his liegemen; whatso others plied, men saw him stand full sad.
Unlike stood his and Siegfried's mood. The noble knight and good
would fain have known what ailed the king. He hasted to him and
gan ask: "Pray let me know how ye have fared this night, Sir
King."

Then spake the king to his guest: "Shame and disgrace have I won;
I have brought a fell devil to my house and home. When I weened
to love her, she bound me sore; she bare me to a nail and hung me
high upon a wall. There I hung affrighted all night until the
day, or ever she unbound me. How softly she lay bedded there!
In hope of thy pity do I make plaint to thee as friend to
friend."

Then spake stout Siegfried: "That rueth me in truth. I'll do you
this to wit; and ye allow me without distrust, I'll contrive that
she lie by you so near this night, that she'll nevermore withhold
from you her love."

After all his hardships Gunther liked well this speech. Sir
Siegfried spake again: "Thou mayst well be of good cheer. I ween
we fared unlike last night. Thy sister Kriemhild is dearer to me
than life; the Lady Brunhild must become thy wife to-night. I'll
come to thy chamber this night, so secretly in my Cloud Cloak,
that none may note at all my arts. Then let the chamberlains
betake them to their lodgings and I'll put out the lights in the
pages' hands, whereby thou mayst know that I be within and that
I'll gladly serve thee. I'll tame for time thy wife, that thou
mayst have her love to-night, or else I'll lose my life."