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Page 39
When, however, they wished to make one another understand the site,
and all cried out, "Look, there!" "No, there!" the frightful heads
all became visible to each, and the whole river around the boat
swarmed with the most horrible faces. All raised a scream of terror
at the sight, and Undine started from sleep. As she opened her eyes,
the deformed visages disappeared. But Huldbrand was made furious by
so many hideous visions. He would have burst out in wild
imprecations, had not Undine with the meekest looks and gentlest tone
of voice said--
"For God's sake, my husband, do not express displeasure against me
here--we are on the water."
The knight was silent, and sat down absorbed in deep thought. Undine
whispered in his ear, "Would it not be better, my love, to give up
this foolish voyage, and return to Castle Ringstetten in peace?"
But Huldbrand murmured wrathfully: "So I must become a prisoner in my
own castle, and not be allowed to breathe a moment but while the
fountain is covered? Would to Heaven that your cursed kindred--"
Then Undine pressed her fair hand on his lips caressingly. He said
no more; but in silence pondered on all that Undine had before said.
Bertalda, meanwhile, had given herself up to a crowd of thronging
thoughts. Of Undine's origin she knew a good deal, but not the
whole; and the terrible Kuhleborn especially remained to her an
awful, an impenetrable mystery--never, indeed, had she once heard his
name. Musing upon these wondrous things, she unclasped, without
being fully conscious of what she was doing, a golden necklace, which
Huldbrand, on one of the preceding days of their passage, had bought
for her of a travelling trader; and she was now letting it float in
sport just over the surface of the stream, while in her dreamy mood
she enjoyed the bright reflection it threw on the water, so clear
beneath the glow of evening. That instant a huge hand flashed
suddenly up from the Danube, seized the necklace in its grasp, and
vanished with it beneath the flood. Bertalda shrieked aloud, and a
scornful laugh came pealing up from the depth of the river.
The knight could now restrain his wrath no longer. He started up,
poured forth a torrent of reproaches, heaped curses upon all who
interfered with his friends and troubled his life, and dared them
all, water-spirits or mermaids, to come within the sweep of his
sword.
Bertalda, meantime, wept for the loss of the ornament so very dear to
her heart, and her tears were to Huldbrand as oil poured upon the
flame of his fury; while Undine held her hand over the side of the
boat, dipping it in the waves, softly murmuring to herself, and only
at times interrupting her strange mysterious whisper to entreat her
husband--
"Do not reprove me here, beloved; blame all others as you will, but
not me. You know why!" And in truth, though he was trembling with
excess of passion, he kept himself from any word directly against
her.
She then brought up in her wet hand, which she had been holding under
the waves, a coral necklace, of such exquisite beauty, such sparkling
brilliancy, as dazzled the eyes of all who beheld it. "Take this,"
said she, holding it out kindly to Bertalda, "I have ordered it to be
brought to make some amends for your loss; so do not grieve any more,
poor child."
But the knight rushed between then, and snatching the beautiful
ornament out of Undine's hand, hurled it back into the flood; and,
mad with rage, exclaimed: "So, then, you have still a connection with
them! In the name of all witches go and remain among them with your
presents, you sorceress, and leave us human beings in peace!"
With fixed but streaming eyes, poor Undine gazed on him, her hand
still stretched out, just as when she had so lovingly offered her
brilliant gift to Bertalda. She then began to weep more and more, as
if her heart would break, like an innocent tender child, cruelly
aggrieved. At last, wearied out, she said: "Farewell, dearest,
farewell. They shall do you no harm; only remain true, that I may
have power to keep them from you. But I must go hence! go hence even
in this early youth! Oh, woe, woe! what have you done! Oh, woe,
woe!"
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