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 casement! . . .

[The casement 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 casement.

VERONIKA’S two white bands reach out; then she herself appears, pale, shining 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!