Who hath taken his hands from mine?"

She spake no other word, but he was gone to where he found many
grooms of the chamber stand with lights. These he gan snuff out
in the pages' hands. Thus Gunther knew that it was Siegfried.
Well wist he what he would; he bade the maids and ladies now
withdraw. When that was done, the mighty king himself made fast
the door and nimbly shoved in place two sturdy bolts. Quickly
then he hid the lights behind the hangings of the bed. Stout
Siegfried and the maiden now began a play (for this there was no
help) which was both lief and loth to Gunther. Siegfried laid
him close by the high-born maid. She spake: "Now, Gunther, let
that be, and it be lief to you, that ye suffer not hardship as
afore."

Then the lady hurt bold Siegfried sore. He held his peace and
answered not a whit. Gunther heard well, though he could not see
his friend a bit, that they plied not secret things, for little
ease they had upon the bed. Siegfried bare him as though he were
Gunther, the mighty king. In his arms he clasped the lovely
maid. She cast him from the bed upon a bench near by, so that
his head struck loudly against the stool. Up sprang the valiant
man with all his might; fain would he try again. When he thought
now to subdue her, she hurt him sore. Such defense, I ween,
might nevermore be made by any wife.

When he would not desist, up sprang the maid. "Ye shall not
rumple thus my shift so white. Ye are a clumsy churl and it
shall rue you sore, I'll have you to know fall well," spake the
comely maid. In her arms she grasped the peerless knight; she