GUTRUNE
Siegfried—mine?
[She returns to her room greatly excited. Siegfried has seized an oar and rows the boat down-stream, so that it is soon lost to view.
HAGEN
[Sits motionless, his back against the door-post of the hall.
On guard here I sit
Watching the house,
Warding the hall from the foe:
Gibich's son
Is sped by the wind,
And sails away for a wife;
A hero bold
Of the helm has charge,
And danger braves for his sake;
His bride once loved
He brings to the Rhine;
With her he brings me—the ring.
O merry comrades,
Freeborn and honoured,
Gaily speed on in your pride!
Base though ye deem him,
The Niblung's son
Shall yet be your lord.
[A curtain which frames the front of the hall is drawn, and cuts the stage off from the audience.
The curtain is raised again. The rocky height as in the Prelude. Brünnhilde sits at the entrance to the cave in silent contemplation of Siegfried's ring. Moved by blissful memories, she covers the ring with kisses. Distant thunder is heard; she looks up and listens. She turns to the ring again. A flash of lightning. Again she listens, and looks into the distance, whence a dark thunder-cloud is approaching the rock.
BRÜNNHILDE