Straight his lord he answer'd, "'Twas Hagan did it all; This wound, that so is bleeding, he gave me in the hall, As from the knight I turn'd me, and would have left the strife. Scarce from that very devil have I escaped with life." LXXIX Him thus the Berner answer'd, "This mishap's your due; You heard me promise friendship to yonder knightly crew, And yet the peace I gave them you have presum'd to break, Were it not beneath me, your life for it I'd take." LXXX "Nay, my good Lord Dietrich, be not so wroth of mood; To me and mine already has too much loss accrued. We wish'd the noble Rudeger to take from where he died; We ask'd the men of Gunther, and proudly were denied." LXXXI "Woe's me for this misfortune! Is Rudeger then dead? Him must I wail forever; now I indeed am sped. Woe for the Lady Gotelind! My cousin's child is she. Woe, too, for the poor orphans that at Bechlaren be!" LXXXII The margrave's death impress'd him with pity and ruth so deep, He could refrain no longer, but straight began to weep. "Alas! My faithful comrade! Such loss I needs must rue. Ne'er can I cease bewailing King Etzel's liegeman true. LXXXIII "Come now, Master Hildebrand, the truth discover plain, Tell me, who's the champion, who has the margrave slain." Said he, "'Twas noble Gernot whose strength the margrave sped; He by the hand of Rudeger in turn was stricken dead." LXXXIV Then thus replied Sir Dietrich, "Thither will I anon; So go and tell my warriors their armor straight to don, And bid my glittering hauberk be brought me instantly; I myself will question yon knights of Burgundy." LXXXV Then spake Master Hildebrand, "Whom would you have me call? Of those who yet are living you see before you all; I'm now your only soldier, the others they are dead." Sore shudder'd then Sir Dietrich for dole and drearihead. LXXXVI In all the world such ruin did ne'er the knight befall. Said he, "If they have slaughtered my liegemen one and all, Then I'm of God forgotten. Poor Dietrich! Lost am I, Who was a king but lately so haughty and so high." LXXXVII Then further spake the champion, "But how could this have passed? How could such puissant warriors have perish'd to the last By battle-wearied foemen, fainting and need-beset? Sure, but through my ill-fortune they had been living yet. LXXXVIII "Since my hard fate condemns me to suffer every ill, Tell me, of those grim strangers if one be living still." Then answer'd Master Hildebrand, "God knows, their lives not one, Save Hagan and King Gunther; the rest their course have run." LXXXIX "Ah! woe is me, dear Wolfhart; since thou from me art torn, Well may it repent me that ever I was born. Siegstab, Wolfwine, and Wolfbrand, my true and trusty band! Who back can ever help me to th' Amelungers' land? XC