ly
damsel.--When Frauenlob comes up, and sees again the well-known places
of his youth, he is deeply touched, but seeing his lady love step on
the balcony and soon after come down to enter the dome, he waylays her,
imploring her, to fly with him. At this moment Servazio, who has lain
in wait, steps forth with officers, who capture Frauenlob. Servazio
now reveals the singer's secret and Hildegund hears that her lover is
her father's murderer. Though Frauenlob tells Hildegund, that he
killed her father in self-defence, she turns from him shuddering.
Feeling that all hopes of his future happiness are at an end, he wishes
to atone for his deed by death, refusing the help of Wolf, who comes up
with his men, to release him. But the stone-masons, having recognized
the celebrated minstrel, with whose song they are about to greet the
Emperor, decide to invoke the latter's clemency.

In the third act the citizens of Maintz hail the Emperor, after which
Frauenlob's cause is brought before him. The whole population demands
his pardon, and the monarch, who loves the singer, {97} would fain
liberate him, had not Servazio roughly insisted on the culprit's
punishment. Uncertain, what to do, the Emperor receives a long
procession of ladies with Tilda at its head, who all beseech pardon for
Frauenlob. At last the Emperor calls for Hildegund, leaving in her
hands the destiny of the prisoner. Left alone with him the latter,
prepared to die, only craves her pardon. After a hard struggle with
her conscience, love conquers and she grants him pardon. When the
Emperor reenters with his suite, to hear the sentence, they find the
lovers in close embrace. To the joy of everybody the Monarch sanctions
the union and orders the nuptials to be celebrated at once. Another
pair, Wolf and Tilda are also made happy. But Servazio vows vengeance.
Sizyga, having secretly slipped a powder into his hands, he pours it
into a cup of wine, which he presents to Frauenlob as a drink of
reconciliation. The Emperor handing the goblet to Hildegund, bids her
drink to her lover. Testing it, she at once feels its deadly effect.
Frauenlob, seeing his love stagger, snatches the cup from her emptying
it at one draught. He dies, still praising the Emperor and women,
breathing the name of his bride with his last breath. Servazio is
captured, and while Hildegund's body is strewn with roses, the wailing
women of Maintz carry their beloved minstrel to his grave.