The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Ix Part 60

Thou liest! 'Twas Thine envy!

HAGEN.

Silence!

SIEGFRIED.

Threats for a dead man?

Aimed I so true that thou dost fear me still?

Then draw, for now I fall, and thou canst dare To spit upon me like a heap of dust, For here I lie--

[_He falls to the ground._]

And you are free from Siegfried!

Yet know, the blow that slew him killed you too, For who will trust you? They will drive you forth As I had driven the Danes.

HAGEN.

This simpleton!

He hath not grasped our trick!

SIEGFRIED.

Then 'tis not true?

Oh, horrible, that men should lie like this!

Ah well! You are alone in this! And folk Will always curse you too, whene'er they curse.

They'll say: Toads, vipers and Burgundians!

Nay you are first: Burgundians, vipers, toads.

For all is lost to you--n.o.bility And honor, fame and all, are lost with me!

There is no bound nor limit now for crime, The arm indeed may pierce the heart, but when The heart is dead the arm is useless too.

My wife! My poor, foreboding, tender wife-- How wilt thou bear the blow! If Gunther's heart Still means to do one deed of faith and love, May he be kind to thee!--Yet rather go Unto my father!--Hearest thou, Kriemhild?

[_He dies._]

HAGEN.

He's silent now. Small merit is in that!

DANKWART.

What shall we tell?

HAGEN.

Some stupid tale of thieves Who killed him in the forest. It is true None will believe it, yet I think that none Will call us liars. Once again we stand Where none will dare to call us to account; For we're like fire and water. Till the Rhine Seeks out some lie to justify its floods, And fire explains why it has broken forth, We need not fear accusers. Thou, my King, Gav'st no commands--thou should'st remember that!

The blame is mine alone. Now bear him forth!

[_Exeunt with the body._]

SCENE III

_KRIEMHILD'S room. Deep night._

KRIEMHILD.

'Tis far too early yet. It is my blood That wakened me, and not the c.o.c.k I heard, Or seemed to hear.

[_She goes to the window and opens it partly._]

The stars are s.h.i.+ning still, It surely is an hour yet till ma.s.s.

Today I long to go to church and pray.

SCENE IV

_Enter UTE softly._

UTE.

Already up, Kriemhild?

KRIEMHILD.

I am amazed That thou art up, for thou hast always slept More soundly after dawn and claimed thy right To have thy daughter wake thee, as thou her So long ago.

UTE.

Today I could not sleep, I heard strange sounds.

KRIEMHILD.

And didst thou mark them too?

UTE.

It was like people trying to be still.

KRIEMHILD.

So I was right?

UTE.

They seemed to hold their breath, Yet dropped a sword that clanged! On tiptoe walked, And yet upset the brazier! Hushed the dog, Yet trod upon his paw.

KRIEMHILD.