The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie. The Ring of the Niblung, part 1. Рихард Вагнер

keep by cunning

      The wonderful work,

      Though all his skill

      Came alone from my craft.

      Thou art discovered, thief.

      [He puts the Tarnhelm on his head.

      The helmet fits the head;

      But will the spell prosper too?

      [Very softly.

      "Night and darkness,

      Seen of none!"

      [He vanishes, and a pillar of cloud takes his place.

      Brother, canst see me?

      MIME [Looks round in amaze.

      Where art thou? I see no one.

      ALBERICH [Invisible.

      Then feel me instead,

      Thou lazy scamp!

      Take that for thy thievish thoughts!

      MIME

      [Writhes under the lathes he receives, the sound of which is heard without the whip being seen.

      Ohé! Ohé!

      Oh! Oh! Oh!

      ALBERICH [Invisible and laughing.

      Ha! ha! ha!

      Ha! ha! ha!

      I thank thee, blockhead;

      Thy work has stood the test.

      Hoho! Hoho!

      Nibelungs all

      Bow now to Alberich!

      For he is everywhere,

      Waiting and watching;

      Peace and rest

      Are past for ever;

      Ye must all serve him,

      Though see him can none;

      Where he cannot be spied

      Look out for his coming;

      None shall escape from his thraldom!

      [Harshly.

      Hoho! hoho!

      Hearken, he nears:

      The Nibelung's lord!

      [The pillar of cloud disappears in the background. Alberich's scolding voice is heard more and more faintly. Mime lies huddled up in pain. Wotan and Loge come down through a cleft in the rock.

      LOGE

      Nibelheim here.

      Through pale mists gleaming,

      How bright yonder fiery sparks glimmer!

      MIME

      Oh! Oh! Oh!

      WOTAN

      I hear loud groans.

      Who lies on the ground?

      Mime writhes under the lashes he receives.

      LOGE [Bends over Mime.

      Why all this whimpering noise?

      MIME

      Ohé! Ohé!

      Oh! Oh!

      LOGE

      Hei, Mime! Merry dwarf!

      Who beats and bullies thee so?

      MIME

      Leave me in peace, pray.

      LOGE

      So much is certain,

      And more still. Hark!

      Help I promise thee, Mime!

      [He raises him with difficulty.

      MIME

      What help for me?

      To do his bidding

      My brother can force me,

      For I am bound as his slave.

      LOGE

      But, Mime, how has he

      Thus made thee his thrall?

      MIME

      By evil arts

      Fashioned Alberich

      A yellow ring,

      From the Rhinegold forged,

      At whose mighty magic

      Trembling we marvel;

      This spell puts in his power

      The Nibelung hosts of night.

      Happy we smiths

      Moulded and hammered,

      Making our women

      Trinkets to wear—

      Exquisite Nibelung toys—

      And lightly laughed at our toil.

      The rogue now compels us

      To creep into caverns,

      For him alone

      To labour unthanked.

      Through the golden ring

      His greed can divine

      Where untouched treasure

      In hidden gorge gleams.

      We still must keep spying,

      Peering and delving:

      Must melt the booty,

      Which, molten, we forge

      Without pause or peace,

      To heap up higher his hoard.

      LOGE

      Just now, then, an idler

      Roused him to wrath?

      MIME

      Poor Mime, ah!

      My lot was the hardest.

      I had to work,

      Forging a helmet,

      With strict instructions

      How to contrive it;

      And well I marked

      The wondrous might

      Bestowed by the helm

      That from steel I wrought.

      Hence I had gladly

      Held it as mine,

      And, by its virtue

      Risen at last in revolt:

      Perchance, yes, perchance

      The master himself I had mastered,

      And, he in my power, had wrested

      The ring from him and used it

      That he might serve me, the free man,

      [Harshly

      As now I must serve him, a slave!

      LOGE

      And wherefore, wise one,

      Sped