or a moment I
grasp it, to measure it is beyond me. But how should I hope to
grasp that which struck me as illimitable? No rule fitted it, and yet
it had not one fault! It sounded so old, and was yet so new,--like
the song of birds in the sweet May-time. One who should hear it,
and, smitten with madness, try to sing in imitation of that Bird,
would meet with scorn and derision.... The law of Spring,--exquisite
compulsion!--according to that were the rules of song laid in his
breast. And he sang even as he must! And as he must, the power
to do it came to him, I marked that quite particularly.... The
Bird who sang to-day, his beak is fashioned aright! Great as was
the dismay created by him among the masters, he was much to Hans
Sachs's mind!"

Evchen has come out of her house and softly approached. Sachs looks
up, joyfully surprised, at her greeting: "Good-evening, master; still
so diligent?" There follows as pretty an exhibition of youthful
feminine arts as one could wish to see. The cajoling inflections
of the music alone would inform one of what is in action. Eva has
come to Sachs with an ulterior motive: to hear the details of the
song-trial. She has no mind, of course, to avow her interest frankly.
She must gain her end as she can, and, as a beginning, to flatter
her man and challenge his fondness for her can never fall wholly
wide of the mark. Sachs loves her dearly, that she knows, and she
has, in the innocent presumption of her young beauty, not questioned
that he would enter the song-tournament for her; and until yesterday
she rested in placid contentment upon the intention of crowning this
affection which never since her birth has failed her. Her narrow
eighteen years have no conception of a devotion so generous and deep
it would not dream, however fair the opportunity, of laying upon her
youth the burden of his maturity, the oppression of his thoughtfulness.
Sachs is unwilling, too, very likely, in his wisdom, to compromise
the peace of his Indian summer by assuming the guardianship of
an over-fair young wife. His neighbour's picturesque whim, the
song-contest in prospect, has no doubt given Sachs sufficient
uneasiness, but he finally, as we heard him declare to Pogner,
rests satisfied with the maiden's privilege of refusal. Not one of
the guild of master-singers seems to him worthy of this blooming
young Eve. As for the father's "Never!" applied to her marriage
if she shall not accept the master-singers' cho