undine-第13节

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of　jealousy　on　the　part　of　the　injured　wife　whenever　her　wishes　were
in　any　way　thwarted　by　her。　She　had　therefore　habituated　herself　to
an　imperious　demeanor；　to　which　Undine　yielded　in　sorrowful
submission；　and　the　now　blinded　Huldbrand　usually　encouraged　this
arrogant　behavior　in　the　strongest　manner。　But　the　circumstance　that
most　of　all　disturbed　the　inmates　of　the　castle；　was　a　variety　of
wonderful　apparitions　which　met　Huldbrand　and　Bertalda　in　the
vaulted　galleries　of　the　castle；　and　which　had　never　been　heard　of
before　as　haunting　the　locality。　The　tall　white　man；　in　whom
Huldbrand　recognized　only　too　plainly　Uncle　Kuhleborn；　and　Bertalda
the　spectral　master　of　the　fountain；　often　passed　before　them　with　a
threatening　aspect；　and　especially　before　Bertalda；　so　much　so；　that
she　had　already　several　times　been　made　ill　with　terror；　and　had
frequently　thought　of　quitting　the　castle。　But　still　she　stayed
there；　partly　because　Huldbrand　was　so　dear　to　her；　and　she　relied
on　her　innocence；　no　words　of　love　having　ever　passed　between　them；
and　partly　also　because　she　knew　not　whither　to　direct　her　steps。
The　old　fisherman；　on　receiving　the　message　from　the　lord　of
Ringstetten　that　Bertalda　was　his　guest；　had　written　a　few　lines　in
an　almost　illegible　hand；　but　as　good　as　his　advanced　age　and　long
dis…would　admit　of。

〃I　have　now　become；〃　he　wrote；　〃a　poor　old　widower；　for　my　dear　and
faithful　wife　is　dead。　However　lonely　I　now　sit　in　my　cottage；
Bertalda　is　better　with　you　than　with　me。　Only　let　her　do　nothing　to
harm　my　beloved　Undine！　She　will　have　my　curse　if　it　be　so。〃　The
last　words　of　this　letter；　Bertalda　flung　to　the　winds；　but　she
carefully　retained　the　part　respecting　her　absence　from　her　father
just　as　we　are　all　wont　to　do　in　similar　circumstances。

One　day；　when　Huldbrand　had　just　ridden　out；　Undine　summoned
together　the　domestics　of　the　family；　and　ordered　them　to　bring　a
large　stone；　and　carefully　to　cover　with　it　the　magnificent　fountain
which　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　castle…yard。　The　servants　objected
that　it　would　oblige　them　to　bring　water　from　the　valley　below。
Undine　smiled　sadly。　〃I　am　sorry；　my　people；〃　she　replied；　〃to
increase　your　work。　I　would　rather　myself　fetch　up　the　pitchers；　but
this　fountain　must　be　closed。　Believe　me　that　it　cannot　be
otherwise；　and　that　it　is　only　by　so　doing　that　we　can　avoid　a
greater　evil。〃

The　whole　household　were　glad　to　be　able　to　please　their　gentle
mistress；　they　made　no　further　inquiry；　but　seized　the　enormous
stone。　They　were　just　raising　it　in　their　hands；　and　were　already
poising　it　over　the　fountain；　when　Bertalda　came　running　up；　and
called　out　to　them　to　stop；　as　it　was　from　this　fountain　that　the
water　was　brought　which　was　so　good　for　her　complexion；　and　she
would　never　consent　to　its　being　closed。　Undine；　however；　although
gentle　as　usual；　was　more　than　usually　firm。　She　told　Bertalda　that
it　was　her　due；　as　mistress　of　the　house；　to　arrange　her　household
as　she　thought　best；　and　that；　in　this；　she　was　accountable　to　no
one　but　her　lord　and　husband。　〃See；　oh；　pray　see；〃　exclaimed
Bertalda；　in　an　angry；　yet　uneasy　tone；　〃how　the　poor　beautiful
water　is　curling　and　writhing　at　being　shut　out　from　the　bright
sunshine　and　from　the　cheerful　sight　of　the　human　face；　for　whose
mirror　it　was　created！〃

The　water　in　the　fountain　was　indeed　wonderfully　agitated　and
hissing；　it　seemed　as　if　something　within　were　struggling　to　free
itself；　but　Undine　only　the　more　earnestly　urged　the　fulfilment　of
her　orders。　The　earnestness　was　scarcely　needed。　The　servants　of　the
castle　were　as　happy　in　obeying　their　gentle　mistress　as　in　opposing
Bertalda's　haughty　defiance；　and　in　spite　of　all　the　rude　scolding
and　threatening　of　the　latter　the　stone　was　soon　firmly　lying　over
the　opening　of　the　fountain。　Undine　leaned　thoughtfully　over　it；　and
wrote　with　her　beautiful　fingers　on　its　surface。　She　must；　however；
have　had　something　very　sharp　and　cutting　in　her　hand；　for　when　she
turned　away；　and　the　servants　drew　near　to　examine　the　stone；　they
perceived　various　strange　characters　upon　it；　which　none　of　them　had
seen　there　before。

Bertalda　received　the　knight；　on　his　return　home　in　the　evening；
with　tears　and　complaints　of　Undine's　conduct。　He　cast　a　serious
look　at　his　poor　wife；　and　she　looked　down　as　if　distressed。　Yet　she
said　with　great　composure：　〃My　lord　and　husband　does　not　reprove
even　a　bondslave　without　a　hearing；　how　much　less　then；　his　wedded
wife？〃

〃Speak；〃　said　the　knight　with　a　gloomy　countenance；　〃what　induced
you　to　act　so　strangely？〃

〃I　should　like　to　tell　you　when　we　are　quite　alone；〃　sighed　Undine。

〃You　can　tell　me　just　as　well　in　Bertalda's　presence；〃　was　the
rejoinder。

〃Yes；　if　you　command　me；〃　said　Undine；　〃but　command　it　not。　Oh　pray；
pray　command　it　not！〃

She　looked　so　humble；　so　sweet；　and　obedient；　that　the　knight's
heart　felt　a　passing　gleam　from　better　times。　He　kindly　placed　her
arm　within　his　own；　and　led　her　to　his　apartment；　when　she　began　to
speak　as　follows：

〃You　already　know；　my　beloved　lord；　something　of　my　evil　uncle；
Kuhleborn；　and　you　have　frequently　been　displeased　at　meeting　him　in
the　galleries　of　this　castle。　He　has　several　times　frightened
Bertalda　into　illness。　This　is　because　he　is　devoid　of　soul；　a　mere
elemental　mirror　of　the　outward　world；　without　the　power　of
reflecting　the　world　within。　He　sees；　too；　sometimes；　that　you　are
dissatisfied　with　me；　that　I；　in　my　childishness；　am　weeping　at
this；　and　that　Bertalda　perhaps　is　at　the　very　same　moment　laughing。
Hence　he　imagines　various　discrepancies　in　our　home　life；　and　in
many　ways　mixes　unbidden　with　our　circle。　What　is　the　good　of
reproving　him？　What　is　the　use　of　sending　him　angrily　away？　He　does
not　believe　a　word　I　say。　His　poor　nature　has　no　idea　that　the　joys
and　sorrows　of　love　have　so　sweet　a　resemblance；　and　are　so　closely
linked　that　no　power　can　separate　them。　Amid　tears　a　smile　shines
forth；　and　a　smile　allures　tears　from　their　secret　chambers。〃

She　looked　up　at　Huldbrand；　smiling　and　weeping；　and　he　again
experienced　within　his　heart　all　the　charm　of　his　old　love。　She　felt
this；　and　pressing　him　more　tenderly　to　her；　she　continued　amid
tears　of　joy：

〃As　the　disturber　of　our　peace　was　not　to　be　dismissed　with　words；　I
have　been　obliged　to　shut　the　door　upon　him。　And　the　only　door　by
which　he　obtains　access　to　us　is　that　fountain。　He　is　cut　off　by　the
adjacent　valleys　from　the　other　water…spirits　in　the　neighborhood；
and　his　kingdom　only　commences　further　off　on　the　Danube；　into　which
some　of　his　good　friends　direct　their　course。　For　this　reason　I　had
the　stone　placed　over　the　opening　of　the　fountain；　and　I　inscribed
characters　upon　it　which　cripple　all　my　uncle's　power；　so　that　he
can　now　neither　intrude　upon　you；　nor　upon　me；　nor　upon　Bertalda。
Human　beings；　it　is　true；　can　raise　the　stone　again　with　ordinary
effort；　in　spite　of　the　characters　inscribed　on　it。　The　inscription
does　not　hinder　them。　If　you　wish；　therefore；　follow　Bertalda's
desire；　but；　truly！　she　knows　not　what　she　asks。　The　rude　Kuhleborn
has　set　his　mark　especially　upon　her；　and　if　much　came　to　pass　which
he　has　predicted　to　me；　and　which　might；　indeed；　happen　without　your
meaning　any　evil；　ah！　dear　one；　even　you　would　then　be　exposed　to
danger！〃

Huldbrand　felt　deeply　the　generosity　of　his　sweet　wife；　in　her
eagerness　to　shut　up　her　formidable　protector；　while　she　had　even
been　chided　for　it　by　Bertalda。　He　pressed　her　in　his　arms　with　the
utmost　affection；　and　said　with　emotion：　〃The　stone　shall　remain；
and　all　shall　remain；　now　and　ever；　as　you　wish　to　have　it；　my　sweet
Undine。〃

She　caressed　him　with　humble　delight；　as　she　heard　the　expressions
of　love　so　long　withheld；　and　then　at　length　she　said：　〃My　dearest
husband；　you　are　so　gentle　and　kind　to…day；　may　I　venture　to　ask　a
favor　of　you？　See　now；　it　is　just　the　same　with　you　as　it　is　with
summer。　In　the　height　of　its　glory；　summer　puts　on　the　flaming　and
thundering　crown　of　mighty　storms；　and　assumes　the　air　of　a　king
over　the　earth。　You；　too；　sometimes；　let　your　fury　rise；　and　your
eyes　flash　and　your　voice　is　angry；　and　this　becomes　you　well；
though　I；　in　my　folly；　may　sometimes　weep　at　it。　But　never；　I　pray
you；　behave　thus　toward　me　on　the　water；　or　even　when　we　are　near
it。　You　see；　my　relatives　would　then　acquire　a　right　over　me。　They
would　unrelentingly　tear　me　from　you　in　their　rage；　because　they
would　imagine　that　one　of　their　race　was　injured；　and　I　should　be
compelled　all　my　life　to　dwell　below　in　the　crystal　palaces；　and
should　never　dare　to　ascend　to　you　again；　or　they　would　send　me　up
to　youand　that；　oh　God；　would　be　infinitely　worse。　No；　no；　my
beloved　husband；　do　not　let　it　come　to　that；　if　your　poor　Undine　is
dear　to　you。〃

He　promised　solemnly　to　do　as　she　desired；　and　they　both　returned
from　the　apartment；　full　of　happiness　and　affection。　At　that　moment
Bertalda　appeared　with　some　workmen；　to　whom　she　had　already　given
orders；　and　said　in　a　sullen　tone；　which　she　had　assumed　of　late：　〃I
suppose　the　secret　conference　is　at　an　end；　and　now　the　stone　may　be
removed。　Go