elf and hardly knowing, what she is doing in
her newly awakened love-fever, she writes again and again, destroying
each letter. Towards morning she begins to write once more and at last
seals the letter just when her nurse enters to waken her. To this
faithful servant she entrusts the precious document, imploring her to
deliver it to Onegin.

In the third scene Tatiana is waiting for him. He cruelly undeceives
her about his own feelings, telling her, that although touched by her
confidence he cannot return her affection. He warns her to restrain
her feelings in future, leaving her in an agony of shame.

The second act opens with a dance given in honour of Tatiana's
birthday. Onegin feels bored and out of sheer ennui he begins to flirt
with Olga. The thoughtless girl willingly yields to the young man's
attentions and promises to dance the cotillion with him, in order to
punish her lover for his jealousy.--This tactless behaviour enrages
Lenski to such a degree, that he challenges Onegin to a duel. The
whole assembly is terrified, Tatiana is most indignant and mortified,
while Olga vainly tries to pacify her lover. Onegin recognizes at
last, that he has gone too far, having not only given pain to a sweet
and innocent maiden, but having also deeply wounded his dearest friend.
In vain he tries to remonstrate with Lenski. The duel is arranged, and
Lenski, feeling that he may not see {527} the following morning, takes
a last farewell of his weeping bride.

In the next scene Lenski, finding himself the first on the spot and
being left discreetly alone by his second, takes a touching farewell
from life, after which Onegin comes up and the duel follows. Lenski is
shot and Onegin leaves the place, horror-struck at his own deed.

The third act takes place some years later at a ball in St. Petersburg,
in the house of Prince Gremin. Here we find Onegin, who is a friend
and relative of the Prince. After long and aimless wanderings about
the world he has come back to Russia utterly weary of life. The memory
of his friend Lenski, whose premature death he caused, haunts him. In
this melancholy state of mind he sees Tatiana again. The Prince enters
the ballroom, leading a lady, whom Onegin recognizes as Tatiana. Then
the Prince introduces her as his wife. She has grown far lovelier,
then when he saw her last on the eve of Lenski's death. Onegin's
passionate heart suddenly awakes to life again.--Tatiana bows coldly,