uremberg's beloved
Hans Sachs!" It is too much for poet to experience unmoved, and
Sachs's voice, when the people quiet down at last, to listen, only
gradually regains its manly firmness. "You ease your own hearts
and burden mine, in offering me, unworthy, too great honour. If I
am not to sink crushed beneath it, let it be in the thought that
it is the gift of your love. Great honour already has fallen to
my portion to-day, in that I have been elected to the dignity of
spokesman. And the announcement which I have to make to you, believe
me, is full of high honour!" He imparts to them Pogner's project,
but with these important modifications or omissions,--and it is they
which constitute the stroke Sachs has been preparing. No mention
whatever is made of the limitations determined upon by the masters
at the last meeting: that the singers contending must be members
of the guild, and that the masters exclusively shall be judges.
So the offer stands: A lovely girl and a rich inheritance shall
be the portion of the singer who before the assembled people shall
carry off the prize,--awarded, one naturally understands, since
nothing different is stated, by popular acclamation. Free candidature,
therefore popular election! And Sachs so presents the thing that the
masters cannot very well object, if even they had the courage to
chance the awkwardness of a public scene; they can hardly claim it
is not fair that they, presumably superior in song to non-masters,
should accept the contest on the same terms. Sachs's peculiar audacity
has lain in his taking the risk of a perfectly justified revolt on
the part of the masters against his high-handed proceeding; he
has counted on the restraining effect of the public occasion; has
counted on luck, which proverbially follows the bold. High-handed,
his course, undeniably, but too much was at stake for any narrow
consideration to hold back Sachs: the happiness of Eva,--of, as he
says, at the conclusion of his announcement, "the amiable stainless
one, who must never be made to regret that Nuremberg holds in such
honour art and its professors!" Hearty applause follows his words.
Pogner grasps his hand, moved, infinitely relieved. "Oh, Sachs,
my friend, what thanks do I owe you! How did you know what was
weighing on my heart?"--"Much was staked upon that cast," replies
Sachs; "now pluck up heart!"

He catches sight of Beckmesser, who ever since arriving with the rest
of the masters has been fev