undine-第14节

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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　out；　workmen；　and　attend　to　it。〃

But　the　knight；　angry　at　her　impertinence；　desired　in　short　and　very
decisive　words　that　the　stone　should　be　left：　he　reproved　Bertalda；
too；　for　her　violence　toward　his　wife。　Whereupon　the　workmen
withdrew；　smiling　with　secret　satisfaction：　while　Bertalda；　pale
with　rage；　hurried　away　to　her　room。

The　hour　for　the　evening　repast　arrived；　and　Bertalda　may　waited　for
in　vain。　They　sent　after　her；　but　the　domestic　found　her　apartments
empty；　and　only　brought　back　with　him　a　sealed　letter　addressed　to
the　knight。　He　opened　it　with　alarm；　and　read：　〃I　feel　with　shame
that　I　am　only　a　poor　fisher…girl。　I　will　expiate　my　fault　in　having
forgotten　this　for　a　moment　by　going　to　the　miserable　cottage　of　my
parents。　Farewell　to　you　and　your　beautiful　wife。〃

Undine　was　heartily　distressed。　She　earnestly　entreated　Huldbrand　to
hasten　after　their　friend　and　bring　her　back　again。　Alas！　she　had　no
need　to　urge　him。　His　affection　for　Bertalda　burst　forth　again　with
vehemence。　He　hurried　round　the　castle；　inquiring　if　any　one　had
seen　which　way　the　fugitive　had　gone。　He　could　learn　nothing　of　her；
and　he　was　already　on　his　horse　in　the　castle…yard；　resolved　at　a
venture　to　take　the　road　by　which　he　had　brought　Bertalda　hither。
Just　then　a　page　appeared；　who　assured　him　that　he　had　met　the　lady
on　the　path　to　the　Black　Valley。　Like　an　arrow　the　knight　sprang
through　the　gateway　in　the　direction　indicated；　without　hearing
Undine's　voice　of　agony；　as　she　called　to　him　from　the　window：

〃To　the　Black　Valley！　Oh；　not　there！　Huldbrand；　don't　go　there！　or；
for　heaven's　sake；　take　me　with　you！〃　But　when　she　perceived　that
all　her　calling　was　in　vain；　she　ordered　her　white　palfrey　to　be
immediately　saddled；　and　rode　after　the　knight；　without　allowing　any
servant　to　accompany　her。




CHAPTER　XIV。

HOW　BERTALDA　RETURNED　HOME　WITH　THE　KNIGHT。


The　Black　Valley　lies　deep　within　the　mountains。　What　it　is　now
called　we　do　not　know。　At　that　time　the　people　of　the　country　gave
it　this　appellation　on　account　of　the　deep　obscurity　in　which　the
low　land　lay；　owing　to　the　shadows　of　the　lofty　trees；　and
especially　firs；　that　grew　there。　Even　the　brook　which　bubbled
between　the　rocks　wore　the　same　dark　hue；　and　dashed　along　with　none
of　that　gladness　with　which　streams　are　wont　to　flow　that　have　the
blue　sky　immediately　above　them。　Now；　in　the　growing　twilight　of
evening；　it　looked　wild　and　gloomy　between　the　heights。　The　knight
trotted　anxiously　along　the　edge　of　the　brook；　fearful　at　one　moment
that　by　delay　he　might　allow　the　fugitive　to　advance　too　far；　and　at
the　next　that　by　too　great　rapidity　he　might　overlook　her　in　case
she　were　concealing　herself　from　him。　Meanwhile　he　had　already
penetrated　tolerably　far　into　the　valley；　and　might　soon　hope　to
overtake　the　maiden；　if　he　were　on　the　right　track。　The　fear　that
this　might　not　be　the　case　made　his　heart　beat　with　anxiety。　Where
would　the　tender　Bertalda　tarry　through　the　stormy　night；　which　was
so　fearful　in　the　valley；　should　he　fail　to　find　her？　At　length　he
saw　something　white　gleaming　through　the　branches　on　the　slope　of
the　mountain。　He　thought　he　recognized　Bertalda's　dress；　and　he
turned　his　course　in　that　direction。　But　his　horse　refused　to　go
forward；　it　reared　impatiently；　and　its　master；　unwilling　to　lose　a
moment；　and　seeing　moreover　that　the　copse　was　impassable　on
horseback；　dismounted；　and；　fastening　his　snorting　steed　to　an　elm…
tree；　he　worked　his　way　cautiously　through　the　bushes。　The　branches
sprinkled　his　forehead　and　cheeks　with　the　cold　drops　of　the　evening
dew；　a　distant　roll　of　thunder　was　heard　murmuring　from　the　other
side　of　the　mountains；　everything　looked　so　strange　that　he　began　to
feel　a　dread　of　the　white　figure；　which　now　lay　only　a　short
distance　from　him　on　the　ground。　Still　he　could　plainly　see　that　it
was　a　female；　either　asleep　or　in　a　swoon；　and　that　she　was　attired
in　long　white　garments；　such　as　Bertalda　had　worn　on　that　day。　He
stepped　close　up　to　her；　made　a　rustling　with　the　branches；　and　let
his　sword　clatter；　but　she　moved　not。　〃Bertalda！〃　he　exclaimed；　at
first　in　a　low　voice；　and　then　louder　and　louderstill　she　heard
not。　At　last；　when　he　uttered　the　dear　name　with　a　more　powerful
effort；　a　hollow　echo　from　the　mountain…caverns　of　the　valley
indistinctly　reverberated　〃Bertalda！〃　but　still　the　sleeper　woke
not。　He　bent　down　over　her；　the　gloom　of　the　valley　and　the
obscurity　of　approaching　night　would　not　allow　him　to　distinguish
her　features。

Just　as　he　was　stooping　closer　over　her；　with　a　feeling　of　painful
doubt；　a　flash　of　lightning　shot　across　the　valley；　and　he　saw
before　him　a　frightfully　distorted　countenance；　and　a　hollow　voice
exclaimed：　〃Give　me　a　kiss；　you　enamoured　swain！〃

Huldbrand　sprang　up　with　a　cry　of　horror；　and　the　hideous　figure
rose　with　him。　〃Go　home！〃　it　murmured；　〃wizards　are　on　the　watch。　Go
home！　or　I　will　have　you！〃　and　it　stretched　out　its　long　white　arms
toward　him。

〃Malicious　Kuhleborn！〃　cried　the　knight；　recovering　himself；　〃What
do　you　concern　me；　you　goblin？　There；　take　your　kiss！〃　And　he
furiously　hurled　his　sword　at　the　figure。　But　it　vanished　like
vapor；　and　a　gush　of　water　which　wetted　him　through　left　the　knight
no　doubt　as　to　the　foe　with　whom　he　had　been　engaged。

〃He　wishes　to　frighten　me　back　from　Bertalda；〃　said　he　aloud　to
himself；　〃he　thinks　to　terrify　me　with　his　foolish　tricks；　and　to
make　me　give　up　the　poor　distressed　girl　to　him；　so　that　he　can
wreak　his　vengeance　on　her。　But　he　shall　not　do　that；　weak　spirit　of
the　elements　as　he　is。　No　powerless　phantom　can　understand　what　a
human　heart　can　do　when　its　best　energies　are　aroused。〃　He　felt　the
truth　of　his　words；　and　that　the　very　expression　of　them　had
inspired　his　heart　with　fresh　courage。　It　seemed　too　as　if　fortune
were　on　his　side；　for　he　had　not　reached　his　fastened　horse；　when　he
distinctly　heard　Bertalda's　plaintive　voice　not　far　distant；　and
could　catch　her　weeping　accents　through　the　ever…increasing　tumult
of　the　thunder　and　tempest。　He　hurried　swiftly　in　the　direction　of
the　sound；　and　found　the　trembling　girl　just　attempting　to　climb　the
steep；　in　order　to　escape　in　any　way　from　the　dreadful　gloom　of　the
valley。　He　stepped；　however；　lovingly　in　her　path；　and　bold　and
proud　as　her　resolve　had　before　been；　she　now　felt　only　too　keenly
the　delight；　that　the　friend　whom　she　so　passionately　loved　should
rescue　her　from　this　frightful　solitude；　and　that　the　joyous　life　in
the　castle　should　be　again　open　to　her。　She　followed　almost
unresisting；　but　so　exhausted　with　fatigue　that　the　knight　was　glad
to　have　brought　her　to　his　horse；　which　he　now　hastily　unfastened；
in　order　to　lift　the　fair　fugitive　upon　it；　and　then；　cautiously
holding　the　reins；　he　hoped　to　proceed　through　the　uncertain　shades
of　the　valley。

But　the　horse　had　become　quite　unmanageable　from　the　wild　apparition
of　Kuhleborn。　Even　the　knight　would　have　had　difficulty　in　mounting
the　rearing　and　snorting　animal；　but　to　place　the　trembling　Bertalda
on　its　back　was　perfectly　impossible。　They　determined；　therefore；　to
return　home　on　foot。　Drawing　the　horse　after　him　by　the　bridle；　the
knight　supported　the　tottering　girl　with　his　other　hand。　Bertalda
exerted　all　her　strength　to　pass　quickly　through　the　fearful　valley；
but　weariness　weighed　her　down　like　lead；　and　every　limb　trembled；
partly　from　the　terror　she　had　endured　when　Kuhleborn　had　pursued
her；　and　partly　from　her　continued　alarm　at　the　howling　of　the　storm
and　the　pealing　of　the　thunder　through　the　wooded　mountain。

At　last　she　slid　from　the　supporting　arm　of　her　protector；　and
sinking　down　on　the　moss；　she　exclaimed：　〃Let　me　lie　here；　my　noble
lord；　I　suffer　the　punishment　due　to　my　folly；　and　I　must　now　perish
here　through　weariness　and　dread。〃

〃No；　sweet　friend；　I　will　never　leave　you！〃　cried　Huldbrand；　vainly
endeavoring　to　restrain　his　furious　steed；　for；　worse　than　before；
it　now　began　to　foam　and　rear　with　excitement；　until　at　last　the
knight　was　glad　to　keep　the　animal　at　a　sufficient　distance　from　the
exhausted　maiden　lest　her　fears　should　be　increased。　But　scarcely
had　he　withdrawn　a　few　paces　with　the　wild　steed；　than　she　began　to
call　after　him　in　the　most　pitiful　manner；　believing　that　he　was
really　going　to　leave　her　in　this　horrible　wilderness。　He　was
utterly　at　a　loss　what　course　to　take。　Gladly　would　he　have　given
the　excited　beast　its　liberty　and　have　allowed　it　to　rush　away　into
the　night　and　spend　its　fury；　had　he　not　feared　that　is　this　narrow
defile　it　might　come　thundering　with　its　iron…shod　hoofs　over　the
very　spot　where　Bertalda　lay。

In　the　midst　of　this　extreme　perplexity　and　distress；　he　heard　with
delight　the　sound　of　a　vehicle　driving　slowly　down　the　stony　road
behind　them。　He　called　out　for　help；　and　a　man's　voice　replied；
bidding　him　have　patience；　but　promising　assistance；　and　soon　after；
two　gray　horses　appeared　through　the　bushes；　and　beside　them　the
driver　in　the　w