacristan
ANSELM, a young Priest
OLD CLAUS, a Miser
TOWN CRIER
VERONIKA, the wife of Kurt
Mr. Lee Baker
Mr. Ben Johbnon
Mr. John Sutherland
Mr. William McVay
Mr. Stewart Baird
Mr. Edwin Cashman
Mr. William Raymond
Mr. Pedro DeCordoba
Mr. Cecil rapp
Mr. Robert Hamilton
Miss Olive Oliver

BARBARA, daughter of Jacobus
WIFE OF HANS THE BUTCHER
WIFE OF AXEL THE SMITH
WIFE OF MARTIN THE WATCH
OLD URSULA
Miss Dora 7esslyn
Miss Thais Lawton
Miss Elsie Herndon Kearns
Miss Mary Doyle
Mrs. Sol Smith
Children
JAN
HANSEL
ILSE
TRUDE
RUDI
Master John Tansey
Master Emmett Hampton
Miss Jeanette Dix
Miss Claribel Campbell
Miss Dorothy Vernon
Produced by Mr. George Foster Platt
Scenery and costumes under the direction of
Mr. E. Hamilton Bell

UniO 1284
Atm Wage gobannioi et Pauli
War Der 26 9FUni
orcb Qmnu Piper mit alrlep farbe
be letet
0elueen Cfff hinber berfebet
oinnm pamelen geboren
0o Calbarie bi ben Ioppen bersorm
[THE HAMELIN INSCRIPTION]

CHARAC CTERS
THE PIPER
MICHAEL-THE-SWORD-EATER
CHEAT-THE-DEVIL
JACOBUS the Burgomeister
KURT the Syndic
PETER the Cobbler
HANS the Butcher
AXEL the Smith
MARTIN the Watch
PETER the Sacristan
ANSELM, a young priest
OLD CLAUS, a miser
TOWN CRIER
JAN
HANSEL
ILSE
TRUDE
RUDI
1
Strolling Players
Men of Hamelin
Children

C H A R A C T E R S
VERONIKA, the wife of Kurt
BARBARA, daughter of Jacobus
WIFE of HANS the Butcher
WIFE of AXEL the Smith
WIFE of MARTIN the Watch
OLD URSULA
Burghers, nuns, priests, and children
SCENE: HAMELIN ON THE WESER, 1284 A. D.

SCENES
ACT 1.
f SCENE I.
ACT II.
l SCENE II.
ACT III.
ACT IV.
The market-place in Hamelin
Inside the 'Hollow-Hill'
The Cross-ways
The Cross-ways
The market-place in Hame/in
One week is supposed to elapse between Acts I and 11.
cts II and III occupy one day.
Act IV concerns the following morning.

ACT I

This page in the original text is blank.

The Piper
ACT I
SCENE: the market-place of Hamelin. Right, the
Minster, with an open shrine (right centre)
containing a large sculptured figure of the
Christ. Right, farther front, the house
of KURT; and other narrow house-fronts.
Left, the Ratbaus, and (down) the home of
JACOBUS. Front, to left and right, are cor-
ner-houses with projecting stories and case-
ment windows. At the centre rear, a narrow
street leads away between houses whose
gables all but meet overhead.
It is late summer afternoon, with a holiday crowd.
In the open casements, front (right and left,
opposite each other), sit OLD URSULA and
OLD CLAUS, looking on at men and things.
--In the centre of the place now stands a

4
TH E PIPER
rude wooden Ark with a tented top: and
out of the openings (right and left) appear
the artificial heads of animals, worn by the
players inside. One is a Bear (inhabited by
MICHAEL -THE - SWORD - EATER); one is a
large Reynard-the-Fox, later apparent as the
PIPER. Close by is the medieval piece of
stage-property known as 'Hell-Mouth,' i. e.
a red painted cave with a jaw-like opening,
into which a mountebank dressed in scarlet
(CHEAT-THE-DEVIL) is poking 'Lost Souls'
with a pitchfork.
BARBARA loiters by the tent. VERONIKA, the sad
young wife of KURT, watches from the house
steps, left, keeping her little lame boy, 7an,
close beside her.
Shouts of delight greet the end of the show,
a Noah's Ark miracle-play of the rudest;
and the Children continue to scream withjoy
whenever an Animal looks out of the Ark.
Men and women pay scant attention either to
JACOBUS, when he speaks (himself none too
sober) - from his doorstep, prompted by
the frowning KURT, - or yet to ANSELM,
the priest, who standsforth with lifted hands,
at the close of the miracle-play.

_ r at
I H E I PER 5
ANSELM
ND you, who heed the colors of this
show,
A Look to your laughter ! - It doth
body forth
A Judgment that may take you
unaware,
Sun-struck with mirth, like unto chattering
leaves
Some wind of wrath shall scourge to nothing-
ness.
HANS, AXEL, AND OTHERS
Hurrah, Hurrah!
JACOBUS
And now, good townsmen all,
Seeing we stand delivered and secure
As once yon chosen creatures of the Ark,
For a similitude,--our famine gone,
Our plague of rats and mice,
CROWD
Hurrah -hurrah I

6
T H E P I P E R
JACOBUS
'T is meet we render thanks more soberly
HANS the Butcher
Soberly, soberly, ay ! -
JACOBUS
For our deliverance.
And now, ye wit, it will be full three days
Since we beheld -our late departed pest.
OLD URSULA
[putting out an ear-trumpet]
What does he say
REYNARD
[from the Ark]
-Oh, how felicitous !
HANS' WIFE
He 's only saying there be no more rats.

THE PIPER
7
JACOBUS
[with oratorical endeavor]
Three days it is; and not one mouse, -one
mouse,
Onemouse, I say! - No-o-o ! Quiet . . . as
a mouse.
[Resuming]
And now . . .
CROWD
Long live Jacobus !
JACOBUS
You have seen
Noah and the Ark, most aptly happening by
With these same play-folk. You have marked
the Judgment.
You all have seen the lost souls sent to
Hell-
And, nothing more to do.-
[KURT prompts him]
Yes, yes. -And now . .0
[HANS the Butcher steps out of his group.]

THE PIPER
HANS the Butcher
Hath no man seen the Piper -Please your
worships.
OTHERS
Ay, ay, so!
Ay, where is he
-Ho, the Piper!
JACOBUS
Piper, my good man
HANS the Butcher
- He that charmed the rats !
OTHERS
Yes, yes,-that charmed the rats!
JACOBUS
[piously]
Why, no man knows.-
Which proves him such a random instrument
As Heaven doth sometimes send us, to our use;
Or, as I do conceive, no man at all,'
A man of air; or, I would say-delusion.
He'll come no more.
8

THE PIPER
9
REYNARD
[from the Ark]
Eh -Oh, indeed, Meaow!
JACOBUS
'Tis clearest providence. The rats are gone.
The man is gone. And there is nought to
pay,
Save peaceful worship.
[Pointing to the Minster.]
REYNARD
[sarcastically]
Oh, indeed, - Meaow !
[Sudden chorus of derisive animal noisesfrom
the Ark, delighting PEOPLE and CHIL-
DREN.
KURT
Silence, -you strollers there! Or I will have you
Gaoled, one and all.
PEOPLE
No, Kurt the Syndic, no!

THE PIPER
BARBARA
[to Jacobus]
No, no! Ah, father, bid them stay awhile
And play it all again. -Or, if not all,
Do let us see that same good youth again,
Who swallowed swords - between the Ark
Preserved
And the Last Judgment!
REYNARD
Michael-the-Sword-Eater,
Laurels for thee !
[t'he BEAR disappears: MICHAEL puts out
his own head, and gazes fixedly at BAR-
BARA.
CHILDREN
Oh, can't we see the animals in the Ark
Again Oh, can't we see it all again
ILSE
Oh, leave out Noah! And let 's have only Bears
And Dromedaries, and the other ones !
[General confusion.]
IO

THE PIPER
KURT
Silence!
JACOBUS
Good people-you have had your shows;
And it is meet, that having held due feast,
Both with our market and this Miracle,
We bring our holiday to close with prayer
And public thanks unto Saint Willibald,
Upon whose day the rats departed thence.
REYNARD
[loudly]
Saint Willibald!
BEAR
Saint Willibald!
OTHER ANIMALS
[looking out]
Saint Willibald I
Saint! Oh!
CROWD
Saint Willibald! -And what had he to do
With ridding us o' rats
I I

THE PIPER
HANS the Butcher
'T was the Piping Man
Who came and stood here in the market-
place,
And swore to do it for one thousand guilders!
PETER the Cobbler
Ay, and he did it, too ! - Saint Willibald!
[Renewed uproar round the tent.]
KURT
[to 7acobus]
Drive out those mountebanks ! 'T is ever so.
Admit them to the town and you must pay
Their single show with riotings a week.-
Look yonder at your daughter.
[BARBARA lingers by the Ark-Tent, gazing
with girlish interest at MICHAEL, who
gazes at her, his bear-head in his bandfor
the moment.]
JACOBUS
Barbara!
[She turns back, witb an angry glance at
KURT.]
I 2

THE PIPER
AXEL the Smith
[doggedly to them]
By your leave, Masters! I would like to know,
How did Saint Willibald prevail with the
rats -
That would I like to know. I, who ha' made
Of strong wrought traps, two hundred, thirty-
nine,
Two hundred, thirty-nine.
REYNAR D
[calling]
And so would I!
HANS the Butcher
So please your worships, may it please the
Crier,
Now we be here, -to cry the Piping Man-
PETER the Cobbler
A stranger-man, gay-clad, -in divers colors !
Because he, with said piping -

14 THE PIPER
HANS the Butcher
- Drave away
The horde of rats!
PETER the Cobbler
[sagely]
To our great benefit;
And we be all just men.
OTHERS
Ay, ay ! - Amen I
WOMEN
Amen, Our Lady and the blessed Saints!
JACOBUS
Why, faith, good souls, if ye will have him
cried,
So be it. - But the ways of Heaven are
strange !
Mark how our angel of deliverance came,-
Or it may be, Saint Willibald himself, -
Most piedly clothed, even as the vilest player!
And straight ascended from us, to the clouds!

T HE PIPE R
But cry him, if you will. - Peace to your
lungs !-
He will not come.
[KURT wrathfully consults with JACOBUS,
then signals to Crier.
CRIER
Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!
Whereas, now three days gone, our Plague of
Rats
Was wholly driven hence, our City cleansed,
Our peace restored after sore threat of famine,
By a Strange Man who came not back again,
Now, therefore, if this Man have ears to hear,
Let him stand forth. - Oyez ! Oyez ! Oyez!
[!Trumpet. -PEOPLE gaze up and down
the little streets. - REYNARD steps out of
the Ark and comes down slowly, with a
modest air. - KURT points him out, threat-
eningly, and the CROWD bursts into deri-
sive laughter. - He doffs his animal-head
at leisure, showing a sparkling dark-eyed
face.
ALL
The Man! the Man!
1 5

THE PIPE R
KURT AND JACOBUS
The Devil ! - 'T is
ALL
- THE PIPER!
[The PIPER regards them all with debonair
satisfaction; then reverses his head-piece
and holds it out upside-down, with a con-
fident smile.
PIPER
Three days of rest, your worships, you have had.
I see no signs of famine hereabout.
The rats are gone, even to the nethermost tail:
And I 've fulfilled my bargain. Is it granted
[Murmurs, then cheers of " Ay, Ay,
PIPER ! "from the crowd.
Thank 'ee. - My thousand guilders, an you
please.
JACOBUS
One thou- Come, come! This was no sober
bargain.-
No man in reason could -
PIPER
One thousand guilders.

THE PIPER
I'7
KURT
One thousand rogueries !
JACOBUS
[to PIPER]
You jest too far.
AXEL
Lucky, if he get aught ! - Two hundred traps,
And nine, and thirty! By Saint Willibald,
When was I paid
AXEL'S WIFE
Say, now I
PIPER
. . . One thousand guilders.
PETER the Cobbler
Give him an hundred.
HANS the Butcher
Double!

I8
THE PIPER
HANS' WIFE
You were fool
To make agreement with him.-Ask old Claus,
He has the guilders; and his house was full
O' rats !
OLD CLAUS
[shaking his stick from the window]
You jade! And I that hoard, and save,
And lay by all I have from year to year,
To build my monument when I am gone,
A fine new tomb there, in Saint Boniface!
And I to pay for all your city rats
OLD URSULA
[leaning out, opposite]
Right, neighbor, right well said ! - Piper, hark
here.
Piper, how did ye charm the rats away
PIPER
[coming down]
The rats were led - by Cu-ri-os-ity.
'T is so with many rats; and all old women;-
Saving your health !

THE PIPER
'9
JACOBUS
No thought for public weal,
In this base grasping on
PIPER
One thousand guilders.
KUR T
[contemptuously]
For piping!
PIPER
Shall I pipe them back again
WOMEN
Merciful heaven!
Good Saint Boniface!
Good Saint Willibald!
Peter and Paul defend us!
HANS the Butcher
No, no; no fear o' that. The rats be drowned.
We saw them with our eyes.
PIPER
Now who shall say
There is no resurrection for a mouse

THE PIPER
KURT
-Do you but crop this fellow's ears !
VERONIKA
[from the steps]
Ah, Kurt !
JACOBUS
[to him, blandly]
Deal patiently, good neighbor. All is well.
[T'o the PIPER]
Why do you name a price so laughable,
My man Call you to mind; you have no
claim, -
No scrip to show. You cling upon
PIPER
[sternly]
Your word.
JACOBUS
I would say-just-
PIPER
Your word.
20

THE PIPER 21
JACOBUS
Upon-
PIPER
Your word.
Sure, 't was a rotten parchment!
JACOBUS
This is a base,
Conniving miser!
PIPER
[turning proudly]
Stand forth, Cheat-the-Devil!
[Up steps the DEVIL in red. PEOPLE shrink,
and then come closer.
Be not afeard. He pleased you all, of late.
He hath no sting. - So, boy! Do off thy head.
[CHEAT-THE-DEVIL dofs his red bead-
dress and stands forth, a pale and timo-
rous youth, gentle and half-wifted.
Michael, stand forth !
[MICHAEL comes down, bear-bead in band.
BAR BARA
[regarding him sadly]
That goodly sword-eater !

THE PIPER
PIPER
[defiantly]
So, Michael, so. - These be two friends of mine.
Pay now an even third to each of us.
Or, to content your doubts, to each of these
Do you pay here and now, five hundred
guilders.
Who gets it matters little, for us friends.
But you will pay the sum, friend. You will
pay !-
HANS, AXEL, AND CROWD
Come, there's an honest fellow. Ay, now, pay !
- There's a good friend. - And would I had
the same.
- One thousand guilders
No, too much.
-No, no.
KURT
Pay jugglers - With a rope apiece!
JACOBUS
Why-so-
PIPER
They are my friends; and they shall share with
me.
2 2

THE PIPER
'T is time that Hamelin reckoned us for men;
- Hath ever dealt with us as we were vermin.
Now have I rid you of the other sort-
Right you that score!-
KURT
These outcasts!
PIPER
[hotly]
Say you so
Michael, my man! Which of you here will try
With glass or fire, with him
MICHAEL
[sullenly]
No, no more glass, to-day!
PIPER
Then fire and sword!
[they back away.]
So! -And there's not one man
In Hamelin, here, so honest of his word.
Stroller ! A pretty choice you leave us. - Quit
This strolling life, or stroll into a cage
23

24 THE PIPER
What do you offer him A man eats fire
Swords, glass, young April frogs -
CHILDREN
Do it again!
Do it again !
PIPER
You say to such a man,
'Come be a monk! A weaver !' Pretty choice.
Here's Cheat-the-Devil, now.
PETER the Cobbler
But what 's his name
PIPER
He does n't know. What would you Nor do I.
But for the something he has seen of life,
Making men merry, he'd know something
more!
The gentlest devil ever spiked Lost Souls
Into Hell-mouth, -for nothing-by-the-day!
OLD URSULA
[with her ear-trumpet]
Piper, why do you call him Cheat-the-Devil

THE PIPER
PIPER
Because his deviltry is all a cheat:
He is no devil,-but a gentle heart!
- Friend Michael here hath played the Devil,
betimes,
Because he can so bravely breathe out fire.
He plied the pitchfork so we yelped for
mercy,
He reckoned not the stoutness of his arm !
But Cheat-the-Devil here, - he would not hurt
Why - Kurt the Syndic - thrusting him in
hell. [Laughter.
CHEAT-THE-DEVIL
[unhappily]
No, no -I will not hurt him!
PIPER
[soothingly to him]
Merry, boy!
[Yio the townsfolk]
And,- ifye will have reasons,good,-ye see,
I want -one thousand guilders.
JACOBUS
In all surety,
Payment you'll have, my man, But-
25

THE PIPER
HANS the Butcher
As to 's friends,-
An that yon Devil be as feat wi' his hands
As he be slow o' tongue, why, I will take him
For prentice. Wife, -now that would smack
o' pride!
PETER the Cobbler
I '11 take this fellow that can swallow fire.
He's somewhat old for me. But he can learn
My trade. -A pretty fellow!
PIPER
And your trade
PETER the Cobbler
Peter the cobbler.
MICHAEL
I What, I Make shoes
[Proudly]
I swallow fire.
PIPER
Enough.
26

THE PIPER 27
BARBARA
[aside, bitterly]
I'll not believe it.
PIPER
[to HANS]
Your trade
HANS the Butcher
I'm Hans the Butcher.
MICHAEL
Butcher
CHEAT-THE-DEVIL
[unhappily]
Butcher I
Oh, no! I could n't hurt them.
[Loud laughter.,
BUTCHER'S WIFE
'T is a fool!
[The PIPER motions to MICHAEL andCHEAT-
THE-DEVIL, who during the following join
the other player-folk, strike their tent,
pack their bundles, and wheel of the bar-

THE PIPER
rows that have served them for an Ark,
leaving the space clear before the Shrine.
Exeunt Strollers, all but MICHAEL, who
bangs about, still gazing at BARBARA.
JACOBUS
Good people, we have wasted time enow.
You see this fellow, that he has no writ-
PIPER
Why not, then 'T was a bargain. If your
word
Hold only when 't is writ
Clerkship on them
What good would
KURT
We cannot spend
that neither write nor read.
parchment do thee
JACOBUS
My good man
PIPER
Who says I cannot read - Who says I cannot
OLD CLAUS
Piper, don't tell me you can read in books!
2 8

THE PIPER R
PIPER
[at bay]
Books ! Where's a book Shew me a book,
I say!
OLD URSULA
The Holy Book! Bring that- .orhe '11 bewitch
you.
PIPER
Oh, never fear. I charm but fools and chil-
dren;
Now that the rats are gone. - Bring me a Book:
A big one!-
[Murmurs. The PIPER defiant. T1he crowd
moves towards the Minster. Enter AN-
SELM the priest, with a little acolyte,
the two bearing a large illuminated Gospel-
book. ANSELM, eyeing the PIPER gravely,
opens the book, which the boy supports on
his head and shoulders.
PIPER
Ho, 't is too heavy! Come, you cherub-head, .
Here 's too much laid upon one guardian angel!
29

THE PIPER
[Beckons another small boy, and sets the book
on their two backs.
Well -- well What now
[He looks infrank bewilderment at the eager
crowd.
CROWD
Read, read!
KURT
He cannot read.
PIPER
[to ANSELM]
Turn - turn - there 's nothing there.
[ANSELM turns pages. PIPER looks on blankly]
. . . Ah, turn again!
The red one ! -
[He takes his pipe from his belt]
No, the green! The green one. So.
[Starts to pipe, looking on the book.]
CROWD
[ Sure 't is a mad-man!
But hear him piping!
l What is he doing
30

TiHE PIPER
3 '
PIPER
[puzzled at their mirth]
What the green one says.-
[A burst of laughter from the crowd. JAN,
the little lame boy on the steps, reaches his
arms out suddenly and gives a cry of delight.
JAN
Oh, I love the Man!
[He goes, with his crutch, to the PIPER, who
turns and gathers him close.
JACOBUS
[to the People]
Leave off this argument.
KURT
Go in to Mass.
JACOBUS
Saint Willibald!
PIPER
[in a rage]
That Saint ! -

3 THE PIPER
KURT
Hence, wandering dog!
PIPER
Oho ! -Well, every Saint may have his day.
But there are dog-days coming. - Eh, your
worship
[71o ANSELM, suddenly]
You, there! You - Brother - Father - Un-
cle-You!
Speak! Will you let them in, to say their
prayers
And mock me through their fingers -Tell
these men
To settle it, among their mouldy pockets,
Whether they keep their oath. Then will I go
KURT
[savagely]
Away with you !-
ANSELM
The Piper should be heard;
Ye know it well. Render to Caesar, therefore,
That which is Cxsar's.
32

THE PIPER 3 3
PIPER
-Give the Devil his due!
JACOBUS
[warily]
We must take counsel over such a sum.
[Beckoning others, he and KURT go into the
Rathaus, followed by all the men. Exit
ANSELM with the Holy Book into the Min-
ster. - I'he children play Mouse, to and
fro, round about the PIPER. - The women,
some of them, spin on the doorsteps, with
little hand distaffs, or stand about, gossip-
ing.
[J'he PIPER wipes his forehead and goes up
slowly (centre) to drink from the fountain
at the foot of the Shrine. - MICHAEL, like
one in a dream, comes down towards BAR-
BARA, who gazes back at him, fascinated,
through her laughter.
BARBARA
Is it for pay you loiter, Master Player
Were you not paid enough

34 THE PIPER
MICHAEL
No.- One more look.
BARBARA
Here, then.- Still not enough
MICHAEL
No! One more smile.
BARBARA
[agitated ]
Why would you have me smile
MICHAEL
[passionately]
Oh, when you smiled,
It was it was like sunlight coming through
Some window there,
[Pointing to the Minster]
- some vision of Our Lady.
[She drops her flowers. - He picks them up
and gives them back slowly.
BARBARA
Who are you You are some one in disguise.

THE PIPER 35
MICHAEL
[bitterly]
A man-that passes for a mountebank.
BARBARA
[eagerly]
I knew!
MICHAEL
What then
BARBARA
Thou art of noble birth.
'T is some disguise, this playing with the fire!
MICHAEL
Yes. -For to-day, I lord it with the fire.
But it hath burned me, here.
[Touching his breast.]
[Overcomeforthemoment, shedrawsaway.-
The PIPER, coming down, speaks stealth-
ily to MICHAEL, who is still gazing.
PIPER
For all our sakes!
There is bad weather breeding. -Take to thy
heels.

THE PIPER
[BARBARA turns back to see MICHAEL
withdrawing reluctantly, and throws a
rose to him with sudden gayety.
BARBARA
Farewell to you, Sword-Swallower ! farewell!
MICHAEL
[looking back]
Farewell to you, my Lady, in-the-Moon.
[Exit.
[JAN clings once more to the PIPER, while
the other children hang about. VERONIKA
calls to her boy, from. the steps.
VERONIKA
Darling.
PIPER
[drawing nearer]
Is this your Boy
VERONIKA
Ay, he is mine;
My only one. He loved thy piping so.
36

THE PIPER
37
PIPER
And I loved his.
HANS' WIFE
[stridently]
Poor little boy! He 's lame!
PIPER
'T is all of us are lame ! But he, he flies.
VERONIKA
Jan, stay here if you will, and hear the pipe,
At Church-time.
PIPER
[to him]
Wilt thou
JAN
[softly]
Mother lets me stay
Here with the Lonely Man.
PIPER
The Lonely Man

THE PIPER
[JAN points to the Christ in the Shrine. VE-
RONIKA crosses herself. The PIPER looks
long at the little boy.
VERONIKA
He always calls Him so.
PIPER
And so would I.
VERONIKA
It grieves him that the Head is always
And stricken. But he loves more to be
Than yonder in the church.
PIPER
bowed,
here
And so do I.
VERONIKA
What would you, darling,
Man
What do you wait to see
with the Lonely
JAN
[shbly]
To see Him smile.
38

THE PIPER 39
[The women murmur. she PIPER comes down
further to speak to VERONIKA.
PIPER
You are some foreign woman. Are you not
Never from Hamelin!
VERONIKA
No.
AXEL'S WIFE
[to her child]
Then run along.
And ask the Piper if he '11 play again
The tune that charmed the rats.
ANOTHER
They might come back I
OLD URSULA
[callingfrom her window]
Piper ! I want the tune that charmed the rats
If they come back, I '11 have my grandson play
it.

40 THE PIPER
PIPER
I pipe but for the children.
ILSE
[dropping her doll and
Something for Fridolin !
picking it up]
Oh, do pipe
HANSEL
Oh, pipe at me!
NowI 'mamouse! I'lleatyouup! Rr-rr !-
CHILDREN
Oh, pipe! Oh, play! Oh, play
dance !
Oh, play, and make us run away
and make us
from school !
PIPER
Why, what are these
CHILDREN
[scampering round bim]
We 're mice, we 're mice, we 're mice ! . . .
We 're mice, we 're mice! We 'll eat up every-
thing !

THE PIPER
MARTIN'S WIFE
[calling]
'T is church-time. La, what will the neighbors
say
ILSE
[Waving her doll]
Oh, please do play something for Fridolin!
AXEL'S WIFE
Do hear the child. She 's quite the little mother!
PIPER
A little mother Ugh! How horrible.
That fairy thing, that princess, - no, that Child!
A little mother
[to her]
Drop the ugly thing!
MARTIN'S WIFE
Now, on my word! and what's amiss with
mothers
Are mothers horrible
[the PIPER is struck with painful memories.]
4I1

42 THE PIPER