undine-第12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！


perfect；　truth。　Bertalda　is　the　fisherman's　daughter；　and　that　is　as
much　as　it　is　necessary　to　inform　you　here。〃

The　princely　pair　left　with　their　adopted　daughter；　and　at　a　sign
from　the　duke；　the　fisherman　and　his　wife　followed　them。　The　other
guests　retired　in　silence　or　with　secret　murmurs；　and　Undine　sank
weeping　into　Huldbrand's　arms。




CHAPTER　XII。

HOW　THEY　DEPARTED　FROM　THE　IMPERIAL　CITY。


The　lord　of　Ringstetten　would　have　certainly　preferred　the　events　of
this　day　to　have　been　different；　but　even　as　they　were；　he　could
scarcely　regret　them　wholly；　as　they　had　exhibited　his　charming　wife
under　such　a　good　and　sweet　and　kindly　aspect。　〃If　I　have　given　her
a　soul；〃　he　could　not　help　saying　to　himself；　〃I　have　indeed　given
her　a　better　one　than　my　own；〃　and　his　only　thought　now　was　to　speak
soothingly　to　the　weeping　Undine；　and　on　the　following　morning　to
quit　with　her　a　place　which；　after　this　incident；　must　have　become
distasteful　to　her。　It　is　true　that　she　was　not　estimated
differently　to　what　she　had　been。　As　something　mysterious　had　long
been　expected　of　her；　the　strange　discovery　of　Bertalda's　origin　had
caused　no　great　surprise；　and　every　one　who　had　heard　the　story　and
had　seen　Bertalda's　violent　behavior；　was　disgusted　with　her　alone。
Of　this；　however；　the　knight　and　his　lady　knew　nothing　as　yet；　and；
besides；　the　condemnation　or　approval　of　the　public　was　equally
painful　to　Undine；　and　thus　there　was　no　better　course　to　pursue
than　to　leave　the　walls　of　the　old　city　behind　them　with　all　the
speed　possible。

With　the　earliest　beams　of　morning　a　pretty　carriage　drove　up　to　the
entrance　gate　for　Undine：　the　horses　which　Huldbrand　and　his　squires
were　to　ride　stood　near；　pawing　the　ground　with　impatient　eagerness。
The　knight　was　leading　his　beautiful　wife　from　the　door。　when　a
fisher…girl　crossed　their　way。　〃We　do　not　need　your　fish；〃　said
Huldbrand　to　her；　〃we　are　now　starting　on　our　journey。〃　Upon　this
the　fisher…girl　began　to　weep　bitterly；　and　the　young　couple
perceived　for　the　first　time　that　it　was　Bertalda。　They　immediately
returned　with　her　to　their　apartment；　and　learned　from　her　that　the
duke　and　duchess　were　so　displeased　at　her　violent　and　unfeeling
conduct　on　the　preceding　way；　that　they　had　entirely　withdrawn　their
protection　from　her；　though　not　without　giving　her　a　rich　portion。

The　fisherman；　too；　had　been　handsomely　rewarded；　and　had　the
evening　before　set　out　with　his　wife　to　return　to　their　secluded
home。

〃I　would　have　gone　with　them；〃　she　continued；　〃but　the　old
fisherman；　who　is　said　to　be　my　father〃

〃And　he　is　so　indeed；　Bertalda；〃　interrupted　Undine。　〃Look　here；　the
stranger；　whom　you　took　for　the　master　of　the　fountain；　told　me　the
whole　story　in　detail。　He　wished　to　dissuade　me　from　taking　you　with
me　to　castle　Ringstetten；　and　this　led　him　to　disclose　the　secret。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Bertalda；　〃if　it　must　be　so；　my　father　said；　'I
will　not　take　you　with　me　until　you　are　changed。　Venture　to　come　to
us　alone　through　the　haunted　forest；　that　shall　be　the　proof　whether
you　have　any　regard　for　us。　But　do　not　come　to　me　as　a　lady；　come
only　as　a　fisher…girl！'　So　I　will　do　just　as　he　has　told　me；　for　I
am　forsaken　be　the　whole　world；　and　I　will　live　and　die　in　solitude
as　a　poor　fisher…girl；　with　my　poor　parents。　I　have　a　terrible　dread
though　of　the　forest。　Horrible　spectres　are　said　to　dwell　in　it；　and
I　am　so　fearful。　But　how　can　I　help　it？　I　only　came　here　to　implore
pardon　of　the　noble　lady　of　Ringstetten　for　my　unbecoming　behavior
yesterday。　I　feel　sure；　sweet　lady；　you　meant　to　do　me　a　kindness；
but　you　knew　not　how　you　would　wound　me；　and　in　my　agony　and
surprise；　many　a　rash　and　frantic　expression　passed　my　lips。　Oh
forgive；　forgive！　I　am　already　so　unhappy。　Only　think　yourself　what
I　was　yesterday　morning；　yesterday　at　the　beginning　of　your　banquet；
and　what　I　am　now！〃

Her　voice　became　stifled　with　a　passionate　flood　of　tears；　and
Undine；　also　weeping　bitterly；　fell　on　her　neck。　It　was　some　time
before　the　deeply　agitated　Undine　could　utter　a　word；　at　length　she
said：

〃You　can　go　with　us　to　Ringstetten；　everything　shall　remain　as　it
was　arranged　before；　only　do　not　speak　to　me　again　as　'noble　lady。'
You　see；　we　were　exchanged　for　each　other　as　children；　our　faces
even　then　sprang　as　it　were　from　the　same　stem；　and　we　will　now　so
strengthen　this　kindred　destiny　that　no　human　power　shall　be　able　to
separate　it。　Only；　first　of　all；　come　with　us　to　Ringstetten。　We
will　discuss　there　how　we　shall　share　all　things　as　sisters。〃

Bertalda　looked　timidly　toward　Huldbrand。　He　pitied　the　beautiful
girl　in　her　distress；　and　offering　her　his　hand　he　begged　her
tenderly　to　intrust　herself　with　him　and　his　wife。　〃We　will　send　a
message　to　your　parents；〃　he　continued；　〃to　tell　them　why　you　are
not　come；〃　and　he　would　have　added　more　with　regard　to　the　worthy
fisherman　and　his　wife；　but　he　saw　that　Bertalda　shrunk　with　pain
from　the　mention　of　their　name；　and　he　therefore　refrained　from
saying　more。

He　then　assisted　her　first　into　the　carriage；　Undine　followed　her；
and　he　mounted　his　horse　and　trotted　merrily　be　the　side　of　them；
urging　the　driver　at　the　same　time　to　hasten　his　speed；　so　that　very
soon　they　were　beyond　the　confines　of　the　imperial　city　and　all　its
sad　remembrances；　and　now　the　ladies　began　to　enjoy　the　beautiful
country　through　which　their　road　lay。

After　a　journey　of　some　days；　they　arrived　one　exquisite　evening；　at
castle　Ringstetten。　The　young　knight　had　much　to　hear　from　his
overseers　and　vassals；　so　that　Undine　and　Bertalda　were　left　alone。

They　both　repaired　to　the　ramparts　of　the　fortress；　and　were
delighted　with　the　beautiful　landscape　which　spread　far　and　wide
through　fertile　Swabia。

Presently　a　tall　man　approached　them；　greeting　them　respectfully；
and　Bertalda　fancied　she　saw　a　resemblance　to　the　master　of　the
fountain　in　the　imperial　city。　Still　more　unmistakable　grew　the
likeness；　when　Undine　angrily　and　almost　threateningly　waved　him
off；　and　he　retreated　with　hasty　steps　and　shaking　head；　as　he　had
done　before；　and　disappeared　into　a　neighboring　copse。　Undine；
however；　said：

〃Don't　be　afraid；　dear　Bertalda；　this　time　the　hateful　master　of　the
fountain　shall　do　you　no　harm。〃　And　then　she　told　her　the　whole
story　in　detail；　and　who　she　was　herself；　and　how　Bertalda　had　been
taken　away　from　the　fisherman　and　his　wife；　and　Undine　had　gone　to
them。　The　girl　was　at　first　terrified　with　this　relation；　she
imagined　her　friend　must　be　seized　with　sudden　madness；　but　she
became　more　convinced　that　all　was　true；　for　Undine's　story　was　so
connected；　and　fitted　so　well　with　former　occurrences；　and　still
more　she　had　that　inward　feeling　with　which　truth　never　fails　to
make　itself　known　to　us。　It　seemed　strange　to　her　that　she　was　now
herself　living；　as　it　were；　in　the　midst　of　one　of　those　fairy　tales
to　which　she　had　formerly　only　listened。

She　gazed　upon　Undine　with　reverence；　but　she　could　not　resist　a
sense　of　dread　that　seemed　to　come　between　her　and　her　friend；　and
at　their　evening　repast　she　could　not　but　wonder　how　the　knight
could　behave　so　lovingly　and　kindly　toward　a　being　who　appeared　to
her；　since　the　discovery　she　had　just　made；　more　of　a　phantom　than　a
human　being。




CHAPTER　XIII。

HOW　THEY　LIVED　AT　CASTLE　RINGSTETTEN。


The　writer　of　this　story；　both　because　it　moves　his　own　heart；　and
because　he　wishes　it　to　move　that　of　others；　begs　you；　dear　reader；
to　pardon　him；　if　he　now　briefly　passes　over　a　considerable　space　of
time；　only　cursorily　mentioning　the　events　that　marked　it。　He　knows
well　that　he　might　portray　skilfully；　step　by　step；　how　Huldbrand's
heart　began　to　turn　from　Undine　to　Bertalda；　how　Bertalda　more　and
more　responded　with　ardent　affection　to　the　young　knight；　and　how
they　both　looked　upon　the　poor　wife　as　a　mysterious　being　rather　to
be　feared　than　pitied；　how　Undine　wept；　and　how　her　tears　stung　the
knight's　heart　with　remorse　without　awakening　his　former　love；　so
that　though　he　at　times　was　kind　and　endearing　to　her；　a　cold
shudder　would　soon　draw　him　from　her；　and　he　would　turn　to　his
fellow…mortal；　Bertalda。　All　this　the　writer　knows　might　be　fully
detailed；　and　perhaps　ought　to　have　been　so；　but　such　a　task　would
have　been　too　painful；　for　similar　things　have　been　known　to　him　by
sad　experience；　and　he　shrinks　from　their　shadow　even　in
remembrance。　You　know　probably　a　like　feeling；　dear　reader；　for　such
is　the　lot　of　mortal　man。　Happy　are　you　if　you　have　received　rather
than　inflicted　the　pain；　for　in　such　things　it　is　more　blessed　to
receive　than　to　give。　If　it　be　so；　such　recollections　will　only
bring　a　feeling　of　sorrow　to　your　mind；　and　perhaps　a　tear　will
trickle　down　your　cheek　over　the　faded　flowers　that　once　caused　you
such　delight。　But　let　that　be　enough。　We　will　not　pierce　our　hearts
with　a　thousand　separate　things；　but　only　briefly　state；　as　I　have
just　said；　how　matters　were。

Poor　Undine　was　very　sad；　and　the　other　two　were　not　to　be　called
happy。　Bertalda　especially　thought　that　she　could　trace　the　effect
of　jealousy　on　the　part　of　the　injured　wife　whe