undine-第8节

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〃There　must　be　something　beautiful；　but　at　the　same　time　extremely
awful；　about　a　soul。　Tell　me；　holy　sir；　were　it　not　better　that　we
never　shared　such　a　gift？〃　She　was　silent　again　as　if　waiting　for　an
answer；　and　her　tears　had　ceased　to　flow。　All　in　the　cottage　had
risen　from　their　seats　and　had　stepped　back　from　her　with　horror。
She；　however；　seemed　to　have　eyes　for　no　one　but　the　holy　man；　her
features　wore　an　expression　of　fearful　curiosity；　which　appeared
terrible　to　those　who　saw　her。　〃The　soul　must　be　a　heavy　burden；〃
she　continued；　as　no　one　answered　her；　〃very　heavy！　for　even　its
approaching　image　overshadows　me　with　anxiety　and　sadness。　And；　ah！
I　was　so　light…hearted　and　so　merry　till　now！〃　And　she　burst　into　a
fresh　flood　of　tears；　and　covered　her　face　with　the　drapery　she
wore。　Then　the　priest　went　up　to　her　with　a　solemn　air；　and　spoke　to
her；　and　conjured　her　by　the　name　of　the　Most　Holy　to　cast　aside　the
veil　that　enveloped　her；　if　any　spirit　of　evil　possessed　her。　But
she　sank　on　her　knees　before　him；　repeating　all　the　sacred　words　he
uttered；　praising　God；　and　protesting　that　she　wished　well　with　the
whole　world。

Then　at　last　the　priest　said　to　the　knight：　〃Sir　bridegroom；　I　will
leave　you　alone　with　her　whom　I　have　united　to　you　in　marriage。　So
far　as　I　can　discover　there　is　nothing　of　evil　in　her；　but　much
indeed　that　is　mysterious。　I　commend　to　youprudence；　love；　and
fidelity。〃　So　saying；　he　went　out；　and　the　fisherman　and　his　wife
followed　him；　crossing　themselves。

Undine　had　sunk　on　her　knees：　she　unveiled　her　face　and　said；
looking　timidly　round　on　Huldbrand：　〃Alas！　you　will　surely　now　not
keep　me　as　your　own；　and　yet　I　have　done　no　evil；　poor　child　that　I
am！〃　As　she　said　this；　she　looked　so　exquisitely　graceful　and
touching；　that　her　bridegroom　forgot　all　the　horror　he　had　felt；　and
all　the　mystery　that　clung　to　her；　and　hastening　to　her　he　raised
her　in　his　arms。　She　smiled　through　her　tears；　it　was　a　smile　like
the　morning…light　playing　on　a　little　stream。

〃You　cannot　leave　me；〃　she　whispered；　with　confident　security；
stroking　the　knight's　cheek　with　her　tender　hand。　Huldbrand　tried　to
dismiss　the　fearful　thoughts　that　still　lurked　in　the　background　of
his　mind；　persuading　him　that　he　was　married　to　a　fairy　or　to　some
malicious　and　mischievous　being　of　the　spirit　world；　only　the　single
question　half　unawares　escaped　his　lips：　〃My　little　Undine；　tell　me
this　one　thing；　what　was　it　you　said　of　spirits　of　the　earth　and　of
Kuhleborn；　when　the　priest　knocked　at　the　door？〃

〃It　was　nothing　but　fairy　tales！children's　fairy　tales！〃　said
Undine；　with　all　her　wonted　gayety；　〃I　frightened　you　at　first　with
them；　and　then　you　frightened　me；　that's　the　end　of　our　story　and　of
our　nuptial　evening。〃

〃Nay！　that　it　isn't；〃　said　the　knight；　intoxicated　with　love；　and
extinguishing　the　tapers；　he　bore　his　beautiful　beloved　to　the
bridal　chamber　by　the　light　of　the　moon　which　shone　brightly　through
the　windows。




CHAPTER　VIII。

THE　DAY　AFTER　THE　WEDDING。


The　fresh　light　of　the　morning　awoke　the　young　married　pair。
Wonderful　and　horrible　dreams　had　disturbed　Huldbrand's　rest；　he　had
been　haunted　by　spectres；　who；　grinning　at　him　by　stealth；　had　tried
to　disguise　themselves　as　beautiful　women；　and　from　beautiful　women
they　all　at　once　assumed　the　faces　of　dragons；　and　when　he　started
up　from　these　hideous　visions；　the　moonlight　shone　pale　and　cold
into　the　room；　terrified　he　looked　at　Undine；　who　still　lay　in
unaltered　beauty　and　grace。　Then　he　would　press　a　light　kiss　upon
her　rosy　lips；　and　would　fall　asleep　again　only　to　be　awakened　by
new　terrors。　After　he　had　reflected　on　all　this；　now　that　he　was
fully　awake；　he　reproached　himself　for　any　doubt　that　could　have　led
him　into　error　with　regard　to　his　beautiful　wife。　He　begged　her　to
forgive　him　for　the　injustice　he　had　done　her；　but　she　only　held　out
to　him　her　fair　hand；　sighed　deeply；　and　remained　silent。　But　a
glance　of　exquisite　fervor　beamed　from　her　eyes　such　as　he　had　never
seen　before；　carrying　with　it　the　full　assurance　that　Undine　bore
him　no　ill…will。　He　then　rose　cheerfully　and　left　her；　to　join　his
friends　in　the　common　apartment。

He　found　the　three　sitting　round　the　hearth；　with　an　air　of　anxiety
about　them；　as　if　they　dared　not　venture　to　speak　aloud。　The　priest
seemed　to　be　praying　in　his　inmost　spirit　that　all　evil　might　be
averted。　When；　however；　they　saw　the　young　husband　come　forth　so
cheerfully　the　careworn　expression　of　their　faces　vanished。

The　old　fisherman　even　began　to　jest　with　the　knight；　so　pleasantly；
that　the　aged　wife　smiled　good…humoredly　as　she　listened　to　them。
Undine　at　length　made　her　appearance。　All　rose　to　meet　her　and　all
stood　still　with　surprise；　for　the　young　wife　seemed　so　strange　to
them　and　yet　the　same。　The　priest　was　the　first　to　advance　toward
her　with　paternal　arms　affection　beaming　in　his　face；　and；　as　he
raised　his　hand　to　bless　her；　the　beautiful　woman　sank　reverently　on
her　knees　before　him。　With　a　few　humble　and　gracious　words　she
begged　him　to　forgive　her　for　any　foolish　things　she　might　have　said
the　evening　before；　and　entreated　him　in　an　agitated　tone　to　pray
for　the　welfare　of　her　soul。　She　then　rose；　kissed　her　foster…
parents；　and　thanking　them　for　all　the　goodness　they　had　shown　her；
she　exclaimed：　〃Oh！　I　now　feel　in　my　innermost　heart；　how　much；　how
infinitely　much；　you　have　done　for　me；　dear；　kind　people！〃　She　could
not　at　first　desist　from　her　caresses；　but　scarcely　had　she
perceived　that　the　old　woman　was　busy　in　preparing　breakfast；　than
she　went　to　the　hearth；　cooked　and　arranged　the　meal；　and　would　not
suffer　the　good　old　mother　to　take　the　least　trouble。

She　continued　thus　throughout　the　whole　day；　quiet；　kind；　and
attentiveat　once　a　little　matron　and　a　tender；　bashful　girl。　The
three　who　had　known　her　longest　expected　every　moment　to　see　some
whimsical　vagary　of　her　capricious　spirit　burst　forth。　But　they
waited　in　vain　for　it。　Undine　remained　as　mild　and　gentle　as　an
angel。　The　holy　father　could　not　take　his　eyes　from　her；　and　he　said
repeatedly　to　the　bridegroom：　〃The　goodness　of　heaven；　sir；　has
intrusted　a　treasure　to　you　yesterday　through　me；　unworthy　as　I　am；
cherish　it　as　you　ought；　and　it　will　promote　your　temporal　and
eternal　welfare。〃

Toward　evening　Undine　was　hanging　on　the　knight's　arm　with　humble
tenderness；　and　drew　him　gently　out　of　the　door；　where　the　declining
sun　was　shining　pleasantly　on　the　fresh　grass；　and　upon　the　tall；
slender　stems　of　the　trees。　The　eyes　of　the　young　wife　were　moist；
as　with　the　dew　of　sadness　and　love；　and　a　tender　and　fearful　secret
seemed　hovering　on　her　lips；　which；　however；　was　only　disclosed　by
scarcely　audible　sighs。　She　led　her　husband　onward　and　onward　in
silence；　when　he　spoke；　she　only　answered　him　with　looks；　in　which；
it　is　true；　there　lay　no　direct　reply　to　his　inquiries；　but　whole
heaven　of　love　and　timid　devotion。　Thus　they　reached　the　edge　of　the
swollen　forest　stream；　and　the　knight　was　astonished　to　see　it
rippling　along　in　gentle　waves；　without　a　trace　of　its　former
wildness　and　swell。　〃By　the　morning　it　will　be　quite　dry；〃　said　the
beautiful　wife；　in　a　regretful　tone；　〃and　you　can　then　travel　away
wherever　you　will；　without　anything　to　hinder　you。〃

〃Not　without　you；　my　little　Undine；〃　replied　the　knight；　laughing：
〃remember；　even　if　I　wished　to　desert　you；　the　church；　and　the
spiritual　powers；　and　the　emperor；　and　the　empire　would　interpose
and　bring　the　fugitive　back　again。〃

〃All　depends　upon　you；　all　depends　upon　you；〃　whispered　his　wife；
half…weeping　and　half…smiling。　〃I　think；　however；　nevertheless；　that
you　will　keep　me　with　you：　I　love　you　so　heartily。　Now　carry　me
across　to　that　little　island　that　lies　before　us。　The　matter　shall
be　decided　there。　I　could　easily　indeed　glide　through　the　rippling
waves；　but　it　is　so　restful　in　your　arms；　and　if　you　were　to　cast　me
off；　I　shall　have　sweetly　rested　in　them　once　more　for　the　last
time。〃　Huldbrand；　full　as　he　was　of　strange　fear　and　emotion；　knew
not　what　to　reply。　He　took　her　in　his　arms　and　carried　her　across；
remembering　now　for　the　first　time　that　this　was　the　same　little
island　from　which　he　had　borne　her　back　to　the　old　fisherman　on　that
first　night。　On　the　further　side　he　put　her　down　on　the　soft　grass；
and　was　on　the　point　of　placing　himself　lovingly　near　his　beautiful
burden；　when　she　said：　〃No；　there　opposite　to　me！　I　will　read　my
sentence　in　your　eyes；　before　your　lips　speak；　now；　listen
attentively　to　what　I　will　relate　to　you。〃　And　she　began：

〃You　must　know；　my　loved　one；　that　there　are　beings　in　the　elements
which　almost　appear　like　mortals；　and　which　rarely　allow　themselves
to　become　visible　to　your　race。　Wonderful　salamanders　glitter　and
sport　in　the　flames；　lean　and　malicious　gnomes　dwell　deep　within　the
earth；　spirits；　belonging　to　the　air；　wander　through　the　forests；
and　a　vast　family　of　water…spirits　live　in　the　lakes；　and　streams；
and　brooks。　In　resounding　domes　of　crystal；　through　which　the　sky
looks　in　with　its　sun　and　stars；　these　latter　spirits　find　their
beautiful　abode；　lofty　trees　of　coral　wit