Some
  ( La—­crymos—­a—­Dies—­ill—­
  ( Bewitched—­the Devil!—­bewitched—­bewitched!
  ( I will not—­will not—­will—­I will!
  ( No, no—­but where!—­Help—­help!—­To arms!

Others
  ( Suppli—­canti—­suppli—­Oh!
  ( To Hamelln—­back—­to Hamelln—­stay!
  ( No, no!—­No, no,—­Away,—­away!
[They dance out, convulsively, towards Rudersheim. 
KURT and JACOBUS, still whirling, cry,—­

JACOBUS, KURT
  ( Yes, yes!—­yes, yes!—­Let go—­let go—­
  ( No, no!—­I will not—­No! . . .  No

[Exeunt left, dancing.

OTHERS
  ( Keep time, keep time!  Have mercy!—­Time!
  ( Oh, let me—­go!—­Let go—­let go!
  ( Yes, yes—­Yes, yes—­No, no—­no—­no!

[BARBARA appears, pale and beautiful;—­richly dressed in white, with flowing locks.  She is wan and exhausted.—­The dance-mania, as it seizes her, makes her circle slowly and dazedly with a certain pitiful silliness.  The nuns and monks accompanying her point in horror.  But they, too, dance off with each other, willy-nilly,—­like leaves in a tempest.  BARBARA is left alone, still circling slowly.  The piping sounds softer.  She staggers against a tree, and keeps on waving her hands and turning her head, vaguely, in time.

MICHAEL looks forth from the well; then climbs out and approaches her.

MICHAEL

She is so beautiful,—­how dare, I tell her?  My heart, how beautiful!  The blessed saint! . . .  Fear nothing, fairest Lady.—­You are saved. [She looks at him unseeingly, and continues to dance.—­He holds out his arms to stop her.  Pray you, the danger’s gone.  Pray you, take breath!  Poor, shining dove,—­I would not hold thee here, Against thy wish.—­’Tis Michael, the sword-eater. [The piping ceases.]

BARBARA
[murmuring]
Yes, yes—­I must—­I must—­I must. . .
[Reenter the PIPER from the thickets.]

MICHAEL
Look, I will guard you like a princess, here;
Yes, like Our Lady’s rose-vine.

BARBARA [gasping]
  Ah, my heart!
[The PIPER comes towards her.  She sees him and holds out her arms, crying:—­ Oh, he has saved me!—­I am thine—­thine—­thine! [Falls into his arms half-fainting.  The PIPER stands amazed, alarmed, chagrined.

PIPER
Mine?

MICHAEL
[furiously]
Thine?—­So was it?  All a trap?  Cock’s blood! 
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?