The Piper - LightNovelsOnl.com
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Where?--Where?
PEOPLE ( He's lost the pipe.--He's hiding it!
( He cannot pipe them back! 'tis gone--'tis gone.-- ( No, 'tis to save his life.--It is for time.
PIPER [to himself]
--'T is but a voice. What matter?--
CROWD ( Seize him-- ( Bind him!
PIPER [to them]
Hus.h.!.+
[Pa.s.sionately he stretches his arms towards the window.
ANSELM Peace, for this parting Soul!
PIPER [with fixed eyes]
_It shall not go_.
[To the Window]
Veronika!--Ah, listen!--wife of Kurt.
_He comes . . . he comes! Open thine eyes a moment_!
_Blow the faint fire within thy heart. He comes_!
Thy longing brings him;--ay, _and mine,--and mine_!
Heed not these grave-makers, Veronika.
Live, live, and laugh once more!--_Oh! do you hear_?
Look, how you have to waken all these dead, That walk about you!--Open their dim eyes; Sing to them with your heart, Veronika, As I am piping, far away, outside!
Waken them,--change them! Show them how to long, To reach their arms as you do, for the stars, And fold them in. Stay but one moment;--stay, And thine own Child shall draw thee back again Down here, to mother him,--mother us all!
_Oh, do you listen?--Do not try to answer_,-- I hear!--I hear. . . .
[A faint sound of piping comes from the distance.--The PIPER is first watchful, then radiant.--The burghers are awe-struck, as it sounds nearer.
BARBARA Listen!
MICHAEL His very tune,
[The PIPER faces front with fixed, triumphant eyes above the crowd.
MARTIN'S WIFE O Lord, have mercy!
The Pipe is coming to him, through the air!
ALL 'T is coming to the Piper ;--we are lost.-- The Pipe is coming, coming through the air!
[The PIPER, with a sudden gesture, commands silence. He bounds away (centre), and disappears. The people, spell-bound with terror, murmur and fray.
ANSELM _Retro me, Sathanas_!
[KURT the Syndic appears on the threshold behind ANSELM, whose arm he touches, whispering.--Their faces are wonder-struck with hope and awe.
HANS the Butcher [to the others, pointing]
'T is Kurt the Syndic.
AXEL the Smith Then she lives!--
HANS' WIFE Look there!
OTHERS Look, look! The cas.e.m.e.nt! . . .
[The cas.e.m.e.nt of the lighted window opens wide and slowly.--Reenter the PIPER with JAN in his arms. The little boy holds the Pipe, and smiles about with tranquil happiness. The PIPER, radiant with joy, lifts him high, looking toward VERONIKA'S window.--The awe-struck people point to the open cas.e.m.e.nt.
VERONIKA'S two white bands reach out; then she herself appears, pale, s.h.i.+ning with ecstasy.
JAN _'Tis Mother_!
[The PIPER lifts him still before the window, gazing up. Then he springs upon the bench (outside the lower window) and gives JAN into the arms of VERONIKA.--KURT and ANSELM how their heads. A hush.
--Then JAN looks down from the window-seat.
PIPER [to him, smiling wisely]
And all the others?
JAN They were all asleep.
PIPER I'll waken them!
[He takes his pipe.--An uproar of joy among the burghers.]
AXEL the Smith, HANS the Butcher, ALL ( Bring lights,--bring lights!
( Oh, Piper--Oh, my lambs!
( The children!--The children!
[Some rush out madly; others go into their houses for lights; some are left on their knees, weeping for joy.
The PIPER sounds a few notes; then lifts his hand and listens, smiling.--Uproar in the distance.--A great harking of dogs;--shouts and cheers; then the high, sweet voices of the Children.
The piping is drowned in cries of joy. The sun comes out, still rosy, in a flood of light. The crowd rushes in. Fat burghers hug each other, and laugh and cry. They are all younger, their faces bloom, as by a miracle.
The Children pour in. Some are carried, some run hand-in-hand.
Everywhere women embrace their own. KURT has his sons.--CHEAT-THE-DEVIL comes, with a daisy-chain around his neck, all smiles.
An uproar of light and faces.
HANS the Butcher The treasure for the Piper!
ALL Ay, ay, Piper!
HANS the Butcher The thousand guilders!
PIPER Give them Michael there, For all us three. I hate to carry things;-- Saving out one!
[He waves his hand to JAN in the window.--VERONIKA appears behind him, s.h.i.+ning with new life. JAN leans out and points to the ground.
_Heja_! What now?-- [Picking up one of JAN'S winged shoes.]
