To this Hagen made answer: "I'll let you hear. We'll bid messengers,
that be not known to any here, ride into our land, to declare war upon
us openly. Then do ye say before your guests that ye and your men will
take the field. When that is done, he will vow to serve you then and
from this he shall lose his life, an' I learn the tale from the bold
knight's wife."
The king followed his liegeman Hagen in evil wise. These chosen knights
gan plan great faithlessness, or ever any one was ware. From two women's
quarreling full many a hero lost his life.
ENDNOTES:
(1) "Leman" (M.E. "lemman", O.E. "leof mann", 'lief man', i.e.,
'dear one'), 'mistress' in a bad sense.
ADVENTURE XV. How Siegfried Was Betrayed.
Upon the fourth morning two and thirty men were seen to ride to court
and the tale was brought to mighty Gunther that war had been declared.
The very direst woes befell fair women from a lie. They gained leave
to come before the king and say that they were Liudeger's men, whom
Siegfried's hand had conquered afore and had brought as hostages to
Gunther's land. He greeted then the messengers and bade them go and seat
them. One among them spake: "My lord, pray let us stand till we have
told the message we do bear you. This know, ye have of a truth many
a mother's son as foe. Liudegast and Liudeger, whom ye one time gave
grievous sores, declare a feud against you and are minded to ride with
an army to this land." The king waxed wroth when he heard This tale.
Men bade lead the perjurers to their lodgings. How might Siegfried, or
any else against whom they plotted, ware himself against their wiles?
This later brought great sorrow to them all. The king walked whispering
with his friends; Hagen of Troneg never let him rest. Enow of the king's
liegemen would fain have parted the strife, but Hagen would not give
up his plan. On a day Siegfried found them whispering. The hero of
Netherland gan ask: "How go the king and his men so sadly? I'll help
avenge it, hath any done you aught."
Then spake King Gunther: "I am rightly sad. Liudegast and Liudeger have
challenged me to war; they are minded to ride openly into my land."
At this the bold knight said: "Siegfried's hand shall hinder that with
zeal, as beseemeth all your honors. I'll do yet to these knights as I
did before; I'll lay waste their lands, or ever I turn again. Be my head
your pledge of this. Ye and your warriors shall stay at home and let me
ride to meet them with those I have. I'll let you see how fain I serve
you. This know, through me it shall go evil with your foes."
"Well is me of these tidings," spake then the king, as though he were
glad in earnest of this aid. With guile the faithless man bowed low.