In half-an-hour we shall come out of this passage, and we shall be in thy beauteous lady's apartment.

Duke Menelaus shall lie in a magic sleep,--leave that to me,--and then thou wilt take the slight, delicate form in thine arms, and bring her to the Rocks of the Moon; so thou wilt win back all that seemed lost by thy former wavering." Sintram trembled visibly, fearfully shaken to and fro by the fever of passion and the stings of conscience.

But at last, pressing the sword and scarf to his heart, he cried out, "Oh! that fairest, most glorious hour of my life! If I lose all other joys, I will hold fast that brightest hour!" "A bright, glorious hour!" said the figure from under its veil, like an evil echo.

"Dost thou know whom thou then conqueredst?
A good old friend, who only showed himself so sturdy to give thee the glory of overcoming him.

Wilt thou convince thyself?
Wilt thou look ?" The dark garments of the little figure flew open, and the dwarf warrior in strange armour, the gold horns on his helmet, and the curved spear in his hand, the very same whom Sintram thought he had slain on Niflung's Heath, now stood before him and laughed: "Thou seest, my youth, everything in the wide world is but dreams and froth; wherefore hold fast the dream which delights thee, and sip up the froth which refreshes thee! Hasten to that underground passage, it leads up to thy angel Helen.