to be used to keep him from departing! And with his long-dead
soul come back to intenser life than ever, that lily more than ever
calls forth the worshipping devotion of his reawakened highest
self. In total self-abandonment of joy, he breaks forth: "To her!
To her! Oh, conduct me to her! Ah, I recognise it now, the lovely
world from which I was cut off! The sky it is, looking down upon
me, it is the greensward flaunting rich multitude of flowers. Spring
with its thousand voices of joy has entered into my soul, and my
heart in sweet ungovernable tumult cries out aloud: To her! To
her!"

"Praise be to the power," say Landgrave and minstrels, "which has
dispelled his arrogance!" What the remembrance is in this circle
of Tannhaeuser's arrogance appears from the frequency of reference
to it. The remainder of the hunting-retinue has now joined the
Landgrave; the scene is brilliant with swarming figures of hunters,
hounds, and horses. With bright horn-calls the train starts homeward,
on its rejoicing way "to her!"

II

The Hall of Minstrels in the Wartburg, where the famous song-tournaments
were held. Such a tournament is directly to take place, and Elizabeth
for the first time after many days will preside over it. She enters
the hall while it is still empty of guests, and looks around with
glad affectionate eyes, like one returning home after long exile.
She is sincere as she is innocent, the white princess, "une ame
sans detours," and speaks the truth of her heart with wonderfully
little circumlocution, as to herself now in her salutation of the
hall, so to others later. "Once more I greet you, beloved hall,--oh,
joyously greet you, place ever dear! In you reawaken echoes of his
singing, and draw me from my melancholy dream. When he departed
from you, how desolate did you appear to me! Peace deserted me,
joy deserted you! But now that my breast rides high with gladness
you appear to me proud again and splendid as of yore. The one who
gives new life both to you and to me no longer tarries afar. All
hail to you, beloved hall, all hail!"

Wolfram, who loves Elizabeth, but in such unworldly, elevated,
self-abjuring wise that he can for the sake of happiness to her set
wholly aside hopes, desires, and jealousies of his own, finds for
Tannhaeuser this opportunity of seeing the Princess alone. He leads
him into her presence and effaces himself, while their interview
lasts, among the arches at the back of the hall.

Tannha