Has it ever befallen thee, gentle reader, after many ups and downs in
this troublesome world, to alight upon a spot where thou foundest
rest; where the love which is born with us for fireside comfort and
domestic peace, revived in thee; where thou couldst fancy thy early
home with the blossoms of childhood, its pure, heartfelt affection,
and the holy influence breathed from thy fathers' graves, to be
restored to thee--and that it must indeed be "good for thee to be
here, and to build tabernacles?" The charm may have been broken, the
dream dispelled; but that has nothing to do with our present picture;
nor wilt thou care to dwell on such bitter moments; but recall to mind
that period of unspeakable peace, that foretaste of angelic rest which
was granted thee, and thou wilt partly conceive what the Knight
Huldbrand felt, while he lived on the promontory. Often, with secret
satisfaction, did he mark the forest stream rolling by more wildly
every day; its bed became wider and wider, and he felt the period of
his seclusion from the world must be still prolonged. Having found an
old crossbow in a corner of the cottage, and mended it, he spent part
of his days roving about, waylaying the birds that flew by, and
bringing whatever he killed to the kitchen, as rare game. When he came
back laden with spoil, Undine would often scold him for taking the
life of the dear little joyous creatures, soaring in the blue depths
of Heaven; she would even weep bitterly over the dead birds. But if he
came home empty-handed, she found fault with his awkwardness and
laziness, which obliged them to be content with fish and crabs for
dinner. Either way, he took delight in her pretty fits of anger; the
more so as she rarely failed to make up for them by the fondest
caresses afterwards. The old folks, having been in the young people's
confidence from the first, unconsciously looked upon them as a
betrothed or even married pair, shut out from the world with them in
this retreat, and bestowed upon them for comforts in their old age.
And this very seclusion helped to make the young Knight feel as if he
were already Undine's bridegroom. It seemed to him that the whole
world was contained within the surrounding waters, or at any rate,
that he could never more cross that charmed boundary, and rejoin other
human beings. And if at times the neighing of his steed reminded him
of former feats of chivalry, and seemed to ask for more; if his coat
of arms, embroidered on the saddle and trappings, caught his eye; or
if his good sword fell from the nail on which he had hung it and
slipped out of its scabbard, he would silence the misgivings that
arose, by thinking, Undine is not a fisherman's daughter, but most
likely sprung from some highly noble family in distant lands. The only
thing that ever ruffled him, was to hear the old woman scolding
Undine. The wayward girl only laughed at her; but to him it seemed as
if his own honour were touched; and yet he could not blame the good
wife, for Undine mostly deserved ten times worse than she got,
therefore he still felt kindly toward the old dame, and these little
rubs scarcely disturbed the even current of their lives.
At length, however, a grievance did arise. The Knight and the
Fisherman were in the habit of sitting cheerfully over a flask of
wine, both at noon, and also at eventide while the wind whistled
around, as it generally did at night. But they had now exhausted the
whole stock which the Fisherman had, long since, brought from the town
with him and they both missed it sadly. Undine laughed at them all day
for it, but they could not join in her mirth as heartily as usual.
Toward evening she left the cottage, saying she could no longer bear
such long dismal faces. As the twilight looked stormy, and the waters
were beginning to moan and heave, the Knight and the old man ran out
anxiously to fetch her back, remembering the agony of that night when
Huldbrand first came to the cottage. But they were met by Undine,
clapping her hands merrily. "What will you give me if I get you some
wine? But, indeed, I want no reward for it," she added; "I shall be
satisfied if you will but look brighter, and find more to say than you
have done all these tedious mornings. Come along; the floods have
washed a barrel ashore, and I will engage to sleep a whole week
through if it is not a barrel of wine!"
The men both followed her to a shady creek, and there found a barrel,
which did look as if it contained the generous liquor which they
longed for. They rolled it toward the hut as fast as they could, for a
heavy storm seemed stalking across the sky, and there was light enough
left to show them the waves of the lake tossing up their foaming
heads, as if looking out for the rain which would soon pour down upon
them. Undine lent a hand in the work, and presently, when the shower
threatened to break instantly over their heads, she spoke to the big
clouds in playful defiance: "You, you there! mind you do not give us a
drenching; we are some way from home yet." The old man admonished her
that this was sinful presumption, but she laughed slyly to herself,
and no harm came of it. Beyond their hopes, they all three reached the
comfortable fireside with their prize, unhurt; and it was not till
they had opened the barrel, and found it to contain excellent wine,
that the rain broke from the heavy clouds in torrents, and they heard
the storm roaring among the trees, and over the lake's heaving
billows.
A few bottles were soon filled from the great barrel, enough to last
them several days; and they sat sipping and chatting over the bright
fire, secure from the raging tempest. But the old man's heart
presently smote him. "Dear me," said he, "here are we making merry
over the blessing of Providence, while the owner of it has perhaps
been carried away by the flood, and lost his life!"--"No, that he has
not," said Undine, smiling; and she filled the Knight's glass again.
He replied, "I give you my word, good father, that if I knew how to
find and save him, no danger should deter me; I would not shrink from
setting out in this darkness. This much I promise you, if ever I set
foot in an inhabited country again, I will make inquiry after him or
his heirs, and restore to them twice or three times the value of the
wine." This pleased the old man, he gave an approving nod to the
Knight, and drained his glass with a better conscience and a lighter
heart. But Undine said to Huldbrand, "Do as you like with your money,
you may make what compensation you please; but as to setting out and
wandering after him, that was hastily said. I should cry my heart out
if we chanced to lose you; and had not you rather stay with me and
with the good wine?" "Why, yes!" said Huldbrand, laughing. "Well
then," rejoined Undine, "it was a foolish thing you talked of doing;
charity begins at home, you know." The old woman turned away, shaking
her head and sighing; her husband forgot his usual indulgence for the
pretty lassie, and reproved her sharply. "One would think," said he,
"you had been reared by Turks and heathens; God forgive you and us,
you perverse child."--"Ay but it _is_ my way of thinking," pursued
Undine, "whoever has reared me, so what is the use of your
talking?"--"Peace!" cried the Fisherman; and she, who with all her
wildness was sometimes cowed in a moment, clung trembling to
Huldbrand, and whispered, "And are you angry with me, dear friend?"
The Knight pressed her soft hand, and stroked down her ringlets. Not a
word could he say; his distress at the old man's harshness toward
Undine had sealed his lips; and so each couple remained sitting
opposite the other, in moody silence and constraint.