undine-第5节

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courtesy；　exhibiting　his　huge　mouth；　and　making　a　thousand　scrapes
and　bows　to　me。　As　this　farce　was　now　becoming　inconvenient　to　me；　I
thanked　him　briefly　and　turned　about　my　still　trembling　steed；
thinking　either　to　seek　another　adventure；　or　in　case　I　met　with
none；　to　find　my　way　back；　for　during　my　wild　chase　the　sun　had
already　passed　the　meridian；　but　the　little　fellow　sprang　round　with
the　speed　of　lightning　and　stood　again　before　my　horse。　'Room！'　I
cried；　angrily；　'the　animal　is　wild　and　may　easily　run　over　you。'
'Ay；　ay！'　snarled　the　imp；　with　a　grin　still　more　horribly　stupid。
'Give　me　first　some　drink…money；　for　I　have　stopped　your　horse；
without　me　you　and　your　horse　would　be　now　both　lying　in　the　stony
ravine；　ugh！''Don't　make　any　more　faces；'　said　I；　'and　take　your
money；　even　if　you　are　telling　lies；　for　see；　it　was　the　good　brook
there　that　saved　me；　and　not　you；　you　miserable　wight！　And　at　the
same　time　I　dropped　a　piece　of　gold　into　his　grotesque　cap；　which　he
had　taken　off　in　his　begging。　I　then　trotted　on；　but　he　screamed
after　me；　and　suddenly　with　inconceivable　quickness　was　at　my　side。
I　urged　my　horse　into　a　gallop；　the　imp　ran　too；　making　at　the　same
time　strange　contortions　with　his　body；　half…ridiculous；　half…
horrible；　and　holding　up　the　gold…piece；　he　cried；　at　every　leap；
'False　money！；　false　coin！；　false　coin！；　false　money！'and　this　he
uttered　with　such　a　hollow　sound　that　one　would　have　supposed　that
after　every　scream　he　would　have　fallen　dead　to　the　ground。〃

〃His　horrid　red　tongue　moreover　hung　far　out　of　his　mouth。　I
stopped；　perplexed；　and　asked：　'What　do　you　mean　by　this　screaming？
take　another　piece　of　gold；　take　two；　but　leave　me。'　He　then　began
again　his　hideous　burlesque　of　politeness；　and　snarled　out：　'Not
gold；　not　gold；　my　young　gentleman。　I　have　too　much　of　that　trash
myself；　as　I　will　show　you　at　once？'〃

〃Suddenly　it　seemed　to　me　as　if　I　could　see　through　the　solid　soil
as　though　it　were　green　glass　and　the　smooth　earth　were　as　round　as
a　ball；　and　within；　a　multitude　of　goblins　were　ranking　sport　with
silver　and　gold；　head　over　heels　they　were　rolling　about；　pelting
each　other　in　jest　with　the　precious　metals；　and　provokingly　blowing
the　gold…dust　in　each　other's　eyes。　My　hideous　companion　stood
partly　within　and　partly　without；　he　ordered　the　others　to　reach　him
up　heaps　of　gold；　and　showing　it　to　me　with　a　laugh；　he　then　flung
it　back　again　with　a　ringing　noise　into　the　immeasurable　abyss。〃

〃He　then　showed　the　piece　of　gold　I　had　given　him　to　the　goblins
below；　and　they　laughed　themselves　half…dead　over　it　and　hissed　at
me。　At　last　they　all　pointed　at　me　with　their　metal…stained　fingers；
and　more　and　more　wildly。　and　more　and　more　densely；　and　more　and
more　madly；　the　swarm　of　spirits　came　clambering　up　to　me。　I　was
seized　with　terror　as　my　horse　had　been　before：　I　put　spurs　to　him；
and　I　know　not　how　far　I　galloped　for　the　second　time　wildly　into
the　forest。〃

〃At　length；　when　I　again　halted；　the　coolness　of　evening　was　around
me。　Through　the　branches　of　the　trees　I　saw　a　white　foot…path
gleaming；　which　I　fancied　must　lead　from　the　forest　toward　the　city。
I　was　anxious　to　work　my　way　in　that　direction；　but　a　face　perfectly
white　and　indistinct；　with　features　ever　changing；　kept　peering　at
me　between　the　leaves；　I　tried　to　avoid　it；　but　wherever　I　went　it
appeared　also。　Enraged　at　this；　I　determined　at　last　to　ride　at　it；
when　it　gushed　forth　volumes　of　foam　upon　me　and　my　horse；　obliging
us　half…blinded　to　make　a　rapid　retreat。　Thus　it　drove　us　step　by
step　ever　away　from　the　foot…path；　leaving　the　way　open　to　us　only
in　one　direction。　When　we　advanced　in　this　direction；　it　kept　indeed
close　behind　us；　but　did　not　do　us　the　slightest　harm。〃

〃Looking　around　at　it　occasionally；　I　perceived　that　the　white　face
that　had　besprinkled　us　with　foam　belonged　to　a　form　equally　white
and　of　gigantic　stature。　Many　a　time　I　thought　that　it　was　a　moving
stream；　but　I　could　never　convince　myself　on　the　subject。　Wearied
out；　the　horse　and　his　rider　yielded　to　the　impelling　power　of　the
white　man；　who　kept　nodding　his　head；　as　if　he　would　say；　'Quite
right；　quite　right！'　And　thus　at　last　we　came　out　here　to　the　end　of
the　forest；　where　I　saw　the　turf；　and　the　lake；　and　your　little
cottage；　and　where　the　tall　white　man　disappeared。〃

〃It's　well　that　he's　gone；〃　said　the　old　fisherman；　and　now　he　began
to　talk　of　the　best　way　by　which　his　guest　could　return　to　his
friends　in　the　city。　Upon　this　Undine　began　to　laugh　slyly　to
herself；　Huldbrand　observed　it；　and　said：　〃I　thought　you　were　glad
to　see　me　here；　why　then　do　you　now　rejoice　when　my　departure　is
talked　of？〃

〃Because　you　cannot　go　away；〃　replied　Undine。　〃Just　try　it　once；　to
cross　that　overflowed　forest　stream　with　a　boat；　with　your　horse；　or
alone；　as　you　may　fancy。　Or　rather　don't　try　it；　for　you　would　be
dashed　to　pieces　by　the　stones　and　trunks　of　trees　which　are　carried
down　by　it　with　the　speed　of　lightning。　And　as　to　the　lake；　I　know
it　well；　father　dare　not　venture　out　far　enough　with　his　boat。〃

Huldbrand　rose；　smiling；　in　order　to　see　whether　things　were　as
Undine　had　said；　the　old　man　accompanied　him；　and　the　girl　danced
merrily　along　by　their　side。　They　found　every　thing；　indeed；　as
Undine　had　described；　and　the　knight　was　obliged　to　submit　to　remain
on　the　little　tongue　of　land；　that　had　become　an　island；　till　the
flood　should　subside。　As　the　three　were　returning　to　the　cottage
after　their　ramble；　the　knight　whispered　in　the　ear　of　the　little
maiden　〃Well；　how　is　it；　my　pretty　Undineare　you　angry　at　my
remaining？〃

〃Ah！〃　she　replied；　peevishly；　〃let　me　alone。　If　I　had　not　bitten
you；　who　knows　how　much　of　Bertalda　would　have　appeared　in　your
story？〃




CHAPTER　V。

HOW　THE　KNIGHT　LIVED　ON　THE　LITTLE　PROMONTORY。


After　having　been　much　driven　to　and　fro　in　the　world；　you　have
perhaps；　my　dear　reader；　reached　at　length　some　spot　where　all　was
well　with　thee；　where　the　love　for　home　and　its　calm　peace；　innate
to　all；　has　again　sprung　up　within　thee；　where　thou　hast　thought
that　this　home　was　rich　with　all　the　flowers　of　childhood　and　of　the
purest；　deepest　love　that　rests　upon　the　graves　of　those　that　are
gone；　and　thou　hast　felt　it　must　be　good　to　dwell　here　and　to　build
habitations。　Even　if　thou　hast　erred　in　this；　and　hast　had　afterward
bitterly　to　atone　for　the　error；　that　is　nothing　to　the　purpose　now；
and　thou　wouldst　not；　indeed；　voluntarily　sadden　thyself　with　the
unpleasant　recollection。　But　recall　that　inexpressibly　sweet
foreboding；　that　angelic　sense　of　peace；　and　thou　wilt　know　somewhat
of　the　knight　Huldbrand's　feelings　during　his　abode　on　the　little
promontory。

He　often　perceived　with　hearty　satisfaction　that　the　forest　stream
rolled　along　every　day　more　wildly；　making　its　bed　ever　broader　and
broader；　and　prolonging　his　sojourn　on　the　island　to　an　indefinite
period。　Part　of　the　day　he　rambled　about　with　an　old　cross…bow；
which　he　had　found　in　a　corner　of　the　cottage　and　had　repaired；　and；
watching　for　the　water…fowl；　he　killed　all　that　he　could　for　the
cottage　kitchen。　When　he　brought　his　booty　home；　Undine　rarely
neglected　to　upbraid　him　with　having　so　cruelly　deprived　the　happy
birds　of　life；　indeed　she　often　wept　bitterly　at　the　sight　he　placed
before　her。　But　if　he　came　home　another　time　without　having　shot
anything　she　scolded　him　no　less　seriously；　since　now；　from　his
carelessness　and　want　of　skill；　they　had　to　be　satisfied　with　living
on　fish。　He　always　delighted　heartily　in　her　graceful　little
scoldings；　all　the　more　as　she　generally　strove　to　compensate　for
her　ill…humor　by　the　sweetest　caresses。

The　old　people　took　pleasure　in　the　intimacy　of　the　young　pair；　they
regarded　them　as　betrothed；　or　even　as　already　united　in　marriage；
and　living　on　this　isolated　spot；　as　a　succor　and　support　to　them　in
their　old　age。　It　was　this　same　sense　of　seclusion　that　suggested
the　idea　also　to　Huldbrand's　mind　that　he　was　already　Undine's
accepted　one。　He　felt　as　if　there　were　no　world　beyond　these
surrounding　waters；　or　as　if　he　could　never　recross　them　to　mingle
with　other　men；　and　when　at　times　his　grazing　horse　would　neigh　as
if　inquiringly　to　remind　him　of　knightly　deeds；　or　when　the　coat　of
arms　on　his　embroidered　saddle　and　horse…gear　shone　sternly　upon
him；　or　when　his　beautiful　sword　would　suddenly　fall　from　the　nail
on　which　it　was　hanging　in　the　cottage；　gliding　from　the　scabbard　as
it　fell；　he　would　quiet　the　doubts　of　his　mind　by　saving：　〃Undine　is
no　fisherman's　daughter；　she　belongs　in　all　probability　to　some
illustrious　family　abroad。〃　There　was　only　one　thing　to　which　he　had
a　strong　aversion；　and　this　was；　when　the　old　dame　reproved　Undine
in　his　presence。　The　wayward　girl；　it　is　true；　laughed　at　it　for　the
most　part；　without　attempting　to　conceal　her　mirth；　but　it　seemed　to
him　as　if　his　honor　were　concerned；　and　yet　he　could　not　blame　the
old　fisherman's　wife；　for　Undine　always　deserved　at　least　ten　times
as　many　reproofs　as　she　received；　so；　in　his　heart　he　felt　the
balance　in　favor　of　the　old　woman；　and　his　whole　life　flowed　onward
in　calm