ame, even though it be not spoken."--"Never
shall you repent your faith!" the Knight assures them. While the
nobles crowd about him; offering their hands in sign of allegiance,
and Elsa stands apart blindly dealing with her doubt, Telramund
steals unperceived to her side and whispers to her: "Rely on me!
Let me tell you a method for obtaining certainty!" She recoils,
frightened, yet without denouncing him aloud. "Let me take from
him the smallest shred of flesh," he continues hurriedly, "the
merest tip of a finger, and I swear to you that what he conceals
you shall see freely for yourself...." In his eagerness, forgetful
really at last of honour, he adds the inducement, "And, true to
you forever, he will never leave you!"--"Nevermore!" cries Elsa,
not so vigourously, however, but that he finds it possible still
to add: "I will be near to you at night. Do but call me, without
injury to him it shall be quickly done!" The Knight has caught sight
of him and is instantly at Elsa's side, crying astonished, "Elsa,
with whom are you conversing?" The poor girl sinks overwhelmed with
trouble and confusion at his feet. "Away from her, you accursed!"
speaks the Knight in a terrible authoritative voice to the evil
pair; "Let my eye never again behold you in her neighbourhood!"
Gently he lifts the bride; he scans her face wistfully: "In your
hand, in your loyalty, lies the pledge of all happiness! Have you
fallen into the unrest of doubt? Do you wish to question me?" He
asks it so frankly and fearlessly, albeit sorrowfully; he stands
there so convincingly brave-looking and clear-eyed, full of the
calm effect of power, that Elsa gazing at him comes back to her
true self and answers with all her heart: "Oh, my champion, who
came to save me! My hero, in whom I must live and die! High above
all power of doubt my love shall stand!" He clasps her in his arms,
solemnly saluting her....

And once more the wedding-party sets itself upon the way to church.
Organ-music pours forth from the Minster-portals. With her foot on
the threshold the bride turns an eager, instinctive, searching,
almost frightened look upon the groom. In answer, he folds reassuring
arms around her. But, even so held, woman-like she looks back, in
spite of herself, over her shoulder, toward Ortrud, who receives
the timid glance with a detestable gesture of triumph. Properly
frightened, the bride turns quickly away, and the procession enters
the church.

III

It is ni