SCENE IX
In the cathedral. Torches. The Chaplain with other priests is at one side before an iron door. At the main entrance of the cathedral about sixty of HAGEN's kindred are assembled. Finally HAGEN, GUNTHER and the others. Knocking is heard.
CHAPLAIN.
Who knocks
VOICE FROM WITHOUT.
A great king from the Netherlands
Whose crowns are as the fingers on his hands.
CHAPLAIN.
I know him not.
[The knocking is repeated.]
Who knocks?
VOICE FROM WITHOUT.
A warrior brave,
Whose trophies are as many as his teeth.
CHAPLAIN.
I know him not.
[The knocking is repeated.]
Who knocks?
VOICE FROM WITHOUT.
Thy brother Siegfried,
Whose sins are as the hairs upon his head.
CHAPLAIN.
Then open!
[The door is opened and SIEGFRIED's body is brought in on the bier. KRIEMHILD and UTE with their maidens follow him.]
CHAPLAIN (turning toward the bier).
Thou art welcome, my dead brother, For peace thou seekest here! [To the women whom he keeps away from the coffin by coming between them and it, while it is being set down.]
Be welcome too,
If you are seeking peace as Siegfried is.
[He holds up the cross before KRIEMHILD.]
Thou turn'st away from this most holy cross?
KRIEMHILD.
I come to ask for justice and for truth.
CHAPLAIN.
Thou seekest vengeance, and the Lord hath said,
Vengeance is mine. It is the Lord alone
Who sees what's hidden. He alone requites.
KRIEMHILD.
I am a woman, weak, half crushed to earth;
No warrior can I strangle with my hair.
What vengeance then is left for me, I pray?
CHAPLAIN.
Why should'st thou search to find thine enemy,
Unless thou seek'st on him to take revenge?
His Judge knows all, and is not that enough?
KRIEMHILD.
I do not want to curse the innocent.
CHAPLAIN.
Then curse thou no man, and 'twill not befall!—
Thou poor frail child created but from dust
And ashes, with no strength to breast the wind,
Thy burden's great, well may'st thou cry to heaven,
Yet gaze on Him who bore a greater still!
In humblest guise He came upon the earth,
And took upon Himself the sins of men,
And suffered for atonement all the griefs
That ever there have been throughout all time—
The griefs that follow fallen mortals still.
He suffered in thy sorrow more than thou!
And heavenly power flowed from out His lips
And all the angels floated round his head,
But Jesus Christ was faithful unto death—
Unto His shameful death upon the cross.
This sacrifice He brought thee in his love,
In pity that we may not comprehend.
Wilt thou deny thine offering to Him?
Then let them bury him! And turn thou back!
KRIEMHILD.
Thy work is done, and I will now do mine!
[She goes and stands at the head of the coffin.]
Approach the bier, the dread ordeal begins!
CHAPLAIN (goes also to the coffin and stands at the foot.
Three trumpet blasts are heard).
HAGEN (to GUNTHER).
What then has happened?
GUNTHER.
Murder has been done.
HAGEN.
Why stand I here?
GUNTHER.
Suspicion rests on thee.
HAGEN.
My kin are gathered here. Of my fair name
I'll question them.—Are ye prepared to swear
That Hagen Tronje is no murderer?
ALL EXCEPT GISELHER.
We are prepared.
HAGEN.
Thou'rt silent, Giselher?
Wilt thou not for thine uncle take thine oath
That Hagen Tronje is no murderer?
GISELHER (raising his hand).
I am prepared.
HAGEN.
Ye need not take the oath.
[He goes forward to KRIEMHILD in the cathedral.]
Thou see'st, my kin will clear me when I will,
'Tis needless that I now approach the bier,
Yet will I stand there and will be the first!
[He walks slowly to the bier.]
UTE.
Oh Kriemhild, do not look.
KRIEMHILD.
Perchance he lives!
My Siegfried! Had he strength to speak one word
Or gaze but once upon me!
UTE.
My poor child,
It is but nature, moving once again.
Ghastly enough!
CHAPLAIN.
It is the hand of God,
That softly stirs once more these sacred springs
Because He must inscribe the sign of Cain.
HAGEN (bending over the coffin).
The scarlet blood! I ne'er believed the sign!
But now I see it here with mine own eyes.
KRIEMHILD.
Yet thou canst stand and gaze?
[She springs toward him.]
Away, thou fiend!
Who knows but every drop of blood gives pain,
That thy foul, murderous presence draws from him!
HAGEN.
Fair Kriemhild, if a dead man's blood still boils,
Why may not mine? I am a living man.
KRIEMHILD.
Away! Away! I'd seize thee with my hands,
Had I but some one who would back them off
And cast them from me that I might be clean—
For washing would not cleanse them, even if
I dipped them in thy blood. Away! Away!
So stood'st thou not to deal the deadly blow,
Thy wolfish eyes fixed on him steadily,
With fiendish grin disclosing thy intent
Before the time! But slyly didst thou creep
Behind him, ever shrinking from his gaze,
As wild beasts do that fear the human eye,
And peered to find the spot, that I—Thou dog,
What was thine oath to me?
HAGEN.
To shelter him
From fire and water.
KRIEMHILD.
Not from human foes?
HAGEN.
That too, and I'd have done it.
KRIEMHILD.
Thou didst mean
To murder him thyself?
HAGEN.
To punish him!
KRIEMHILD.
Was murder ever called a punishment
Since heaven and earth began?
HAGEN. I'd challenged him
To mortal combat, thou may'st take my word,
But none might tell the hero from the dragon,
And dragons must be killed. So proud a knight,
Why did he hide him in the dragon's skin!
KRIEMHILD.
The dragon's skin! He had to slay him first,
And with the dragon slew he all the world!
The forest depths with all their monstrous beasts,
And every warrior that had feared to slay
The dreadful dragon, Hagen with the rest!
Thy slander cannot harm him. But the dart
Thine envy borrowed from thy wickedness.
And folk will tell of his nobility
As long as men still dwell upon the earth,
And just so long they'll tell thy tale of shame.
HAGEN.
So be it then!
[He takes SIEGFRIED'S sword, Balmung, from beside the body.]
And now 'twill never end!
[He girds on the sword and walks slowly back to his kindred.]
KRIEMHILD.
To murder foul is added robbery!
(To GUNTHER.)
A judgment, Gunther! Judgment I demand.
CHAPLAIN.
Remember Him who on the cross forgave!
KRIEMHILD.
A judgment! If the king denies it me,
The blood of Siegfried stains his mantle too.
UTE. Cease, Kriemhild! Thou wilt ruin thy whole house!
KRIEMHILD.
So be it! For the measure's over full!
[She turns toward SIEGFRIED'S body and falls upon the bier.]
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: Siegfried's wonderful sword is named Balmung.]
[Footnote 2: The reference is to a passage in the Chanson de Roland. Roland was in command of a rear guard and was warned of the approach of a large force of Saracens. His comrade Oliver begged him to sound his horn and summon Charlemagne and his forces. Roland would not blow the horn until nearly all his men were slain. At last, however, the Saracens learned of Charlemagne's approach and fled. Roland then blew his horn once more and died alone on the field as he heard Charlemagne's battle cry.—TRANSLATOR.]
[Footnote 3: Balmung is the name of Siegfried's magical sword.]
[Footnote 4: The Mandrake is a plant growing in the Mediterranean region and belonging to the potato family. It was early famed for its poisonous and narcotic qualities. Love philtres were also made from its roots, and an old High German story tells of little images made from the root, thus endowed with the power of prophecy and respected as oracles. Probably Hebbel refers to the German tradition, as he is speaking of the dwarfs who are both small and wise. The German name of the plant is Alraune.—TRANSLATOR.]
[Footnote 5: The translator finds that authorities and versions of the tale differ as to Siegfried's "Kappe." In Maurice Grau's Götterdaemmerung libretto it is called in the English translation "Tarnhelm," and Siegfried hangs it to his belt when not in use. Dippold in his account of the Nibelung tale speaks of the Tarn kappe or magic cap of darkness which renders the wearer invisible. But the Encyclopaedia Britannica speaks of the "cape of darkness" and Heath's Dictionary gives cap first, but calls Tarn kappe "hiding cape." In either case invisibility was obtained.—TRANSLATOR.]