Away from him!

'Tis not for you to judge him! Shame on you! He is one against you all!

Oh, let a spotless maid your grace implore!

Let Heav'n declare through me what is its will.

The erring mortal, who hath fallen within the weary toils of sin, How? dare ye close the heav'nly portal,

Where he on earth his shift may win? If ye are strong in faith and honor, Why do ye not His word obey who

gave to us the law of mercy, Who ne'er from sinner turned away? On me, a maiden, young and tender, Yon knight hath struck a cruel blow, I, who so deeply, truly loved him, Am hurled in dark abyss of woe! I pray for him; spare him, O I implore thee!

Let not the hope of pardon be denied! To life renewed his sinking faith re

store ye,

Think that for him our blessed Saviour died.

TANNHAEUSER (crushed with remorse).
Oh, lost now and forever!

LANDGRAVE, MINSTRELS AND NOBLES.
An angel hath from heav'n descended,
To bear us God's most high behest!
Behold, and see whom thou'st of-

fended!

Thy crime forever haunt thy rest! Thou gav'st her death,

She prays that life be spared thee! Who would not yield who heard the heav'nly maid?

Though as accursed and guilty I declared thee,

The voice of heav'n by me shall be obeyed!

TANNHAEUSER.-Have mercy, Thou! I cry to Thee!

I cry to Thee despairing,

Thou who has sent this Saint to me! LANDGRAVE.-A crime dark and unheard

of hath befallen; in mask of loyal
knight there treacherously stole
amongst us Sin's accursed child!
By us thou art disowned, from
this land thou art banished. Thou
with shame hast stained this
threshold pure, the wrath of
Heav'n may strike the room that
harbors thee, too long by guilt
defiled!

One path alone can save see from per-
dition, from everlasting woe, by
earth abandoned; one way is left;
that way thou now shalt know.
A band of pilgrims now assemble from
ev'ry part of my domain.
This morn the elders went before
them, the rest yet in the vale re-
main.

'Tis not for crimes like thine they
tremble,

And leave their country, friends and home;

Desire for heav'nly grace is o'er them, They seek the sacred shrine at Rome. CHORUS OF YOUNGER PILGRIMS (from the valley).

At thy august and holy shrine

I go to seek the grace divine.
Thrice blessed who Thy promise

know!

Absolved by penance shall they go.

TANNHAEUSER (animated by a ray of hope).

To Rome!

[He rushes away.

ELISABETH, LANDGRAVE AND NOBLES call after him).

To Rome!

ACT III

INTRODUCTION-TANNHAEUSER'S PILGRIMAGE

SCENE I-(The valley near the Wartburg as in Act I. ELISABETH kneeling before a shrine. WOLFRAM comes down from a forest path. Perceiving ELISABETH, he stops.)

WOLFRAM. By yonder shrine I'm ever sure to find her, kneeling in fervent prayer, when my joyless way back to the valley leads me. The death-blow, struck by him, within her,

She prays that Heav'n may shrive the sinner,

His weal imploring day and night,
O blessed love, how great thy might!
The pilgrims soon from Rome will be
returning,

The year declines, ere long they must be her.

Will he return, repentant and absolved?

This doth she pray for, Heav'n entreating;

Ye saints, O grant their happy meeting!

Although my wound may never heal, O may she ne'er my anguish feel!

[As he is about to descend into the valley he hears the Pilgrims' Chant, and again stops.

CHORUS OF ELDER PILGRIMS (slowly approaching).

Once more with joy, O my home, I may meet thee!

ELISABETH (rising).-The Pilgrim's song!

WOLFRAM. They come at last!

PILGRIMS.-Once more, ye flow'ry meadows, I greet ye;

ELISABETH.-'Tis they!

WOLFRAM. It is the pious chant, telling of the sin absolved and pardon granted.

PILGRIMS. My pilgrim staff henceforth may rest,

Since Heav'n's sweet peace is in my breast.

ELISABETH.-Ye Saints, O let me know

my task,

That I may worthily fulfill it! WOLFRAM.-O Heaven, let her heart be strong,

If now her fate must be decided.

THE PILGRIMS (coming nearer).

O Lord, eternal praise be Thine!
The blessed source of thy mercy o'er-
flowing

On souls repentant who seek Thee
bestowing;

Of hell and death I have no fear, My gracious Lord is ever near. Hallelujah! Hallelujah eternally! ELISABETH (who has been anxiously watching for TANNHAEUSER). He will return no more!

[The Pilgrims' song dies away as
they disappear in the distance.
ELISABETH falls on her knees
before the shrine.

O blessed Virgin, hear my prayer!
Thou star of glory, look on me!
Here in the dust I bend before thee,
Now from this earth, O set me free!
Let me, a maiden, pure and white,
Enter into the kingdom bright!
If vain desires and earthly longing
Have turned my heart from thee away,
The sinful hopes within me thronging
Before thy blessed feet I lay;

I'll wrestle with the love I cherished
Until in death its flame hath perished.
If of my sin thou wilt not shrive me,
Yet in this hour, O grant me aid!
Till thy eternal peace thou give me,
I vow to live and die thy maid.
And on thy bounty I will call,
That heav'nly grace on him may fall!
[She remains a short time ab-
sorbed in her devotions; then,
rising slowly and rejecting
WOLFRAM's proffered aid, pro-
ceeds up the ascent and grad-
ally disappears from view.

SCENE II. (WOLFRAM, who has followed ELISABETH with his eyes, seats himself and begins to prelude on his harp.)

The soul that longs to mount on yonder heights

Feels terror at its flight through dread and night.

And thou appear'st, O fairest star of heaven,

Thy gentle light thro' space afar thou spreadest;

And dark'ning twilight softened by thy ray

With cheering light from the vale shows the way.

O thou sublime sweet evening star,
Joyful I greet thee from afar;

With glowing heart that ne'er disclosed,

Greet her when she in thy light re

posed,

When parting from this vale, a vision She rises to an angel's mission.

SCENE III-TANNHAEUSER, WOLFRAM.

Later, VENUS, MINSTRELS, NOBLES AND PILGRIMS.-(It has now become quite dark. TANNHAEUSER enters in a ragged Pilgrim's dress. He is pale and wan. He comes forward with faltering step, leaning on his staff.)

It

TANNHAEUSER-The sound of harp I heard; it spoke of sadness. was not she who sang.

WOLFRAM. Who art thou, Pilgrim, the lonely path pursuing? TANNHAEUSER.-Who I am? I, who know thee so well! Wolfram art thou, the wise and skilful minstrel!

WOLFRAM.-Henry! Thou? What means

thy coming thus dejected? Speak! Tell me not that thou, unabsolved, hast dared to set thy foot within these sacred precincts!

TANNHAEUSER.-Nay, have no fear, O sapient minstrel!

I seek not thee, nor yet thy proud companions.

A path I seek, or one to guide my footsteps to find a path erewhile I trod with ease.

WOLFRAM.-What path is that?

TANNHAEUSER.-It leads to Venus hill!

WOLFRAM.-Thou Godless man!
Thy words defile my ear!
What is thy mission?
TANNHAEUSER (in a whisper).
Dost thou know the path?

WOLFRAM. O madman! dread unknown
thy words inspire!
Whence com'st thou?

Hast thou been in Rome?

TANNHAEUSER (enraged).
Speak not of Rome!

WOLFRAM.-Hast thou sued for pardon?

TANNHAEUSER.-Speak not of that!
WOLFRAM.-Thou wert not there?
O, I conjure thee, speak!

TANNHAEUSER (dreamily, with bitterness).

Yea, I have been in Rome. WOLFRAM.-Say on! O tell me all! Unhappy man!

With deep compassion I will hear thy words!