undine-第2节

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cottage。〃　All　was　silent　without；　only　a　suppressed　laugh　was
audible；　and　the　fisherman　said　as　he　returned：　〃You　must　pardon　it
in　her；　my　honored　guest；　and　perhaps　many　a　naughty　trick　besides；
but　she　means　no　harm　by　it。　It　is　our　foster…child；　Undine；　and　she
will　not　wean　herself　from　this　childishness；　although　she　has
already　entered　her　eighteenth　year。　But；　as　I　said；　at　heart　she　is
thoroughly　good。〃

〃You　may　well　talk；〃　replied　the　old　woman；　shaking　her　head；　〃when
you　come　home　from　fishing　or　from　a　journey；　her　frolics　may　then
be　very　delightful；　but　to　have　her　about　one　the　whole　day　long；
and　never　to　hear　a　sensible　word；　and　instead　of　finding　her　a　help
in　the　housekeeping　as　she　grows　older；　always　to　be　obliged　to　be
taking　care　that　her　follies　do　not　completely　ruin　us；　that　is
quite　another　thing；　and　the　patience　of　a　saint　would　be　worn　out
at　last。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　her　husband　with　a　smile；　〃you　have　your　troubles
with　Undine；　and　I　have　mine　with　the　lake。　It　often　breaks　away　my
dams；　and　tears　my　nets　to　pieces；　but　for　all　that；　I　have　an
affection　for　it；　and　so　have　you　for　the　pretty　child；　in　spite　of
all　your　crosses　and　vexations。　Isn't　it　so？〃

〃One　can't　be　very　angry　with　her；　certainly；〃　said　the　old　woman；
and　she　smiled　approvingly。

Just　then　the　door　flew　open；　and　a　beautiful；　fair　girl　glided
laughing　into　the　room；　and　said　〃You　have　only　been　jesting；
father；　for　where　is　your　guest？〃

At　the　same　moment；　however；　she　perceived　the　knight；　and　stood
fixed　with　astonishment　before　the　handsome　youth；　Huldbrand　was
struck　with　her　charming　appearance；　and　dwelt　the　more　earnestly　on
her　lovely　features；　as　he　imagined　it　was　only　her　surprise　that
gave　him　this　brief　enjoyment；　and　that　she　would　presently　turn
from　his　gaze　with　increased　bashfulness。　It　was；　however；　quite
otherwise；　for　after　having　looked　at　him　for　some　time；　she　drew
near　him　confidingly；　knelt　down　before　him；　and　said；　as　she　played
with　a　gold　medal　which　he　wore　on　his　breast；　suspended　from　a　rich
chain：　〃Why；　you　handsome；　kind　guest；　how　have　you　come　to　our　poor
cottage　at　last？　Have　you　been　obliged　then　to　wander　through　the
world　for　years；　before　you　could　find　your　way　to　us？　Do　you　come
out　of　that　wild　forest；　my　beautiful　knight？〃　The　old　woman's
reproof　allowed　him　no　time　for　reply。　She　admonished　the　girl　to
stand　up　and　behave　herself　and　to　go　to　her　work。　Undine；　however；
without　making　any　answer　drew　a　little　footstool　close　to
Huldbrand's　chair；　sat　down　upon　it　with　her　spinning；　and　said
pleasantly：　〃I　will　work　here。〃　The　old　man　did　as　parents　are　wont
to　do　with　spoiled　children。　He　affected　to　observe　nothing　of
Undine's　naughtiness　and　was　beginning　to　talk　of　something　else。
But　this　the　girl　would　not　let　him　do；　she　said：　〃I　have　asked　our
charming　guest　whence　he　comes；　and　he　has　not　yet　answered　me。〃

〃I　come　from　the　forest；　you　beautiful　little　vision；〃　returned
Huldbrand；　and　she　went　on　to　say：

〃Then　you　must　tell　me　how　you　came　there；　for　it　is　usually　so
feared；　and　what　marvellous　adventures　you　met　with　in　it；　for　it　is
impossible　to　escape　without　something　of　the　sort。〃

Huldbrand　felt　a　slight　shudder　at　this　remembrance；　and　looked
involuntarily　toward　the　window；　for　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　one　of
the　strange　figures　he　had　encountered　in　the　forest　were　grinning
in　there；　but　he　saw　nothing　but　the　deep　dark　night；　which　had　now
shrouded　everything　without。　Upon　this　he　composed　himself　and　was
on　the　point　of　beginning　his　little　history；　when　the　old　man
interrupted　him　by　saying：　〃Not　so；　sir　knight！　this　is　no　fit　hour
for　such　things。〃　Undine；　however；　sprang　angrily　from　her　little
stool；　and　standing　straight　before　the　fisherman　with　her　fair　arms
fixed　in　her　sides；　she　exclaimed：　〃He　shall　not　tell　his　story；
father？　He　shall　not？　but　it　is　my　will。　He　shall！　He　shall　in　spite
of　you！〃　and　thus　saying　she　stamped　her　pretty　little　foot
vehemently　on　the　floor；　but　she　did　it　all　with　such　a　comically
graceful　air　that　Huldbrand　now　felt　his　gaze　almost　more　riveted
upon　her　in　her　anger　than　before　in　her　gentleness。

The　restrained　wrath　of　the　old　man；　on　the　contrary；　burst　forth
violently。　He　severely　reproved　Undine's　disobedience　and　unbecoming
behavior　to　the　stranger；　and　his　good　old　wife　joined　with　him
heartily。　Undine　quickly　retorted：　〃If　you　want　to　chide　me；　and
won't　do　what　I　wish；　then　sleep　alone　in　your　old　smoky　hut！〃　and
swift　as　an　arrow　she　flew　from　the　room；　and　fled　into　the　dark
night。




CHAPTER　II。

IN　WHAT　WAY　UNDINE　HAD　COME　TO　THE　FISHERMAN


Huldbrand　and　the　fisherman　sprang　from　their　seats　and　were　on　the
point　of　following　the　angry　girl。　Before　they　reached　the　cottage
door；　however；　Undine　had　long　vanished　in　the　shadowy　darkness
without；　and　not　even　the　sound　of　her　light　footstep　betrayed　the
direction　of　her　flight。　Huldbrand　looked　inquiringly　at　his　host；
it　almost　seemed　to　him　as　if　the　whole　sweet　apparition；　which　had
suddenly　merged　again　into　the　night；　were　nothing　else　than　one　of
that　band　of　the　wonderful　forms　which　had；　but　a　short　time　since；
carried　on　their　pranks　with　him　in　the　forest。　But　the　old　man
murmured　between　his　teeth：　〃This　is　not　the　first　time　that　she　has
treated　us　in　this　way。　Now　we　have　aching　hearts　and　sleepless　eyes
the　whole　night　through；　for　who　knows；　that　she　may　not　some　day
come　to　harm；　if　she　is　thus　out　alone　in　the　dark　until　daylight。〃

〃Then　let　us　for　God's　sake　follow　her；〃　cried　Huldbrand；　anxiously。

〃What　would　be　the　good　of　it？〃　replied　the　old　man。　〃It　would　be　a
sin　were　I　to　allow　you；　all　alone；　to　follow　the　foolish　girl　in
the　solitary　night；　and　my　old　limbs　would　not　overtake　the　wild
runaway；　even　if　we　knew　in　what　direction　she　had　gone。〃

〃We　had　better　at　any　rate　call　after　her；　and　beg　her　to　come
back；〃　said　Huldbrand；　and　he　began　to　call　in　the　most　earnest
manner：　〃Undine！　Undine！　Pray　come　back！〃　The　old　man　shook　his
head；　saying；　that　all　that　shouting　would　help　but　little；　for　the
knight　had　no　idea　how　self…willed　the　little　truant　was。　But　still
he　could　not　forbear　often　calling　out　with　him　in　the　dark　night：
〃Undine！　Ah！　dear　Undine；　I　beg　you　to　come　backonly　this　once！〃

It　turned　out；　however；　as　the　fisherman　had　said。　No　Undine　was　to
be　heard　or　seen；　and　as　the　old　man　would　on　no　account　consent
that　Huldbrand　should　go　in　search　of　the　fugitive；　they　were　at
last　both　obliged　to　return　to　the　cottage。　Here　they　found　the　fire
on　the　hearth　almost　gone　out；　and　the　old　wife；　who　took　Undine's
flight　and　danger　far　less　to　heart　than　her　husband；　had　already
retired　to　rest。　The　old　man　blew　up　the　fire；　laid　some　dry　wood　on
it；　and　by　the　light　of　the　flame　sought　out　a　tankard　of　wine；
which　he　placed　between　himself　and　his　guest。　〃You；　sir　knight；〃
said　he；　〃are　also　anxious　about　that　silly　girl；　and　we　would　both
rather　chatter　and　drink　away　a　part　of　the　night　than　keep　turning
round　on　our　rush　mats　trying　in　vain　to　sleep。　Is　it　not　so？〃
Huldbrand　was　well　satisfied　with　the　plan；　the　fisherman　obliged
him　to　take　the　seat　of　honor　vacated　by　the　good　old　housewife；　and
both　drank　and　talked　together　in　a　manner　becoming　two　honest　and
trusting　men。　It　is　true；　as　often　as　the　slightest　thing　moved
before　the　windows；　or　even　at　times　when　nothing　was　moving；　one　of
the　two　would　look　up　and　say：　〃She　is　coming！〃　Then　they　would　be
silent　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　as　nothing　appeared；　they　would
shake　their　heads　and　sigh　and　go　on　with　their　talk。

As；　however；　neither　could　think　of　anything　but　of　Undine；　they
knew　of　nothing　better　to　do　than　that　the　old　fisherman　should　tell
the　story；　and　the　knight　should　hear；　in　what　manner　Undine　had
first　come　to　the　cottage。　He　therefore　began　as　follows：

〃It　is　now　about　fifteen　years　ago　that　I　was　one　day　crossing　the
wild　forest　with　my　goods；　on　my　way　to　the　city。　My　wife　had　stayed
at　home；　as　her　wont　is；　and　at　this　particular　time　for　a　very　good
reason；　for　God　had　given　us；　in　our　tolerably　advanced　age；　a
wonderfully　beautiful　child。　It　was　a　little　girl；　and　a　question
already　arose　between　us；　whether　for　the　sake　of　the　new…comer；　we
would　not　leave　our　lovely　home　that　we　might　better　bring　up　this
dear　gift　of　heaven　in　some　more　habitable　place。　Poor　people　indeed
cannot　do　in　such　cases　as　you　may　think　they　ought；　sir　knight；
but；　with　God's　blessing；　every　one　must　do　what　he　can。　Well；　the
matter　was　tolerably　in　my　head　as　I　went　along。　This　slip　of　land
was　so　dear　to　me；　and　I　shuddered　when；　amid　the　noise　and　brawls
of　the　city；　I　thought　to　myself；　'In　such　scenes　as　these；　or　in
one　not　much　more　quiet；　thou　wilt　also　soon　make　thy　abode！'　But　at
the　same　time　I　did　not　murmur　against　the　good　God；　on　the
contrary；　I　thanked　him　in　secret　for　the　new…born　babe；　I　should　be
telling　a　lie；　too；　were　I　to　say；　that　on　my　journey　through　the
wood；　going　or　returning；　anything　befell　me　out　of　the　common　way；
and　at　that　time　I　had　never　seen　any　of　its　fearful　won