The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Ix Part 48

'Tis so.

SIEGFRIED (_to_ HAGEN).

Know'st thou betrayal? Treachery Gaze on the traitor! Smile then if thou canst.

To open combat dost thou challenge him And dost o'erthrow him. But thou art too proud, If not too n.o.ble, to thrust home thy sword, And so thou set'st him free, and givest him His weapons once again that thou hadst won.

He does not rage at thee and thrust them back; He gives thee humble thanks and praises sweet And swears with thousand oaths to be thy man.

But when, the honeyed words still in thine ear, Thou lay'st thy weary limbs upon thy couch, Bare and defenseless as a helpless child, Then creeps the traitor up and murders thee, And even while thou diest spits on thee.

GUNTHER (_to_ HAGEN).

What dost thou say to that?

HAGEN (_to_ GUNTHER).

This n.o.ble wrath Gives me such courage that I ask our friend If he will grant us escort yet once more.

SIEGFRIED.

With my own Nib'lungs will I go alone, For it is by my fault this trouble comes To ye again! Howe'er I longed to show My bride unto my mother and to win For the first time her undivided praise, It may not be while yet these hypocrites Have ovens for their bread and flowing springs To slake their thirst! I will at once put off My homeward journey, and I promise you That I will take them living, and henceforth Before my castle shall they lie in chains And bay like hounds whene'er I come or go, Since, as it seems, they have the souls of dogs!

[_He hastens away_.]

SCENE III

HAGEN.

He'll surely rush to her in all his rage, And when he leaves, then I will seek her out.

GUNTHER.

I'll move in this no further.

HAGEN.

What, my King?

GUNTHER.

Bid heralds come once more and let them say That there is peace again.

HAGEN.

It shall be done When I have talked with Kriemhild privately And learned the secret from her.

GUNTHER.

Hast thou then No bowels of compa.s.sion? Thy hard heart No pity feeleth yet?

HAGEN.

Speak plainly, lord; I cannot understand.

GUNTHER.

He shall not die.

HAGEN.

He lives while thou commandest. If I stood Behind him in the woods and poised my spear, But shake thy head, and for this traitor dies A beast.

GUNTHER.

Not traitor, no! Was it his fault That he brought back the girdle carelessly And Kriemhild found it? It escaped him there, As clings an arrow in a warrior's mail If after battle 'tis not shaken off, And only by its rattling is it marked.

I ask you one and all: was it his fault?

HAGEN.

No! No! Who says so? Nor was he to blame For lacking clever wits to clear himself, For doubtless he blushed crimson at th' attempt.

GUNTHER.

What then remains?

HAGEN.

Brunhilda's oath remains.

GISELHER.

Then let her slay him if she wants his blood.

HAGEN.

We're quarreling like children. May one not Collect his weapons, though he knoweth not When he may need to use them? One explores An unknown land and finds its pa.s.ses out.

Then why not, pray, a hero? I will try My fortune now with Kriemhild, if it were Only that this fine ruse that we have planned Might not be all in vain. She'll not betray The secret to me unless he hath told The matter to her. Then you may decide Whether to use the knowledge I may gain; And you may really do, if so you please, What I shall but pretend, and so in war Protect the place where death may find him out.

But you must know where is his mortal spot.

[_Exit_.]

SCENE IV

GISELHER (_to_ GUNTHER).

Thou hast returned to thine own loyalty And faithfulness, or else I'd say: this trick Is far beneath a king!