Eckart said: "Thou hast of old called me thy friend; but these thoughts are now far from thee. Never did I act against thee; still have I honoured and loved thee as my prince; and God forbid that I should now, as I well might, lay my hand upon my sword, and seek revenge of thee. No, I will depart from thy sight, and die in solitude." So saying, he went out; and Burgundy was moved in his mind; but at his call, the guards appeared with their lances, who encircled him on all sides, and motioned to drive Eckart from the chamber with their weapons. To horse the hero springs, Wild through the hills he rideth: "Of hope in earthly things, Now none with me abideth. My sons are slain in youth, I have no child or wife; The Prince suspects my truth, Has sworn to take my life." Then to the wood he turns him, There gallops on and on; The smart of sorrow burns him, He cries: "They're gone, they're gone All living men from me are fled, New friends I must provide me, To the oaks and firs beside me, Complain in desert dead. There is no child to cheer me, By cruel wolves they're slain; Once three of them were near me, I see them not again." As Eckart cried thus sadly, His sense it pass'd away; He rides in fury madly Till dawning of the day. His horse in frantic speed Sinks down at last exhausted; And naught does Eckart heed, Or think or know what caused it; But on the cold ground lie, Not fearing, loving longer; Despair grows strong and stronger, He wishes but to die. No one about the Castle knew whither Eckart had gone; for he had lost himself in the waste forests, and let no man see him. The Duke dreaded his intentions; and he now repented that he had let him go, and not laid hold of him. So, one morning, he set forth with a great train of hunters and attendants, to search the woods, and find out Eckart; for he thought, that till Eckart were destroyed, there could be no security. All were unwearied, and regardless of toil; but the sun set without their having found a trace of Eckart. A storm came on, and great clouds flew blustering over the forest; the thunder rolled, and lightning struck the tall oaks: all present were seized with an unquiet terror, and they gradually dispersed among the bushes, or the open spaces of the wood. The Duke's horse plunged into the thicket; his squires could not follow him: the gallant horse rushed to the ground; and Burgundy in vain called through the tempest to his servants; for there was no one that could hear him.