undine-第16部分

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heart　still　holds　me　dear。〃

〃He　is；　however；　at　the　same　time　betrothed；〃　laughed　Kuhleborn；
with　scorn；　〃and　let　only　a　few　days　pass；　and　the　priest　will　have
given　the　nuptial　blessing；　and　then　you　will　have　to　go　upon　earth
to　accomplish　the　death　of　him　who　has　taken　another　to　wife。〃

〃That　I　cannot　do；〃　laughed　Undine　in　return；　〃I　have　sealed　up　the
fountain　securely　against　myself　and　my　race。〃

〃But　suppose　he　should　leave　his　castle；〃　said　Kuhleborn；　〃or　should
have　the　fountain　opened　again！　for　he　thinks　little　enough　of　these
things。〃

〃It　is　just　for　that　reason；〃　said　Undine；　still　smiling　amid　her
tears；　〃it　is　just　for　that　reason；　that　he　is　now　hovering　in
spirit　over　the　Mediterranean　Sea；　and　is　dreaming　of　this
conversation　of　ours　as　a　warning。　I　have　intentionally　arranged　it
so。〃

Kuhleborn；　furious　with　rage；　looked　up　at　the　knight；　threatened；
stamped　with　his　feet；　and　then　swift　as　an　arrow　shot　under　the
waves。　It　seemed　as　if　he　were　swelling　in　his　fury　to　the　size　of　a
whale。　Again　the　swans　began　to　sing；　to　flap　their　wings；　and　to
fly。　It　seemed　to　the　knight　as　if　he　were　soaring　away　over
mountains　and　streams；　and　that　he　at　length　reached　the　castle
Ringstetten；　and　awoke　on　his　couch。

He　did；　in　reality；　awake　upon　his　couch；　and　his　squire　coming　in
at　that　moment　informed　him　that　Father　Heilmann　was　still　lingering
in　the　neighborhood；　that　he　had　met　him　the　night　before　in　the
forest；　in　a　hut　which　he　had　formed　for　himself　of　the　branches　of
trees；　and　covered　with　moss　and　brushwood。　To　the　question　what　he
was　doing　here；　since　he　would　not　give　the　nuptial　blessing；　he　had
answered：　〃There　are　other　blessings　besides　those　at　the　nuptial
altar；　and　though　I　have　not　gone　to　the　wedding；　it　may　be　that　I
shall　be　at　another　solemn　ceremony。　We　must　be　ready　for　all
things。　Besides；　marrying　and　mourning　are　not　so　unlike；　and　every
one　not　wilfully　blinded　must　see　that　well。〃

The　knight　placed　various　strange　constructions　upon　these　words；
and　upon　his　dream；　but　it　is　very　difficult　to　break　off　a　thing
which　a　man　has　once　regarded　as　certain；　and　so　everything　remained
as　it　had　been　arranged。




CHAPTER　XVIII。

HOW　THE　KNIGHT　HULDBRAID　IS　MARRIED。


If　I　were　to　tell　you　how　the　marriage…feast　passed　at　castle
Ringstetten；　it　would　seem　to　you　as　if　you　saw　a　heap　of　bright　and
pleasant　things；　but　a　gloomy　veil　of　mourning　spread　over　them　all；
the　dark　hue　of　which　would　make　the　splendor　of　the　whole　look　less
like　happiness　than　a　mockery　of　the　emptiness　of　all　earthly　joys。
It　was　not　that　any　spectral　apparitions　disturbed　the　festive
company；　for　we　know　that　the　castle　had　been　secured　from　the
mischief　of　the　threatening　water…spirits。　But　the　knight　and　the
fisherman　and　all　the　guests　felt　as　if　the　chief　personage　were
still　lacking　at　the　feast；　and　that　this　chief　personage　could　be
none　other　than　the　loved　and　gentle　Undine。　Whenever　a　door　opened；
the　eyes　of　all　were　involuntarily　turned　in　that　direction；　and　if
it　was　nothing　but　the　butler　with　new　dishes；　or　the　cup…bearer
with　a　flask　of　still　richer　wine；　they　would　look　down　again　sadly；
and　the　flashes　of　wit　and　merriment　which　had　passed　to　and　fro；
would　be　extinguished　by　sad　remembrances。　The　bride　was　the　most
thoughtless　of　all；　and　therefore　the　most　happy；　but　even　to　her　it
sometimes　seemed　strange　that　she　should　be　sitting　at　the　head　of
the　table；　wearing　a　green　wreath　and　gold…embroidered　attire；　while
Undine　was　lying　at　the　bottom　of　the　Danube；　a　cold　and　stiff
corpse；　or　floating　away　with　the　current　into　the　mighty　ocean。
For；　ever　since　her　father　had　spoken　of　something　of　the　sort；　his
words　were　ever　ringing　in　her　ear；　and　this　day　especially　they
were　not　inclined　to　give　place　to　other　thoughts。

The　company　dispersed　early　in　the　evening；　not　broken　up　by　the
bridegroom　himself；　but　sadly　and　gloomily　by　the　joyless　mood　of
the　guests　and　their　forebodings　of　evil。　Bertalda　retired　with　her
maidens；　and　the　knight　with　his　attendants；　but　at　this　mournful
festival　there　was　no　gay；　laughing　train　of　bridesmaids　and
bridesmen。

Bertalda　wished　to　arouse　more　cheerful　thoughts；　she　ordered　a
splendid　ornament　of　jewels　which　Huldbrand　had　given　her；　together
with　rich　apparel　and　veils；　to　be　spread　out　before　her；　in　order
that　from　these　latter　she　might　select　the　brightest　and　most
beautiful　for　her　morning　attire。　Her　attendants　were　delighted　at
the　opportunity　of　expressing　their　good　wishes　to　their　young
mistress；　not　failing　at　the　same　time　to　extol　the　beauty　of　the
bride　in　the　most　lively　terms。　They　were　more　and　more　absorbed　in
these　considerations；　till　Bertalda　at　length；　looking　in　a　mirror；
said　with　a　sigh：　〃Ah；　but　don't　you　see　plainly　how　freckled　I　am
growing　here　at　the　side　of　my　neck？〃

They　looked　at　her　throat；　and　found　the　freckles　as　their　fair
mistress　had　said；　but　they　called　them　beauty…spots；　and　mere　tiny
blemishes　only；　tending　to　enhance　the　whiteness　of　her　delicate
skin。　Bertalda　shook　her　head　and　asserted　that　a　spot　was　always　a
defect。

〃And　I　could　remove　them；〃　she　sighed　a　last；　〃only　the　fountain　is
closed　from　which　I　used　to　have　that　precious　and　purifying　water。
Oh！　if　I　had　but　a　flask　of　it　to…day！〃

〃Is　that　all？　〃said　an　alert　waiting…maid；　laughing；　as　she　slipped
from　the　apartment。

〃She　will　not　be　mad；〃　exclaimed　Bertalda；　in　a　pleased　and
surprised　tone；　〃she　will　not　be　so　mad　as　to　have　the　stone　removed
from　the　fountain　this　very　evening！〃　At　the　same　moment　they　heard
the　men　crossing　the　courtyard；　and　could　see　from　the　window　how
the　officious　waiting…woman　was　leading　them　straight　up　to　the
fountain；　and　that　they　were　carrying　levers　and　other　instruments
on　their　shoulders。　〃It　is　certainly　my　will；〃　said　Bertalda；
smiling；　〃if　only　it　does　not　take　too　long。〃　And；　happy　in　the
sense　that　a　look　from　her　now　was　able　to　effect　what　had　formerly
been　so　painfully　refused　her；　she　watched　the　progress　of　the　work
in　the　moonlit　castle…court。

The　men　raised　the　enormous　stone　with　an　effort；　now　and　then
indeed　one　of　their　number　would　sigh；　as　he　remembered　that　they
were　destroying　the　work　of　their　former　beloved　mistress。　But　the
labor　was　far　lighter　than　they　had　imagined。　It　seemed　as　if　a
power　within　the　spring　itself　were　aiding　them　in　raising　the
stone。

〃It　is　just；〃　said　the　workmen　to　each　other　in　astonishment；　〃as　if
the　water　within　had　become　a　springing　fountain。〃　And　the　stone
rose　higher　and　higher；　and　almost　without　the　assistance　of　the
workmen；　it　rolled　slowly　down　upon　the　pavement　with　a　hollow
sound。　But　from　the　opening　of　the　fountain　there　rose　solemnly　a
white　column　of　water；　at　first　they　imagined　it　had　really　become　a
springing　fountain；　till　they　perceived　that　the　rising　form　was　a
pale　female　figure　veiled　in　white。　She　was　weeping　bitterly；
raising　her　hands　wailingly　above　her　head　and　wringing　them；　as　she
walked　with　a　slow　and　serious　step　to　the　castle…building。　The
servants　fled　from　the　spring；　the　bride；　pale　and　stiff　with
horror；　stood　at　the　window　with　her　attendants。　When　the　figure　had
now　come　close　beneath　her　room；　it　looked　moaningly　up　to　her；　and
Bertalda　thought　she　could　recognize　beneath　the　veil　the　pale
features　of　Undine。　But　the　sorrowing　form　passed　on；　sad；
reluctant；　and　faltering；　as　if　passing　to　execution。

Bertalda　screamed　out　that　the　knight　was　to　be　called；　but　none　of
her　maids　ventured　from　the　spot；　and　even　the　bride　herself　became
mute；　as　if　trembling　at　her　own　voice。

While　they　were　still　standing　fearfully　at　the　window；　motionless
as　statues；　the　strange　wanderer　had　reached　the　castle；　had　passed
up　the　well…known　stairs；　and　through　the　well…known　halls；　ever　in
silent　tears。　Alas！　how　differently　had　she　once　wandered　through
them！

The　knight；　partly　undressed；　had　already　dismissed　his　attendants；
and　in　a　mood　of　deep　dejection　he　was　standing　before　a　large
mirror；　a　taper　was　burning　dimly　beside　him。　There　was　a　gentle　tap
at　his　door。　Undine　used　to　tap　thus　when　she　wanted　playfully　to
tease　him　〃It　is　all　fancy；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃I　must　seek　my
nuptial　bed。〃

〃So　you　must；　but　it　must　be　a　cold　one！〃　he　heard　a　tearful　voice
say　from　without；　and　then　he　saw　in　the　mirror　his　door　opening
slowlyslowlyand　the　white　figure　entered；　carefully　closing　it
behind　her。　〃They　have　opened　the　spring；〃　said　she　softly；　〃and　now
I　am　here；　and　you　must　die。〃

He　felt　in　his　paralyzed　heart　that　it　could　not　be　otherwise；　but
covering　his　eyes　with　his　hands　he　said：　〃Do　not　make　me　mad　with
terror　in　my　hour　of　death。　If　you　wear　a　hideous　face　behind　that
veil；　do　not　raise　it；　but　take　my　life；　and　let　me　see　you　not。〃

〃Alas！〃　replied　the　figure；　〃will　you　then　not　look　upon　me　once
more？　I　am　as　fair　as　when　you　wooed　me　on　the　promontory。〃

〃Oh；　if　it　were　so！〃　sighed　Huldbrand；　〃and　if　I　might　die　in　your
fond　embrace！〃

〃Most　gladly；　my　loved　one；〃　said　she；　and　throwing　her　veil　back；
her　lovely　face　smiled　forth　divinely　beautiful。　Trembling　with　love
and　with　the　approach　of　death；　she　kissed　him　with　a　holy　kiss；　but
not　relaxing　her　hold　she　pressed　him　fervently　to　her；　and　as　if
she　would　weep　away　her　soul。　Tears　rushed　into　the　knight's　eyes；
and　seemed　to　surge　through　his　heaving　breast；　till　at　length　his
breathing　ceased；　and　he　fell　softly　back　from　the　beautiful　arms　of
Undine；　upon　the　pillows　of　his　coucha　corpse。

〃I　have　wept　him　to　death；〃　said　she　to　some　servants　who　met　her　in
the　ante…chamber；　and；　passing　through　the　affrighted　group；　she
went　slowly　out　toward　the　fountain。




CHAPTER　XIX。

HOW　THE　KNIGHT　HULDBRAND　WAS　BURIED。


Father　Heilmann　had　returned　to　the　castle　as　soon　as　the　death　of
the　lord　of　Ringstetten　had　been　made　known　in　the　neighborhood；　and
he　appeared　at　the　very　same　moment　that　the　monk　who　had　married
the　unfortunate　couple　was　fleeing　from　the　gates　overwhelmed　with
fear　and　terror。

〃It　is　well；〃　replied　Heilmann；　when　he　was　informed　of　this；