rsuer
comes back, telling her that his enemy is dead and begging for rest and
shelter. When he tells her his name, she starts back, well knowing
that Saben, who has slain Dietrich's relatives, will not receive him
graciously. She however accompanies him to a room, and determined to
protect him against Saben's wiles, she binds up his wounds and nurses
him tenderly. Saben entering recognizes the Berner by his celebrated
helmet; he leaves the room telling Herrat to look well after such a
famous guest. But Herrat's mind misgives her, she tries to rouse the
hero, who has sunk into the sleep of exhaustion, and not succeeding,
places his arms well within his reach. When she is about to withdraw,
she sees Saben return with a band of assassins. Their murmurs rouse
Dietrich, who defends himself bravely, {131} slaying one after another.
But his strength is failing, when suddenly a disguised youth rushes to
his assistance with eight well-armed companions. Saben's men are
slain, Saben himself falls a victim to Dietrich's sword. When the
youth unmasks Dietrich recognizes in his deliverer Herrat his sweet
nurse, whose likeness to his own dead wife Gotlinde has moved him from
the first. She offers him her father's kingdom, which he though full
of love and gratitude, is loth to accept, as he only claims her heart
and hand. But ambition urges him to accept her offer, and so he not
only obtains her hand but is proclaimed King of Esthonia.

The third act presents the camp of the Huns, pitched southwards of Gran
near the Danube. Etzel has already twice granted respite to the Queen,
but as there is no trace of the two Dietrichs, Heike is now to be
executed. Old Hildebrand, one of the Berner's followers is
particularly inimical to her, because he believes her to be the cause
of his beloved master's death.

Suddenly everybody's attention is attracted to a ship approaching the
camp. Hildebrand, perceiving on it a hero in disguise, wearing
Dietrich's helmet, with Waldemar and Ilias, Etzel's enemies on his
side, calls the people to arms. But when the foreign knight disembarks
and unmasking shows the face of Dietrich von Bern, everybody is full of
joy. He brings the two hostile Kings as prisoners to Etzel and lays
the two crowns of Esthonia and of the Wiking country at his feet.

{132} Etzel's brow however remains somber; he sternly asks after
Dietrich von Reuss. The Berner unwilling to sing his own praise, is
silent, when his w