by:
And as still lay that Image of Gunnar as the dead of life forlorn,
And hand on hand he folded as he waited for the morn.
So oft in the moonlit minster your fathers may ye see
By the side of the ancient mothers await the day to be."

When the fourth morning dawned, Sigurd drew the ring Andvaranaut from
Brunhild's hand, and, replacing it by another, he received her solemn
promise that in ten days' time she would appear at the Niblung court
to take up her duties as queen and faithful wife.

"'I thank thee, King, for thy goodwill, and thy pledge of love
I take,
Depart with my troth to thy people: but ere full ten days are o'er
I shall come to the Sons of the Niblungs, and then shall we part
no more
Till the day of the change of our life-days, when Odin and Freya
shall call.'"

The promise given, Sigurd again passed out of the palace, through the
ashes, and joined Gunnar, with whom, after he had reported the success
of his venture, he hastened to exchange forms once more. The warriors
then turned their steeds homeward, and only to Gudrun did Sigurd reveal
the secret of her brother's wooing, and he gave her the fatal ring,
little suspecting the many woes which it was destined to occasion.

The Coming of Brunhild

True to her promise, Brunhild appeared ten days later, and solemnly
blessing the house she was about to enter, she greeted Gunnar
kindly, and allowed him to conduct her to the great hall, where sat
Sigurd beside Gudrun. The Volsung looked up at that moment and as he
encountered Brunhild's reproachful eyes Grimhild's spell was broken and
the past came back in a flood of bitter recollection. It was too late,
however: both were in honour bound, he to Gudrun and she to Gunnar,
whom she passively followed to the high seat, to sit beside him as
the scalds entertained the royal couple with the ancient lays of
their land.

The days passed, and Brunhild remained apparently indifferent, but
her heart was hot with anger, and often did she steal out of her
husband's palace to the forest, where she could give vent to her
grief in solitude.

Meanwhile, Gunnar perceived the cold indifference of his wife to his
protestations of affection, and began to have jealous suspicions,
wondering whether Sigurd had honestly told the true story of the
wooing, and fearing lest he had taken advantage of his position to win
Brunhild's love. Sigurd alone continued the even tenor