CHAPTER IX.
HOW THE KNIGHT TOOK HIS YOUNG WIFE WITH HIM.
When Huldbrand awoke from his sleep on the following morning, andmissed his beautiful wife from his side, he began to indulge againin the strange thoughts, that his marriage and the charming Undineherself were but fleeting and deceptive illusions. But at the samemoment she entered the room, sat down beside him, and said: "I havebeen out rather early to see if my uncle keeps his word. He hasalready led all the waters back again into his own calm channel, andhe 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 travelhomeward when you will, dry-shod." It seemed to Huldbrand as thoughhe were in a waking dream, so little could he reconcile himself tothe strange relationship of his wife. Nevertheless he made noremark on the matter, and the exquisite grace of his bride soonlulled to rest every uneasy misgiving. When he was afterwardstanding before the door with her, and looking over the greenpeninsula with its boundary of clear waters, he felt so happyin this cradle of his love, that he exclaimed: "Why shall wetravel so soon as to-day? We shall scarcely find more pleasant daysin the world yonder than those we have spent in this quiet littleshelter. 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 oldpeople will, at all events, part from me with pain, and when theynow for the first time perceive the true soul within me, and how Ican now heartily love and honor, their feeble eyes will be dimmedwith plentiful tears. At present they consider my quietness andgentleness of no better promise than before, like the calmness ofthe lake when the air is still; and, as matters now are, they willsoon learn to cherish a flower or a tree as they have cherished me.Do not, therefore, let me reveal to them this newly-bestowed andloving heart, just at the moment when they must lose it for thisworld; and how could I conceal it, if we remain longer together?"
Huldbrand conceded the point; he went to the aged people and talkedwith them over the journey, which he proposed to undertakeimmediately. The holy father offered to accompany the young marriedpair, and, after a hasty farewell, he and the knight assisted thebeautiful bride to mount her horse, and walked with rapid step byher side over the dry channel of the forest-stream into the woodbeyond. Undine wept silently but bitterly, and the old people gaveloud expression to their grief. It seemed as if they had apresentiment of all they were now losing in their foster-child.
The three travellers had reached in silence the densest shades ofthe forest. It must have been a fair sight, under that green canopyof leaves, to see Undine's lovely form, as she sat on her noble andrichly ornamented steed, with the venerable priest in the white garbof his order on one side of her, and on the other the blooming youngknight in his gay and splendid attire, with his sword at his girdle.Huldbrand had no eyes but for his beautiful wife Undine, who haddried her tears, had no eyes but for him, and they soon fell into amute, voiceless converse of glance and gesture, from which they wereonly roused at length by the low talking of the reverend father witha fourth traveller, who in the mean while had joined themunobserved.
He wore a white garment almost resembling the dress of the priestsorder, except that his hood hung low over his face, and his wholeattire floated round him in such vast folds that he was obligedevery moment to gather it up, and throw it over his arm, or disposeof it in some way, and yet it did not in the least seem to impedehis movements. When the young couple first perceived him, he wasjust saying "And so, venerable sir. I have now dwelt for many yearshere in the forest, and yet no one could call me a hermit, in yoursense of the word. For, as I said, I know nothing of penance, and Ido not think I have any especial need of it. I lose the forest onlyfor this reason, that its beauty is quite peculiar to itself, and itamuses me to pass along in my flowing white garments among the easesand dusky shadows, while now and then a sweet sunbeam shines downunexpectedly upon me."
"You are a very strange man," replied the priest, "and I should liketo 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 fromthe monastery of 'our Lady' which lies on the other side of thelake."
"Indeed," replied the stranger; "my name is Kuhleborn, and so far ascourtesy 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 theforest and perhaps a little more so. For example, I have nowsomething to say to the young lady there." And before they wereaware of his intention, he was at the other side of the priest,close beside Undine, stretching himself up to whisper something inher ear.
But she turned from him with alarm, and exclaimed: "I have nothingmore to do with you."
"Ho, ho," laughed the stranger, "what is this immensely grandmarriage you have made, that you don't know your own relations anylonger? Have you forgotten your uncle Kuhleborn, who so faithfullybore you on his back through this region?"
"I beg you, nevertheless," replied Undine, "not to appear in mypresence again. I am now afraid of you; and suppose my husbandshould learn to avoid me when he sees me in such strange company andwith such relations!"
"My little niece," said Kuhleborn, "you must not forget that I amwith you here as a guide; the spirits of earth that haunt this placemight otherwise play some of their stupid pranks with you. Let metherefore go quietly on with you; the old priest there remembered mebetter than you appear to have done, for he assured me just now thatI seemed familiar to him, and that I must have been with him in theboat, out of which he fell into the water. I was so, truly enough;for I was the water-spout that carried him out of it and washed himsafely ashore for your wedding."
Undine and the knight turned toward Father Heilmann; but he seemedwalking on, as in a sort of dream, and no longer to be conscious ofall that was passing. Undine then said to Kuhleborn, "I see yonderthe end of the forest. We no longer need your help, and nothingcauses us alarm but yourself. I beg you, therefore, in all love andgood-will, vanish, and let us proceed in peace."
Kuhleborn seemed to become angry at this; his countenance assumed afrightful expression, and he grinned fiercely at Undine, whoscreamed aloud and called upon her husband for assistance. As quickas lightning, the knight sprang to the other side of the horse, andaimed his sharp sword at Kuhleborn's head. But the sword cut througha waterfall, which was rushing down near them from a lofty crag; andwith a splash, which almost sounded like a burst of laughter, itpoured over them and wet them through to the skin.
The priest, as if suddenly awaking, exclaimed "I have long beenexpecting that, for the stream ran down from the height so close tous. At first it really seemed to me like a man, and as if it couldspeak." As the waterfall came rushing down, it distinctly utteredthese words in Huldbrand's ear:--
"Rash knight, Brave knight, Rage, feel I not, Chide, will I not. But ever guard thy little wife as well, Rash knight, brave knight! Protect her well!"
A few footsteps more, and they were upon open ground. The imperialcity lay bright before them, and the evening sun, which gilded itstowers, kindly dried the garments of the drenched wanderers.