garded such commerce with it as his words
betrayed. That mysterious Hoerselberg looming in the distance was
in popular thinking the very ante-chamber of Hell; its pleasures,
paid in the world to come with eternal damnation, were rewarded in
this world with excommunication and death. One who had frequented
it was sin-polluted, sin-drenched, he poisoned the air with sin.
All shrink back at his announcement as from a leper. The women
flee precipitately from the contamination of his neighbourhood.
It is like a flight of gorgeous birds. The men's instant and only
thought is to immolate him, cleanse the earth of the inexpressible
blot upon it that he is. "He has luxuriated in the pleasures of
Hell! He has dwelled in the Hill of Venus! Abominable! Accursed!
Bathe your swords in his blood! Hurl him back into the fiery lake!"

Tannhaeuser stands with drawn sword facing their multitude. They
are advancing toward him, his doom seems sealed,--when Elizabeth's
body is found interposed shield-wise between him and their swords.
Their hands are necessarily stayed. "What do we see?" their wondering
question runs, "What? Elizabeth? The chaste virgin protecting the
sinner?"--"Back!" the meek maiden commands with vigour enough at
this pass, "or I shall not regard death! What are wounds from your
swords beside the death-stroke I have received from him?" Tannhaeuser
starts like one awakening. He had not thought of this aspect of
his action; the pride relaxes suddenly that had stiffened him.
"Elizabeth!" her uncle argues with her, and the others add their
voices to his, "What must I hear? How has your heart allowed itself
to be stultified, that you should attempt to save from punishment the
man who, added to all else, has so dreadfully betrayed you?"--"What
does it matter about me?" she cries; "But he--his soul's salvation!
Would you rob him of his soul's eternal salvation?" He has cast
away all chance of that, they affirm; never can he gain salvation.
The curse of Heaven is upon him, let him die in his sins! At their
threatening approach, she spreads her arms resolutely before him.
She towers tall and white, she speaks with strange authority. "Back
from him! Not you are his judges! Cruel ones, cast from you the
barbarous sword, and give heed to the word of the stainless virgin!
Learn through me what is the will of God. The unhappy man whom
a potent dreadful enchantment holds bound, what, shall he never
come to Heaven through repentance and