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They come no more, for piping or for prayer; Until the trump of the Lord Gabriel.
And if they came, 'tis not in Hamelin men To alter any stone, so graven.--Marble Is final. Marble has the last word, ever.
[Groans from the burghers.]
HANS the Butcher O little Ilse!--Oh! and Lump--poor Lump!
More than a dog could bear!--More than a dog--
[They all break down. The Shoemaker consoles them.
PETER the Cobbler Bear up, sweet neighbors.--We are all but dust.
No mice, no children.--Hem! And now Jacobus,-- His child, not even safe with Holy Church, But lost and G.o.d knows where!
AXEL'S WIFE Bewitched,--bewitched!
[Hans and his wife, arm in arm, turn left, towards their house, peering ahead.
HANS' WIFE Kind saints! Me out and gone to early ma.s.s, And all this mortal church-time, there's a candle, A candle burning in the cas.e.m.e.nt there;-- Thou wasteful man!
HANS the Butcher [huskily]
Come, come! Do not be chiding.
Suppose they came and could not see their way.
Suppose--O wife!--I thought they'd love the light!
I thought--
PETER the Cobbler Ay, now! And there's another light In Kurt the Syndic's house.
[They turn and look up. Other burghers join the group. All walk lamely and look the picture of wretchedness.
AXEL'S WIFE His wife, poor thing, The priest is with her. Ay, for once, they say, Kurt's bark is broken.
OLD URSULA There will be nothing young To follow us to the grave.
AXEL'S WIFE They tell, she seems Sore stricken since the day that she was lost, Lost, searching on the mountain. Since that time, She will be saying nought. She stares and smiles.
HANS' WIFE And reaches out her arms,--poor soul!
ALL Poor soul!
[Murmur in the distance. They do not heed it.
AXEL the Smith [To the Butcher]
That was no foolish thought of thine, yon candle.
I do remember now as I look back, They always loved the lights. My Rudi there Would aye be meddling with my tinder-box.
And once I--Oh!-- [Choking]
AXEL'S WIFE [soothingly]
Now, now! thou didst not hurt him!
'T was I! Oh, once--I shut him in the dark!
AXEL the Smith Come home . . . and light the candles.
PETER the Cobbler In the day-time!
AXEL'S WIFE Oh, it is dark enough!
AXEL the Smith Lord knows, who made Both night and day, one of 'em needs to shine!
But nothing does!--Nothing is daylight now.
Come, wife, we'll light the candles.
[Exit with his wife.
PETER the Cobbler He's a changed man.
PETER the Sacristan G.o.d help us, what's to do?
[Tumult approaching. Shouts of 'Jacobus' and 'Barbara.'
Hark!
HANS' WIFE Neighbors!
HANS the Butcher Hark! Hark!
[AXEL and his wife reenter hastily; AXEL rushes toward the noise.
AXEL'S WIFE Oh, I hear something! Can it be--
PETER the Cobbler They're shouting.
HANS the Butcher My Iambs,--my lambs!
[AXEL reenters, crestfallen]
AXEL the Smith 'Tis naught--but Barbara _His--his_!
[Shaking his fist at the house of Jacobus.
PETER the Cobbler [calling]
Jacobus!
[The others are stricken with disappointment.
HANS the Butcher Wife,--'t is none of ours.
AXEL the Smith Let him snore on!--The only man would rather Sleep late than meet his only child again!
PETER the Cobbler [deprecatingly]
No man may parley with the gifts of Fortune!
[Knocking on the door]
Jacobus!
[Enter, at the rear, with a straggling crowd, BARBARA and MICHAEL, both radiant and resolute. She wears the long green cloak over her bridal array.
