How eloquent the music of these exciting scenes!--Crashing chords of the Ring Motive followed by that of the Curse, as _Brünnhilde_ recognizes the ring on _Siegfried's_ finger, the Motive of Vengeance, the Walhalla Motive, as she invokes the gods to witness her humiliation, the touchingly pathetic Motive of Brünnhilde's Pleading, as she vainly strives to awaken fond memories in _Siegfried_; then again the Motive of Vengeance, as the oath is about to be taken, the Murder Motive and the Hagen Motive at the taking of the oath, for the spear is _Hagen's_; and in _Brünnhilde's_ asseveration, the Valkyr music coursing through the orchestra.
It is _Hagen_ who offers his weapon for the oath. "Guardian of honour, hallowed weapon," swears _Siegfried_, "where steel can pierce me, there pierce me; where death can be dealt me, there deal it me, if ever I was wed to Brünnhilde, if ever I have wronged Gutrune's brother."
At his words, _Brünnhilde_, livid with rage, strides into the circle of men, and thrusting _Siegfried's_ fingers away from the spearhead, lays her own upon it.
"Guardian of honour, hallowed weapon," she cries, "I dedicate your steel to his destruction. I bless your point that it may blight him. For broken are all his oaths, and perjured now he proves himself."
_Siegfried_ shrugs his shoulders. To him _Brünnhilde's_ imprecations are but the ravings of an overwrought brain. "Gunther, look to your lady. Give the tameless mountain maid time to rest and recover," he calls out to Gutrune's brother. "And now, men, follow us to table, and make merry at our wedding feast!" Then with a laugh and in highest spirits, he throws his arm about _Gutrune_ and draws her after him into the hall, the vassals and women following them.
But _Brünnhilde_, _Hagen_, and _Gunther_ remain behind; _Brünnhilde_ half stunned at sight of the man with whom she has exchanged troth, gaily leading another to marriage, as though his vows had been mere chaff; _Gunther_, suspicious that his honour wittingly has been betrayed by _Siegfried_, and that _Brünnhilde's_ words are true; _Hagen_, in whose hands _Gunther_ is like clay, waiting the opportunity to prompt both _Brünnhilde_ and his half-brother to vengeance.