Page:The Nibelungenlied - tr. Shumway - 1909.pdf/175

Rh this tale, she shall rue it sore, or ever I turn back, and I’ll clear me with solemn oaths in front of all thy men, that I have not told her this.”

Quoth the king of the Rhineland: “Let that be seen. The oath thou dost offer, and let it now be given, shall free thee of all false charges.”

They bade the proud Burgundians form a ring. Siegfried, the bold, stretched out his hand for the oath; then spake the mighty king: “Thy great innocence is so well known to me, that I will free thee of that of which my sister doth accuse thee and say, thou hast never done this thing.”

Siegfried replied: “If it boot my lady aught to have thus saddened Brunhild, that will surely cause me boundless grief.”

Then the lusty knights and good gazed one upon the other. “One should so train women,” spake again Siegfried, the knight, “that they leave haughty words unsaid. Forbid it to thy wife, and I’ll do the same to mine. In truth, I do shame me of her great discourtesie.”

Many fair ladies were parted by the speech. Brunhild mourned so sore, that it moved King Gunther’s men to pity. Then came Hagen of Troneg to his sovran lady. He found her weeping, and asked what grief she had. She told him then the tale. On the spot he vowed that Kriemhild’s lord should rue it sore, or he would nevermore be glad. Ortwin and Gernot joined their parley and these heroes counseled Siegfried’s death. Giselher, the son of the noble Uta, came hither too. When he heard the talk, he spake full true: “Ye trusty knights, wherefore do ye this?