lo's friend and helpmate in
smuggling arrives and releases him. Instead of escaping Paolo seeks
Giovanna, and when she turns from him with loathing, he swears, either
to possess her, or to destroy her bridegroom.

{134}

On the following morning Pietro hears from Bastiano, the Bersaglieri
Sergeant, that the keys of the prison have been stolen, and the
prisoner has escaped. Pietro rejoices, that this happened without his
own intervention and turns full of happiness to his bride, who stands
ready for the wedding. The wedding-procession is slowly moving towards
church, when it is suddenly arrested by Paolo, who throws himself
between the lovers. "Mine she was, before she knew you," he cries out,
"to me she swore eternal faith, which she has now falsely broken."
Giovanna, struck dumb by terror, is unable to defend herself.--Pietro
orders his men to recapture the ruffian, but quick as thought Paolo has
deprived the soldier nearest to him of his sabre and with the words
"Thou shalt die first," has thrust it towards Pietro. Alas, it is
Giovanna's breast, he pierces; she has shielded her lover with her own
body.--With a sweet smile she turns to Pietro, who implores her to
speak. "Pardon me," she sighs faintly, "he was long a stranger to my
heart; thee alone I loved, to thee I was faithful unto death." With
those loving words she sinks back expiring.

LES HUGUENOTS.

Grand Opera in five acts by GIACOMO MEYERBEER.

Text by SCRIBE.

This is the best opera of this fertile composer, and one with which
only his "Robert le diable" can compare. The music is not only
interesting, but highly {135} dramatic; the "mise en scene", the
brilliant orchestration, the ballet, everything is combined to
fascinate the hearer. We find such an abundance of musical ideas, that
we feel Berlioz but spoke the truth, when he said that it would do for
twenty others of its kind.

The scene is laid in France, at the time of the bloody persecutions of
the Protestants or Huguenots by the Catholics. The Duke of Medicis has
apparently made peace with Admiral Coligny, the greatest and most
famous of the Huguenots, and we are introduced into the castle of Count
Nevers, where the catholic noblemen receive Raoul de Nangis, a
protestant, who has lately been promoted to the rank of captain.
During their meal they speak of love and its pleasures, and everybody
is called on to give the name of his sweetheart. Raoul begins, by
telling them, t