Volume 9 / Act 2 — SCENE VI

Flourish of trumpets. BRUNHILDA, FRIGGA, GUNTHER, HAGEN, VOLKER, retainers, KRIEMHILD and UTE approach them from the castle.

GUNTHER.

And here's the castle! My mother's coming now to welcome thee, Kriemhilda too.

VOLKER (_to BRUNHILDA, as the women approach each other).

Are they no gain to thee?

HAGEN.

Siegfried, a word! Thy trick availed us naught.

SIEGFRIED.

Availed us naught? Was she not vanquished then? Is she not here?

HAGEN.

What profit is in that?

SIEGFRIED.

Why, all!

HAGEN.

But nay! Who cannot take by force Her first caress will master nevermore This maid, and Gunther is not strong enough.

SIEGFRIED.

And has he tried?

HAGEN.

Why else should I complain? In full sight of the castle! She at first Resisted him, as it befits a maid, And as our mothers may have done of old; But when she saw that but the lightest touch Sufficed to drive the ardent wooer forth, She grew enraged, and, when he tarried still, She seized and held him with her outstretched arm Above the Rhine. A shame it was to him, A shame to all of us.

SIEGFRIED.

She is a witch!

HAGEN.

Chide not, but help!

SIEGFRIED.

I think that if the priest But married them—

HAGEN.

Were that old hag not there, The woman that attends her! All day long She spies and questions, and she sits by her As the embodiment of wise old age. I fear the nurse the most.

UTE (to KRIEMHILD and BRUNHILDA).

Now love each other, And may the circlet that your arms have twined In this first joyful moment widen out Further and further to a perfect ring Within which you may wander, side by side, Sharing your joys in harmony complete! Yours is a privilege that I had not, For what I might not say unto my lord I had to bear in silence; but at least I could not speak complainingly of him.

KRIEMHILD.

Let us be like two sisters.

BRUNHILDA.

For your sake Your son and brother may imprint the seal Upon my lips that stamps me as his maid Before the nightfall comes, for I am still Unblemished and untouched like some young tree, And were it not for your sweet gentleness Forever would I hold this shame afar.

UTE.

Thou speak'st of shame?

BRUNHILDA.

Forgive me for that word; I speak but as I feel. And I am strange Here in your world, and as my rugged land Would surely terrify you, were you there, So does your land alarm me, for I feel That here I could not have been born at all—Yet must I live here!—Is the sky so blue Forever?

KRIEMHILD.

Nearly all the time 'tis blue.

BRUNHILDA.

We know not blue, unless we see blue eyes, And those we only have with ruddy hair And milk-white faces! Is it always still, And does the wind blow never?

KRIEMHILD.

Sometimes storms O'erwhelm the land, and then the day is night With thunderpeals and lightning.

BRUNHILDA.

Would it come Today!—'Twould be a greeting from my home! I cannot well endure the brilliant light; It pains me and it makes me feel so bare, As if no garment here were thick enough! And are those flowers—red and gold and green?

KRIEMHILD. Thou ne'er hast seen them, yet thou know'st their hues?

BRUNHILDA. Of precious stones there is with us no lack— Though never white or black ones; yet my hands Have taught me white, and raven is my hair.

KRIEMHILD. Thou canst not know of fragrance!

[She plucks a violet for her.]

BRUNHILDA.

Oh how sweet! And is't that tiny flower that breathes it forth— The only one my eye did not observe? I'd love to give the flower a pretty name— But surely it is named.

KRIEMHILD.

The little flower Is lowlier than all, and none thy foot More easily had crushed, for it appears To be ashamed that it is more than grass, And so it hides its head; but yet it drew A gentle word from thee, the first we've heard. So let it be a token that within Our land is much that's hidden from thy gaze That will delight thee.

BRUNHILDA.

That I hope indeed— For I need joy! Thou know'st not what it is To be a woman, yet to overcome A man in every combat and to gain His strength that ebbs away as flows his blood, And from the steaming blood breathe in new force— To feel yourself grow stronger, braver yet, And then, when victory is surer still—

[Turning suddenly]

Frigga, I ask again! What did I see— Before that latest contest, what said I?

FRIGGA.

It seemed thy spirit must have seen this land.

BRUNHILDA.

This land!

FRIGGA.

Thou didst rejoice.

BRUNHILDA.

And I rejoiced!— Thine eyes, however, flamed.

FRIGGA.

Because I saw Thy happiness.

BRUNHILDA.

These warriors looked to me As white as snow.

FRIGGA.

They had been ever so.

BRUNHILDA.

Wherefore didst thou conceal the dream so long?

FRIGGA.

It is but now that it is clear to me, Now that I can compare.

BRUNHILDA.

If I rejoiced When my prophetic vision saw this land, I must rejoice again.

FRIGGA.

Thou surely shalt!

[Illustration: SIEGFRIED'S RETURN FROM THE SAXON WAR From the Painting by Schnorr von Carolsfeld]

BRUNHILDA.

And yet it seems to me the vision dealt With stars and metals too.

FRIGGA.

Yes, that is so. Thou said'st the stars gleamed still more brightly here. But yet that gold and silver were but dull.

BRUNHILDA.

Was't so?

FRIGGA (to HAGEN).

Is't not the truth?

HAGEN.

I paid no heed.

BRUNHILDA.

I beg you all to treat me as a child; Though I shall grow up faster than another. Yet now I am no better.

(To FRIGGA.)

That was all?

FRIGGA.

Yes, all!

BRUNHILDA.

Then all is well! Then all is well!

UTE (to GUNTHER, who has approached).

My son, if she's too bitter toward thee now, But give her time! The clamor of the crows And ravens that she heard could never make Her heart grow softer, but 'twill soften now With the lark's song and with the nightingale.

HAGEN. So speaks the minstrel when he is in love, And plays with foolish puppies. 'Tis enough! The maiden must have time to find her heart, But for the princess, hold her to her word; By right of conquest she's already thine.—Then claim thy rights!

(He calls.)

Chaplain!

(And starts on.)

GUNTHER.

I'll follow thee!

SIEGFRIED.

Wait, Gunther, wait! What didst thou promise me!

GUNTHER.

May I, my Kriemhild, choose a spouse for thee?

KRIEMHILD.

My lord and brother, be it as thou wilt!

GUNTHER (to UTE).

I have no opposition then to fear?

UTE.

Thou art the king, thy handmaids, she and I.

GUNTHER.

I beg thee then amongst my kinsfolk here: Redeem an oath for them and me, and give Thy hand to noble Siegfried.

SIEGFRIED.

I've no power To speak as I could wish to, when I gaze Upon thy face, and of my stammering tongue Perchance thou hast already heard enough. And so I ask thee as the hunter asks, But that I blow no feathers from my hat, To hide my fear: O maiden, wilt thou me? Yet lest thou err'st through my simplicity, And unenlightened actest in the dark, So let me tell thee, ere thou answer'st me, How my own mother blames me oftentimes. She says that I am surely strong enough To conquer all the world, but yet to rule The smallest molehill I'm too simple far. And if I do not lose my very eyes 'Tis only that the thing's impossible. Thou may'st believe the half of what she says, The other half though, I can well disprove. For if I once have won thee, I will show The world how I can keep unharmed mine own. Again I ask thee: Kriemhild, wilt thou me?

KRIEMHILD.

Why dost thou smile, my mother? I have not Forgotten what I dreamed, the shudder still Creeps over me and warns me more and more, But still I say with dauntless courage: Yes!

BRUNHILDA (steps between KRIEMHILD and SIEGFRIED).

Kriemhild!

KRIEMHILD.

What wilt thou?

BRUNHILDA.

I will prove myself Thy sister.

KRIEMHILD.

Now? Wherein?

BRUNHILDA (to SIEGFRIED).

How dost thou dare Aspire to her, the daughter of a king? How dost thou dare, a vassal such as thou, A serving man!

SIEGFRIED.

What?

BRUNHILDA.

Cam'st thou not as guide, As messenger departed?

(To GUNTHER.)

Canst thou suffer And aid him in such boldness?

GUNTHER.

Siegfried is The first of all our warriors.

BRUNHILDA.

Grant him then The foremost seat beside thy very throne.

GUNTHER.

In treasure, he is richer far than I.

BRUNHILDA.

Is that his claim upon thy sister? Shame!

GUNTHER.

A thousand of my enemies he's slain.

BRUNHILDA.

The man who conquered me thanks him for that?

GUNTHER.

He is a king as I am.

BRUNHILDA.

Yet he ranks Himself amongst thy servants?

GUNTHER.

I will solve This riddle for thee when thou art mine own.

BRUNHILDA.

Ere I am thine thy secret will I know.

UTE.

Thou wilt refuse to call me mother then? Oh tarry not too long, for I am old. And worn with many sorrows!

BRUNHILDA.

As I swore, I'll go with him to church, and I will be Most willingly thy daughter—not his wife.

HAGEN (to FRIGGA).

Pray quiet her!

FRIGGA.

What need is there of me? For if he once has overcome Brunhild, The second time he surely will not fail; And self-defense is every maiden's right.

SIEGFRIED (taking KRIEMHILD by the hand).

That all may know me henceforth as a king, The Niblung's treasure do I give to thee. And now thy duty and my right I claim.

[He kisses her.]

HAGEN.

To church!

FRIGGA.

Does Siegfried hold the Niblung's hoard?

HAGEN.

Thou heard'st! The trumpets!

FRIGGA.

And is Balmung[3] his?

HAGEN.

Why not? Musicians! Wedding music here!

[Loud and joyful music. Exeunt omnes.]