Page:The Nibelungenlied - tr. Shumway - 1909.pdf/352

294 sake of peace? Rüdeger doth think to win his castles and his lands in fight with us.”

Or ever the fiddler had ended his speech, men saw the noble Rüdeger before the house. At his feet he placed his trusty shield, and now both service and greeting he must needs refuse his friends. Into the hall the noble margrave called: ‘Ye doughty Nibelungs, now guard you well on every side. Ye were to profit by me, now I shall bring you scathe. Aforetime we were friends, but of this troth I now would fain be rid.”

The hard-pressed men were startled at this tale, for none gained aught of joy, that he whom they did love would now fain fight them. From their foes they had already suffered mickle stress of war. “Now God of heaven forbid,” spake Gunther, the knight, “that ye should give over your love of us and your great fealty, on which we counted of a truth. Better things I trow of you, than that ye should ever do this deed.”

“Alas, I cannot give it over, but must fight you, for I have vowed it. Now ward you, brave heroes, and ye love your life. King Etzel’s wife would not release me from mine oath.”

“Ye declare this feud too late,” spake the high—born king. “Now may God requite you, most noble Rüdeger, for all the love and fealty that ye have shown us, if ye would only act more kindly at the end. I and my kinsmen, we ought ever to serve you for the noble gifts ye gave us, when ye brought us hither faithfully to Etzel’s land. Now, noble Rüdeger, think on this.”

“How gladly would I grant you,” spake Knight Rü-