Page:The lay of the Nibelungs; (IA nibelungslay00hortrich).pdf/219

XIV.]

Thereon the king’s wife answer’d: “I will not let it be!

Why should I yield my claim to so many a good knight’s fee,

Who, like the thane, thy husband, doth suit and service owe?”

At this the beauteous Kriemhild began with wrath to glow.

“The thought thou must abandon, that he to thee did e’er

Owe any kind of service; he is far worthier

Than is my brother Gunther,— right noble though he be.

Withdraw me now this saying that I have heard from thee!

“I cannot choose but wonder, since he thy vassal is,

And thou o’er our two persons hast mastery like this,

That he his dues unto you hath set so long aside!

With right do I demur to thine overweening pride.”

“Thou ratest thyself too highly!” the king’s wife answer’d then,

“Now will I gladly prove me whether thou hast of men

As much respect and honour as they accord to me!”

By this time both the ladies were wrathful as could be.

Then cried the Lady Kriemhild: “This must at once be seen!

If that my lord’s thy vassal, as thou hast sworn, O queen,

To-day must I the liegemen of both the kings let know

Whether before the king’s wife to church I dare to go.

“This very day I’ll show thee that I am fealty-free,

And that my man’s more worthy than ever thine will be!

And I myself, moreover, will not be slighted so:

Thou shalt to-day be witness how I, thy vassal, go