leep: "In the darkness of my lonely
days, I cried for help to God. I poured forth the deep lament of my
heart in prayer. Among my moans there went forth one so plaintive,
so piercing, it travelled with mighty vibrations far upon the air.
I heard it resound at a vast distance ere it died upon my ear.
My eyelids thereupon dropped, I sank into sweet slumber...."

All look at her in amazement. She stands before a tribunal on a
matter of life and death, and with that rapt look offers a plea
of such irrelevancy! "Is she dreaming?" ask some, under-breath,
and others, "Is she mad?"

The King tries to bring her to a sense of reality, a sense of her
peril. "Elsa!" he cries urgently, "speak your defence before this
court of justice!" But she goes on, with an air of dreamy ecstasy:
"All in the radiance of bright armour, a Knight drew near to me,
of virtue so luminous as never had I seen before! A golden horn
hung at his side, he leaned upon his sword. He came to me out of
the air, the effulgent hero. With gentlest words and action he
comforted me. I will await his coming, my champion he shall be!"

Her audience is impressed by the look of inspiration with which
she tells her tale of vision. "The grace of Heaven be with us,"
they say, "and assist us to see clearly who here is at fault!"

The King in doubt turns to Telramund: "Friedrich, worthy as you
are of all men's honour, consider well who it is you are accusing!"
"You have heard her," the haughty lord answers excitedly; "she is
raving about a paramour! I am not deceived by her dreamy posturing.
That which I charge her with, I have certain ground for. Her crime
was authoritatively proved to me. But to satisfy your doubt by
producing testimony, that, verily, would ill become my pride. Here
I stand! Here is my sword! Who among you will fight with me, casting
slur upon my honour?"--"None of us!" comes promptly from the
Brabantians, "We only fight for you!" The high-tempered gentleman
turns somewhat violently upon the King: "And you, King, do you
forget my services, my victories in battle over the wild Dane?"
The King answers pacifyingly that it would ill beseem him to need
reminding of these, that he renders to Telramund the homage due to
highest worth, and could not wish the country in any keeping but
his. God alone, in conclusion, shall decide this matter, too difficult
obviously for human faculty. "I ask you, therefore, Friedrich, Count
von Telramund, will you, in life and d