As parted the throngs asunder, and the banquet's order was…

As parted the throngs asunder, and the banquet's order was seen, Lo, in the place of honour, facing the King and the Queen, Was Siegfried by Kriemhild seated, with service of many a knight; And there were the Niblung warriors beside him to left and to right. Beside the King at the banquet sat Brunhild the maiden Queen: Then Kriemhild she saw—no dagger to her heart had stabbed more keen— By the side of Siegfried seated; and from weeping she could not refrain, So that adown her fair cheeks fast did the hot tears rain. Then spake the Lord of Rhineland: "What aileth thee, lady mine, That thou drawest a cloud of grieving o'er the brightness of thine eyne? Thou shouldst rather be heart-uplifted, for bowed in subjection to thee This day are my land and my castles and all her chivalry." "Nay, I do well to be weeping," unto him did the maid-queen say; "My heart for the sake of thy sister is in bitterness this day, That I see her beside one sitting who is nought but thy vassal, thy thrall! Well may I weep unceasing that she unto this should fall." Answered and spake King Gunther: "Thy peace as now do thou hold. Unto thee at a fitting season shall all the tale be told, For what cause unto this Siegfried I have given my sister to wife. A blessing on them! With the hero be hers a happy life!"

She answered: "I cease not to pity her fairness, her royal birth. Of a truth would I flee hence, knew I a place of refuge on earth! —Never, I tell thee, never will I couch me by thy side, Or ever I know cause wherefore is Kriemhild Siegfried's bride!" Answered and spake King Gunther to her: "Unto thee be it known, He hath in possession castles and lands as wide as mine own. Yea, I tell thee this of a surety, a mighty king is he, And I give him my comely sister with a glad heart and free."

Yet, how pleaded the King soever, she sat with lowering eyes. But by this from the banquet-table doth many a good knight rise, And they clash so hotly in tourney that the courts of the castle ring. —But amidst of his guests for the host-king time traileth a broken wing.

"By the side of my love, my fair one," he thought, "how sweet to lie!" His heart to the dream was captive, he could not thrust it by, The dream of her lovingkindness, and all the joy thereof. And ever on Lady Brunhild he glanced with eyes of love. So they gave command to the good knights from tourney-sport to refrain, For that now for the peace of the night-tide the King and his bride were fain. And before the great hall-stairway face to face they met, Kriemhild and Brunhild—nothing had sundered their love as yet. Followed the train of the handmaids; they lingered there no more As on to the bridal-chamber the torches led before. Now came the Kings, and parted the knights of either's train. Then followed after Siegfried full many a noble thane.

Now over the bridal threshold are King and Hero gone, And the heart of either was leaping at the thought of a winsome one, And of Love the Overcomer—how glad were their souls for this! And for Siegfried the arms of the loving were a haven of infinite bliss. As Siegfried the hero gathered Kriemhild unto his breast, And poured out his love upon her in the glory of love's twin-rest, As a knight all-courteous, his darling became unto him as his life. Not for a thousand fair ones had he given his belovèd—his wife!

Now no more singeth the minstrel of his joy in that lady bright; But thereafter the story telleth how Gunther fared that night In the bride-bower of Queen Brunhild—O me, that gentle thane By any other woman in easier plight had lain! All folk were gone out from before him, maid and man were gone: Fast shut was the door of the bridal bower; they twain were alone. He looked that in arms fond-clasping he should fold her loveliness— Ah, not but through weary waiting he won her and bitter stress! Vestured in fair white linen to the couch that Lady passed; And the noble knight to his heart cried—"Now all is mine at last, Even all that mine heart hath longed for my life through unto this hour!" Well might she to him be delightsome for her beauty's priceless dower.

Then the hand of the King in a darkling nook set the lamp aside; And he turned him, the valiant warrior, to the bed of the maiden bride, And he laid himself anear her, and the tide of his joy was at flood, As he stretched arms fain of embracing to that glory of womanhood.

Upon nought but gentle dalliance the King in that sweet hour thought, Had the noble lady but suffered the will of love to be wrought. But she raged with exceeding fury, that the heart of the King was stung: He looked but for lovingkindness, and hate in his face was flung. For she said to him, "Noble warrior, I say unto thee, refrain! That which thine heart desireth in no wise shalt thou attain. I still will abide a maiden, Sir King, I do thee to wit, Till I know truth touching Siegfried." Then the flame of his wrath was lit. By force he essayed to embrace her, that her fair white vesture was torn. Then the proud maid caught at her girdle in her terrible anger and scorn, Wherewithal was her waist encompassed—it was strong as an iron chain— Therewith did she deal King Gunther exceeding bitter pain. For she gripped him, she bound together his feet and his hands withal: To a staple of iron she bare him, and hung him thence by the wall. "Thy love shall not trouble my slumber!" she laughed with bitter breath. Her terrible strength had thrust him well-nigh through the gates of death. Then fell he to make supplication—he who should be her lord!— "O noble Queen, I beseech thee, loose from the captive the cord! Fair Lady, I pledge me never to essay thy will to constrain. Long shall it be of a surety ere I couch me nigh thee again."

She recked not how fared it with Gunther, so she all restfully lay. There must he hang in torment through the weary night till the day, Yea, until shot through the casement were the shafts of the dawning light. —Had he ever been stalwart of body, now passing faint was his might! "Make answer to me, Lord Gunther, wouldst haply be sore dismayed If thy chamberlains entered and found thee," spake that lovely maid, "Hanging a shackled captive, by a woman's hand so bound?" But he answered, "Therein thy dishonour and thine own hurt should be found.

Yea also, and little honour," said the King, "were this for me. By thy queenly heart and thy kindness, let me now draw nigh unto thee! And if thou dost abhor my embraces, and my love dost wholly contemn, This hand of mine shall touch not so much as thy vesture's hem." Then loosed she the King, that hanging he should not longer abide; And he went to the couch, and he laid him in sooth by that fair one's side, Yet so far off, and he bare him so fearful-reverent, That he stirred not her fine-spun vesture; nor once did her heart relent.

Then came who waited upon them, which bare to them fresh attire Whereof upon such a morning was more than heart could desire. But, how blithe soe'er were his people, in bitter heaviness Went the Lord of the land: on his forehead did the crown royal heavily press. After the land's old custom, whereunto bound are kings, Gunther and Brunhild forbore not from observance of holy things. So passed they on to the minster, and the mass-chant rolled along The aisles: thither also Siegfried came, and a mighty throng. As beseemeth the honour of kingfolk, ready were all things found Which were meet for their arraying, wherein to be robed and crowned, And the oil of consecration. Now all hath been done aright, And they four, joy-triumphant, stand crowned in all men's sight. Unto squires was the accolade given in honour of the King, To six hundred, yea, more it may be, as the olden minstrels sing. High swelled the tides of joyance through all Burgundia-land As the lances crashed and splintered in the sworded warrior's hand. There sat on high at the casements the lovely maidens arow; Lightened before them ever the shield-flash to and fro. But the King the while had sundered himself from his vassal-train: What sport they devised soever, it could not salve his pain.

Far other than Gunther's anguish was Siegfried's happy mood; Well he divined what ailed him, that noble knight and good. So to the King hath he hied him, and questioneth lovingly: "How fared with you twain the night-tide? I pray thee tell unto me."

And the host to the guest made answer: "My portion is scathe and shame! To mine house a very demon have I brought for wedded dame! When I thought to embrace her, swiftly my limbs into bonds she flung: To an iron staple she bare me, and against the wall she hung. There swung I sore in torment the long night through till the day Or ever she deigned to unbind me—and she all restfully lay! Lo, this is my bitter secret—O true friend, pity thou me!"

Made answer Siegfried the mighty: "Of a truth I sorrow for thee. Yea, this will I prove, if for thy part thou count not the deed for despite. I will bring to pass her submission to couch by thy side this night; And she shall not spurn thine embraces from this time forth again." After all his anguish the war-king for the word was exceeding fain. (C) "Look on mine hands, and mark them, how bruised and swollen are they: Her grip thereon was so mighty, as a babe in her arms I lay: From beneath my nails was bursting the blood, and earthward dripped. No whit in that hour I doubted that my throat by death was gripped."

Answered him Siegfried the stalwart: "Fear not, all yet shall be well. Far other was my well-faring from thine when the darkness fell. Unto me is Kriemhild thy sister dear as limb and life! Yea, also to-night must Brunhild become in truth thy wife. I will come when the daylight endeth unto thy bridal bower So veiled in my Hood of Darkness, the screen of magic power, That of these my cunning devices no man on earth may be ware. First bid thou thy lords of the chamber that unto their lodging they fare. The lights in the hands of the pages will I darken suddenly, And that same manifest token shall then be a sign unto thee That I have entered the chamber. I will surely tame thy wife: 'Neath the yoke of love shall she bow her—or forfeited be my life!" "But not 'neath the yoke of thy love!" cried the King in sudden fear. "Be all the rest as thou sayest; but she still is my wife most dear. Yet—though in the grapple thou slay her, if it may not better be, Even so could I hold thee guiltless, for a fearful bride is she!"

"Thereunto I plight me," said Siegfried; "be mine honour the pledge thereof. For me shall she still be virgin. Thy sister hath all my love: She far above all earth's daughters that mine eyes have seen is preferred." Then with all his heart King Gunther gave credence to Siegfried's word.

The rapture and travail of jousting went on without surcease, Till over the clangour and clamour the marshal's voice cried "Peace!" For now would the ladies be passing to the hall where the feast was dight: And the chamberlains bade all people avoid from their path forthright. Cleared was the castle courtyard of armèd knight and steed. Then each fair Queen to the feast-hall did the hand of a bishop lead, As these passed in to the banquet before those war-kings twain: And after them thronged to the high-seats many a chosen thane.

In high-wrought expectation by his wife's side sat the King, For aye did the promise of Siegfried within the heart of him sing. Unto him that one day's evening was as thirty days by seeming, For still on the love of Brunhild his trancèd soul was dreaming. Scarce could he tarry till ended was the banquet-festival; But at last rose Brunhild the lovely, and passed forth out of the hall, And forth of the feast went Kriemhild; for the slumber-tide was nigh. What throngs of valiant barons stood up as the Queens swept by!

Now a little while thereafter, as, with Siegfried at her side, In the joy and trust of the wedded sat Kriemhild his fair bride, His hands she lovingly folded in her fingers snowy-fair;— He was gone from her—how, she knew not; but she saw him no more there! Even now his hand was she fondling—and now she saw him no more! Then to the train of her handmaids the Queen spake wondering sore: "Exceedingly do I marvel whither my lord is gone, Who out of my clasping fingers his hands even now hath drawn!" Then her wonder fell to silence. But he hasted to Gunther's door, And bearing the lamps the pages were standing therebefore.

In their hands all suddenly quenched he the lights that the chamberlains bare; And Gunther knew by the token that now was Siegfried there. Well knew he what was his purpose: he sent forth thence each one, Each handmaid and dame of the chamber: so soon as his hest was done, That noble King with his own hand shut the bower-door fast, And strong bolts twain right swiftly through the iron staples passed.

The hand of the King in a darkling nook set the lamp aside. Now a trial of strength beginneth which of sore need must betide Of strong hero and lovely maiden, a strife of bitter strain; And the same was for King Gunther full fraught with joy and pain. For now to the couch stole Siegfried, and laid him down by the Queen; And she said, "Refrain thee, Gunther—ay, though thy longing be keen!— Lest thou get to thyself sore anguish, even as yesternight." —Of a truth, ere all was ended, he was oft in desperate plight. He locked his lips from speaking, he uttered never a word; And, albeit he said nought, Gunther full keenly hearkened and heard That by word or by deed in secret nothing by them was done. —Good sooth, it was no soft lying that these on the bride-bed won!

He made as though he were Gunther, Burgundia's mighty King; And around that peerless maiden a sudden arm did he fling. But forth of the couch she hurled him, and against a high-seat dashed, That his brows against the footstool thereof full heavily crashed. Then leapt to his feet the hero, and he summoned up all his might To essay it with better fortune; and these twain closed in a fight Wherein he strove to tame her, and bitter she made it for him. —Never, I ween, of woman was made a defence so grim! Forasmuch as he would not refrain him, the Maiden sprang full-height— "How dar'st thou so much as ruffle the hem of my vesture white, Thou insolent knave, thou ruffian? The deed shalt thou dearly abide! Yea, now will I make thee to know it!" that warrior maiden cried.