s horn was heard at a distance.

"Oh, good gracious! We shall be caught," Eva whispered, frightened
half to death, as Walther drew her out of the streaming light.

"Which way shall we go?" he whispered, uneasily.

"Alas! look there--at that old rascal, Beckmesser," she returned,
distracted with fright and anger, as she saw the old fool come in
sight with his lute strung over his shoulder, while he twanged it
lightly.

The moment Hans saw Beckmesser he had a new thought. He withdrew the
light a little and opened the door. Then in the half light he placed
his bench in the doorway and began to work upon a pair of shoes.

"It is that horrible Marker who counted me out this morning," Walther
murmured, looking at Beckmesser as he stole along the pathway. Then
almost at once, Beckmesser began to bawl under Eva's window.

He looked up where he supposed her to be, in the most languishing
manner, so that Walther and Eva would have laughed outright, if they
had not been in such a coil.

He no sooner had struck the first notes, than Hans Sachs gave a bang
upon his shoe-last. Thus began an awful scrimmage. Hans Sachs,
disliking the absurd old Beckmesser as much, if not more, than others
did, banged away at Beckmesser's shoes, in a most energetic way. He
made such a frightful din that Beckmesser could hardly hear himself
sing.

The town clerk tried by every device to stop the shoemaker,--to get
him to put aside his cobbling for the night, but Hans answered that he
had to work lively if he hoped to get the shoes done for the fete.
Beckmesser did not dare tell why he was there, singing at that hour.
Walther and Eva remained prisoners under the lime tree, wondering what
on earth to do. After a while, poor Beckmesser, making the most
frantic efforts to hear his own voice, pleaded with Hans to stop.

"I'll tell thee what to do--it will make the time pass pleasantly for
me as well, you see," Hans cried. "Do thou go ahead and sing, and I'll
be Marker. For every mistake of thine, I'll hammer the shoe. Of course
there will be so few mistakes that there will then be but little
pounding." Beckmesser caught at that suggestion. Of course it was
imprudent, but then Beckmesser was in a bad way, and it was his only
chance. So he began his serenade once more. Then Hans began to "mark"
him. Before he had sung a line, Hans's hammer was banging away in the
most remarkable manner. Even Walther and Eva had to laugh, frightened
as they were. Bec