HULDBRAND FORGETS HIS PROMISE
Undine was full of joy when she had saved Bertalda and Huldbrand from
the dangers of the Black Valley, and brought them back safely to
Castle Ringstetten. Her joy grew daily greater as her husband became
kind and gentle to her as he had used to be when they dwelt together
in the cottage by the lake. Indeed the knight had grown ashamed of his
careless words and ways. He would never again speak harshly to Undine
or leave her side to spend long hours with Bertalda; so he thought to
himself. For when she had hastened to save him and the maiden from the
doom which had all but overtaken them, he had seen once more, in a
flash, the soul of his beautiful young wife. It shone before him now,
fair and spotless in its beauty.
Bertalda, too, had been touched by the goodness of her friend. She no
longer wished to mock her gentle words, and though her heart was
cold, she grew more humble.
Thus trouble and care passed away from Ringstetten, and spectres no
longer haunted the dark corners of the castle.
Winter came, cold and chill, but it had no power to freeze the hearts
of Undine and the knight.
Spring came, and the trees grew green, and the sky shone more blue,
and the little birds began to use their wings. Soon the swallows and
the storks came home from their long winter journeys. And those in the
castle, as they thought of the fair countries these had seen, began
themselves to wish to travel.
One beautiful evening Huldbrand with his wife and Bertalda walked
along the banks of the river Danube. The knight, who had ofttimes
sailed down the river, told them tales of the wonderful countries
through which it flowed, and of the beautiful town of Vienna, which
rose so proudly on its banks.
'Ah!' said Bertalda, 'how I wish we might sail to this city of which
you tell.'
And Undine, ever anxious to give pleasure to her friend, said, 'Yes,
let us visit Vienna while the spring is still fair.' Huldbrand also
was pleased at the thought of the journey, only once he bent toward
Undine and whispered, 'Kühleborn, will we not be in his power if we
sail down the river?'
His beautiful wife only laughed. She was too happy now to fear her
uncle's power.
They therefore got ready for the journey with much merriment and many
hopes.
When at length the three travellers, with their attendants, set out on
their voyage, it seemed as though all would be as joyful as they had
wished. As they sailed on, the river grew more broad, more green the
grasses too in the rich meadow-lands.
But erelong a shadow crept across their joy. The river, indeed, flowed
smooth as before, the country smiled only more graciously upon the
travellers, but Kühleborn had already begun to show that on this part
of the river he could use his power.
Undine, it is true, reproved her uncle before he had done more than
play a few tricks upon them. Yet though he would cease his pranks when
she spoke, it was but a few moments before he was as troublesome as
ever.
Soon the crew began to crowd together, whispering fearfully and
glancing timidly at the knight and his fair ladies. Kühleborn was
making them afraid.
Huldbrand saw their strange glances and he began to grow angry. He
even muttered crossly, 'This is Undine's mad uncle come to disturb us.
I would her strange kindred would leave us alone.'
Thinking thus, the knight looked with displeasure at his poor wife.
She knew but too well what his glance meant, and worn out with sorrow
and with her constant watch over Kühleborn, she at length fell fast
asleep.
But no sooner were her eyes closed than her uncle again began his
tiresome tricks.
It seemed to the sailors, and indeed to all on board, that they were
bewitched, for look which way each one would, there before him,
peering out of the water, was the head of a very ugly man.
Each man turned, in his terror, to point out to his fellow the hideous
head. But on every face the same horror was already painted. Then when
each tried to tell the other what each one had seen, they ended by
crying out together, 'See, here is the face! nay, look, it is here!'
Undine awoke as the terrified crew broke into loud screams, and as she
opened her eyes the ugly faces vanished.
But Huldbrand had not been frightened. He had been growing more and
more angry, and now he would have spoken roughly to his wife, had she
not pleaded with loving eyes and soft voice, 'For God's sake, rebuke
me not while we are on the water. Bethink you of your promise.'
The knight was silent, for well he remembered how Undine had entreated
him never to reprove her while she was near water.
Then she, seeing he was silent, whispered, 'Let us give up this
voyage, for now has our joy turned into sadness. Let us go back to the
castle where nothing can disturb us.'
Huldbrand, however, was not to be so easily restored to good humour.
He answered her crossly, 'Why should I have to stay shut up at home?
Even there can I have quiet only so long as the fountain remains
sealed. I wish that your foolish kinsfolk--'
He could say no more, for Undine's hand was over his lips, and her
voice was beseeching him to be silent.
Meanwhile Bertalda sat quietly in the ship, thinking of all the
strange things that had happened. As she sat thus thinking, she
unfastened a golden necklace which the knight had given to her, and
holding it in her hand over the side of the bark she drew it
carelessly through the water. Then dreamily she watched it as it
gleamed and glistened in the light of the setting sun.
All at once a huge white hand came up out of the river, seized the
necklace, and disappeared with it below the water.
Bertalda shrieked in terror, and a mocking laugh answered her cry.
Then could the anger of the knight no longer be concealed. He sprang
up, shouting to the water spirits to claim no kinship with him, but to
come and learn from his sword-thrusts how much he hated them.
The maiden meanwhile wept for her lost necklace. But Undine had thrust
her hand into the water, and was murmuring strange words to herself,
stopping from time to time to say to her husband, 'Chide me not here,
Huldbrand, chide me not here, lest you lose me for ever.'
And, indeed, though the knight shook with rage, yet he spoke no word
of reproach to his wife.
At length Undine drew out the hand which she had been holding under
the water, and in it she held a coral necklace of wondrous beauty.
'Take it and weep no longer,' she said in her gentle voice, and she
held the necklace out toward Bertalda. 'I have had it brought to me
from the palaces below the sea. Grieve no longer for the one which you
have lost.'
But the knight saw in the necklace only another sign of Undine's
strange dealings with the water spirits. He sprang between Bertalda
and his wife and snatched from Undine's hand the beautiful necklace,
flinging it far away into the river. Then in his passion he turned to
his wife, and cried, 'Go and abide with your kindred! You are a witch,
go, dwell with those who are as you are, and take with you your gifts!
Go, trouble us no more!'
Undine looked at Huldbrand. Tears were in her blue eyes, and she wept
as a little blameless child might weep.
'Alas, beloved,' she sighed, 'farewell! No harm shall touch you while
I have power to shield you from evil. Alas, alas! why have you sent me
hence?'
She seemed to glide as she spoke over the edge of the bark, and be
drawn down into the river. And the little waves lapped against the
boat and seemed to sob as they whispered, 'Alas, alas!'
No sooner had the knight spoken than he knew what he had done. He had
lost his wife, his beautiful fair-souled Undine. He lay on the deck
stretching out empty arms, shedding bitter tears, until at length his
misery made the strong man swoon.
[Illustration: The little waves seemed to sob as they whispered,
'Alas! alas!']