m his palace,
and finally he must rob the Count of his own personality. Should he
fail in one of these efforts, he is to be hanged.

These tests seem to be very difficult, but Wallfried promises to
fulfill his task on the very same day.

{213}

In the second act Wallfried arrives with two friends at the Count's
castle. All three are in pilgrim's garb and bring a beautiful
wassail-horn to the Count in token of friendship from the Sire of
Rodenstein. The sentry and the Count consider these pious guests
harmless, and the Count, being a great amateur of good wine, drinks and
sings with them and soon gets drunk. The roundelays are full of wit
and humor and particularly Wallfried's song, with the charming
imitation of the spinning-wheel in the orchestra, is of great
effect.--At last one of the pilgrims intimates, that though the wine be
good, they have drunk a far better at the clergyman's in the village.
This seems incredible to the Count and he is willing to put it to the
test. He goes with his guests out of his castle and so the second of
his orders, to steal his own person, is already accomplished.

Wallfried however stays behind to rob the Count of his most valuable
treasure, which he deems to be the young Countess herself. While the
soldiers carefully guard the jewels and diamonds in the tower,
Waldmuthe steps on her balcony and confides her love to the
moon.--Wallfried, hearing her confession, easily persuades her to
follow him, as she hopes thereby to save his life and so the first
condition is likewise fulfilled.

In the third act the Bohemians (Wallfried's companions) have carried
the Count into the forest, and having robbed him of his clothes, dress
him in the clergyman's cassock. The Count, awaking {214} from his
inebriety, is quite confused. His misery after the debauch is most
funnily and expressively depicted in the orchestration. His confusion
increases, when the Bohemians, dressed as peasants, greet him as
"Seigneur Pastor", and when even Benno, the warden of Sterneck calls
him by this name,--for everybody is in the plot,--he storms and rages,
but grows the more troubled. At last Wallfried makes his appearance in
the mask of Count Berengar, speaking of his presumed daughter and of
her love. Then the mists of the wine gather thicker around the Count's
tortured brain, he repeats Wallfried's words and when alone says aloud
"There goes Count Berengar, now I believe myself to be the
pastor."--Thu