undine-第11节

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after　to…morrow；　and　you　will　then　have　your　share　too　in　the
surprise。〃

The　knight　gladly　complied　with　his　wife's　desire；　which　had　been
urged　so　sweetly；　and　as　she　fell　asleep；　she　murmured　smilingly　to
herself：　〃Dear；　dear　Bertalda！　How　she　will　rejoice　and　be
astonished　at　what　her　master　of　the　fountain　told　me！〃




CHAPTER　XI。

THE　ANNIVERSARY　OF　BERTALDA'S　NAME…DAY。


The　company　were　sitting　at　dinner；　Bertalda；　looking　like　some
goddess　of　spring　with　her　flowers　and　jewels；　the　presents　of　her
foster…parents　and　friends；　was　placed　between　Undine　and　Huldbrand。
When　the　rich　repast　was　ended；　and　the　last　course　had　appeared；
the　doors　were　left　open；　according　to　a　good　old　German　custom；
that　the　common　people　might　look　on；　and　take　part　in　the　festivity
of　the　nobles。　Servants　were　carrying　round　cake　and　wine　among　the
spectators。　Huldbrand　and　Bertalda　were　waiting　with　secret
impatience　for　the　promised　explanation；　and　sat　with　their　eyes
fixed　steadily　on　Undine。　But　the　beautiful　wife　still　continued
silent；　and　only　kept　smiling　to　herself　with　secret　and　hearty
satisfaction。　All　who　knew　of　the　promise　she　had　given　could　see
that　she　was　every　moment　on　the　point　of　betraying　her　happy
secret；　and　that　it　was　with　a　sort　of　longing　renunciation　that　she
withheld　it；　just　as　children　sometimes　delay　the　enjoyment　of　their
choicest　morsels。　Bertalda　and　Huldbrand　shared　this　delightful
feeling；　and　expected　with　fearful　hope　the　tidings　which　were　to
fall　from　the　lips　of　Undine。　Several　of　the　company　pressed　Undine
to　sing。　The　request　seemed　opportune；　and　ordering　her　lute　to　be
brought；　she　sang　the　following　words：

Bright　opening　day；
　Wild　flowers　so　gay；
　Tall　grasses　their　thirst　that　slake；
　On　the　banks　of　the　billowy　lake！

What　glimmers　there　so　shining
　The　reedy　growth　entwining？
　Is　it　a　blossom　white　as　snow
　Fallen　from　heav'n　here　below？

It　is　an　infant；　frail　and　dear！
　With　flowerets　playing　in　its　dreams
　And　grasping　morning's　golden　beams；
　Oh！　whence；　sweet　stranger；　art　thou　here？

From　some　far…off　and　unknown　strand；
　The　lake　has　borne　thee　to　this　land。

Nay；　grasp　not　tender　little　one；
　With　thy　tiny　hand　outspread；
　No　hand　will　meet　thy　touch　with　love；
　Mute　is　that　flowery　bed。

The　flowers　can　deck　themselves　so　fair
　And　breathe　forth　fragrance　blest；
　Yet　none　can　press　thee　to　itself；
　Like　that　far…off　mother's　breast。

So　early　at　the　gate　of　life；
　With　smiles　of　heav'n　on　thy　brow；
　Thou　hast　the　best　of　treasures　lost；
　Poor　wand'ring　child；　nor　know'st　it　now。

A　noble　duke　comes　riding　by；
　And　near　thee　checks　his　courser's　speed；
　And　full　of　ardent　chivalry
　He　bears　thee　home　upon　his　steed。

Much；　endless　much；　has　been　thy　gain！
　Thou　bloom'st　the　fairest　in　the　land！
　Yet　ah！　the　priceless　joy　of　all；
　Thou'st　left　upon　an　unknown　strand。

Undine　dropped　her　lute　with　a　melancholy　smile；　and　the　eyes　of
Bertalda's　foster…parents　were　filled　with　tears。　〃Yes；　so　it　was　on
the　morning　that　I　found　you；　my　poor　sweet　orphan；〃　said　the　duke；
deeply　agitated；　〃the　beautiful　singer　is　certainly　right；　we　have
not　been　able　to　give　you　that　‘priceless　joy　of　all。'〃

〃But　we　must　also　hear　how　it　fared　with　the　poor　parents；〃　said
Undine；　as　she　resumed　her　lute；　and　sang：

Thro'　every　chamber　roams　the　mother；
　Moves　and　searches　everywhere；
　Seeks；　she　scarce　knows　what；　with　sadness；
　And　finds　an　empty　house　is　there。

An　empty　house！　Oh；　word　of　sorrow；
　To　her　who　once　had　been　so　blest；
　Who　led　her　child　about　by　day
　And　cradled　it　at　night　to　rest。

The　beech　is　growing　green　again；
　The　sunshine　gilds　its　wonted　spot；
　But　mother；　cease　thy　searching　vain！
　Thy　little　loved　one　cometh　not。

And　when　the　breath　of　eve　blows　cool；
　And　father　in　his　home　appears；
　The　smile　he　almost　tries　to　wear
　Is　quenched　at　once　by　gushing　tears。

Full　well　he　knows　that　in　his　home
　He　naught　can　find　but　wild　despair；
　He　hears　the　mother's　grieved　lament
　And　no　bright　infant　greets　him　there。

〃Oh！　for　God's　sake；　Undine；　where　are　my　parents〃　cried　the　weeping
Bertalda；　〃you　surely　know；　you　have　discovered　them；　you　wonderful
being；　for　otherwise　you　would　not　have　thus　torn　me　heart。　Are　they
perhaps　already　here？　Can　it　be？〃　Her　eye　passed　quickly　over　the
brilliant　company　and　lingered　an　a　lady　of　high　rank　who　was
sitting　next　her　foster…father。　Undine；　however；　turned　toward　the
door；　while　her　eyes　overflowed　with　the　sweetest　emotion。　〃Where
are　the　poor　waiting　parents？〃　she　inquired；　and；　the　old　fisherman
and　his　wife　advanced　hesitatingly　from　the　crowd　of　spectators。
Their　glance　rested　inquiringly　now　on　Undine；　now　on　the　beautiful
girl　who　was　said　to　be　their　daughter　〃It　is　she；〃　said　the
delighted　benefactress；　in　a　faltering　tone；　and　the　two　old　people
hung　round　the　neck　of　their　recovered　child；　weeping　and　praising
God。

But　amazed　and　indignant；　Bertalda　tore　herself　from　their　embrace。
Such　a　recognition　was　too　much　for　this　proud　mind；　at　a　moment
when　she　had　surely　imagined　that　her　former　splendor　would　even　be
increased；　and　when　hope　was　deluding　her　with　a　vision　of　almost
royal　honors。　It　seemed　to　her　as　if　her　rival　had　devised　all　this
on　purpose　signally　to　humble　her　before　Huldbrand　and　the　whole
world。　She　reviled　Undine；　she　reviled　the　old　people；　and　bitter
invectives；　such　as　〃deceiver〃　and　〃bribed　impostors；〃　fell　from　her
lips。　Then　the　old　fisherman's　wife　said　in　a　low　voice　to　herself：
〃Ah　me；　she　is　become　a　wicked　girl；　and　yet　I　feel　in　my　heart　that
she　is　my　child。〃

The　old　fisherman；　however；　had　folded　his　hands；　and　was　praying
silently　that　this　might　not　be　his　daughter。　Undine；　pale　as　death；
turned　with　agitation　from　the　parents　to　Bertalda；　and　from
Bertalda　to　the　parents；　suddenly　cast　down　from　that　heaven　of
happiness　of　which　she　had　dreamed；　and　overwhelmed　with　a　fear　and
a　terror　such　as　she　had　never　known　even　in　imagination。　〃have　you
a　soul？　Have　you　really　a　soul；　Bertalda？〃　she　cried　again　and　again
to　her　angry　friend；　as　if　forcibly　to　rouse　her　to　consciousness
from　some　sudden　delirium　or　maddening　nightmare。　But　when　Bertalda
only　became　more　and　more　enraged；　when　the　repulsed　parents　began
to　weep　aloud；　and　the　company；　in　eager　dispute；　were　taking
different　sides；　she　begged　in　such　a　dignified　and　serious　manner
to　be　allowed　to　speak　in　this　her　husband's　hall；　that　all　around
were　in　a　moment　silenced。　She　then　advanced　to　the　upper　end　of　the
table；　where　Bertalda　has　seated　herself；　and　with　a　modest　and　yet
proud　air；　while　every　eye　was　fixed　upon　her；　she　spoke　as
follows：

〃My　friends；　you　look　so　angry　and　disturbed　and　you　have
interrupted　my　happy　feast　by　your　disputings。　Ah！　I　knew　nothing　of
your　foolish　habits　and　your　heartless　mode　of　thinking；　and　I　shall
never　all　my　life　long　become　accustomed　to　them。　It　is　not　my　fault
that　this　affair　has　resulted　in　evil；　believe　me；　the　fault　is　with
yourselves　alone；　little　as　it　may　appear　to　you　to　be　so。　I　have
therefore　but　little　to　say　to　you；　but　one　thing　I　must　say：　I　have
spoken　nothing　but　truth。　I　neither　can　nor　will　give　you　proofs
beyond　my　own　assertion；　but　I　will　swear　to　the　truth　of　this。　I
received　this　information　from　the　very　person　who　allured　Bertalda
into　the　water；　away　from　her　parents；　and　who　afterward　placed　her
on　the　green　meadow　in　the　duke's　path。〃

〃She　is　an　enchantress！〃　cried　Bertalda；　〃a　witch；　who　has
intercourse　with　evil　spirits。　She　acknowledges　it　herself。〃

〃I　do　not；〃　said　Undine；　with　a　whole　heaven　innocence　and
confidence　beaming；　in　her　eyes。　〃I　am　no　witch；　only　look　at　me。〃

〃She　is　false　and　boastful；〃　interrupted　Bertalda；　〃and　she　cannot
prove　that　I　am　the　child　of　these　low　people。　My　noble　parents；　I
beg　you　to　take　me　from　this　company　and　out　of　this　city；　where
they　are　only　bent　on　insulting　me。〃

But　the　aged　and　honorable　duke　remained　unmoved；　and　his　wife；
said：　〃We　must　thoroughly　examine　how　we　are　to　act。　God　forbid　that
we　should　move　a　step　from　this　hall　until　we　have　done　so。〃

Then　the　old　wife　of　the　fisherman　drew　near；　and　making　a　low
reverence　to　the　duchess；　she　said：　〃Noble；　god…fearing　lady；　you
have　opened　my　heart。　I　must　tell　you。　if　this　evil…disposed　young
lady　is　my　daughter；　she　has　a　mark；　like　a　violet；　between　her
shoulders；　and　another　like　it　on　the　instep　of　her　left　foot。　If
she　would　only　go　out　of　the　hall　with　me！〃

〃I　shall　not　uncover　myself　before　the　peasant　woman！〃　exclaimed
Bertalda；　proudly　turning　her　back　on　her。

〃But　before　me　you　will。〃　rejoined　the　duchess；　very　gravely。
〃Follow　me　into　that　room；　girl；　and　the　good　old　woman　shall　come
with　us。〃　The　three　disappeared；　and　the　rest　of　the　company
remained　where　they　were；　in　silent　expectation。　After　a　short　tune
they　returned；　Bertalda　was　pale　as　death。　〃Right　is　right。〃　said
the　duchess；　〃I　must　therefore　declare　that　our　hostess　has　spoken
perfect；　truth。　Bertalda　is　the　fisherman's　daughter；　and　that　is　as
much　as　it　is　necessary　to　inform　you　here