Page:The lay of the Nibelungs; (IA nibelungslay00hortrich).pdf/267

XIX.]

So after all this sorrow— ’tis truth—she did abide

Until the fourth year’s halving from when her husband died;

Nor all this time ’twixt Gunther and her did speech arise,

Nor did she once on Hagen, her enemy, set eyes.

Then Hagen spake, of Tronjé: “Could you not so contrive

That you might with your sister in friendly fashion live?

That so unto this country might come the Niblung gold:

If but the queen were friendly, your gain were manifold.”

He said: “We must attempt it; my brothers are with her;

We’ll beg them so to urge her that she be friendlier,

Until at last prevail we that she thereto agree.”

Quoth Hagen: “I misdoubt me that that will ever be.”

He presently bade Ortwein unto her court to go

Likewise the margrave Gere: and both of them did so.

And Giselher the youthful and Gernot, too, they brought,

Who straightway Dame Kriemhilda in friendly wise besought.

To her the valiant Gernot of Burgundy then said:

“Too long hast thou, O Lady, bewail’d thy Siegfried dead!

The king to you will swear that by him he was not slain.

Still day by day one hears thee so bitterly complain.”

Said she: “None doth accuse him: ’twas Hagen’s hand that slew;

And where he might be stricken from me alone he knew.

How could I have believed that such hate to him he bore?

More care would I have taken”— the Queen said furthermore—