The two stole forth at nightfall, clothed in beggar's tattered garments, and made their way to the palace steps, where they listened to the sounds of rejoicing within the palace.
"Ah! I should still be there, if I had not listened to you," groaned Frederick, who was a man of poor courage.
"Cease your complaining!" answered Ortrud. "We will win the victory yet, and you shall be in power again, if you listen to me now."
"What can we do?"
"Have you not heard of the promise made by Elsa to this Swan Knight? He is a magician, I warrant you, and all we need do is to prove it. She has promised never to ask his name. Now if we can get her to break that promise, he will vanish—mark my words!"
Frederick sat up and looked around eagerly.
"Ortrud, you are a genius!" he said. "But how can we do this? We are beggared and exiled."
"Trust me—but hush! I hear someone on the balcony!"
It was Elsa herself, who came out for a moment to look at the stars and commune with her own great happiness. At sight of the girl's face in the glow of the window, Ortrud crept softly round the balustrade and suddenly appeared before her startled gaze.
"Pardon—pardon!" cried the crafty woman in a low tone, and sinking on the step at Elsa's feet.