My mother! Do you know what mothers are?--
Your children! Do you know them? Ah, not you!
There's not one here but it would follow me,
For all your bleating!
AXEL'S WIFE
Kuno, come away!
[The children cling to him. He smiles down triumphantly.
PIPER
Oho, Oho! Look you?--You preach--I pipe!
[Reenter the men, with KURT and JACOBUS,
from the Rathaus, murmuring dubiously.
[The PIPER sets down JAN and stands forth, smiling.
JACOBUS
[smoothly]
H'm! My good man, we have faithfully debated
Whether your vision of so great a sum
Might be fulfilled,--as by some miracle.
But no. The moneys we administer
Will not allow it; nor the common weal.
Therefore, for your late service, here you have
Full fifteen guilders,
[Holding forth a purse]
and a pretty sum
Indeed, for piping!
KURT
[ominously]
Take them!
JACOBUS
Either that,
Or, to speak truly, nothing!
[The PIPER is motionless]
Come, come. Nay, count them, if you will.
KURT
Time goes!
PIPER
Ay. And your oath?
KURT
No more; Enough.
[There is a sound of organ music from the Minster.]
VERONIKA
[beseechingly]
Ah, Kurt!
KURT
[savagely to the crowd]
What do ye, mewling of this fellow's rights?
He hath none!--Wit ye well, he is a stroller,
A wastrel, and the shadow of a man!
Ye waste the day and dally with the law.
Such have no rights; not in their life nor body!
We are in no wise bound.
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