[The Minster-door opens, and out come certain of the townsfolk from early mass. They look unnaturally old and colorless. Their steps lag drearily.—HANS the Butcher and his wife; AXEL the Smith with his wife, and PETER the Cobbler, meet, on their way to the little street, left, and greet one another with painstaking, stricken kindness. They speak in broken voices.
HANS the Butcher
Well, well—
AXEL the Smith
God knows!
[The bell sounds]
HANS the Butcher
Neighbor, how fare your knees?
[AXEL smooths his right leg and gives a jerk of pain. They all
move stiffly.
AXEL the Smith
I'm a changed man.
HANS the Butcher
Peter the Sacristan,
Give by the bell! It tolls like—Oh, well, well!
AXEL the Smith
It does no good, it does no good at all.
PETER the Cobbler
Rather, I do believe it mads the demons;
And I have given much thought—
AXEL the Smith
Over thy shoes!
PETER the Cobbler [modestly] To demons.