hey
should go to table in the presence of the kings. Many a stately warrior
followed to the seats. In fair hope the king sate now full merrily; well
he thought on that which Siegfried had vowed to do. This one day thought
him as long as thirty days, for all his thoughts were bent upon his
lady's love. He could scarce abide the time to leave the board. Now men
let fair Brunhild and Kriemhild, too, both go to their rest. Ho, what
doughty knights were seen to walk before the queens!

The Lord Siegfried sate in loving wise by his fair wife, in bliss
without alloy. With her snow-white hands she fondled his, till that he
vanished from before her eyes, she wist not when. When now she no longer
spied him, as she toyed, the queen spake to his followers: "Much this
wondereth me, whither the king be gone. Who hath taken his hands from
mine?"

She spake no other word, but he was gone to where he found many grooms
of the chamber stand with lights. These he gan snuff out in the pages'
hands. Thus Gunther knew that it was Siegfried. Well wist he what he
would; he bade the maids and ladies now withdraw. When that was done,
the mighty king himself made fast the door and nimbly shoved in place
two sturdy bolts. Quickly then he hid the lights behind the hangings of
the bed. Stout Siegfried and the maiden now began a play (for this there
was no help) which was both lief and loth to Gunther. Siegfried laid him
close by the high-born maid. She spake: "Now, Gunther, let that be, and
it be lief to you, that ye suffer not hardship as afore."

Then the lady hurt bold Siegfried sore. He held his peace and answered
not a whit. Gunther heard well, though he could not see his friend a
bit, that they plied not secret things, for little ease they had upon
the bed. Siegfried bare him as though he were Gunther, the mighty king.
In his arms he clasped the lovely maid. She cast him from the bed upon
a bench near by, so that his head struck loudly against the stool. Up
sprang the valiant man with all his might; fain would he try again. When
he thought now to subdue her, she hurt him sore. Such defense, I ween,
might nevermore be made by any wife.

When he would not desist, up sprang the maid. "Ye shall not rumple thus
my shift so white. Ye are a clumsy churl and it shall rue you sore,
I'll have you to know fall well," spake the comely maid. In her arms she
grasped the peerless knight; she weened to bind him, as she had done the
king, that she might hav