undine-第10节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



But　she　turned　from　him　with　alarm；　and　exclaimed：　〃I　have　nothing
more　to　do　with　you。〃

〃Ho；　ho；〃　laughed　the　stranger；　〃what　is　this　immensely　grand
marriage　you　have　made；　that　you　don't　know　your　own　relations　any
longer？　Have　you　forgotten　your　uncle　Kuhleborn；　who　so　faithfully
bore　you　on　his　back　through　this　region？〃

〃I　beg　you；　nevertheless；〃　replied　Undine；　〃not　to　appear　in　my
presence　again。　I　am　now　afraid　of　you；　and　suppose　my　husband
should　learn　to　avoid　me　when　he　sees　me　in　such　strange　company　and
with　such　relations！〃

〃My　little　niece；〃　said　Kuhleborn；　〃you　must　not　forget　that　I　am
with　you　here　as　a　guide；　the　spirits　of　earth　that　haunt　this　place
might　otherwise　play　some　of　their　stupid　pranks　with　you。　Let　me
therefore　go　quietly　on　with　you；　the　old　priest　there　remembered　me
better　than　you　appear　to　have　done；　for　he　assured　me　just　now　that
I　seemed　familiar　to　him；　and　that　I　must　have　been　with　him　in　the
boat；　out　of　which　he　fell　into　the　water。　I　was　so；　truly　enough；
for　I　was　the　water…spout　that　carried　him　out　of　it　and　washed　him
safely　ashore　for　your　wedding。〃

Undine　and　the　knight　turned　toward　Father　Heilmann；　but　he　seemed
walking　on；　as　in　a　sort　of　dream；　and　no　longer　to　be　conscious　of
all　that　was　passing。　Undine　then　said　to　Kuhleborn；　〃I　see　yonder
the　end　of　the　forest。　We　no　longer　need　your　help；　and　nothing
causes　us　alarm　but　yourself。　I　beg　you；　therefore；　in　all　love　and
good…will；　vanish；　and　let　us　proceed　in　peace。〃

Kuhleborn　seemed　to　become　angry　at　this；　his　countenance　assumed　a
frightful　expression；　and　he　grinned　fiercely　at　Undine；　who
screamed　aloud　and　called　upon　her　husband　for　assistance。　As　quick
as　lightning；　the　knight　sprang　to　the　other　side　of　the　horse；　and
aimed　his　sharp　sword　at　Kuhleborn's　head。　But　the　sword　cut　through
a　waterfall；　which　was　rushing　down　near　them　from　a　lofty　crag；　and
with　a　splash；　which　almost　sounded　like　a　burst　of　laughter；　it
poured　over　them　and　wet　them　through　to　the　skin。

The　priest；　as　if　suddenly　awaking；　exclaimed　〃I　have　long　been
expecting　that；　for　the　stream　ran　down　from　the　height　so　close　to
us。　At　first　it　really　seemed　to　me　like　a　man；　and　as　if　it　could
speak。〃　As　the　waterfall　came　rushing　down；　it　distinctly　uttered
these　words　in　Huldbrand's　ear：

〃Rash　knight；
　Brave　knight；
　Rage；　feel　I　not；
　Chide；　will　I　not。
　But　ever　guard　thy　little　wife　as　well；
　Rash　knight；　brave　knight！　Protect　her　well！〃

A　few　footsteps　more；　and　they　were　upon　open　ground。　The　imperial
city　lay　bright　before　them；　and　the　evening　sun；　which　gilded　its
towers；　kindly　dried　the　garments　of　the　drenched　wanderers。




CHAPTER　X。

HOW　THEY　LIVED　IN　THE　CITY。


The　sudden　disappearance　of　the　young　knight；　Huldbrand　von
Ringstetten；　from　the　imperial　city；　had　caused　great　sensation　and
solicitude　among　those　who　had　admired　him；　both　for　his　skill　in
the　tournament　and　the　dance；　and　no　less　so　for　his　gentle　and
agreeable　manners。　His　servants　would　not　quit　the　place　without
their　master；　although　not　one　of　them　would　have　had　the　courage　to
go　in　quest　of　him　into　the　shadowy　recesses　of　the　forest。　They
therefore　remained　in　their　quarters；　inactively　hoping；　as　men　are
wont　to　do；　and　keeping　alive　the　remembrance　of　their　lost　lord　by
their　lamentations。　When；　soon　after；　the　violent　storms　and　floods
were　observed；　the　less　doubt　was　entertained　as　to　the　certain
destruction　of　the　handsome　stranger；　and　Bertalda　openly　mourned
for　him　and　blamed　herself　for　having　allured　the　unfortunate　knight
into　the　forest。　Her　foster…parents；　the　duke　and　duchess；　had　come
to　fetch　her　away；　but　Bertalda　entreated　them　to　remain　with　her
until　certain　intelligence　had　been　obtained　of　Huldbrand's　fate。
She　endeavored　to　prevail　upon　several　young　knights；　who　were
eagerly　courting　her；　to　follow　the　noble　adventurer　to　the　forest。
But　she　would　not　pledge　her　hand　as　a　reward　of　the　enterprise；
because　she　always　cherished　the　hope　of　belonging　to　the　returning
knight；　and　no　glove；　nor　riband；　nor　even　kiss；　would　tempt　any　one
to　expose　his　life　for　the　sake　of　bringing　back　such　a　dangerous
rival。

When　Huldbrand　now　suddenly　and　unexpectedly　appeared；　his　servants。
and　the　inhabitants　of　the　city；　and　almost　every　one；　rejoiced。
Bertalda　alone　refused　to　do　so；　for　agreeable　as　it　was　to　the
others　that　he　should　bring　with　him　such　a　beautiful　bride；　and
Father　Heilmann　as　a　witness　of　the　marriage；　Bertalda　could　feel
nothing　but　grief　and　vexation。　In　the　first　place；　she　had　really
loved　the　young　knight　with　all　her　heart；　and　in　the　next；　her
sorrow　at　his　absence　had　proclaimed　this　far　more　before　the　eyes
of　all；　than　was　now　befitting。　She　still；　however；　conducted
herself　as　a　wise　maiden；　reconciled　herself　to　circumstances；　and
lived　on　the　most　friendly　terms　with　Undine；　who　was　looked　upon
throughout　the　city　as　a　princess　whom　Huldbrand　had　rescued　in　the
forest　from　some　evil　enchantment。　When　she　or　her　husband　were
questioned　on　the　matter；　they　were　wise　enough　to　be　silent　or
skilfully　to　evade　the　inquiries。　Father　Heilmann's　lips　were　sealed
to　idle　gossip　of　any　kind；　and　moreover；　immediately　after
Huldbrand's　arrival；　he　had　returned　to　his　monastery；　so　that
people　were　obliged　to　be　satisfied　with　their　own　strange
conjectures；　and　even　Bertalda　herself　knew　no　more　of　the　truth
than　others。

Day　by　day；　Undine　felt　her　affection　increase　for　the　fair　maiden。
〃We　must　have　known　each　other　before；〃　she　often　used　to　say　to
her。　〃or　else；　there　must　be　some　mysterious　connection　between　us；
for　one　does　not　love　another　as　dearly　as　I　have　loved　you　from　the
first　moment　of　our　meeting　without　some　causesome　deep　and　secret
cause。〃　And　Bertalda　also　could　not　deny　the　fact　that　she　felt
drawn　to　Undine　with　a　tender　feeling　of　confidence；　however　much
she　might　consider　that　she　had　cause　for　the　bitterest　lamentation
at　this　successful　rival。　Biassed　by　this　mutual　affection；　they
both　persuadedthe　one　her　foster…parents；　the　other　her　husband
to　postpone　the　day　of　departure　from　time　to　time；　indeed；　it　was
even　proposed　that　Bertalda　should　accompany　Undine　for　a　time　to
castle　Ringstetten；　near　the　source　of　the　Danube。

They　were　talking　over　this　plan　one　beautiful　evening；　as　they　were
walking　by　starlight　in　the　large　square　of　the　Imperial　city；　under
the　tall　trees　that　enclose　it。　The　young　married　pair　had　incited
Bertalda　to　join　them　in　their　evening　walk；　and　all　three　were
strolling　up　and　down　under　the　dark…blue　sky；　often　interrupting
their　familiar　talk　to　admire　the　magnificent　fountain　in　the　middle
of　the　square；　as　its　waters　rushed　and　bubbled　forth　with　wonderful
beauty。　It　hid　a　soothing　happy　influence　upon　them；　between　the
shadows　of　the　trees　there　stole　glimmerings　of　light　from　the
adjacent　houses；　a　low　murmur　of　children　at　play；　and　of　others
enjoying　their　walk；　floated　around　them；　they　were　so　alone；　and
yet　in　the　midst　of　the　bright　and　living　world；　whatever　had
appeared　difficult　by　day；　now　became　smooth　as　of　itself；　and　the
three　friends　could　no　longer　understand　why　the　slightest
hesitation　had　existed　with　regard　to　Bertalda's　visit　to
Ringstetten。　Presently；　just　as　they　were　on　the　point　of　fixing　the
day　for　their　common　departure；　a　tall　man　approached　them　from　the
middle　of　the　square；　bowed　respectfully　to　the　company；　and　said
something　in　the　ear　of　the　young　wife。　Displeased　as　she　was　at　the
interruption　and　its　cause；　she　stepped　a　little　aside　with　the
stranger；　and　both　began　to　whisper　together；　as　it　seemed；　in　a
foreign　tongue。　Huldbrand　fancied　he　knew　the　strange　man；　and　he
stared　so　fixedly　at　him　that　he　neither　heard　nor　answered
Bertalda's　astonished　inquiries。

All　at　once　Undine；　clapping　her　hands　joyfully；　and　laughing；
quitted　the　stranger's　side；　who；　shaking　his　head；　retired　hastily
and　discontentedly；　and　vanished　in　the　fountain。　Huldbrand　now　felt
certain　on　the　point；　but　Bertalda　asked：　〃And　what　did　the　master
of　the　fountain　want　with　you；　dear　Undine？〃

The　young　wife　laughed　within　herself；　and　replied：　〃The　day　after
to…morrow；　my　dear　child；　on　the　anniversary　of　your　name…day；　you
shall　know　it。〃　And　nothing　more　would　she　disclose。　She　invited
Bertalda　and　sent　an　invitation　to　her　foster…parents；　to　dine　with
them　on　the　appointed　day；　and　soon　after　they　parted。

〃Kuhleborn？　was　it　Kuhleborn？〃　said　Huldbrand；　with　a　secret
shudder；　to　his　beautiful　bride；　when　they　had　taken　leave　of
Bertalda；　and　were　now　going　home　through　the　darkening　streets。

〃Yes；　it　was　he；〃　replied　Undine；　〃and　he　was　going　to　say　all　sorts
of　nonsensical　things　to　me。　But；　in　the　midst；　quite　contrary　to
his　intention；　he　delighted　me　with　a　most　welcome　piece　of　news。　If
you　wish　to　hear　it　at　once；　my　dear　lord　and　husband；　you　have　but
to　command；　and　I　will　tell　it　you　without　reserve。　But　if　you　would
confer　a　real　pleasure　on　your　Undine；　you　will　wait　till　the　day
after　to…morrow；　and　you　will　then　have　your　share　too　in　the
surprise。〃

The　kni