Part 27 (2/2)

?If he died as a warrior, then it is well for him,? replied the grim Hagen; ?but, brother Dankwart, ye are red with blood.?

??Tis but my weeds which ye see thus wet,? said Dankwart carelessly.

?The blood is that of other men, so many in sooth that I could not give ye tale of the number.?

?Guard the door, brother,? said Hagen fiercely; ?guard it yet so that not a single Hun may escape. I will hold parley with these brave warriors who have so foully slain defenceless men.?

?Well will I guard the doorway,? laughed Dankwart; ?I shall play ye the part of chamberlain, brother, in this great business.?

The Beginning of the Slaughter

Hagen, mortally incensed at the slaughter of the Burgundians by the Huns, and wrongly suspecting Etzel of conspiracy in the affair, drew his sword, and with one blow of the weapon smote off the head of young Ortlieb, the son of Etzel and Kriemhild. Then began a slaughter grim and great. The Huns fought at first in self-defence, but as they saw their friends fall they laid on in good earnest and the combat became general.

At length Dietrich of Bern, as a neutral, intervened, and succeeded in bringing about a half-truce, whereby Etzel, Kriemhild, and Rudiger were permitted to leave the hall, the remainder of Etzel?s attendants being slaughtered like sheep. In great wrath Etzel and Kriemhild offered heavy bribes to any who would slay Hagen. Several attempts were made, but without avail; and the terrible conflict continued till nightfall, when a truce was called. From his place of vantage in the hall Giselher reproached his sister with her treachery, and Kriemhild offered to spare her brothers if they would consent to give up Hagen. But this offer they contemptuously refused, holding death preferable to such dishonour.

Kriemhild, in her bitter hate, set the hall on fire, and most of the Burgundians perished in the conflagration. Kriemhild and the Huns were astounded, however, when in the morning they discovered six hundred of the Burgundians were still alive. The queen appealed to Rudiger to complete the slaughter, but he, aghast at the idea of attacking friends whom he had sworn to protect, was about to refuse, when Kriemhild reminded him of his oath to her. With sorrow he proceeded to fulfil his promise, and Giselher, seeing his approach, imagined he came as an ally.

But Rudiger promptly disillusioned him. The Burgundians were as loath to attack Rudiger as he them, and Hagen and he exchanged s.h.i.+elds. The combat recommenced, and great was the slaughter of the Burgundians, until Gernot and Rudiger came together and slew one another. At this, Wolfhart, Dietrich of Bern?s lieutenant, led his men against the Burgundians to avenge Rudiger?s death, and Giselher and Wolfhart slew one another. Volker and Dankwart were also slain. At length all were dead save Gunther and Hagen, whom Dietrich accosted and whom he offered to save. But this offer Hagen refused. Then the Lord of Bern grew wroth.

Dietrich Intervenes

Dietrich then donned his armour and was a.s.sisted to accoutre himself by Hildebrand. He felt a heroic mood inspire him, a good sword was in his hand, and a stout s.h.i.+eld was on his arm, and with the faithful Hildebrand he went boldly thence.

Hagen espied him coming and said: ?Yonder I see Sir Dietrich. He desires to join battle with us after his great sorrow. To-day shall we see to whom must go the palm. I fear him not. Let him come on.?

This speech was not unheard of Dietrich and Hildebrand, for Hagen came to where he found the hero leaning against the wall of the house.

Dietrich set his s.h.i.+eld on the ground and in woeful tones said: ?O king, wherefore have ye treated me so? All my men are gone, I am bereft of all good, Knight Rudiger the brave and true is slain. Why have ye done these things? Never should I have worked you such sorrow. Think on yourselves and on your wrongs. Do ye not grieve for the death of your good kinsmen?

Ah, how I mourn the fall of Rudiger! Whatsoever joy I have known in life that have ye slain. It is not for me to sorrow if my kin be slain.?

?How so, Dietrich?? asked Hagen. ?Did not your men come to this hall armed from head to heel with intent to slay us??

Then spake Dietrich of Bern. ?This is fate?s work and not the doing of man,? said the hero. ?Gunther, thou hast fought well. Yield thee now as hostage, no shame shall it be to thee. Thou shalt find me true and faithful with thee.?

?Nay, G.o.d forbid,? cried Hagen; ?I am still unfettered and we are only two. Would ye have me yield me after such a strife??

?Yet would I save thy life, brave and n.o.ble Hagen,? said Dietrich earnestly. ?Yield thee, I beg, and I will convoy thee safe home to Rhineland.?

?Nay, cease to crave this thing,? replied Hagen angrily. ?Such a tale shall never be told of me. I see but two of ye, ye and Hildebrand.?

Hildebrand, addressing Hagen, then said that the hour would come when he would gladly accept the truce his lord offered, but Hagen in reply twitted Hildebrand with the manner in which he had fled from the hall.

Dietrich interrupted them, saying that it ill beseemed heroes to scold like ancient beldams, and forbade Hildebrand to say more. Then, seeing that Hagen was grim of mood, Dietrich s.n.a.t.c.hed up his s.h.i.+eld. A moment later Hagen?s sword rang on his helm, but the Lord of Bern guarded him well against the dreadful blows. Warily did he guard him against Hagen?s mighty falchion Balmung. At last he dealt Hagen a wound deep and wide.

But he did not wish to slay him, desiring rather to have such a hero as hostage. Casting away his s.h.i.+eld, in his arms he gripped Hagen of Trony, who, faint from loss of blood, was overthrown. At that Gunther began to wail greatly. Dietrich then bound Hagen and led him to where stood Kriemhild and gave him into her hand. Right merry was she at the sight and blessed Dietrich, bowing low before him, telling him that he had requited her of all her woes, and that she would serve him until death.

But Dietrich begged Hagen?s life of the Queen, telling her that he would requite her of all that he had done against her. ?Let him not suffer,?

said he, ?because you see him stand there bound.? But she ordered that Hagen be led away to durance.

Dietrich then went to where Gunther stood in the hall and engaged him in strife. Loudly rang the swords as the two heroes circled in fight, dealing mighty blows on each other?s helm, and men there had great wonder how Sir Dietrich did not fall, so sorely angry was Gunther for the loss of Hagen. But the King?s blood was seen to ooze through his armourings, and as he grew fainter Dietrich overcame him as he had done Hagen and bound him. Then was he too taken before Kriemhild, and once again the n.o.ble Dietrich begged a life from the Queen. This she gladly promised, but treachery was in her heart. Then went she to Hagen and said to him that if he would return the Nibelungs? treasure to her he might still go home safe and sound to Burgundy. The grim champion answered that she wasted her words, and that he had sworn an oath not to show the h.o.a.rd while any of his lords still lived. At that answer a terrible thought entered the mind of Kriemhild, and without the least compunction she ordered that her brother Gunther?s life be taken. They struck off his head like that of a common malefactor, and by the hair she carried it to the Knight of Trony. Full sorrowfully he gazed upon it, then turning his eyes away from the haggard and distorted features, he said to Kriemhild:

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