Collected Works (Vol. I)

240 TANNHAUSER That human light and living ! I shall win. He must have banished Her—and dreams of me. TANNHAUSER (27 sleep). Elizabeth ! VENUS. Flis far-off baby-love ! I triumph, then! The Goddess hath with- drawn. His mind works back to childhood, babydom ; Will grow to manhood and remember me. TANNHAUSER (awaking, leaps to his feet). Freedom! Elizabeth! All hail to Her! Radiant Goddess! Liberty and love! VENUS. What sayest thou? Curse Her! TANNHAUSER. My Elizabeth ! VENUS. What? art thou mad? again. Forget this nightmare. Rather, tell me it, And I will soothe thee. Have I not a balm, A sovereign comfort in my old caress? Come close to me TANNHAUSER. I must begone. She waits. VENUS. Who waits? Come here! Let us talk fondly, set together still, Not with these shouts and wavings of the arms, Struts and unseemly gestures. Tannhauser ! TANNHAUSER. She waits for me, my sweet Elizabeth ! Venus or Lilith, I have loved thee well ! Now, to my freedom ! VENUS. Your Elizabeth ! TANNHAUSER. Ay, to those pure and alabaster brows, The tender fingers, and the maiden smile. Burn the whore’s bed! Unpaint the cruel lips ! Cover the shameless belly, and forget The cunning attitudes and aptitudes ! Unlearn the mowings, the lascivious grins ! I perceive purity. VENUS. Nay, I have loved thee! Fresh pleasure hourly filled the crystal cup. Shalt thou find wine so comely and so keen, So fresh with life to fill each aching vein With new electric fervour? Will she be My equal? She is mortal and a child. Her arms are frail and white. Her lily cheeks Could never take thy kiss. shock, Repel. I scorn to say her love were less Than mine: I tell thee that she could not love Thee even at all as thou wouldst understand. Thy love would TANNHAUSER. So certain art thou? Let me go to her, Try, and come back ! VENUS. No doubt of that success ! A child is easy to degrade ! TANNHAUSER. Vile thing ! I will try otherwise—to raise myself: But if I fail, I will not drag her down ; I will return. VENUS. To lose thee for one hour Is my swift death—so desolate am I! I have not got one lover in the world, Save only Tannhiuser. And he will go.