[Hubbub without, and shouts.  Some of the burghers hasten out after this fresh excitement.  JACOBUS is cowed.  BARBARA and MICHAEL are startled.  The shouts turn savage.  The uproar grows.  Shouts of ’Ay, there be is!  We have him!  We have him!  Help—­help!  Hold fast!  Ah!  Piper!  Piper!  Piper!’

How now?  What all!—­

[The crowd parts to admit the PIPER, haled hither with shouts and pelting, by MARTIN the Watch and other men, all breathless.  His eyes burn.

MICHAEL
[apart]
  Save us!—­They have him.

MARTIN
[gaspingly]
  Help! 
Mark ye—­I caught him!—­Help,—­and hold him fast!

PIPER
I came here,—­frog!

MARTIN
  Ay, he were coming on;
And after him a squirrel, hopping close!

SECOND MAN
As no man ever saw a squirrel hop—­
Near any man from Hamelin!  And I looked—­

MARTIN
And it was he; and all we rush upon him—­
And take him!

PIPER
Loose thy claws, I tell thee I—­

ALL
  ( ’Ware!
  ( Mercy!
  ( Let him go!

VOICE FROM CROWD
I have the squirrel!

PIPER
[savagely]
Let the squirrel go! 
Or you shall rue it.—­Loose him!  He’s not mine.

[He sees BARBARA and MICHAEL for the first time and recoils with amazement.  BARBARA steps towards him.

BARBARA
Oh, let him go,—­let be.  His heart is clear,
As water from the well!
[The PIPER gazes at her, open-mouthed.]

ALL
  ( She talks in her sleep!
  ( The maid’s bewitched!
  ( Now, will ye hear?

AXEL’S WIFE
He piped and made thee dance!

PETER the Cobbler
  ’T was he bewitched us!

BARBARA
[serenely]
Whatever was,—­it was for love of me.

PIPER
[thunderstruck]
So!

BARBARA
He piped;—­and all ye danced and fled away! 
He piped;—­and brought me back my wandering wits,
And gave me safe unto my Love again,—­
My Love I had forgotten. . . .

PIPER
So!

MICHAEL
[with conviction]
Truly said.

BARBARA
[proudly]
  Michael.

JACOBUS
Who is he, pray?

BARBARA
My own true love.

PETER the Cobbler
  Now, is that all his name?

BARBARA
It is enough.

JACOBUS
  —­She’s mad.  Shall these things be?

ALL
  ( The Children!  The Children!
  ( Where are the Children?
  ( Piper!  Pi-per!  Piper!

PIPER
[sternly]
  Quiet you.  And hear me. 
I came to bring good tidings.  In good faith,
Of mine own will, I came.—­And like a thief
You haled me hither.—­
[They hang upon his words]
  . . .  Your children—­live.

ALL
  ( Thank God!  I knew, I knew!
  ( We could not think them lost.
  ( Bewitched!  Oh, but they live!—­
  ( Piper!—­O Piper!