The nearer the travellers came to the mountain, the more the confused
and discordant sounds they had at first heard resolved themselves into
harmony. Through a door in the rock they could see knights, beautiful
women, and dwarfs. All seemed to be enjoying themselves to the utmost.
At the entrance sat a fair woman in royal robes. The moment she saw
Tannhäuser, she smiled, and signed to him to approach. Eckhard in the
same moment entreated him by all he held sacred to beware of the
temptress, who was outwardly like an angel of light, but inwardly a
fiend incarnate. He would have said more, but Venus interrupted him by
beginning to sing a wondrous song about all the joys that awaited those
who entered her kingdom; and Tannhäuser, as thoroughly enchanted as
though a magic spell had been cast over him, thrust Eckhard aside, and
hastened to the queen of beauty, who stretched out her arms towards
him. She half drew him over the threshold, and he half staggered
across. Then the door shut, and the faithful Eckhard saw him no more.
It would be impossible to describe all the wonders and delights that
greeted the eyes and ears of the lost knight. Every day brought new
pleasures, which he enjoyed to the utmost. But at length he began to
tire of it, and confessed to himself that satiety was not happiness. He
had a horror of himself, and of the self-indulgent life he was leading;
and his conscience, once awake, left him no peace. After an inward
struggle, he made up his mind to go and seek out a pious priest, tell
him all, and entreat him to show him how he might gain absolution.
Tannhäuser felt much happier when he had formed this resolution. He
went to Queen Venus, and asked her to let him go. At first she refused,
and then consented, saying that he might come back to her if he did not
find what he was going away to seek. So he went out into the sweet
fresh air, which was so pure that it almost took his breath away for
the first few minutes. Then he went on his way with much foreboding:
should he, or should he not, find a priest who could help him?
He told his tale to priests, abbots, and bishops, but they one and all
declared that they could not help him, that the Holy Father at Rome was
the only person on earth who had power to absolve a sinner who had had
dealings with the powers of the under-world.
He went to Rome, and confessed all his sin and sorrow to the Pope, whom
he found walking in the garden, and awaited the answer of his Holiness
with a broken and a contrite heart. But the Pope replied with harsh
voice and unbending brow:
“You are an adherent of the cursed race of Hohenstaufen; you have dwelt
among the lost spirits in hell, and have been one with them: I tell you
plainly that God can no more pardon you than this dry stick can put
forth leaves and flowers”; so saying, he thrust his gold-headed
walking-stick into the ground, and walked away leaving it there.
Tannhäuser then exclaimed in his misery, “What shall I do? The
high-priest of the Lord has cast me off, heaven is closed against me,
and men will have nought to do with me.”
At this moment an unknown voice broke in, “There is a higher than this
priest, even He whose dwelling is in heaven, and He that came to redeem
men from their sins, and who said, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that are weary
and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’”
Tannhäuser started when he heard himself thus addressed, and, turning
round, beheld the faithful Eckhard.
“Alas,” he answered, “it is too late; I cannot, dare not, pray any
more. I will now return to Dame Venus, and the pleasures she offers me.”
So he went back to the Hörselberg in spite of Eckhard’s entreaties; for
he was utterly hopeless.
Now it came to pass, three days after, that the Pope again walked in
his garden, and behold, the walking-stick which he thrust into the
ground had taken root, and put forth leaves and blossoms. The sight
filled him with amazement, and he remembered the words of the Saviour:
“Be ye also merciful, even as your Father in heaven is merciful.” And
he sent out messengers in search of Tannhäuser; but he could not be
found, for he had returned to Dame Venus.
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