undine-第1节

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Undine

by　Friedrich　de　la　Motte　Fouque

Translated　from　the　German　by　F。　E。　Bunnett






CONTENTS。


DEDICATION

CHAPTER

　　　　I。　　　HOW　THE　KNIGHT　CAME　TO　THE　FISHERMAN

　　　II。　　　IN　WHAT　WAY　UNDINE　HAD　COME　TO　THE　FISHERMAN

　　III。　　　HOW　THEY　FOUND　UNDINE　AGAIN

　　　IV。　　　OF　THAT　WHICH　THE　KNIGHT　ENCOUNTERED　IN　THE　WOOD

　　　　V。　　　HOW　THE　KNIGHT　LIVED　ON　THE　LITTLE　PROMONTORY

　　　VI。　　　OF　A　NUPTIAL　CEREMONY

　　VII。　　　WHAT　FURTHER　HAPPENED　ON　THE　EVENING　OF　THE　WEDDING

　VIII。　　　THE　DAY　AFTER　THE　WEDDING

　　　IX。　　　HOW　THE　KNIGHT　TOOK　HIS　YOUNG　WIFE　WITH　HIM

　　　　X。　　　HOW　THEY　LIVED　IN　THE　CITY

　　　XI。　　　THE　ANNIVERSARY　OF　BERTALDA'S　NAME…DAY

　　XII。　　　HOW　THEY　DEPARTED　FROM　THE　IMPERIAL　CITY

　XIII。　　　HOW　THEY　LIVED　AT　CASTLE　RINGSTETTEN

　　XIV。　　　HOW　BERTALDA　RETURNED　HOME　WITH　THE　KNIGHT

　　　XV。　　　THE　JOURNEY　TO　VIENNA

　　XVI。　　　HOW　IT　FARED　FURTHER　WITH　HULDBRAND

　XVII。　　　THE　KNIGHT'S　DREAM

XVIII。　　　HOW　THE　KNIGHT　HULDBRAND　IS　MARRIED

　　XIX。　　　HOW　THE　KNIGHT　HULDBRAND　WAS　BURIED




DEDICATION。

Undine；　thou　image　fair　and　blest；
　Since　first　thy　strange　mysterious　glance；
　Shone　on　me　from　some　old　romance；
　How　hast　thou　sung　my　heart　to　rest！

How　hast　thou　clung　to　me　and　smiled；
　And　wouldest；　whispering　in　my　ear；
　Give　vent　to　all　thy　miseries　drear；
　A　little　half…spoiled　timorous　child！

Yet　hath　my　zither　caught　the　sound；
　And　breathed　from　out　its　gates　of　gold；
　Each　gentle　word　thy　lips　have　told；
　Until　their　fame　is　spread　around。

And　many　a　heart　has　loved　thee　well；
　In　spite　of　every　wayward　deed；
　And　many　a　one　will　gladly　read；
　The　pages　which　thy　history　tell。

I　catch　the　whispered　hope　expressed；
　That　thou　should'st　once　again　appear；
　So　cast　aside　each　doubt　and　fear；
　And　come；　Undine！　thou　spirit　blest！

Greet　every　noble　in　the　hall；
　And　greet　'fore　all；　with　trusting　air；
　The　beauteous　women　gathered　there；
　I　know　that　thou　art　loved　by　all。

And　if　one　ask　thee　after　me；
　Say：　he's　a　true　and　noble　knight；
　Fair　woman's　slave　in　song　and　fight
　And　in　all　deeds　of　chivalry。






UNDINE。




CHAPTER　I。

HOW　THE　KNIGHT　CAME　TO　THE　FISHERMAN。


There　was　once；　it　may　be　now　many　hundred　years　ago；　a　good　old
fisherman；　who　was　sitting　one　fine　evening　before　his　door；　mending
his　nets。　The　part　of　the　country　in　which　he　lived　was　extremely
pretty。　The　greensward；　on　which　his　cottage　stood；　ran　far　into　the
lake；　and　it　seemed　as　if　it　was　from　love　for　the　blue　clear　waters
that　the　tongue　of　land　had　stretched　itself　out　into　them；　while
with　an　equally　fond　embrace　the　lake　had　encircled　the　green
pasture　rich　with　waving　grass　and　flowers；　and　the　refreshing　shade
of　trees。　The　one　welcomed　the　other；　and　it　was　just　this　that　made
each　so　beautiful。　There　were　indeed　few　human　beings；　or　rather
none　at　all；　to　be　met　with　on　this　pleasant　spot；　except　the
fisherman　and　his　family。　For　at　the　back　of　this　little　promontory
there　lay　a　very　wild　forest；　which；　both　from　its　gloom　and
pathless　solitude　as　well　as　from　the　wonderful　creatures　and
illusions　with　which　it　was　said　to　abound；　was　avoided　by　most
people　except　in　cases　of　necessity。

The　pious　old　fisherman；　however；　passed　through　it　many　a　time
undisturbed；　when　he　was　taking　the　choice　fish；　which　he　had　caught
at　his　beautiful　home；　to　a　large　town　situated　not　far　from　the
confines　of　the　forest。　The　principal　reason　why　it　was　so　easy　for
him　to　pass　through　this　forest　was　because　the　tone　of　his　thoughts
was　almost　entirely　of　a　religious　character；　and　besides　this；
whenever　he　set　foot　upon　the　evil　reputed　shades；　he　was　wont　to
sing　some　holy　song；　with　a　clear　voice　and　a　sincere　heart。

While　sitting　over　his　nets　this　evening；　unsuspicious　of　any　evil；
a　sudden　fear　came　upon　him；　at　the　sound　of　a　rustling　in　the　gloom
of　the　forest；　as　of　a　horse　and　rider；　the　noise　approaching　nearer
and　nearer　to　the　little　promontory。　All　that　he　had　dreamed；　in
many　a　stormy　night；　of　the　mysteries　of　the　forest；　now　flashed　at
once　through　his　mind；　foremost　of　all；　the　image　of　a　gigantic
snow…white　man；　who　kept　unceasingly　nodding　his　head　in　a
portentous　manner。　Indeed；　when　he　raised　his　eyes　toward　the　wood
it　seemed　to　him　as　if　he　actually　saw　the　nodding　man　approaching
through　the　dense　foliage。　He　soon；　however；　reassured　himself；
reflecting　that　nothing　serious　had　ever　befallen　him　even　in　the
forest　itself；　and　that　upon　this　open　tongue　of　land　the　evil
spirit　would　be　still　less　daring　in　the　exercise　of　his　power。　At
the　same　time　he　repeated　aloud　a　text　from　the　Bible　with　all　his
heart；　and　this　so　inspired　him　with　courage　that　he　almost　smiled
at　the　illusion　he　had　allowed　to　possess　him。　The　white　nodding　man
was　suddenly　transformed　into　a　brook　long　familiar　to　him；　which
ran　foaming　from　the　forest　and　discharged　itself　into　the　lake。　The
noise；　however；　which　he　had　heard；　was　caused　by　a　knight
beautifully　apparelled；　who；　emerging　from　the　deep　shadows　of　the
wood；　came　riding　toward　the　cottage。　A　scarlet　mantle　was　thrown
over　his　purple　gold…embroidered　doublet；　a　red　and　violet　plume
waved　from　his　golden…colored　head…gear；　and　a　beautifully　and
richly　ornamented　sword　flashed　from　his　shoulder…belt。　The　white
steed　that　bore　the　knight　was　more　slenderly　formed　than　war…horses
generally　are；　and　he　stepped　so　lightly　over　the　turf　that　this
green　and　flowery　carpet　seemed　scarcely　to　receive　the　slightest
injury　from　his　tread。

The　old　fisherman　did　not；　however；　feel　perfectly　secure　in　his
mind；　although　he　tried　to　convince　himself　that　no　evil　was　to　be
feared　from　so　graceful　an　apparition；　and　therefore　he　politely
took　off　his　hat　as　the　knight　approached；　and　remained　quietly　with
his　nets。

Presently　the　stranger　drew　up；　and　inquired　whether　he　and　his
horse　could　have　shelter　and　care　for　the　night。　〃As　regards　your
horse；　good　sir；〃　replied　the　fisherman。　〃I　can　assign　him　no　better
stable　than　this　shady　pasture；　and　no　better　provender　than　the
grass　growing　on　it。　Yourself；　however；　I　will　gladly　welcome　to　my
small　cottage；　and　give　you　supper　and　lodging　as　good　as　we　have。〃
The　knight　was　well　satisfied　with　this；　he　alighted　from　his　horse；
and；　with　the　assistance　of　the　fisherman；　he　relieved　it　from
saddle　and　bridle；　and　turned　it　loose　upon　the　flowery　green。　Then
addressing　his　host；　he　said：　〃Even　had　I　found　you　less　hospitable
and　kindly　disposed；　my　worthy　old　fisherman；　you　would　nevertheless
scarcely　have　got　rid　of　me　to…day；　for；　as　I　see；　a　broad　lake　lies
before　us；　and　to　ride　back　into　that　mysterious　wood；　with　the
shades　of　evening　coming　on；　heaven　keep　me　from　it！〃

〃We　will　not　talk　too　much　of　that；〃　said　the　fisherman；　and　he　led
his　guest　into　the　cottage。

There；　beside　the　hearth；　from　which　a　scanty　fire　shed　a　dim　light
through　the　cleanly…kept　room；　sat　the　fisherman's　aged　wife　in　a
capacious　chair。　At　the　entrance　of　the　noble　guest　she　rose　to　give
him　a　kindly　welcome；　but　resumed　her　seat　of　honor　without　offering
it　to　the　stranger。　Upon　this　the　fisherman　said　with　a　smile：　〃You
must　not　take　it　amiss　of　her；　young　sir；　that　she　has　not　given　up
to　you　the　most　comfortable　seat　in　the　house；　it　is　a　custom　among
poor　people；　that　it　should　belong　exclusively　to　the　aged。〃

〃Why；　husband；〃　said　the　wife；　with　a　quiet　smile；　〃what　can　you　be
thinking　of？　Our　guest　belongs　no　doubt　to　Christian　men；　and　how
could　it　come　into　the　head　of　the　good　young　blood　to　drive　old
people　from　their　chairs？　Take　a　seat；　my　young　master；〃　she
continued；　turning　toward　the　knight；　〃over　there；　there　is　a　right
pretty　little　chair；　only　you　must　not　move　about　on　it　too　roughly；
for　one　of　its　legs　is　no　longer　of　the　firmest。〃　The　knight　fetched
the　chair　carefully；　sat　down　upon　it　good…humoredly；　and　it　seemed
to　him　as　if　he　were　related　to　this　little　household；　and　had　just
returned　from　abroad。

The　three　worthy　people　now　began　to　talk　together　in　the　most
friendly　and　familiar　manner。　With　regard　to　the　forest；　about　which
the　knight　made　some　inquiries；　the　old　man　was　not　inclined　to　be
communicative；　he　felt　it　was　not　a　subject　suited　to　approaching
night；　but　the　aged　couple　spoke　freely　of　their　home　and　former
life；　and　listened　also　gladly　when　the　knight　recounted　to　them　his
travels；　and　told　them　that　he　had　a　castle　near　the　source　of　the
Danube；　and　that　his　name　was　Sir　Huldbrand　of　Ringstetten。　During
the　conversation；　the　stranger　had　already　occasionally　heard　a
splash　against　the　little　low　window；　as　if　some　one　were　sprinkling
water　against　it。　Every　time　the　noise　occurred；　the　old　man　knit
his　brow　with　displeasure；　but　when　at　last　a　whole　shower　was
dashed　against　the　panes；　and　bubbled　into　the　room　through　the
decayed　casement；　he　rose　angrily；　and　called　threateningly　from　the
window：　〃Undine！　will　you　for　once　leave　off　these　childish　tricks？
and　to…day；　besides；　there　is　a　stranger　knight　with　us　in　the
cottage。〃　All　was　silent　without；　only　a　suppressed　laugh　was
audible；　and　the　fishe