"Now welcome to me is thy saying," the King said joyful-voiced, As though in the proffered helping indeed and in truth he rejoiced. In his falseness lowly he bowed him, that King of the traitor-heart! Yet again spake Siegfried the noble, "Let all your fears depart." Plotters and vassals prepared them, as it were for the war-march, then; But all was done for a semblance unto Siegfried and his men. And the hero bade his warriors of Netherland arm for the fray; And straightway the knights of Siegfried sought out their war-array. {P. 121} To his sire spake Siegfried the mighty: "Here in the land remain, Siegmund my father: returning soon shalt thou see us again, So God but grant good fortune to us, to the land of the Rhine. While thou with the King abidest fair days and glad shall be thine." Now all were at point of departing: banners to staves they bound. Many of Gunther's liegemen the while were standing round: But that all was hollow semblance no man of these was ware. Sooth, mighty was the war-host arrayed round Siegfried there. The hauberks and the helmets on the horses laded they: Knights many stalwart and fearless would forth of the land straightway. Then stole thence Hagen of Troneg: to the presence of Kriemhild he came, As who, ere they marched unto battle, would take his leave of the dame. "Now happy am I," said Kriemhild, "to have won to myself such a lord Who unto my friends belovèd is so mighty a battle-ward As Siegfried is to my brethren when he aideth them in fight; And for this am I heart-uplifted," said the Queen, "with abiding delight. Hagen, friend well-belovèd, I pray thee, of this take thought-- I have joyed to do thee service, nor borne thee malice in aught: Let this be requited in kindness to my belovèd lord. Let him suffer not for my speaking to Brunhild a hasty word. Thereof," said the noble lady, "constrained have I been to repent: He hath visited on my body in sorest chastisement My folly of speech in stirring the Queen unto angry mood: He hath verily well avenged her, that noble knight and good." "Yet a little while, and atonement shall she accept of thee," He said, "dear Lady Kriemhild: now I pray thee, tell unto me In what wise I may do thee service through Siegfried thy lord and thy knight. None living would I, O lady, for thy kindness so gladly requite." "For him were I wholly dreadless," made answer Siegfried's wife, "Lest any in storm of battle should imperil mine hero's life, {P. 122} Were it not for his reckless defying of danger in battle's van; Else would he aye go scatheless, that good and valiant man." "O Lady, if this thou fearest," in his subtlety Hagen replied, "Lest in battle he haply be wounded, then unto me confide How best I may devise it, such peril to withstand; Then for his warding ever will I ride full near at hand."