Page:The Nibelungenlied - tr. Shumway - 1909.pdf/374

316 to thee so doughtily and walk so uufettered before their foes.”

“Gunther and Hagen, ye should not deny me this,” spake Dietrich. “Ye have grieved my heart and mind so sore, that it were but right, and ye would requite me, I give you my hand and troth as pledge, that I will ride with you, home to your land, I’ll lead you in all honor, or else lie dead, and for your sakes I will forget my grievous wrongs.”

“Crave this no longer,” answered Hagen. “’T were but little fitting, that the tale be told of us, that two men so brave had given themselves up to you. We see none standing by you, save Hildebrand alone.”

Then up spake Master Hildebrand: “God wot, Sir Hagen, the hour will come, when ye will gladly take the peace, if so be any offer to keep it with you. Ye might well content you with the truce my lord doth offer.”

“Forsooth Id take the truce,” quoth Hagen, “or ever I’d flee from out a hall so shamefully as ye did, Master Hildebrand. I weened, ye could stand better against a foe.”

To this Hildebrand made answer: “Why twit ye me with that? Who was it sate upon a shield hard by the Waskstone, when Walter of Spain slew so many of his kin? Ye, too, have faults enow of your own to show.”

Then spake Sir Dietrich: “I doth it beseem heroes, that, they should scold like aged beldams. I forbid you, Hildebrand, to speak aught more. Grievous wrongs constrain me, homeless warrior. Let’s hear, Knight Hagen, what ye twain did speak, ye doughty men, when ye saw me coming toward you armed? Ye said, that ye alone would fain encounter me in strife.”