e poor, homely, unskilled, schoolboy-like 'singing,' as
it is by courtesy styled, of the so-called 'masters' up there. But the
Countess Mathilda is peerless; she is more perfect and charming than
any other lady on earth!"

"'"Mathilda!" Ofterdingen cried in a tone of the deepest sorrow.

"'"Hoho, young sir," cried the stranger; "it is there where the shoe
pinches, is it? However, for the present we have lofty matters to
discuss; we have to deal with the noble craft of song. I have no doubt
that you people up there mean your best with those songs of yours, and
that they all come to you as smoothly and naturally as possible. But of
the real, true, profound singer-craft not one of you has the most
distant idea. I shall just give you one or two elementary notions on
the subject, and then you will see that, on the path on which you are
at present, you will never reach the goal you are aiming at."

"'The dark stranger now began to speak of the true craft of song in
very extraordinary language, which itself almost sounded like strange
songs hitherto unheard. And as he spoke image after image arose in
Heinrich's mind, and then vanished again as if borne away by some
storm-wind. A new world seemed to be opening upon him, seething with
voluptuous shapes. Each word of the stranger's kindled lightning gleams
which flashed forth for an instant and then went out again. The full
moon was now high above the trees. Heinrich and the stranger were both
sitting in her full radiance, and the former now noticed that the face
of the stranger was far from being as horrible as it had appeared at
first. There was certainly a strange fire sparkling in his eyes, but
Heinrich fancied that a pleasing smile played about his lips, and the
great, hawk-like nose and the lofty brow gave the face an expression of
immense power and strength.

"'"I cannot express to you," said Heinrich, "the strangeness of the
effect which your words produce upon me. I seem to be only now, for the
first time in my life, beginning to form some slight notion what
singing really means--as if all that I have done hitherto, under the
impression that it was singing, was utterly poor and miserable--and
that the true singer's craft was only beginning to dawn upon me. You
must certainly yourself be a mighty master of song. Perhaps you will
favour me so far as to take me as your most zealous pupil. I most
earnestly beg that you will do so."

"'The stranger gave another of his di