Thereto replied the minstrel, the haughty Swemmeline, "When in this land of Hungary your feast do you design? That to your friends exactly your purpose we may say." "About," replied King Etzel, "next midsummer day." XXVII "We'll surely do your bidding," Werbel made reply. Into her inmost chamber the queen bade by and by In secret bring the envoys, and there her will 'gan tell, Whence death and grim destruction many a good knight befell. XXVIII She said to both the envoys, "Now only serve me true, And as I command you my will discreetly do, And, when you come to Rhineland, speak but my bidding there, And I'll give you gold and raiment plenty and to spare. XXIX "To my friends, whomever you meet with, more or less, At Worms, as there you tarry, be sure you ne'er confess That ever you beheld me moody or sorrow-worn; Only let my service to the good knights be borne. XXX "Beg them to grant the favor for which the king hath sent, And so at once will vanish my only discontent. I here am fancied friendless, and scarce esteem'd aright. I'd go myself to visit them if I but were a knight. XXXI "And also to Sir Gernot, my noble brother, say, That none can love him better than his sister far away, And bid him bring me hither our friends most prov'd and true, That all may here accord us the honor that's our due. XXXII "And say, too, to young Giselher that he should bear in mind, That he never wrong'd me, but still was good and kind. My eyes are ever yearning to look upon him here, For dearly do I love him, as I to him am dear. XXXIII "And tell my noble mother what honors here I bear. Then, if Hagan of Trony resolve to tarry there, Who will there be to guide them through lands so waste and lone? But he the roads to Hungary e'en from a child has known." XXXIV Not a whit the envoys could guess her deep design In keeping him of Trony from tarrying by the Rhine. It irk'd them sore thereafter, when their unconscious breath With him had drawn the guiltless into the toils of death. XXXV Letters and goodly greetings the king was prompt to give; And riches bore they with them right sumptuously to live. So leave they took of Etzel, and of his noble queen; Adorn'd were they with raiment as rich as e'er was seen. TWENTY-FOURTH ADVENTURE HOW WERBEL AND SWEMMELINE DELIVERED THE MESSAGE I When Etzel had his envoys for the Rhenish border bown'd, From land to land the tidings at once flew wide around. He pray'd and eke commanded by many a nimble post Guests to his gorgeous festal; 'twas the doom of death to most. II So from the realm of Hungary forth the envoys went To the bold Burgundians; thither were they sent To three royal brethren and their warriors wight To bid them come to Etzel; fast prick'd they as they might. III