y the women's laughter.

In the third act Mrs. Quickley succeeds once more to entice the old
fool. She orders him to another rendez-vous in the Park at midnight,
and advises him to come in the disguise of Herne the black hunter. The
others hear of the joke and all decide to punish him thoroughly for his
fatuity. Ford, who has promised Dr. Cajus, to unite Anna to him the
very night, tells him to wear a monk's garb, and also reveals to him,
that Anna is to wear a white dress with roses. But his wife,
overhearing this, frustrates his designs. She gives a black monk's
garb to Fenton, while Anna chooses the costume of the Fairy-Queen
Titania. When Falstaff appears in his disguise he is attacked on all
sides by fairies, wasps, flies and mosquitos and they torment him so
long, until he cries for mercy. Meanwhile Cajus, in a grey monk's garb
looks for his bride everywhere until a tall veiled female in flowing
white robes (Bardolph) falls into his arms; on {78} the other side Anna
appears with Fenton. Both couples are wedded, and only when they
unveil, the mistake is discovered. With bitter shame the men see how
they have all been duped by some merry and clever women, but they have
to make the best of a bad case, and so Ford grants his benediction to
the happy lovers, and embraces his wife, only too glad to find her true
and faithful.

FIDELIO.

Opera in two acts by L. van BEETHOVEN.

This opera, the only one by the greatest of German composers, is also
one of the most exquisite we possess. The music is so grand and
sublime, so passionate and deep, that it enters into the heart of the
hearer. The libretto is also full of the highest and most beautiful
feeling.

Florestan, a Spanish nobleman, has dared to blame Don Pizarro, the
governor of the state-prison, a man as cruel as he is powerful.
Pizarro has thus become Florestan's deadly foe, he has seized him
secretly and thrown him into a dreadful dungeon, reporting his death to
the Minister.

But this poor prisoner has a wife, Leonore, who is as courageous as she
is faithful. She never believes in the false reports, but disguising
herself in male attire, resolves not to rest until she has found her
husband.

In this disguise we find her in the first act; she has contrived to get
entrance into the fortress {79} where she supposes her husband
imprisoned, and by her gentle and courteous behaviour, and readiness
for service of all kinds has won not only th