So rode they without all escort from Worms on Rhine away

So rode they without all escort from Worms on Rhine away. Well might they go all-fearless: so stern of mood were they, That if haply foemen in malice had set upon them then, Their heads had their own hands warded, those aweless Niblung men. No leave would they take of any: they shook off the dust of their feet. Yet Giselher and Gernot full lovingly came to greet The old king at his departing; for they sorrowed in his heart-pain, And thereof did they give clear witness, those valiant heroes twain. For to Siegmund spake Prince Gernot exceeding courteously: "Now God in Heaven be witness, of the death of Siegfried am I Wholly and utterly guiltless! Never I heard this said, That any bare him malice. From mine heart do I mourn for thy dead." Then Giselher the young prince provided them escort fair. So led he unvexed of any the hearts overburdened with care, Even the King and his good knights, back to their Netherland home. Ah, with how little rejoicing their kinsmen beheld them come!

Touching all that befell them thereafter the old song holdeth its peace: But at Worms was the plaining of Kriemhild heard without surcease That her heart and her wounded spirit had no comforter, Save one, the loving and faithful, her brother Giselher. But there sat Brunhild the lovely enthroned in her arrogant pride. Little she recked of Kriemhild as from depths of despair she cried. Never in kindness or pity she stooped to the stricken again. But the years stole on, till Kriemhild wrung her heart too with pain.

XIX. How the Hoard of the Niblungs came to Worms

While sat the noble Kriemhild a watcher by Siegfried's grave, Eckwart, Lord of the Marches, unto her with his war-band clave, In Burgundia-land abiding constrained by his fealty; And aye for the dead with his mistress he mourned right bitterly.

At Worms hard by the minster they reared her a palace-hall Wide and stately-builded, and royally-dight withal: And there with her handmaids round her that joyless one abode, And oft she fared to the minster, for she loved the house of God. There, where her belovèd was buried, full seldom her presence failed; Day after day did she enter with spirit that inly wailed, And prayed unto God the Almighty to take to his mercy his soul: Ay, ever the faithful-hearted made for the knight great dole. Came Uta and all her women to comfort her day by day; But Kriemhild's wounded spirit so crushed 'neath affliction lay, That nothing availed consolation that the lips of the loving spake, Forasmuch as with sharper anguish did her heart for her lost love ache Than wife felt ever for husband, were her sorrow never so keen; And the love of the true and faithful herein was of all men seen That on to the end she mourned him, long as endured her life, Till that great vengeance for Siegfried was wreaked at last by the wife.

So sat she sorrow-shrouded—truth is it the minstrel saith— On till the fourth year's dawning after her dear lord's death; And never a word unto Gunther her lips had uttered yet, Never her eyes upon Hagen her mortal foe had she set. Then Hagen spake unto Gunther: "If haply this might be done That thou so couldst appease thy sister that again ye were set at one, Then the gold of the Hoard of the Niblungs might unto thy kingdom be brought: And how much might be thine, if Kriemhild unto lovingkindness were wrought!" Said Gunther: "We will essay it. By my brethren may she be beguiled: These shall beset her with pleading that now she be reconciled. We may win her to bring that treasure—yea, share it willingly." "Nay, sooth I misdoubt me," said Hagen, "that this may ever be."

Then the King sent word unto Ortwein unto the palace to fare, And the Lord of the Marches, Gere: when these were gotten there, Gernot withal, and the young Prince Giselher, they brought. And these with words of kindness on their lips unto Kriemhild sought.

Then spake the Prince Burgundian Gernot the first, and he said: "Behold, overlong thou mournest, Lady, for Siegfried dead. Sure proof shall of Gunther be given that he had no part in his death. Yet for him folk hear thee mourning evermore with passionate breath." She said: "Him no man accuseth: it was Hagen who struck the blow. Where only my lord could be wounded through me, through me did he know! Whence should I have had misgivings of the hate unto him that he bare? Else," cried the Queen, "I had guarded my lips with jealous care From the horror of such betrayal of my lord's beloved life, And had had no cause for weeping—oh wretched, wretched wife! Never will I forgive him who wrought that dastard deed!" Then for the King his brother did Giselher intercede. (C) "Yea," said she, "I needs must greet him, ye urge me so cruelly: Yet so do ye make you partakers in Gunther's sin against me. He hath wrung my soul with anguish, who never wronged him yet! My lips may grant him forgiveness, mine heart will never forget."

(C) "Yet hereafter shall this be bettered," whispered her kinsmen then. If only the King by kindness may win her to smile again, "He may yet by his love," said Gernot, "fill all that void in her breast." Then again said the sorrow-burdened: "Behold, I grant your request: I will meet the King, I will greet him." The word unto Gunther they bring, And to her with the best of his kinsfolk straightway cometh the King. But Hagen the murderer dared not in the presence of Kriemhild be seen: Too well did he know his vileness, the wrong he had done to the Queen. Yet, seeing her hatred of Gunther was in semblance so put by, With the kiss of reconcilement might he too have drawn nigh; Yea, but for the felon plotting, the inexpiable wrong, Even he might have stood unshrinking mid that false courtier-throng. Never was reconcilement 'twixt sundered friend and friend Made with such weeping. Rankled the wound in her heart without end. Yet unto all forgiveness she granted—save that one. No man would have slain him, had Hagen the wicked deed not done.