"Oh holy book!" "Oh inspired, prophetic words of everlasting truth!" "Go forth, Stiffelio and may your words be a destroying tempest" "For God's enemies upon this earth!" "He comes!" "His wife with him!" "Heaven grant that love prove no impediment to his zeal!" "I am here among you!" "My wife!" "Friends!" "Stiffelio!" "My son!" "How happily we all rejoice at your return!" "This day will live long in the hearts of those who loved you!" "A boatman called here several times" " Looking for me?" " Yes" "That must be Walter" "The good boatman who consulted me about a strange event!" "May we knowwhat he told you?" "Yes!" "He did not forbid me to repeat" "As he put out from here at dawn's first light" "He saw a window open" "And as if gripped by mighty terror a young man appeared there" " Oh, my suspicions!" " Heaven!" "What do I hear!" "Come, continue!" " Strange happenings indeed!" " Heaven!" "What do I hear!" "There was a woman at his side" "Who seemed out of her mind with fear" "He hesitated, till clearly overcome by an excess of terror" "He swiftly mounted the window ledge" "And plunged into the water" " How many days ago?" " Eight!" " Oh God!" " lt was my plight that he witnessed!" "Was the fugitive recognized?" " No, he only lost these papers" " May we see them?" "Heavens!" "What will you do?" "To return them I would have to read them and uncover a guilty intrigue" " Well then?" " What will happen?" "What have you decided?" "Let them burn with the seducer's name" "Heavens, I breathe again!" "Be they scattered with these ashes both the name and the crime" "God has spoken it, God has written" "Let brother be merciful to brother" " Ah he disperses even the memory of sin!" " We must pretend, we must lie." " Purity and goodness..." " l must talk to you" " ...dwell within the evangelist's heart" " Through my daughter" "You attempted on my honour!" "But if you have truly cast a stain on it" "Your blood shall wipe it clean I shall place a note in the book to tell you when and where" "Oh God, have mercy, have mercy!" "My grief has touched thy heart!" "Now that she has been saved, Lina will never again lapse into sin" "Long life Stiffelio!" "What is this?" "A company of friends in festive mood is approaching" " What do they want?" " To see you" "To you, Stiffelio, a song rises up from every heart" "You are the glory of Germany who banishes all vice" "Justice, brotherly love you spread throughout the land" "For holy and eternal truth you wage a fierce war" "From fields, from banqueting halls, from palaces, from the altar" "Your name shall resound among us to all eternity" "By what dreadful remorse I feel myself torn!" "The voice of his goodness will proclaim my sin the more loudly" "My brothers, to God alone you should sing praises" "Then shall your song echo throughout the universe" "She has no word for me!" "...not a glance!" "At last we are alone" "Rodolfo!" "Oh forgive me!" "My tongue is little inclined to call you Stiffelio" "Rodolfo Muller" "That was the sweet name" "By which I called you that first time" "When my father received you here in flight from a hostile crowd!" "How unhappy I have been, far from you!" "And yet the world was bright with triumphs for you and with delights!" "Delights!" "No" "You were not with me" "Everywhere I sawvirtue groan beneath the oppressor's yoke" "Young and old I saw enslaved to vice" "True worth vanquished by gold justice hoodwinked" "Humanity floundering in a sea of iniquity" "Heavens!" "Oh horror!" "Women, those simple guardians of virtue broken the bonds of conjugal affection" " Ah!" " l know it well, forgive me!" "The picture is too dreadful" "But I see you once again, and know that wifely virtue still exists" " What are you saying, Stiffelio!" " The truth..." "Woe betide if I am deceived!" "Your soul is great" "And would have forgiven!" "Ah no, forgiveness is easy for the heart that has never been stricken" "But within every soul an undefined treasure lies concealed" "On which none can lay hands with impurity" "But your eyes are filled with tears!" "You are trembling!" "I am not mistaken!" "Some hidden grief torments you!" " Will you speak to your husband?" " No!" "No?" "..." "Well then give me a smile" "Today brings memories of our wedding I know it." "What fearful torments!" "From heaven my mother bestowed her blessing on us" "Today her ring..." " You do not have it?" "Where is it?" " Ah!" "It is no longer there!" "You must answer..." "What have you done with it?" " The ring?" " Yes, tell me" "To whom have you given the ring?" "Ah, clearly written on your brow is the shame that wages war in your heart!" "That accusing silence can only be the offspring of a crime" "Ah, may I be struck down by lighting, may the earth yawn beneath my feet" "May all creation be unleashed against me if you have been dishonoured!" " Muller?" " What now?" " Your friends await you" " Shall I never have a moment for myself?" " But how angry he is!" " Forgive me." "Let's go I will come back soon" "Soon, he said!" "Ah, I'm lost!" "What excuses can I offer?" "Remorse makes me dumb I can find no words." "I am wretched, betrayed" "No-one on earth can save me!" "Let my sighs and tears ascend to Thee, O merciful God" "Do Thou forgive me in my sorrow" "And may He to pardon me, O God!" "May I be forgiven" "Or may my shame be forfeit with my life!" "He will return!" "I must answer!" "But what?" "Confess perhaps?" "Ah no!" "Better to write" "Rodolfo!" "Heavens!" "..." "I cannot!" "I will know all..." "Ah!" "This is not what I would tell him" "A letter!" "You were writing to Herr von Leuthold!" " l?" " Be silent!" "Rodolfo!" "I am no longer worthy of you!" "Wretched woman, I was not mistaken!" "I could no longer keep silent...." "My sufferings were too great" "And what of him?" "Despair and death are written for him here" " Heavens!" " Yes, death!" "Ah no!" "May he live, O God!" "But must I deceive him?" "No, I cannot!" "Tell me that your heart lacks the strength to wash away your sin" "That the demon of remorse inspires you with too great a terror" "Tell him that it is easier for a faithless heart to make known the foul wrong" "Which will mean his death lnfamy is not enough for you" " You will be cowardly as well!" " Father!" "Yes, cowardly!" "But hear me, you will save Rodolfo" "You will submit to a love of which you are unworthy!" " No!" " You must obey!" " Never!" " Never?" "It shall never be!" "So before the face of mankind I must stifle my anger I must overcome the shame of still calling you my daughter" "You, the worthless creature I despise" "You, a father's dishonour!" "Ah, what a dreadful fate is mine!" "Torture of a hapless penitent!" "Do these tears not tell you that I am already too greatly punished?" "I was not willingly drawn into the trap of sin" "Enough, now dry your tears" " Ah, I cannot!" " No more." "You must do it" " No, I cannot!" " lt is your father's wish" " No, I cannot!" " lt is a wife's duty" "Rodolfo's life requires it" " l shall be silent" " The time has come" "Who will help me?" "Come nowwith me." "Tears are of no avail" "No-one must suspect the fatal occurrence" "Let your sin be hidden as in the grave" "The honour of our name demands it!" "Let Muller's honour be preserved" "Even though he has lost" "Your unconstraint love" "Dreadful words!" "Forever lost!" "Let my tears be hidden, my grief be dumb" "Let calm serenity smile in my face" "Let the tempest of my soul be hidden!" "Lost!" "Lost!" "...and yet forever adored" "Like a heavenly being within his heart!" "They avoid me!" "but I will have that meeting which I have asked of her" "Here is the book, I have a second key" "What do I see?" " Leuthold!" " Someone calls me?" "I wanted Klopstock's Messiah" "Let us cheer!" "Let us gladden Stiffelio's sojourn!" "Let us cheer the return of the great pastor!" "May joy and peace reign here in harmony" "May love smile in truth and constancy!" "The love that he spread among mankind" "The love that makes equal slave and master" "Let us cheer, and to our hymn may the love in every heart give back a cheerful echo!" " l shun the joys of this world" " Even these celebrations?" "I leave them to the profane:" "they hold snares for a man's honour" " Your meaning?" " l tell you that at this very moment" "A gentleman furtively unlocked a book, and in it a note..." " A note?" " ...he concealed." "And awaits a reply" " That book is used in a guilty intrigue" " Oh heavens!" "What do I hear?" "Who is the man?" " He is with Lina, and has the book - ls it true?" "It is Frengel!" " But how to uncover him!" " Later" "Cousin are you thinking of your sermon?" "This evening there is a gathering in the church" " We shall all come" " Yes, all of us!" " What is your theme?" " The vile betrayal of Judas" " Oh heavens!" " Sublime!" "Marvellous thought!" "A fearful example of all the wicked" "My curse will fall not only on the villain who sold his Master" "But on all betrayers, on him who enters by stealth" "Who feigns, who waits, then defiles heart and home" "Who offers his hand to the man he deceives" "And boasts of the honour he has robbed!" "His anathema shall be merely to read aloud" "The inspired verse of the great poet." "It is locked!" " Lina has the key" " Then open it" " What are you saying?" " l wish it" " l!" " Do you open it, I repeat" "Your terror is useless" "Here in a vile betrayer stands condemned!" "What dreadful thoughts possess and trouble me!" "Some fatal mystery this book will bring to light!" "You will not?" "Then I should do it" " A letter!" " Heavens!" "Stay your hand!" "It is not for you to read that letter!" "You know not who wrote it, or to whom" " No matter...give it back to me..." "I wish it!" " l am an old man" " Give it back" " No" "Wretched man, who shall save you from the anger that burns within me?" "Already I am blind with fury I can no longer curb my wrath" "He is my father!" "Let your anger fall wholly upon me" "But, my lord, respect the snowy whiteness of that head" " ln the graveyard I shall presently await you" " Ah why, to trouble the fair calm..." " Restrain your anger" " You shall find weapons of your choice" " Traitor, I shall be there before you - ..." "That reign in every breast" "Did one demon sow suspicion in Stiffelio's heart!" "Heavens," "Where am I!" "What unknown power drawss me here?" "He will come here to this horrifying place" "On every tombstone I read my crime carved in fearful letters" "The murmuring of every breeze seems a voice of thunderous reproof!" "This is the sacred tomb of my mother" "She so pure...and I?" "Mother!" "Aid me in my sorrow!" "Ah, from among the ethereal thrones where blessed you take your seat" "Turn to your daughter, look upon her misery!" "Offer up these penitent tears as a gift to the Almighty" "And if the blessed have tears to shed then weep for me" "For your sake God will not withold His forgiveness from me!" " Lina!" "Lina!" " Speak softly" "For pity sake... my father is near." "Rodolfo has guessed...he knowss all" "He suspects only Federico to be guilty your father has destroyed the proof" " And the eternal remorse which awaits you?" " He who serves love does not fear it" " l was taken by surprise, I do not love you" " Cruel woman, yet I will love you always" "Then prove it" "Give me back my letters and my ring then go at once...away with you" "No, I shall stay here to defend you" "Then you wish to destroy this unhappy, betrayed wretch!" "If you stay my whole life will run its course in weeping!" "Accursed man!" "Will you not depart from the woman once blessed" "She, whose misfortunes you have caused may yet live to bless you" " l shall stay" " Than Rodolfo shall know all" " He shall know nothing" " Father!" " Leave us!" " Ah, I read in your eyes" "Obey me" " Choose!" " A duel?" "Yes and to the death" " Both our chances are unequal" " You refuse?" "I shall insult you before the world I care nothing for your threats" "All praise to him who showss respect for age infamous wretch...base coward" "Do you still not rise in anger?" "Are you dead to all sense of honour?" " Sir, I am patient" " Death and fury!" " Then...." "listen" " Enough!" "Yet hear me once more lf so far my lips have proclaimed you vile and infamous to no purpose I can yet reveal to all I well knowwho you are" " Stankar...enough!" " An adventurer, who wraps his life in mystery" "Noble Count Raffaele, you are nothing but a foundling!" " Ah!" "A sword!" " Fortune be thanked!" " A sword!" "...en garde!" " To the death!" "No demon" "No god shall save you from my blowss" "My anger will wipe away" "This vile shame with your blood" "What noise is this?" "Put up your weapons!" " Stiffelio!" " lt is you!" "Holy is the place which you profane" "You tread upon the dead beneath your feet" "Above you stands the cross!" " Come elsewhere!" " God will be there also" " Leave us...one of us must die - l can follow you wherever you go" "Say...do you forget to whom you speak?" "I now speak in the name of God:" "to listen to me it is your duty" "Lay down your arms" "Let the offence be buried in oblivion" " Let brother forgive brother" " Never!" "You are younger, be first, Raffaele." "Give your hand" "Oh unheard of excess!" "To take the hand of the man you betrayed!" " Ah!" "Betrayed!" " What have I said?" " Will you speak?" " No, leave me" " l wish it..." "Finish!" " Here, the sound of arms!" " Let the mystery be revealed" " Oh heavens!" "Lina!" " At last I shall know the truth" " Forgive me!" "Forgive me!" "Rodolfo!" "Forgive!" "So it was he!" "Muller!" "Ah!" "It was true!" "Ah no...it cannot be!" "Tell me at least that I have lied" "Speak some word" "Justify yourself for pity sake!" "But you are silent!" "All doubt is removed!" "You shall be crushed beneath my feet!" "Ah, at last the thunderbolt has broken forth" " Pray to God; with these tears..." " ...to roar my head" " l am ready - ...your fate is already sealed" "The life that is left me will be a slow death!" "You are guilty of crime..." " That shall no longer go unavenged" " You shall learn from this arm of mine..." " Justify yourself, for pity sake!" " God, Who art the Father of those in misery ...whether I know..." " Do not deny me your pity!" " ...anything of cowardice" "Know that it is not she whom you should punish!" "Ah, I see who is to blame!" "Honour bade you take up that sword to avenge me" "No more...take up your weapon" " Against you?" "I will not" " Defend yourself" "No...no!" "Do you hear a terrible cry arising from those tombs?" "Tremble, villain" "The fatal hour of your chastisement has sounded!" "Do not punish me, Lord in Thine anger..." "Stiffelio!" " ...or I shall melt away as mist before the sun!" " What sounds are those?" " They are your brethren" " Have mercy on me..." " What do they want?" " ...have pity, Lord" "They beg for comfort" " Comfort!" "Ah!" " Have mercy..." " And I shall sing Thy praises" " Return to your right mind!" "Anger and hellish fury consume my desperate being" "Calmly you would lay a chill hand upon your heart" "Ah, first cause the blood to cease boiling within my veins" "And virtue, which now languishes, will grow stronger within me!" "Leave me!" "Leave me!" "My heart is all destroyed" "Do you not hear?" "O cruel moment!" "Lift up your thoughts." "Remember who you are!" "Ah!" "I am a priest!" "O God inspire me to speak to them" " Of peace, of pardon!" " Of peace, of pardon!" "Of pardon...never!" " The faithless woman let her be accursed!" " Oh heavens!" "From his cross Christ forgave all mankind" "The cross!" "..." "Alas!" "..." "I freeze I die!" "Unhappy man!" "He has fled!" "And with this letter he tempts Lina to follow him!" "Villain!" "..." "Thus he escapes my vengeance!" "Oh sword of honour, that for many years has graced the ancient warrior's side" "And in the hour of need has reaped glory, begone from me I no longer deserve you I am dishonoured!" "Dishonoured!" "And what is life without honour?" "Shame..." "Well then" "Let it be taken from me" "Yes, yes, one instant and it will all be over!" "Leave everything!" "Stiffelio!" "My daughter!" "My erring daughter!" "What!" "..." "A tear!" "A tear dims a soldier's eye!" "Oh sorrow, how great you are" "To wring tears from me!" "Lina, I thought" "That in you an angel brought me heavenly bliss" "A ray of purest love to warm the frost of my declining years" "Fool!" "I was dreaming" "Vanished is my life's happiness" "No tear of innocence shall I behold in dying" "Only dishonour shall walk behind my coffin" "Ah, let us make an end" "Farewell, Stiffelio...a last farewell" " He will come here" " Who?" " You here!" "..." "I am looking for Stiffelio" " He will see no-one" "He will see me when he knowss that I am to meet Raffaele" " What are you saying?" " He will come in a little while" "Leuthold will come here!" "Beneath this roof one of us shall die!" "Oh inexpressible joy that floods this heart of mine" "Too great is the throb of happiness that spreads throughout my being!" "I feel a rapt ecstasy that comes near to madness!" "Both voice and breath fail within me!" "Ah vengeance!" "Come quickly for your sake I shall be born again" "Say to the brethren that in a little while I shall be in the church" " Leave me" " He is coming!" " You sent for me?" " Yes" " l foresee" " Not a word" " lf you desire vengeance I shall not object - l have but one question" "What is that?" "What would you do if Lina were free?" " What are you saying?" " l ask a question!" "Answer" "To an impossible question?" "Fritz?" "Advise Lina that I await for her here" " And what is your purpose?" " To find which is dearest to you" "A guilty freedom" "Or the future of the woman whom you have destroyed!" " ln there you will hear all" " Heavens!" "This talk between us cannot be avoided before we separate" " What!" "You are going away!" " Yes...this evening" " You!" "How is this?" " Hear me!" "Opposite are the paths" "That in future our lives shall follow" "With my gaze fixed upon God I shall live mine in resignation" "You, close to the man of your heart" "Will be able to redeem yourself from shame" "What are you saying?" "When we became man and wife" "As I was persecuted everywhere I hid from all my true name" "The marriage may thus be dissolved" " This deed will break it" " Heavens!" "A divorce?" "It is for you to sign it I have already" "Ah Rodolfo I knew that a fatal blow awaited me here!" "But at least I knew myself to be deserving the reproof" "No..." "I find here only the horror of a most bitter contempt" "Crutch me...kill me" "I will die for love of you!" "Do you hope with these tears to blunt the edge of my grief!" "That your indelible shame might at length be buried in oblivion!" "That I could accept with resignation my dishonour!" "Ah, offences against honour last as long as life itself!" " Give me the deed!" "Give it to me!" " Will you sign?" " Yes!" " What do I hear?" "You thought my tears to be a wile" "Now let all doubt be removed" "Now both of us are free" "All is over between us" " Now it is possible..." "Hear me!" " No more, lady!" "I wish it!" "I turn not to the husband" "But to the man of God" "To him who can open the gates of Heaven to the wicked even at the scaffold" "It is no longer your wife who supplicates" "It is the sinner who stands before you" "Leave me..." "leave me" "Minister, hear my confession!" "You!" "What am I to hear?" "Everything that Muller refused to hear" "He proposed to me a pact" "Which would have given me to another" "As though, once I had lost him I could ever have found peace" "As if at that price I should wish to redeem my lost honour" "As if I should wish to live on, banished from his heart" " Enough...enough" " To be another's!" "Ah, then you do not understand, my love!" " Love!" "...what are you saying?" " l have always loved you I still love you, as God is my witness" " But what of him?" " lt was a betrayal!" " He betrayed you?" " Yes" "Let him die..." "I have the right" " He is in there!" " He is there no longer" " Heavens!" " A murder?" "A duel?" "An expiation" "He who could have made known my dishonour is now dead" "Come to the temple of the Lord where you will find new strength" "Ah yes, let us flee to the church" "Let us flee this evil portal" "On which man has left the stamp of crime and death!" "Let this dwelling remain an example of all seducers" "God has cursed it" "With the thunderbolt of infamy" "Ah, then upon this earth there is no comfort for my sorrow!" "I shall never find forgiveness for my involuntary sin!" "Merciful God, unlock the treasure of Thy pity I beseech Thee, with the beating" "Of this heart which never sinned" " l trust in thee, Lord - lf l have punished him who betrayed me" "Take pity on me" "Do not deny me Thy goodness ln my honour, which is Thy gift" "Lord, grant me Thy pardon" "As Thou didst to the repentant David" " Stiffelio?" " Here am I I shall yet hear his voice!" "What woman is that?" "He has not recognized me!" "Remain here" "Lift up your soul..." "All hopes rest in you" "Heavens!" " What ails you?" " lt is she!" "Remember where you are!" "Courage!" "Ah, yes!" "But my mind is confused and thought evades me" "Open the Holy book." "The Lord will inspire you!" " You have spoken rightly" " Take heart!" ""Then Jesus, turning to the assembled people" ""Pointed to the adulteress at his feet and said:" ""Oh, heavens!" ""Whichever among you is without sin" ""Let him cast the first stone"" "What are you saying?" "And will he not finish?" ""And woman...the woman rose up forgiven"" " What are you doing, Stiffelio!" " Almighty God!" "Forgiven" "Yes, forgiven, God has spoken it" "[ Skipped item nr. 522 ]"