’Oh, make me glad with thy reliance,
    Humble me not that bend so low. 
    Ne’er shalt thou rue thy dear affiance: 
    Him that I love, oh let me know!’

Seeing her husband does not yield to her tender pleading, Elsa then redoubles her caresses.  Her faint suspicions have taken such firm root, and grow with such rapidity, that she is soon almost wild with suspense.  All his attempts to soothe her only seem to excite her more, and suddenly, fancying that she hears the swan boat coming to bear him away from her, she determines to break the magic spell at any cost, as Ortrud cunningly advised her, and demands his name.  Just as Lohengrin is gazing upon her in heart-rending but mute reproach, Telramund bursts into the room, with a band of hired assassins, to take his life.  A quick motion from Elsa, whose trust returns when she sees her beloved in danger, permits Lohengrin to parry the first blow with his sword, and Frederick of Telramund soon lies dead upon the floor, while his accomplices cringe at Lohengrin’s feet imploring his pardon.  Day is dawning, and Lohengrin, after caring tenderly for the half-fainting Elsa, bids the would-be assassins bear the corpse into the presence of the king, where he promises to meet Elsa and satisfy all her demands:—­

   ’Bear hence the corpse into the king’s judgment hall. 
    Into the royal presence lead her. 
    Arrayed as fits so fair a bride;
    There all she asks I will concede her,
    Nor from her knowledge aught will hide.’

At the last scene the king is again near the river, on his judgment throne, whence he watches the mustering of the troops which are to accompany him to the war, and makes a patriotic speech, to which they gladly respond.  Suddenly, however, the four men appear with the corpse of Frederick of Telramund, which they lay at the king’s feet, declaring they are obeying the orders of the new lord of Brabant, who will soon come to explain all.  Before the king can question further, Elsa appears, pale and drooping, in spite of her bridal array, and just as the king is rallying her at wearing so mournful an expression when her bridegroom is only leaving her for a short time to lead his troops to the fray, the Swan Knight appears, and is enthusiastically welcomed by his men.  Sadly he informs them he can no longer lead them on to victory, and declares that he slew Frederick of Telramund in self-defence, a crime for which he is unanimously acquitted.

Then he sadly goes on to relate that Elsa has already broken her promise, and asked the fatal question concerning his name and origin.  Proudly he tells them that he has no cause to be ashamed of his lineage, as he is Lohengrin, son of Parsifal, the guardian of the Holy Grail, sent from the temple on Mount Salvatch to save and defend Elsa.  The only magic he had used was the power with which the Holy Grail endowed all its defenders, and which never forsook them until they revealed their name:—­