"It is，"he said，"as if one were going from marblesteps onto wooden steps，sometimes even onto mere hen-roosts，and then back onto marble.The whole poemshould live and breathe in its passage through tones."
The music of the future，as the new movement inopera is called，and for which Wagner，in particular，is abanner-bearer，had a defender and admirer in our youngfriend.He found here characters so clearly drawn，pas-sages so full of thought，and the entire action character-ized by forward movement，without any standstill or fre-quent recurrence of melodies."It is most unnatural toinclude those long arias."
"Yes，"said the singing master."But how they，in the works of most of the great masters，stand out as amost important part of the whole!That is as it should andmust be.If the lyric has a home in any place，it is in theopera."And he mentioned in Don Giovanni，Don Ottavio's aria，"Tears，cease your flowing.""How much it is likea beautiful lake in the woods，by whose bank one rests andenjoys the music that streams through it!I bow to the inge-nuity that lies in this new musical movement，but I do notdance with you before that golden calf.Either it is not yourheart's real opinion that you express，or else it is not quiteclear to you."
"I will appear in one of Wagner's operas，"said ouryoung friend."If I cannot express my meaning in words，Iwill do so by my singing and acting!"
The choice made was Lohengrin，the young mysteri-ous knight who，in the boat drawn by the swan，glides overthe river Scheldt to fight for Elsa of Brabant.Who had eversung and acted so well the first song of the meeting，thelove song in the bridal chamber，and the song of farewellwhen the Holy Grail's white dove hovers about the youngknight who came，conquered，and vanished?This eveningwas，if possible，another step forward in the artistic great-ness and significance of our young friend;and to thesinging master it was a step forward in the recognition of the music of the future.
"Under certain conditions，"he said.
ⅩⅥ
At the great yearly exhibition of paintings，Peer andFelix met one day，before the portrait of a pretty young la-dy，the daughter of the widow baroness，as the mother wasgenerally called;the latter's salon was the rendezvous forthe world of distinction and for everyone of importance inart and science.The young baroness was in her sixteenthyear，an innocent，beautiful child.The picture was a goodlikeness and done with artistic skill.
"Step into the hall near by，"said Felix."Therestands the young beauty herself with her mother."
They stood engrossed in viewing a painting of char-acterization.It represented a field where two young mar-ried people were riding on the same horse，holding ontoone another.The chief figure，however，was a youngmonk who was looking at the two happy travelers.Therewas a sorrowful，dreamy look on the young man's face;one could read his thoughts in it，the story of his life-anaim missed，great happiness lost!Happiness in humanlove he had not won.
The elder baroness saw Felix，who respectfullygreeted her and the beautiful daughter.Peer showed thesame customary politeness.The widow baroness knew himimmediately from having seen him on the stage，and afterspeaking to Felix she said some friendly，obliging wordsto Peer as she pressed his hand.
"I and my daughter belong to your admirers."
How perfectly beautiful the young girl was at thismoment!She looked with her gentle，clear eyes almostgratefully at him.
"I see in my house，"said the window baroness，"somany of the most distinguished artists.We common peo-ple stand in need of a spiritual airing.You will be hearti-ly welcome.Our young diplomat，"she pointed to Felix，"will bring you along the first time，and afterward I hopethat you will find the way yourself."
She smiled at him.The young girl reached out herhand naturally and cordially，as if they had long knowneach other.
Late in the autumn，on a cold，sleety evening，thetwo young men went to the Baroness'home，the two bornin the rich merchant's house.It was weather for drivingand not walking，for the rich man's son and the firstsinger on the stage.Nevertheless，they walked，wellwrapped up，with galoshes on their feet and Bedouin capson their heads.