God be thanked! For hadst thou ever seen him as I saw him on the morning of the battle in which he fell ... arrayed in golden armour ... and the white steed pranced beneath him, and his yellow locks streamed like sunlight about him. And he laughed the foe in the face.... Laughed like a child!... Ah, laughing to die like him!
His lot was easy, Sire! He went from hence, but left to thee as an inheritance the half-destroyed kingdom.... How shouldst thou then have laughed?
Is it not so?--Is it not so?--How ... Ah, that doeth good! (_Stretching himself_.) Ah, thou doest me good!
But hadst thou seen him and compared him to me, thou wouldst spit upon me!
I should have seen only thee, Sire dear, dear Sire!
(Teja _looks askance at her, shyly and distrustfully, then walks silently to the left, sinks down before the seat on the throne, and burying his face in the chair, weeps bitterly_.)
(_Follows him shyly and kneels down beside him_.) Teja, beloved, if I hurt thee, pardon me!
That thou hast seen me weep! Swear it to me!
It hath been told me that I am now even as a piece of thy body--and of thy soul also!... Wherefore should I swear?
If thou art a piece of my body, then come nearer to me, that thou mayst not see my tears.
Let me dry them for thee! See, for this cause am I here.
Ah, 'tis well with me.... I must indeed have died of shame, for never yet hath a Gothic man been seen to weep. Even when we buried Totilas, we wept not.... Yet I am not ashamed.... If I but knew why suddenly it is so well with me!... Balthilda, I will tell thee something. But thou must not laugh me to scorn.
Alas, surely thou hast given everything away!
Oh, by no means! Go just over there, wilt thou? (_She obeys_.) Behind my couch--seest thou the fireplace?
Now feel within! Deep, deep!... There Ildibad the old miser--well?
A couple of bread crusts; is that all, Sire?
May I not then go quickly over to the Wagenburg?... Perhaps still ...
Oh nay.... They themselves need the fragments.... Bring that hither! As brothers we shall share it--eh? And then there is sufficient for both. Wilt thou?
So, now give to me! Ah, that is good to the taste! Is it not good to the taste? But ah, thou also must eat.
Nay, that is against the agreement.... So.... Is it not good to the taste?