part of a beautiful song, conforming to all the Master Singers'
rigid rules, and he hastily jots down the words, bidding the
young knight be careful to retain the tune.

As they both leave the room to don their festive apparel,
Beckmesser comes limping in. He soon discovers the verses on the
bench, and pockets them, intending to substitute them for his own
in the coming contest. Sachs, coming in, denies all intention of
taking part in the day's programme, and when Beckmesser jealously
asks why he has been inditing a love song if he does not intend
to sue for Eva's hand, he discovers the larceny. He, however,
good-naturedly allows Beckmesser to retain the copy of verses,
and even promises him that he will never claim the authorship
of the song, a promise which Beckmesser intends to make use of
so as to pass it off as his own.

Triumphant now and sure of victory, Beckmesser departs as
Eva enters in bridal attire. She is of course devoured by
curiosity to know what has become of her lover, but, as excuse
for her presence, she petulantly complains that her shoe pinches.
Kneeling in front of her, Sachs investigates the matter, greatly
puzzled at first by her confused and contradictory statements
and by her senseless replies to his questions. He is turning
his back to the inner door, through which Walther has also
entered the shop, but, soon becoming aware of the cause of
her perturbation, he deftly draws the shoe from her foot,
and going to his last pretends to be very busy over it, while
he is in reality listening intently to discover whether Eva's
presence will inspire Walther with the third and last verse
of his song. His expectations are not disappointed, for the