e guise of Gunther."

At this all the vassals murmured, and Gunther began to feel
resentment, notwithstanding the part he had played in the deception.
Bruennhilde wildly accused them both, and everybody cried out against
Siegfried, Gutrune, too, accusing him. All the women called upon the
knight to defend himself if he could, but he called for the spear's
point on which to take an oath. When Hagen presented the spear to him,
the knight laid his two fingers upon it and swore that he had been a
faithful friend to Gunther, and that Bruennhilde's words were false.
Bruennhilde, thus wronged, struck his hand from the spear and placing
her own upon it, swore that Siegfried should die by that same spear's
point.

By this time the quarrel had waxed so hot that the vassals and women
called upon Donner to send his thunder, to silence it.

In the midst of the threats and confusion, Siegfried went close to
Gunther and said aside:

"Brother, I am sorrier than thou art for all this, but it must have
been the fault of the Tarnhelm which must have hidden only half of me.
Thus, Bruennhilde cannot know whose wife she really is. But thou
knowest well, that I won her for thee, and have no love for any but
Gutrune. Come, let's be gay, and leave this poor girl to rest, so
that she may recover herself. Like enough it is the strangeness of
this place, after her wild, free life in her mountains, that gives her
these uncanny thoughts."

Gunther, convinced by Siegfried's words, joined him in urging all to
make gay upon this day of double marriage, and finally they followed
Siegfried out into the forest, shouting and laughing, to feast and
make sacrifices.

_Scene V_

Bruennhilde, Gunther, and Hagen remained in the hall after Siegfried
had been followed out by the company, and the Valkyrie stood, gloomily
bewailing her fate; till Hagen, watching fate work Siegfried's ruin,
went at last to the unhappy wife.

"Give me thy trust, Bruennhilde," he said; "I will avenge thy wrongs."

"How wilt thou avenge me? One glance of Siegfried's eye would kill
thee, if he so willed it." she answered, looking at Hagen darkly. "No
weapon can pierce him in battle: I enchanted him against all
danger--except some one thrust at him from behind. In the back I did
not guard him. I would not protect him in cowardice, but Siegfried
will never turn his back upon the enemy. Thou canst not kill him in
battle."

Gunther then began to bemoan his disgrace; but Brue