Who, like the thane, thy husband, doth suit and service owe?”
At this the beauteous Kriemhild began with wrath to glow.
824
“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!
825
“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.”
826
“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.
827
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.
828
“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
829
To court before the warriors of royal Burgundy.
I’ll prove myself more worthy than e’er was known to be
Any princess whatever who here hath worn the crown!”
Thus hate enough and envy betwixt the dames was sown.
830
“Dost thou deny,” cried Brunhild, “that thou our vassal art?
So must thou with thy women keep from my train apart,
When I and my attendants unto the minster go.”
To that Kriemhilda answer’d: “In truth, it shall be so!”
831
“Now robe yourselves, my maidens,” commanded Siegfried’s wife.
“For we no shame must suffer whilst here we live our life;
That ye have rich apparel ye must let all folk see.
She shall repent at leisure what she hath said to me!”
832
There was small need to urge them: they sought their richest gear,
And many a dame and maiden right well-dight did appear.
When came with her attendants the noble Gunther’s dame,
Then also in fine raiment the fair Kriemhilda came.
833
With three and forty maidens, whom she to Rhine had brought,
Who wore fine-woven silk stuffs in Araby y-wrought.
So came unto the minster the comely maidens all:
They found all Siegfried’s liegemen waiting before the hall.
834
The people fell to marvel how it had come about
That these two royal ladies had plainly fallen out,
And went no more together, as erewhile they were fain.
Therefrom befell hereafter sore woe to many a thane.
835
King Gunther’s wife stood waiting before the minster door;
The while much pleasant pastime had many a warrior
With the fair waiting-women, whom she with her did bring;
Then came the noble Kriemhild with her brave following.
836
Such costume as the daughters of noble knights might wear,
Compared with what her maids wore was common as the air;
In gear she was so wealthy, that thirty queens had shown
No such display of raiment as this fair queen alone.
837
Had anyone been wishful he never could have said
That any richer clothing had e’er been worn of maid
Than on that day adornéd her noble company:
Except to vex Brunhilda, Kriemhild had let it be.
838
The two queens came together before the minster wide,
And thereupon the hostess, by hatred moved and pride,
With evil voice and gesture Kriemhilda bade to stay:
“Before the queen a vassal shall ne’er take right of way!”
839
Then spake the fair Kriemhilda: (and wrathful was her mood)
“Couldst thou but have been silent, for thee it had been good!
Thou hast disgraced thy beauty and stain’d thy purity:
How should a shameless wanton a king’s wife ever be?”
840
“Whom art thou calling ‘Wanton’?” in answer cried the queen.
“That call I thee,” quoth Kriemhild’; “thy body fair hath been
Woo’d first, not by thy husband, but by my lord, Siegfried:
I trow ’twas not my brother who won thy maidenhead!
841
“Where hadst thou left thy senses? it was a trick of his.
Why didst thou let him woo thee, who but thy liegeman is?
I hear thee,” said Kriemhilda, “without all reason scold.”
“Now this, in truth,” cried Brunhild, “shall be to Gunther told!”
842
“And why should that annoy me? thy pride hath thee betray’d:
To cite me to thy service by word thou hast essay’d.
This know now, of a surety I grieve that it be so:
All confidence is over for aye betwixt us two.”
843
Brunhilda wept, but Kriemhild no longer tarried there;
Before the king’s wife passing, with all her maidens fair,
She went into the minster: such hate did this beget
That many bright eyes later were sore bedimm’d and wet.
844
How much soe’er they worshipp’d, by service and by song,
Unto the Queen Brunhilda the time seem’d all too long:
So full she was of trouble, in body and in mood.
For which hereafter suffer’d bold warriors and good.
845
Brunhilda with her women stay’d by the minster door;
She thought: “Now must Kriemhilda, let me hear something more
Of what she rail’d so loudly— the scolding, sharp-tongued wife!
If Siegfried hath been boasting, ’twill stand him in his life.”
846
Forth came the noble Kriemhild, with many gallant men.
Dame Brunhild called unto her: “Now stand you still again—
You said I was a wanton, that shall you prove to me:
That word of yours, be certain, hath stung me bitterly!”
847
Thereto said dame Kriemhilda: “ ’Twere best to let me fare!
By this gold ring I’ll prove it, which on my hand I wear;
’Twas brought to me by Siegfried when by your side he lay.”
Ne’er yet had Queen Brunhilda outlived a sadder day.
848
She spake: “This golden jewel was from me stol’n away,
And hath from me most wrongly been hidden many a day.
I now at last discover who stole my ring from me!”
By this time were both ladies in direst enmity.
849
Yet spake Kriemhilda further: “I will not pass for thief!
Thou mightst have kept thy counsel, to thee were honour lief.
This girdle be my witness, that round my waist I wear,
That I am not a liar. Ay! Siegfried was thy dear.”
850
The girdle she was wearing was silk from Nineveh,
With precious stones for fastening, right good it was to see.
When dame Brunhild beheld it to weeping she did fall:
It must be told to Gunther and to his lieges all.
851
Then spake the queen in answer: “Go hence, and bring to me
The sovran-prince of Rhineland, and from my lips shall he
Hear how his sister flouts me, and slandereth my life,
By openly declaring I have been Siegfried’s wife!”
852
The king came with his warriors; and when the weeping eyes
He saw of his belov’d one, he spake, in kindly wise:
“Now tell me, dearest lady, who hath done aught to thee?”
Unto the king she answered: “Aye joyless must I be!
853
“Kriemhilda of mine honour would like to
