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. . . .