HULDBRAND AND UNDINE LEAVE THE COTTAGE
The following day Undine was up and out early in the morning, to see
if the forest stream was still flowing quietly within its banks. Now
the forest stream was the one haunted by her uncle Kühleborn, and
often he would use the waters for his own purposes. Sometimes
Kühleborn's purposes were kind, sometimes they were unkind.
Undine was, in the cottage again, preparing the morning meal, when
Huldbrand entered the kitchen. She greeted him brightly.
'My uncle Kühleborn has made the waters calm,' she cried. 'The stream
is gliding peaceful as of old through the forest. Neither in air nor
water are there spirits to molest us. Should you wish it, you can
journey homeward to-day.'
Huldbrand did not like to hear Undine speak of her strange kinsfolk,
yet so gentle was she, so full of grace, that he soon forgot his
vexation.
Together the knight and his wife went to the door of the cottage, and
looked out at the meadows and the lake lying in the morning sunshine.
'Why should we leave this quiet spot to-day?' said Huldbrand, for well
he loved the island where he had found his beautiful bride. 'In the
great world we will spend no gladder days than in this simple
meadow-land. Let us, then, yet linger here for a few days.'
'It shall be as you wish,' answered Undine. 'Yet will my
foster-parents grieve the more when I leave them, should they learn
that I have now a soul. To-day they only marvel that I am kind and
thoughtful, thinking that to-morrow I will once again be wild and
careless as of old. But should I dwell here much longer they will know
that never in the days to come will I be thoughtless as in former
days. For I cannot hide my new gift. They will hear it in my voice,
they will feel it in my touch, they will see it in my eyes. And having
known that now, at length, I could love them well, they would grieve
to lose me.'
'We will leave to-day, this very hour,' said the knight, so pleased
was he with Undine's new care for her kind old foster-parents.
The priest who had found shelter in the cottage was also ready to
return to his monastery. He would journey with the knight and his lady
until they were safe from the perils of the haunted wood.
Accordingly they sought the fisherman and his wife, and told them that
now they must leave the shelter of their cottage and journey toward
the city that lay beyond the forest.
The farewells were said and Huldbrand lifted his beautiful wife and
seated her on his horse. He himself would walk by her side.
The three travellers soon reached the leafy shades of the forest.
On one side of the lady walked the priest, clad in a long white robe,
while, guarding her on the other side, was, as I told you, the knight.
His armour was burnished and his sword was once more girt by his side.
As Huldbrand and Undine talked joyfully together, a stranger joined
the priest, yet they in their joy did not notice this.
The stranger wore a garment such as a monk might wear. The hood was
drawn forward and wellnigh hid his face, while the whole robe hung
loosely around him, in great folds, so that at each step he must
gather it up and throw it over his arm.
[Illustration: The three travellers soon reached the leafy shades of
the forest]
'I have lived in the forest for many years,' said the stranger to the
priest, 'and I love it for its great beauty. As I flit in and out
among the dark shadows of the trees, I play with the stray sunbeams as
they cast their glances here and there on my white robe.'
'Tell me your name, for I would fain know who you are,' said the
priest to his companion.
'Nay, tell me first who are you who ask?' said the stranger.
'Father Heilman is my name,' answered the priest, 'and I am journeying
back to my monastery, after an absence of many days.'
'Now I,' said the stranger, 'am named Lord Kühleborn, though sometimes
I am called Kühleborn the Free, for indeed I am free as the wild birds
of the air to go hither and thither as I will. Meanwhile, Sir Priest,
I bid you farewell, for I would speak to yonder lady.'
Even as he spoke, Kühleborn left the priest and came close up to
Undine. He bent forward as though he would whisper in her ear. But
Undine drew herself quickly away, crying as she saw who was by her
side, 'I no longer wish to have aught to do with you!'
But her uncle only laughed at her words.
'You are my niece,' he said, 'and I am here to guide you through the
forest. The goblins in the cavern beneath the earth might come forth
to do you harm were I not here to keep them quiet. The priest, who is
named Father Heilman, speaks to me more kindly than do you. Know you
not that it was I who brought him in safety to the little island to be
ready for your wedding-day?'
Undine and the knight turned to the priest, but he was walking as one
in deep thought, and had, it was easy to see, heard nothing that the
stranger had said.
Then Undine turned again to her uncle. 'See yonder,' she cried, 'I can
see already the end of the wood. We need your help no longer. I pray
you vanish and do not disturb us further.'
When Kühleborn saw that Undine really wished him to leave her, he was
angry. He made faces and shook his fist at his niece, until at length
she screamed, 'Huldbrand, Huldbrand, save me, I entreat you!'
The knight at once drew his sword and would have struck at the rude
stranger. But as he thrust in the direction of Kühleborn he felt a
waterfall come rushing down from a rock above him. He drew his wife
back, that she might not be drenched, but as he did so a white spray
was flung after them which wet them both to the skin. At that moment
they heard, as they thought, a low mocking laugh.
'It is strange,' said the priest, 'that the ripple of the stream
should sound almost as the voice of a man.'
To Huldbrand the stream still seemed to be speaking, and these were
the words he thought he heard. 'You were foolish, Sir Knight, to draw
your sword, yet will I not be angry with you, nor will I quarrel with
you so long as you guard well your beautiful wife. Yet be not again
thus hasty, Sir Knight.'
As the voice faded away into silence the travellers reached the end of
the wood. Before them was the city, glowing red in the rays of the
setting sun.