s and resolves to help the lovers.

It has now grown quite dark, and Walter comes to see Eva, but they have
not sat long together, when the sounds of a lute are heard.

It is Beckmesser trying to serenade Eva, but Sachs interrupts him by
singing himself and thus excites Beckmesser's wrath and despair. At
last a window opens, and Beckmesser, taking Magdalene for Eva addresses
her in louder and louder tones, Sachs all the time beating the measure
on a shoe. The neighboring windows open, there is a general alarm, and
David, seeing Magdalene at the window apparently listening to
Beckmesser, steals behind this unfortunate minstrel and begins to slap
him. In the uproar which now follows, Walter vainly tries to escape
from his refuge under the lime-tree, but Sachs comes to his rescue, and
takes him into {210} his own work-shop, while he pushes Eva unseen into
her father's house, the door of which has just been opened by Pogner.

In the third act we find Sachs in his room. Walter enters, thanking
him heartily for the night's shelter. Sachs kindly shows him the rules
of poetry, encouraging him to try his luck once more. Walter begins
and quite charms Sachs with his love-song. After they have left the
room, Beckmesser enters, and reading the poetry, which Sachs wrote
down, violently charges the shoemaker with wooing Eva himself. Sachs
denies it and allows Beckmesser to keep the paper. The latter who has
vainly ransacked his brains for a new song, is full of joy, hoping to
win the prize with it.

When he is gone, Eva slips in to fetch her shoes, and she sees Walter
stepping out of his dormitory in brilliant armor. He has found a third
stanza to his song; which he at once produces.--They all proceed to the
place where the festival is to be held and Beckmesser in the first to
try his fortunes, which he does by singing the stolen song. He sadly
muddles both melody and words, and being laughed at, he charges Sachs
with treachery, but Sachs quietly denies the authorship, pushing
forward Walter, who now sings his stanzas, inspired by love and poetry.
No need to say that he wins the hearer's hearts as he has won those of
Eva and Sachs, and that Pogner does not deny him his beloved daughter's
hand.

{211}

THE MASTER-THIEF.

A German Legend in three parts by EUGEN LINDNER.

After Fitger's poem by GUSTAV KASTROPP and the composer.

The young composer has hitherto been little heard of by the public,
though he has a g