[Enter MICHAEL in mad haste. They rush upon him with exultation and
relief. He shakes them off, doggedly.
PIPER
So!--You had like to have hanged us.
MICHAEL
--What of that?
PIPER
All for a lily maiden.
MICHAEL
Ah,--thy pipe!
How will it save her?--_Save her_! Tune thy pipe
To compass that!--You do not know--
PIPER
I know.
Tell me no more.--I say it shall not be!
To heel, lad! No, I follow,--none but I!
Go,--go! [MICHAEL rushes out again.
[To CHEAT-THE-DEVIL, pointing to the Children]
Do you bide here and shepherd these.
CHILDREN
Where are you going?--Take us too!--us too!--
Oh, take us with you?--Take us!
PIPER
[distracted]
No, no, no!
You shall be kittens all. And chase your tails,
Till I come back!--So here!
[Catches HANSEL and affixes to his little jacket a long strip of leather
for a tail; then whirls him about.
CHILDREN
Me too!--Me too!
CHEAT-THE-DEVIL
Let me make tails,--let me!
[Seizing shears and leather.]
PIPER
[wildly]
Faith, and you shall.
A master tailor!--Come, here's food for thought.
Think all,--
[To the Strollers]
And hold your tongues, there!--
If a Cat--
If a Cat have--as all men say--Nine Lives,
And if Nine Tailors go to make a Man,
How long, then, shall it take one Man turned Tailor
To keep a Cat in Tails, until she die?
[CHEAT-THE-DEVIL looks subdued; the children whirl about.
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