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This famous pair of warriors asunder then withdrew,

Hagen, the lord of Tronjé, and noble Dietrich, too.

Whereon across his shoulder look’d Gunther’s man around

In hope to see a comrade, whom in a trice he found;

For there Sir Volker standing by Giselher he saw;

He begg’d that cunning minstrel aside with him to draw,

For well was he acquainted with his unyielding mood.

In sooth, he was in all points a warrior bold and good.

They left the lords together standing in the courtyard.

’Twas seen how they twain only, and not another, fared

Across the court wide-stretching before a palace great;

Those chosen men of valour had fear of no man’s hate.

They sat upon a settle against the palace front,

Hard by a hall which Kriemhild herself to use was wont.

Brightly upon their bodies their noble raiment shone,

And plenty who beheld them would gladly them have known.

Like wild beasts of the forest those haughty heroes then

Were gaped upon and gazed at by all the Hunnish men.

The wife of Etzel spied them athwart a window-pane:

Whereby the fair Kriemhilda was sorely grieved again.