undine-第4节

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aid　of　his　pine…branch！

With　a　few　steps　he　had　crossed　the　flood　which　was　rushing　between
him　and　the　maiden；　and　he　was　standing　beside　her　on　a　little　spot
of　turf；　safely　guarded　and　screened　by　the　good　old　trees。　Undine
had　half…raised　herself；　and　now　under　the　green　leafy　tent　she
threw　her　arms　round　his　neck；　and　drew　him　down　beside　her　on　her
soft　seat。

〃You　shall　tell　me　your　story　here；　beautiful　friend；〃　said　she；　in
a　low　whisper；　〃the　cross　old　people　cannot　hear　us　here：　and　our
roof　of　leaves　is　just　as　good　a　shelter　as　their　poor　cottage。〃

〃It　is　heaven　itself！〃　said　Huldbrand；　embracing　the　beautiful　girl
and　kissing　her　fervently。

The　old　fisherman　meanwhile　had　come　to　the　edge　of　the　stream；　and
shouted　across　to　the　two　young　people；　〃Why；　sir　knight；　I　have
received　you　as　one　honest…hearted　man　is　wont　to　receive　another；
and　now　here　you　are　caressing　my　foster…child　in　secret；　and
letting　me　run　hither　and　thither　through　the　night　in　anxious
search　of　her。〃

〃I　have　only　just　found　her　myself；　old　father；〃　returned　the
knight。

〃So　much　the　better；〃　said　the　fisherman；　〃but　now　bring　her　across
to　me　without　delay　upon　firm　ground。〃

Undine；　however；　would　not　hear　of　this；　she　declared　she　would
rather　go　with　the　beautiful　stranger；　into　the　wild　forest　itself；
than　return　to　the　cottage；　where　no　one　did　as　she　wished；　and　from
which　the　beautiful　knight　would　himself　depart　sooner　or　later。
Then；　throwing　her　arms　round　Huldbrand；　she　sang　with　indescribable
grace：

〃A　stream　ran　out　of　the　misty　vale
　Its　fortunes　to　obtain；
　the　ocean's　depths　it　found　a　home
　And　ne'er　returned　again。〃

The　old　fisherman　wept　bitterly　at　her　song；　but　this　did　not　seem
to　affect　her　particularly。　She　kissed　and　caressed　her　new　friend；
who　at　last　said　to　her：　〃Undine；　if　the　old　man's　distress　does　not
touch　your　heart；　it　touches　minelet　us　go　back　to　him。〃

She　opened　her　large　blue　eyes　in　amazement　at　him；　and　spoke　at
last；　slowly　and　hesitatingly：　〃If　you　think　sowell；　whatever　you
think　is　right　to　me。　But　the　old　man　yonder　must　first　promise　me
that　he　will　let　you；　without　objection；　relate　to　me　what　you　saw
in　the　wood；　andwell；　other　things　will　settle　themselves。〃

〃Come；　only　come；〃　cried　the　fisherman　to　her；　unable　to　utter
another　word：　and　at　the　same　time　he　stretched　out　his　arms　far
over　the　rushing　stream　toward　her；　and　nodded　his　head　as　if　to
promise　the　fulfilment　of　her　request；　and　as　he　did　this；　his　white
hair　fell　strangely　over　his　face；　and　reminded　Huldbrand　of　the
nodding　white　man　in　the　forest。　Without　allowing　himself；　however；
to　grow　confused　by　such　an　idea　the　young　knight　took　the　beautiful
girl　in　his　arms；　and　bore　her　over　the　narrow　passage　which　the
stream　had　forced　between　her　little　island　and　the　shore。

The　old　man　fell　upon　Undine's　neck　and　could　not　satisfy　the
exuberance　of　his　joy；　his　good　wife　also　came　up　and　caressed　the
newly…found　in　the　heartiest　manner。　Not　a　word　of　reproach　passed
their　lips；　nor　was　it　thought　of；　for　Undine；　forgetting　all　her
waywardness；　almost　overwhelmed　her　foster…parents　with　affection
and　fond　expressions。

When　at　last　they　had　recovered　from　the　excess　of　their　joy；　day
had　already　dawned；　and　had　shed　its　purple　hue　over　the　lake；
stillness　had　followed　the　storm；　and　the　little　birds　were　singing
merrily　on　the　wet　branches。　As　Undine　now　insisted　upon　hearing　the
knight's　promised　story；　the　aged　couple　smilingly　and　readily
acceded　to　her　desire。　Breakfast　was　brought　out　under　the　trees
which　screened　the　cottage　from　the　lake；　and　they　sat　down　to　it
with　contented　heartsUndine　on　the　grass　at　the　knight's　feet；　the
place　chosen　by　herself。

Huldbrand　then　proceeded　with　his　story。




CHAPTER　IV。

OF　THAT　WHICH　THE　KNIGHT　ENCOUNTERED　IN　THE　WOOD。


〃It　is　now　about　eight　days　ago　since　I　rode　into　the　free　imperial
city；　which　lies　on　the　other　side　of　the　forest。　Soon　after　my
arrival；　there　was　a　splendid　tournament　and　running　at　the　ring；
and　I　spared　neither　my　horse　nor　my　lance。　Once　when　I　was　pausing
at　the　lists；　to　rest　after　my　merry　toil；　and　was　handing　back　my
helmet　to　one　of　my　squires；　my　attention　was　attracted　by　a　female
figure　of　great　beauty；　who　was　standing　richly　attired　on　one　of
the　galleries　allotted　to　spectators。〃

〃I　asked　my　neighbor；　and　learned　from　him；　that　the　name　of　the
fair　lady　was　Bertalda；　and　that　she　was　the　foster…daughter　of　one
of　the　powerful　dukes　living　in　the　country。　I　remarked　that　she
also　was　looking　at　me；　and；　as　it　is　wont　to　be　with　us　young
knights；　I　had　already　ridden　bravely；　and　now　pursued　my　course
with　renovated　confidence　and　courage。　In　the　dance　that　evening　I
was　Bertalda's　partner；　and　I　remained　so　throughout　the　festival。〃

A　sharp　pain　in　his　left　hand；　which　hung　down　by　his　side；　here
interrupted　Huldbrand's　narrative；　and　drew　his　attention　to　the
aching　part。　Undine　had　fastened　her　pearly　teeth　upon　one　of　his
fingers；　appearing　at　the　same　time　very　gloomy　and　angry。　Suddenly；
however；　she　looked　up　in　his　eyes　with　an　expression　of　tender
melancholy；　and　whispered　in　a　soft　voice：　〃It　is　your　own　fault。〃
Then　she　hid　her　face；　and　the　knight；　strangely　confused　and
thoughtful；　continued　his　narrative。

〃This　Bertalda　was　a　haughty；　wayward　girl。　Even　on　the　second　day
she　pleased　me　no　longer　as　she　had　done　on　the　first；　and　on　the
third　day　still　less。　Still　I　continued　about　her；　because　she　was
more　pleasant　to　me　than　to　any　other　knight；　and　thus　it　was　that　I
begged　her　in　jest　to　give　me　one　of　her　gloves。　'I　will　give　it　you
when　you　have　quite　alone　explored　the　ill…famed　forest；'　said　she；
'and　can　bring　me　tidings　of　its　wonders。'　It　was　not　that　her　glove
was　of　such　importance　to　me；　but　the　word　had　been　said；　and　an
honorable　knight　would　not　allow　himself　to　be　urged　a　second　time
to　such　a　proof　of　valor。〃

〃I　think　she　loved　you；〃　said　Undine；　interrupting　him。

〃It　seemed　so；〃　replied　Huldbrand。

〃Well；〃　exclaimed　the　girl；　laughing；　〃she　must　be　stupid　indeed。　To
drive　away　any　one　dear　to　her。　And　moreover；　into　an　ill…omened
wood。　The　forest　and　its　mysteries　might　have　waited　long　enough　for
me！〃

〃Yesterday　morning。〃　continued　the　knight；　smiling　kindly　at　Undine；
〃I　set　out　on　my　enterprise。　The　stems　of　the　trees　caught　the　red
tints　of　the　morning　light　which　lay　brightly　on　the　green　turf；　the
leaves　seemed　whispering　merrily　with　each　other；　and　in　my　heart　I
could　have　laughed　at　the　people　who　could　have　expected　anything　to
terrify　them　in　this　pleasant　spot。　'I　shall　soon　have　trotted
through　the　forest　there　and　back　again；'　I　said　to　myself；　with　a
feeling　of　easy　gayety；　and　before　I　had　even　thought　of　it　I　was
deep　within　the　green　shades；　and　could　no　longer　perceive　the　plain
which　lay　behind　me。　Then　for　the　first　time　it　struck　me　that　I
might　easily　lose　my　way　in　the　mighty　forest；　and　that　this　perhaps
was　the　only　danger　which　the　wanderer　had　to　fear。　I　therefore
paused　and　looked　round　in　the　direction　of　the　sun；　which　in　the
mean　while　had　risen　somewhat　higher　above　the　horizon。　While　I　was
thus　looking　up　I　saw　something　black　in　the　branches　of　a　lofty
oak。　I　thought　it　was　a　bear　and　I　grasped　my　sword；　but　with　a
human　voice；　that　sounded　harsh　and　ugly；　it　called　to　me　from
above：　'If　I　do　not　nibble　away　the　branches　up　here；　Sir　Malapert；
what　shall　we　have　to　roast　you　with　at　midnight？'　And　so　saying　it
grinned　and　made　the　branches　rustle；　so　that　my　horse　grew　furious
and　rushed　forward　with　me　before　I　had　time　to　see　what　sort　of　a
devil　it　really　was。〃

〃You　must　not　call　it　so；〃　said　the　old　fisherman　as　he　crossed
himself；　his　wife　did　the　same　silently。　Undine　looked　at　the　knight
with　sparkling　eyes　and　said：　〃The　best　of　the　story　is　that　they
certainly　have　not　roasted　him　yet；　go　on　now；　you　beautiful　youth！〃

The　knight　continued　his　narration：　〃My　horse　was　so　wild　that　he
almost　rushed　with　me　against　the　stems　and　branches　of　trees；　he
was　dripping　with　sweat；　and　yet　would　not　suffer　himself　to　be　held
in。　At　last　he　went　straight　in　the　direction　of　a　rocky　precipice；
then　it　suddenly　seemed　to　me　as　if　a　tall　white　man　threw　himself
across　the　path　of　my　wild　steed；　the　horse　trembled　with　fear　and
stopped：　I　recovered　my　hold　of　him；　and　for　the　first　time
perceived　that　my　deliverer　was　no　white　man；　but　a　brook　of　silvery
brightness；　rushing　down　from　a　hill　by　my　side　and　crossing　and
impeding　my　horse's　course。〃

〃Thanks；　dear　Brook；〃　exclaimed　Undine；　clapping　her　little　hands。
The　old　man；　however；　shook　his　head　and　looked　down　in　deep
thought。

〃I　had　scarcely　settled　myself　in　the　saddle；〃　continued　Huldbrand。
〃and　seized　the　reins　firmly；　when　a　wonderful　little　man　stood　at
my　side；　diminutive；　and　ugly　beyond　conception。　His　complexion　was
of　a　yellowish　brown；　and　his　nose　not　much　smaller　than　the　rest　of
his　entire　person。　At　the　same　time　he　kept　grinning　with　stupid
courtesy；　exhibiting　his　huge　mouth；　and　making　a　thousand　scrapes
and　bows　to　me。　As