Soldiers march past and enter the church. The church door stays open.

A Girl.
I pray thee, Gilain, who will lead the Queen?

1st GUARD.
The hangman and King Mark.

The Girl.
Poor soul!

Old Woman.
Why weep'st
Thou, girl?

Old Man (as a crucifix is carried past).
Friends, cross yourselves. The crucifix!

Shepherd (leans forward so that he can see across the courtyard into the castle).
Behold, she comes! My God, how beautiful—!
An angel—!

The Soldier (as Gimella passes).
That, my friend, is but her maid
Gimella.

2d Guard.
Back! Stand back! Thou shalt not push!

Shepherd.
Oh there! Behold, she is a fairy! Yea,
And she is fairer than Gimella far!
I'll fall upon my knees when she goes past.
She's wondrous fair, ay, fairer than a flower,
A lily—See—!

The Soldier (as Brangaene goes by).
Stand up, thou knave, for that's
Brangaene. She's our lady's faithful maid.

Shepherd.
She too was fair! Can one imagine then,
There's any one more beautiful than she?
What wondrous women Mark has at his court!
Such ladies have I never seen—There dwell
None such in Toste! See—! This one—! Oh, God!
Oh, God! The sun has fall'n—! Its blinding
rays—! [Falls on his knees.]

A_Daughter_of_the_People

A DAUGHTER OF THE PEOPLE

The Soldier (softly).
That was the Queen!

[Iseult walks past between Mark and the
hangman. She is draped in a purple cloak;
her feet are bare. Paranis follows her.
Part of the crowd kneels down.]

Shepherd (staring).
Oh, Queen Iseult! Iseult
The Goldenhaired!

A Girl.
Oh fairest, dearest one!

Another Girl.
Oh Queen, smile down upon us once again!

[A rattling sound is heard. The Strange
Leper steps from behind one of the columns.
His bearded face is hidden by the hood of
his cloak. The crowd draws away shuddering,
the procession halts. The leper kneels
before Iseult and bows so low that his
forehead almost touches her feet.]

A Voice.
A leper, see!

A Girl.
Oh Virgin Mary, help!

A 2d Girl.
Whence came he here!

A 3d Girl.
He had concealed himself!

Mark (slowly).
—Thou cam'st too soon my friend!

[The leper disappears sidewise under the
steps. The procession goes into the
church, from which an organ begins to
sound. The soldiers and the crowd follow
after.]

A Girl (covering her face with her hands).
Oh, our poor Queen!

A 2d Girl.
She was like alabaster, cold and white!

A 3d Girl.
Not once along the awful way she raised
Her eyes!

A 4th Girl.
She did not wish to see!

The 1st Girl.
Oh fie,
That Mark should shame her so!

The 2d Guard.
Make haste, ye must
Go in!

1st Guard (to the kneeling shepherd).
Wake up! Thou too must go within
The church. Now come!

Shepherd.
The sun fell down!
It grazed my eyes!

A Girl.
I'll pray with all my heart
For our poor Queen!

A 2d Girl.
We all will pray—and curse
The King!

3d Guard.
Thou slut, be still, and hold thy tongue!
Make haste into the church—go in!

1st GUARD.
I hear
The lepers coming! hark!

3d Guard.
Here, girl, thou'st dropped
Thy kerchief! [He picks it up.]

The Girl.
Thanks!

1st Guard (taking the old man by the arm).
Take hold of me, old man.
Make haste.

[The doors of the church close: the stage
remains empty for a few seconds. The music
of the organ swells, and a hymn is heard.
Then, by snatches, first distantly, then
nearer, the rythmical rattling of the lepers
resounds.]