ubled at the thought of the mischief which was
brewing.

"'Tis true, too true," he said, and the dark frown deepened on his face,
"that we have done a foolish thing. For we four men have come to this
cheerless land upon a hopeless errand; and, if we await the gathering of
the storm, our ruin will be wrought." And he grasped his sword-hilt with
such force, that his knuckles grew white as he paced fiercely up and
down the hall.

Dankwart, too, bewailed the fate that had driven them into this net,
from which he saw no way of escape. And both the warriors besought King
Gunther to take ship at once, and to sail for Rhineland before it was
too late. But Siegfried said,--

"What account will you give to the folk at home, if you thus go back
beaten, outwitted, and ashamed? Brave warriors, indeed! we should be
called. Wait a few days, and trust all to me. When Brunhild's warriors
shall be outnumbered by our own, she will no longer hesitate, and our
return to Rhineland shall be a triumphant one; for we shall carry the
glorious warrior-queen home with us."

"Yes," answered Hagen, mocking, "we will wait until her warriors are
outnumbered by our own. But how long shall that be? Will the lightning
carry the word to Burgundy? and will the storm-clouds bring our brave
men from across the sea? Had you allowed King Gunther's plans to be
followed, they would have been here with us now, and we might have
quelled this treason at the first."

And Dankwart said, "By this time the fields of the South-land are green
with young corn, and the meadows are full of sweet-smelling flowers, and
the summer comes on apace. Why should we stay longer in this chilly and
fog-ridden land, waiting upon the whims of a fickle maiden,--as fickle
as the winds themselves? Better face the smiles and the jeers of the
folk at home than suffer shameful shipwreck in this cold Isenland."

But Siegfried would not be moved by the weak and wavering words of his
once valiant comrades.

"Trust me," he said, "and all will yet be well. Wait here but a few days
longer in quietness, while I go aboard ship, and fare away. Within three
days I will bring to Isenstein a host of warriors such as you have never
seen. And then the fickle fancies of Brunhild will flee, and she will no
longer refuse to sail with us to the now sunny South-land."

Hagen frowned still more deeply; and as he strode away he muttered,
"He only wants to betray us, and leave us to die in this trap which