undine-第9节

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beautiful　abode；　lofty　trees　of　coral　with　blue　and　crimson　fruits
gleam　in　their　gardens；　they　wander　over　the　pure　sand　of　the　sea；
and　among　lovely　variegated　shells；　and　amid　all　exquisite　treasures
of　the　old　world；　which　the　present　is　no　longer　worthy　to　enjoy；
all　these　the　floods　have　covered　with　their　secret　veils　of　silver；
and　the　noble　monuments　sparkle　below；　stately　and　solemn；　and
bedewed　by　the　loving　waters　which　allure　from　them　many　a　beautiful
moss…flower　and　entwining　cluster　of　sea…grass。　Those；　however；　who
dwell　there　are　very　fair　and　lovely　to　behold；　and　for　the　most
part　are　more　beautiful　than　human　beings。　Many　a　fisherman　has　been
so　fortunate　as　to　surprise　some　tender　mermaid　as　she　rose　above
the　waters　and　sang。　He　would　tell　afar　of　her　beauty；　and　such
wonderful　beings　have　been　given　the　name　of　Undines。　You；　however；
are　now　actually　beholding　an　Undine。〃

The　knight　tried　to　persuade　himself　that　his　beautiful　wife　was
under　the　spell　of　one　of　her　strange　humors；　and　that　she　was
taking　pleasure　in　teasing　him　with　one　of　her　extravagant
inventions。　But　repeatedly　as　he　said　this　to　himself；　he　could　not
believe　it　for　a　moment；　a　strange　shudder　passed　through　him；
unable　to　utter　a　word；　he　stared　at　the　beautiful　narrator　with　an
immovable　gaze。　Undine　shook　her　head　sorrowfully；　drew　a　deep　sigh；
and　then　proceeded　as　follows：

〃Our　condition　would　be　far　superior　to　that　of　other　human　beings
for　human　beings　we　call　ourselves；　being　similar　to　them　in　form
and　culturebut　there　is　one　evil　peculiar　to　us。　We　and　our　like
in　the　other　elements；　vanish　into　dust　and　pass　away；　body　and
spirit；　so　that　not　a　vestige　of　us　remains　behind；　and　when　you
mortals　hereafter　awake　to　a　purer　life；　we　remain　with　the　sand　and
the　sparks　and　the　wind　and　the　waves。　Hence　we　have　also　no　souls；
the　element　moves　us；　and　is　often　obedient　to　us　while　we　live；
though　it　scatters　us　to　dust　when　we　die；　and　we　are　merry；　without
having　aught　to　grieve　usmerry　as　the　nightingales　and　the　little
gold…fishes　and　other　pretty　children　of　nature。　But　all　things
aspire　to　be　higher　than　they　are。　Thus；　my　father；　who　is　a
powerful　water…prince　in　the　Mediterranean　Sea；　desired　that　his
only　daughter　should　become　possessed　of　a　soul；　even　though　she
must　then　endure　many　of　the　sufferings　of　those　thus　endowed。　Such
as　we　are；　however；　can　only　obtain　a　soul　by　the　closest　union　of
affection　with　one　of　your　human　race。　I　am　now　possessed　of　a　soul；
and　my　soul　thanks　you；　my　inexpressibly　beloved　one；　and　it　will
ever　thank　you；　if　you　do　not　make　my　whole　life　miserable。　For　what
is　to　become　of　me；　if　you　avoid　and　reject　me？　Still；　I　would　not
retain　you　by　deceit。　And　if　you　mean　to　reject　me；　do　so　now；　and
return　alone　to　the　shore。　I　will　dive　into　this　brook；　which　is　my
uncle；　and　here　in　the　forest；　far　removed　from　other　friends；　he
passes　his　strange　and　solitary　life。　He　is；　however；　powerful；　and
is　esteemed　and　beloved　by　many　great　streams；　and　as　he　brought　me
hither　to　the　fisherman；　a　light…hearted；　laughing　child；　he　will
take　me　back　again　to　my　parents；　a　loving；　suffering；　and　soul…
endowed　woman。〃

She　was　about　to　say　still　more；　but　Huldbrand　embraced　her　with　the
most　heartfelt　emotion　and　love；　and　bore　her　back　again　to　the
shore。　It　was　not　till　he　reached　it；　that　he　swore　amid　tears　and
kisses；　never　to　forsake　his　sweet　wife；　calling　himself　more　happy
than　the　Greek　Pygmalion；　whose　beautiful　statue　received　life　from
Venus　and　became　his　loved　one。　In　endearing　confidence；　Undine
walked　back　to　the　cottage；　leaning　on　his　arm；　feeling　now　for　the
first　time；　with　all　her　heart；　how　little　she　ought　to　regret　the
forsaken　crystal　palaces　of　her　mysterious　father。




CHAPTER　IX。

HOW　THE　KNIGHT　TOOK　HIS　YOUNG　WIFE　WITH　HIM。


When　Huldbrand　awoke　from　his　sleep　on　the　following　morning；　and
missed　his　beautiful　wife　from　his　side；　he　began　to　indulge　again
in　the　strange　thoughts；　that　his　marriage　and　the　charming　Undine
herself　were　but　fleeting　and　deceptive　illusions。　But　at　the　same
moment　she　entered　the　room；　sat　down　beside　him；　and　said：　〃I　have
been　out　rather　early　to　see　if　my　uncle　keeps　his　word。　He　has
already　led　all　the　waters　back　again　into　his　own　calm　channel；　and
he　now　flows　through　the　forest；　solitarily　and　dreamily　as　before。
His　friends　in　the　water　and　the　air　have　also　returned　to　repose：
all　will　again　go　on　quietly　and　regularly；　and　you　can　travel
homeward　when　you　will；　dry…shod。〃　It　seemed　to　Huldbrand　as　though
he　were　in　a　waking　dream；　so　little

could　he　reconcile　himself　to　the　strange　relationship　of　his　wife。
Nevertheless　he　made　no　remark　on　the　matter；　and　the　exquisite
grace　of　his　bride　soon　lulled　to　rest　every　uneasy　misgiving。　When
he　was　afterward　standing　before　the　door　with　her；　and　looking　over
the　green　peninsula　with　its　boundary　of　clear　waters；　he　felt　so
happy　in　this　cradle　of　his　love；　that　he　exclaimed：　〃Why　shall　we
travel　so　soon　as　to…day？　We　shall　scarcely　find　more　pleasant　days
in　the　world　yonder　than　those　we　have　spent　in　this　quiet　little
shelter。　Let　us　yet　see　the　sun　go　down　here　twice　or　thrice　more。〃

〃As　my　lord　wills；〃　replied　Undine；　humbly。　〃It　is　only　that　the　old
people　will；　at　all　events；　part　from　me　with　pain；　and　when　they
now　for　the　first　time　perceive　the　true　soul　within　me；　and　how　I
can　now　heartily　love　and　honor；　their　feeble　eyes　will　be　dimmed
with　plentiful　tears。　At　present　they　consider　my　quietness　and
gentleness　of　no　better　promise　than　before；　like　the　calmness　of
the　lake　when　the　air　is　still；　and；　as　matters　now　are；　they　will
soon　learn　to　cherish　a　flower　or　a　tree　as　they　have　cherished　me。
Do　not；　therefore；　let　me　reveal　to　them　this　newly…bestowed　and
loving　heart；　just　at　the　moment　when　they　must　lose　it　for　this
world；　and　how　could　I　conceal　it；　if　we　remain　longer　together？〃

Huldbrand　conceded　the　point；　he　went　to　the　aged　people　and　talked
with　them　over　the　journey；　which　he　proposed　to　undertake
immediately。　The　holy　father　offered　to　accompany　the　young　married
pair；　and；　after　a　hasty　farewell；　he　and　the　knight　assisted　the
beautiful　bride　to　mount　her　horse；　and　walked　with　rapid　step　by
her　side　over　the　dry　channel　of　the　forest…stream　into　the　wood
beyond。　Undine　wept　silently　but　bitterly；　and　the　old　people　gave
loud　expression　to　their　grief。　It　seemed　as　if　they　had　a
presentiment　of　all　they　were　now　losing　in　their　foster…child。

The　three　travellers　had　reached　in　silence　the　densest　shades　of
the　forest。　It　must　have　been　a　fair　sight；　under　that　green　canopy
of　leaves；　to　see　Undine's　lovely　form；　as　she　sat　on　her　noble　and
richly　ornamented　steed；　with　the　venerable　priest　in　the　white　garb
of　his　order　on　one　side　of　her；　and　on　the　other　the　blooming　young
knight　in　his　gay　and　splendid　attire；　with　his　sword　at　his　girdle。
Huldbrand　had　no　eyes　but　for　his　beautiful　wife　Undine；　who　had
dried　her　tears；　had　no　eyes　but　for　him；　and　they　soon　fell　into　a
mute；　voiceless　converse　of　glance　and　gesture；　from　which　they　were
only　roused　at　length　by　the　low　talking　of　the　reverend　father　with
a　fourth　traveller；　who　in　the　mean　while　had　joined　them
unobserved。

He　wore　a　white　garment　almost　resembling　the　dress　of　the　priests
order；　except　that　his　hood　hung　low　over　his　face；　and　his　whole
attire　floated　round　him　in　such　vast　folds　that　he　was　obliged
every　moment　to　gather　it　up；　and　throw　it　over　his　arm；　or　dispose
of　it　in　some　way；　and　yet　it　did　not　in　the　least　seem　to　impede
his　movements。　When　the　young　couple　first　perceived　him；　he　was
just　saying　〃And　so；　venerable　sir。　I　have　now　dwelt　for　many　years
here　in　the　forest；　and　yet　no　one　could　call　me　a　hermit；　in　your
sense　of　the　word。　For；　as　I　said；　I　know　nothing　of　penance；　and　I
do　not　think　I　have　any　especial　need　of　it。　I　lose　the　forest　only
for　this　reason；　that　its　beauty　is　quite　peculiar　to　itself；　and　it
amuses　me　to　pass　along　in　my　flowing　white　garments　among　the　eases
and　dusky　shadows；　while　now　and　then　a　sweet　sunbeam　shines　down
unexpectedly　upon　me。〃

〃You　are　a　very　strange　man；〃　replied　the　priest；　〃and　I　should　like
to　be　more　closely　acquainted　with　you。〃

〃And　to　pass　from　one　thing　to　another；　who　may　you　be　yourself？〃
asked　the　stranger。

〃I　am　called　Father　Heilmann；〃　said　the　holy　man；　〃and　I　come　from
the　monastery　of　'our　Lady'　which　lies　on　the　other　side　of　the
lake。〃

〃Indeed；〃　replied　the　stranger；　〃my　name　is　Kuhleborn；　and　so　far　as
courtesy　is　concerned　I　might　claim　the　title　of　Lord　of　Kuhleborn；
or　free　Lord　of　Kuhleborn；　for　I　am　as　free　as　the　birds　in　the
forest　and　perhaps　a　little　more　so。　For　example；　I　have　now
something　to　say　to　the　young　lady　there。〃　And　before　they　were
aware　of　his　intention；　he　was　at　the　other　side　of　the　priest；
close　beside　Undine；　stretching　himself　up　to　whisper　something　in
her　ear。

But　she　turned　from　him　with　alarm；　and　exclaimed：　〃I　have　nothing
more　to　do　with　you。〃

〃Ho；　ho；〃　laughed　the　stranger；　〃what　is　this　immensely　grand