undine-第17节

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floated　away　with　the　current　into　the　ocean；　even　then　Bertalda　was
in　some　measure　to　blame　for　her　death；　and　it　was　unfitting　for　her
to　step　into　the　place　of　the　poor　supplanted　one。　Yet　the　fisherman
had　a　strong　regard　for　the　knight　also；　and　the　entreaties　of　his
daughter；　who　had　become　much　more　gentle　and　submissive；　and　her
tears　for　Undine；　turned　the　scale；　and　he　must　at　length　have　given
his　consent；　for　he　remained　at　the　castle　without　objection；　and　a
messenger　was　despatched　to　Father　Heilmann；　who　had　united　Undine
and　Huldbrand　in　happy　days　gone　by；　to　bring　him　to　the　castle　for
the　second　nuptials　of　the　knight。

The　holy　man；　however；　had　scarcely　read　the　letter　from　the　knight
of　Ringstetten；　than　he　set　out　on　his　journey　to　the　castle；　with
far　greater　expedition　than　even　the　messenger　had　used　in　going　to
him。　Whenever　his　breath　failed　in　his　rapid　progress；　or　his　aged
limbs　ached　with　weariness；　he　would　say　to　himself：　〃Perhaps　the
evil　may　yet　be　prevented；　fail　not；　my　tottering　frame；　till　you
have　reached　the　goal！〃　And　with　renewed　power　he　would　then　press
forward；　and　go　on　and　on　without　rest　or　repose；　until　late　one
evening　he　entered　the　shady　court…yard　of　castle　Ringstetten。

The　betrothed　pair　were　sitting　side　by　side　under　the　trees；　and
the　old　fisherman　was　near　them；　absorbed　in　thought。　The　moment
they　recognized　Father　Heilmann；　they　sprang　up；　and　pressed　round
him　with　warm　welcome。　But　he；　without　making　much　reply；　begged
Huldbrand　to　go　with　him　into　the　castle；　and　when　the　latter　looked
astonished；　and　hesitated　to　obey　the　grave　summons；　the　reverend
father　said　to　him：

〃Why　should　I　make　any　delay　in　wishing　to　speak　to　you　in　private；
Herr　von　Ringstetten？　What　I　have　to　say　concerns　Bertalda　and　the
fisherman　as　much　as　yourself；　and　what　a　man　has　to　hear；　he　may
prefer　to　hear　as　soon　as　possible。　Are　you　then　so　perfectly
certain；　Knight　Huldbrand；　that　your　first　wife　is　really　dead？　It
scarcely　seems　so　to　me。　I　will　not　indeed　say　anything　of　the
mysterious　condition　in　which　she　may　be　existing；　and　I　know；　too；
nothing　of　it　with　certainty。　But　she　was　a　pious　and　faithful　wife；
that　is　beyond　all　doubt；　and　for　a　fortnight　past　she　has　stood　at
my　bedside　at　night　in　my　dreams；　wringing　her　tender　hands　in
anguish　and　sighing　out：　'Oh；　prevent　him；　good　father！　I　am　still
living！　oh；　save　his　life！　save　his　soul！'　I　did　not　understand　what
this　nightly　vision　signified；　when　presently　your　messenger　came；
and　I　hurried　thither；　not　to　unite；　but　to　separate；　what　ought　not
to　be　joined　together。　Leave　her；　Huldbrand！　Leave　him；　Bertalda！　He
yet　belongs　to　another；　and　do　you　not　see　grief　for　his　lost　wife
still　written　on　his　pale　cheek？　No　bridegroom　looks　thus；　and　a
voice　tells　me　that　if　you　do　not　leave　him；　you　will　never　be
happy。〃

The　three　listeners　felt　in　their　innermost　heart　that　Father
Heilmann　spoke　the　truth；　but　they　would　not　believe　it。　Even　the
old　fisherman　was　now　so　infatuated　that　he　thought　it　could　not　be
otherwise　than　they　had　settled　it　in　their　discussions　during　the
last　few　days。　They　therefore　all　opposed　the　warnings　of　the　priest
with　a　wild　and　gloomy　rashness；　until　at　length　the　holy　father
quitted　the　castle　with　a　sad　heart；　refusing　to　accept　even　for　a
single　night　the　shelter　offered；　or　to　enjoy　the　refreshments
brought　him。　Huldbrand；　however；　persuaded　himself　that　the　priest
was　full　of　whims　and　fancies；　and　with　dawn　of　day　he　sent　for　a
father　from　the　nearest　monastery；　who；　without　hesitation；　promised
to　perform　the　ceremony　in　a　few　days。




CHAPTER　XVII。

THE　KNIGHT'S　DREAM。


It　was　between　night　and　dawn　of　day　that　the　knight　was　lying　on
his　couch；　half…waking；　half…sleeping。　Whenever　he　was　on　the　point
of　falling　asleep　a　terror　seemed　to　come　upon　him　and　scare　his
rest　away；　for　his　slumbers　were　haunted　with　spectres。　If　he　tried；
however；　to　rouse　himself　in　good　earnest　he　felt　fanned　as　by　the
wings　of　a　swan；　and　he　heard　the　soft　murmuring　of　waters；　until
soothed　by　the　agreeable　delusion；　he　sunk　back　again　into　a　half…
conscious　state。　At　length　he　must　have　fallen　sound　asleep；　for　it
seemed　to　him　as　if　he　were　lifted　up　upon　the　fluttering　wings　of
the　swans　and　borne　by　them　far　over　land　and　sea；　while　they　sang
to　him　their　sweetest　music。　〃The　music　of　the　swan！　the　music　of
the　swan！〃　he　kept　saying　to　himself；　〃does　it　not　always　portend
death？〃　But　it　had　yet　another　meaning。　All　at　once　he　felt　as　if　he
were　hovering　over　the　Mediterranean　Sea。　A　swan　was　singing
musically　in　his　ear　that　this　was　the　Mediterranean　Sea。　And　while
he　was　looking　down　upon　the　waters　below　they　became　clear　as
crystal；　so　that　he　could　see　through　them　to　the　bottom。　He　was
delighted　at　this；　for　he　could　see　Undine　sitting　beneath　the
crystal　arch。　It　is　true　she　was　weeping　bitterly；　and　looking　much
sadder　than　in　the　happy　days　when　they　had　lived　together　at　the
castle　of　Ringstetten；　especially　at　their　commencement；　and
afterward　also；　shortly　before　they　had　begun　their　unhappy　Danube
excursion。　The　knight　could　not　help　thinking　upon　all　this　very
fully　and　deeply；　but　it　did　not　seem　as　if　Undine　perceived　him。

Meanwhile　Kuhleborn　had　approached　her；　and　was　on　the　point　of
reproving　her　for　her　weeping。　But　she　drew　herself　up；　and　looked
at　him　with　such　a　noble　and　commanding　air　that　he　almost　shrunk
back　with　fear。　〃Although　I　live　here　beneath　the　waters；〃　said　she；
〃I　have　yet　brought　down　my　soul　with　me；　and　therefore　I　may　well
weep；　although　you　can　not　divine　what　such　tears　are。　They　too　are
blessed；　for　everything　is　blessed　to　him　in　whom　a　true　soul
dwells。〃

He　shook　his　head　incredulously；　and　said；　after　some　reflection：
〃And　yet；　niece；　you　are　subject　to　the　laws　of　our　element；　and　if
he　marries　again　and　is　unfaithful　to　you；　you　are　in　duty　bound　to
take　away　his　life。〃

〃He　is　a　widower　to　this　very　hour；〃　replied　Undine；　〃and　his　sad
heart　still　holds　me　dear。〃

〃He　is；　however；　at　the　same　time　betrothed；〃　laughed　Kuhleborn；
with　scorn；　〃and　let　only　a　few　days　pass；　and　the　priest　will　have
given　the　nuptial　blessing；　and　then　you　will　have　to　go　upon　earth
to　accomplish　the　death　of　him　who　has　taken　another　to　wife。〃

〃That　I　cannot　do；〃　laughed　Undine　in　return；　〃I　have　sealed　up　the
fountain　securely　against　myself　and　my　race。〃

〃But　suppose　he　should　leave　his　castle；〃　said　Kuhleborn；　〃or　should
have　the　fountain　opened　again！　for　he　thinks　little　enough　of　these
things。〃

〃It　is　just　for　that　reason；〃　said　Undine；　still　smiling　amid　her
tears；　〃it　is　just　for　that　reason；　that　he　is　now　hovering　in
spirit　over　the　Mediterranean　Sea；　and　is　dreaming　of　this
conversation　of　ours　as　a　warning。　I　have　intentionally　arranged　it
so。〃

Kuhleborn；　furious　with　rage；　looked　up　at　the　knight；　threatened；
stamped　with　his　feet；　and　then　swift　as　an　arrow　shot　under　the
waves。　It　seemed　as　if　he　were　swelling　in　his　fury　to　the　size　of　a
whale。　Again　the　swans　began　to　sing；　to　flap　their　wings；　and　to
fly。　It　seemed　to　the　knight　as　if　he　were　soaring　away　over
mountains　and　streams；　and　that　he　at　length　reached　the　castle
Ringstetten；　and　awoke　on　his　couch。

He　did；　in　reality；　awake　upon　his　couch；　and　his　squire　coming　in
at　that　moment　informed　him　that　Father　Heilmann　was　still　lingering
in　the　neighborhood；　that　he　had　met　him　the　night　before　in　the
forest；　in　a　hut　which　he　had　formed　for　himself　of　the　branches　of
trees；　and　covered　with　moss　and　brushwood。　To　the　question　what　he
was　doing　here；　since　he　would　not　give　the　nuptial　blessing；　he　had
answered：　〃There　are　other　blessings　besides　those　at　the　nuptial
altar；　and　though　I　have　not　gone　to　the　wedding；　it　may　be　that　I
shall　be　at　another　solemn　ceremony。　We　must　be　ready　for　all
things。　Besides；　marrying　and　mourning　are　not　so　unlike；　and　every
one　not　wilfully　blinded　must　see　that　well。〃

The　knight　placed　various　strange　constructions　upon　these　words；
and　upon　his　dream；　but　it　is　very　difficult　to　break　off　a　thing
which　a　man　has　once　regarded　as　certain；　and　so　everything　remained
as　it　had　been　arranged。




CHAPTER　XVIII。

HOW　THE　KNIGHT　HULDBRAID　IS　MARRIED。


If　I　were　to　tell　you　how　the　marriage…feast　passed　at　castle
Ringstetten；　it　would　seem　to　you　as　if　you　saw　a　heap　of　bright　and
pleasant　things；　but　a　gloomy　veil　of　mourning　spread　over　them　all；
the　dark　hue　of　which　would　make　the　splendor　of　the　whole　look　less
like　happiness　than　a　mockery　of　the　emptiness　of　all　earthly　joys。
It　was　not　that　any　spectral　apparitions　disturbed　the　festive
company；　for　we　know　that　the　castle　had　been　secured　from　the
mischief　of　the　threatening　water…spirits。　But　the　knight　and　the
fisherman　and　all　the　guests　felt　as　if　the　chief　personage　were
still　lacking　at　the　feast；　and　that　this　chief　personage　could　be
none　other　than　the　loved　and　gentle　Undine。　Whenever　a　door　opened；
the　eyes　of　all　were　involuntarily　turned　in　that　direction；　and　if
it　was　nothing　but　the　butler　with　new　dishes；　or　the　cup…bearer