ant lands,
When the high cause of virtue he defendeth,
While he's unknown, its spell he still commands;
By perils dread the holy Grail is girded,
No eye, rash or profane, its light may see;
Its champion knight from doubtings shall be warded,
If known to man he must depart and flee.

Now mark! craft or disguise my soul disdaineth,
The Grail sent me to right yon lady's fame;
My father, Percival, gloriously reigneth,
His knight am I, and Lohengrin my name!

When Lohengrin had ceased to speak, having told his story, all that
Elsa wished to know, everyone spoke softly. They were enchanted by the
knight's purity and goodness, and full of sorrow for the ruin which
Elsa had brought about. She herself cried out that all was dark; she
could no longer see; she felt that she was dying. As she fell,
Lohengrin caught her in his arms.

"Oh, thou wilt not leave me broken-hearted," she said when she could
speak.

"Alas! I must go. Thou hast brought this ruin upon thyself," he said
tenderly. "I was not free to tell thee, but if thou hadst been silent
for a year, according to thy promise, two things would have happened
to make thee happy. I would then have been freed from the bond and
could have spoken--and thy lost brother would have been restored to
thee." Hearing this the grief of all was insupportable. "I must return
to guard the Holy Grail," he said sadly. At that moment those nearest
the bank cried out that the swan was coming, drawing the boat.

Lohengrin handed his sword and horn and ring to Elsa.

"If thy brother ever returns after I am gone, give him these things in
token of me. The horn will bring him help in battle, the sword will
conquer every foe, and the ring will remind him of the one who most
befriended him and who saved thee from suspicion and dishonour." He
kissed her again and again in farewell, while even the nobles wept;
but as he was about to enter the boat the wicked Ortrud entered,
accused him of falsehood, declared that she had wound the golden band
worn by the swan around its neck, and that the swan was the lost
brother, enchanted by her. "If thy knight had remained here, his magic
spells would have brought thy brother back in his rightful shape, but
now he is lost to thee forever. The knight must go, and I will keep
the swan under my spell."

Lohengrin, who had stood upon the bank listening to all this sank
upon his knees in prayer. All look