The lepers enter the courtyard. They are a wild pack dressed in gaudy rags, and rumpled, armless cloaks with hoods; carrying long staves and crutches; with colored cloths bound about their sinister foreheads. Their faces are sunburnt, their hair is snow-white and streams in the wind. Some have their heads shaved. Their arms and feet are bare. Altogether they present a motley appearance, though the hardships of their life, as a band forced to live together, give them the aspect of weather-beaten and dried chaff driven hither and thither by the wind. They stand shyly and rock unsteadily on their dried and shrunken legs—silent and restless. Like ghosts of the noonday, they try to hush their voices throughout the scene.

Iwein (is the first to enter; the others file past him).
Come quick! They've all gone in!

A Leper.
Right here
The cat shall catch the bird!

A Young Leper (wearing a wreath, made of three or four
large red flowers, in his dark hair).
Heisa! Heisa!

Iwein.
Speak softly, there, lest ye disturb the mass.

An Old Leper (feeble, and supporting himself on a crutch, in the tone of the town crier, almost singing).
Today shall Queen Iseult, our good King's spouse
Be given to us, the lepers of Lubin—
So cried the herald!—

Young Leper.
Brother, brother, dance
With me, for I'm the bridegroom—Ah!—

Old Leper (in the same tone).
Today
Shall Queen Iseult—

[Every time that the old leper begins to
speak he is silenced by the others.]

Young Leper (striking him).
Thou fool!

(To a fourth leper.)

Come dance!

4th Leper.
Be still!
At noon to eat raw turnips, then at night
To have the Queen to sleep with in the straw!
Ha, ha! It makes me laugh!

A Redhaired Leper.
King Mark shall give
Us wine to celebrate our wedding feast!

Young Leper (dancing).
Oh, brother, come and dance with me!

A Sixth Leper.
I want
To look at her and then get drunk!

Young Leper.
Come, then,
And dance with me, my little brother, dance!

Iwein (coming from the gate).
Be still, and stand in order by the steps,
That we may see her when the hangman brings
Her forth.

1st Leper (sits down on the ground).
I will not stand.

Iwein.
Then crawl, thou toad!

7th Leper.
Iseult the Goldenhaired!—The lepers' bride,
And Queen!

(He laughs.)

Redhaired Leper.
Well spoken, friend! We'll call her that!

Old Leper.
Today shall Queen Iseult—

8th Leper.
She shall be mine
I' the morning of all holidays!

1st Leper.
And I
Will have her late at night.

Redhaired Leper.
I'll take her first!

6th Leper.
Not so; Iwein shall have her first for he's
Our King!

Young Leper (to redhaired leper).
Who? Thou?

9th Leper.
Thou have her first? Who art
Thou, then, thou redhaired knave?

10th Leper (calling out loudly).
Here's one who says
He'll tame the Queen!

1st Leper.
Oh, break his jaw!

Young Leper.
I want
Her now, my friends; my loins burn and itch
For her!

Redhaired Leper.
I'll beat you, cripples, and I'll make
You all more cripple than ye are,
Unless ye give her me to kiss and hug
For one full week at least!

Iwein.
What crowest thou,
Redheaded rooster!—Ye shall all draw lots
For who shall have her after me!

11th Leper.
Ay, let's
Draw lots.

Redhaired Leper.
Plague on you all!

4th Leper.
It's on us now!
Come, let's draw lots!

6th Leper.
Draw lots!

Old Leper.
But first of all
I'll make her mend my clothes.

4th Leper (tearing up a cloth).
I'll tear the lots!

1st Leper.
Here, put them in my cloak! Now come, and draw!

12th Leper.
Look yonder! There's another one.

Redhaired Leper.
Where! Where?

[As they crowd around, the Strange Leper
steps from behind the column.]

6th Leper.
There, yonder, see—?

10th Leper.
Who is he?

9th Leper.
Look!

Young Leper (goes to the steps).
Who art
Thou!

Iwein.
Speak! Art thou a leper too, as we?

Old Leper (to the stranger).
Today shall Queen Iseult, our good King's spouse—

Redhaired Leper.
Be still, old fool!

Iwein.
Wilt thou not answer me?
I am Iwein, the Lepers' King; what wouldst
Thou here?

[The Strange Leper throws money among them.]

1st Leper (leaping, with the rest, to seize the money).
Holla!

10th Leper.
He's throwing money! See!

Str. Leper.
I am a leper from Karesh and wish
To dwell among you here at St. Lubin.

4th Leper.
Thou'st smelt the bird from far, good friend!

Redhaired Leper.
We will
Admit no new companion to our band!

9th Leper.
Go home, we'll none of thee!

11th Leper.
Hast thou more gold?

Str. Leper (holding up a purse).
Iwein shall have it and distribute it
Among you, if ye'll take me in.

12th Leper.
Ha! 's death!
Thou art a rich young varlet!

1st Leper.
Let him stay!

4th Leper.
I care not if there be one more or less!

Iwein.
Come down to us. What is thy name?

[The Strange Leper comes down from the
steps.]

7th Leper.
How tall
Thou art! If Godwin dares to threaten me
Thou'lt punish him.

Young Leper.
And what's thy name?

Str. Leper.
Why, call
Me then the Sad One, for that is my name.

Iwein.
Then come, thou Sad One, take thy place. They'll keep
Us not much longer waiting for our spouse.

6th Leper (to the stranger).
King Mark's a kind and gen'rous King to think
Of giving us a wife!

Old Leper (to the stranger).
The herald cried
That Queen Iseult of Ireland, King Mark's
Own spouse today should be—

Iwein.
Fool, hold thy tongue!
Let's all together make a noise, and shake
Our clappers as a sign.

[They shake their rattles.]

12th Leper.
The door! The door!

Young Leper.
Be still! Be still! She's coming now!

Iwein.
Be still.