Page:MU KPB 001 The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie - Illustrated by Artur Rackham.pdf/93

Alberich	Ah, the dolt, The dreamer I was, To trust blindly The treacherous thief! Fearful revenge Shall follow this wrong!
Loge	Vain talk this of vengeance Before thy freedom is won. To a man in bonds No free man expiates outrage. If vengeance thou dreamest, Dream of the ransom First without further delay! [He shows him the kind of ransom by snap­ping his fingers.
Alberich	Declare then your demands.
Wotan	The hoard and thy gleaming gold.
Alberich	Pack of unscrupulous thieves! [Aſide. If I only can keep the ring, The hoard I can lightly let go, For anew I could win it And add to its worth By the powerful spell of the ring. If as warning it serves To make me more wise, The warning will not have been lost, Even though lost may be the gold.
Wotan	Wilt yield up the hoard?
Alberich	Loosen my hand To summon it here. [Loge frees his right hand.

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