And then accursed laughter seizes me,
And I am ready for the deeds of Hell. 
I laugh and laugh, but never can I weep. 
I wander storming, raving, but no tears. 
The night of madness holds me, but no tears. 
O could I weep, I know I would be saved. 
Be pitiful, and be a savior to me! 
For thee, like Him, I have derided oft. 
Now do I come to thee with heart of love;
Let me but rest upon thy breast and weep,
Take me but to thyself for one short hour,
And thou shalt save eternity for me,
And in my tears my sin shall be atoned!”

But Parsifal:  “Eternity were lost
For both of us, if even for an hour
I yielded to the sin of loving thee,
And in that hour forgot my holy mission. 
For I am also sent to save thy soul
And to deliver thee from curse of lust. 
The love that burns in thee is only lust. 
Between that and the pure love of true hearts
There yawns abyss like that ’twixt Heaven and Hell;
Nor can the foul fount e’er be closed in thee,
Until the pure fount shall be opened wide;
Nor can thy sinful heart be ever saved
By heavy sorrow and much agony;
Nor e’en by service rendered unto others;
Only one way can save thy guilty soul—­
Only by giving all to Christ’s dear love. 
The curse that rests upon the brotherhood
Is something different by another’s sin. 
They pine and languish for the Holy Grail,
And yet they know the wondrous fount of life. 
But thou! what wouldst thou do to save thy soul? 
O misery!  O false and daring deed! 
Thou wouldst see rest and Heaven’s holy peace,
By way of Hell, and death’s eternal night!”

Then Kundry cried in wildest ecstasy: 
“And hath a single kiss from me conveyed
Such boundless knowledge to thine eager soul,
And given unto thee a world-wide vision? 
O let my perfect love embrace thy heart,
And it shall quicken thee to godlike power! 
Deliver sin-lost souls!  It is thy work! 
Stand as a god revealed!  It is thy right! 
Take thou my love, and take this godlike power,
And let me perish!  Thou art all to me!”

Then Parsifal:  “I offer thee deliverance,
But not in this way, impious one.”

But Kundry:  “Let me love thee, my divine one! 
This the deliverance I ask of thee.”

And Parsifal:  “Love and deliverance
Shall come to thee in truest, noblest way,
If thou wilt guide me to Amfortas now.”

Then Kundry into maddened fury broke,
And cried:  “No, never shalt thou find the King. 
Let the doomed King go to his desperate shame. 
Ah! hapless wretch whom I derided laughing,
He fell at last by his own sacred Spear.”

Then Parsifal:  “The King was brave and good. 
Who dared to wound him with the sacred Spear?”

And Kundry answered:  “He has wounded him! 
He who can put my laughter into flight! 
He who enslaves me to his utter will! 
His spell is on me and doth give me might. 
Yea, and the Spear shall also thrust thee through,
If thou wilt pity that poor craven’s fate! 
O Parsifal, pray give to me thy pity! 
Let but one single hour be mine and thine,
And then thou shalt be guided as thou wilt!”