into her lover's arms, but with
amazing self-control Tamino told her once more to "Stand back." As
that had gone so very well, Sarastro assured them they were to meet
again.

"I'll bear whatever the gods put upon me," the patient youth replied.

Then he said farewell and went out, while Papageno (who if he ever did
get to Heaven, would surely do so by hanging on to Tamino's immaculate
coat-tail) ran after him, declaring that he would follow him
forever--and not talk. But it thundered again, and Papageno shrunk all
up.

Then, while the speaker chided him for not being above his station,
Papageno said that the only thing he really wanted in this world or
the next was a glass of wine: he thought it would encourage him.

"Oh, well, you can have that," the speaker assured him, and
immediately the glass of wine rose through the floor. But he had no
sooner drunk that than he cried out that he experienced a most
thrilling sensation about his heart. It turned out to be love; just
love! So at once, the matter being explained to him, he took his chime
of bells, played, and sang of what he felt. The moment he had fully
expressed himself, the old water lady came in.

"Here I am, my angel," she said.

"Good! You are much better than nobody," Papageno declared.

"Then swear you'll be forever true," she urged.

"Certainly--since there is no other way out of it." And it was no
sooner said than the old lady became a most entrancing young one,
about eighteen years old.

"Well, may I never doubt a woman when she tells me her age again!"
Papageno muttered, staring at her. As he was about to embrace her, the
speaker shouted:

"Away; he isn't worthy of you." This left Papageno in a nice fix, and
both he and the girl were led away as the Genii appeared.

The Genii began to sing that Pamina had gone demented, and no wonder.
She almost at once proved that this was true, by coming in carrying a
dagger; and she made a pass at the whole lot of them. No one could
blame her. She thought each of them was Tamino.

"She's had too much trouble," the penetrating Genii declared among
themselves. "And now we'll set her right." They were about to do so
when she undertook to stab herself, but they interfered and told her
she mustn't.

"What if Tamino should hear you! It would make him feel very badly,"
they remonstrated. At once she became all right again.

"Is he alive? Just let me look at him, and I'll be encouraged to wait
awhile." So th