s, in spite of himself, at such incarnate malignity as seems
represented by that crouching form, those hate-darting eyes. The
sense seizes him, too, in the dreadful soreness of his lacerated
pride, how much this woman is responsible for what he has suffered.
"You fearful woman!" he cries, "What is it keeps me still bound to
you? Why do I not leave you alone, and flee by myself away, away,
where my conscience may find rest? Through you I must lose my honour,
the glory I had won. The praise that attaches to fair fame follows
me no more. My knighthood is turned to a mock! Outlawed, proscribed
am I, shattered is my sword, broken my escutcheon, anathemised
my house! Whatever way I turn, all flee from me, accursed! The
robber himself shuns the infection of my glance. Oh, that I had
chosen death sooner than life so abject and miserable!..." With
the agonised cry, "My honour, oh, my honour! I have lost my honour!"
he casts himself face downward upon the ground.

Ortrud has not stirred, or taken her eyes from the bright orange-gold
windows. As Telramund's harsh voice ceases, music is heard again
from the banquet-hall. Ortrud listens till it has died away; then
asks, with cold quiet: "What makes you waste yourself in these
wild complaints?"--"That the very weapon should have been taken
from me with which I might have struck you dead!" he cries, stung
to insanity. Scornfully calm and cold as before, "Friedrich, you
Count of Telramund, for what reason," she asks, "do you distrust
me?" Hotly he pours forth his reasons. "Do you ask? Was it not your
testimony, your report, which induced me to accuse that innocent
girl? You, living in the dusky woods, did you not mendaciously
aver to me that from your wild castle you had seen the dark deed
committed? With your own eyes seen how Elsa drowned her brother
in the tarn? And did you not ensnare my ambitious heart with the
prophecy that the ancient princely dynasty of Radbot soon should
flourish anew and reign over Brabant, moving me thereby to withdraw
my claim to the hand of Elsa, the immaculate, and take to wife
yourself, because you were the last descendant of Radbot?"--"Ha!
How mortally offensive is your speech!" she speaks, but suppresses
her natural annoyance to continue: "Very true, all you have stated,
I did say, and confirmed it with proof."--"And made me, whose name
stood so high in honour, whose life had earned the prize due to highest
virtue, made me into the shameful accomplice