Undine | Page 7

side of the
room there, only be careful not to shove it about too roughly, for one of
its legs, I fear, is none of the firmest."
The knight brought up the seat as carefully as she could desire, sat
down upon it good-humouredly, and it seemed to him almost as if he
must be somehow related to this little household, and have just returned
home from abroad.
These three worthy people now began to converse in the most friendly
and familiar manner. In relation to the forest, indeed, concerning which
the knight occasionally made some inquiries, the old man chose to
know and say but little; he was of opinion that slightly touching upon it
at this hour of twilight was most suitable and safe; but of the cares and
comforts of their home, and their business abroad, the aged couple
spoke more freely, and listened also with eager curiosity as the knight
recounted to them his travels, and how he had a castle near one of the
sources of the Danube, and that his name was Sir Huldbrand of
Ringstetten.
Already had the stranger, while they were in the midst of their talk,
heard at times a splash against the little low window, as if some one
were dashing water against it. The old man, every time he heard the
noise, knit his brows with vexation; but at last, when the whole sweep
of a shower came pouring like a torrent against the panes, and bubbling
through the decayed frame into the room, he started up indignant,

rushed to the window, and cried with a threatening voice--
"Undine! will you never leave off these fooleries?--not even to-day,
when we have a stranger knight with us in the cottage?"
All without now became still, only a low laugh was just audible, and
the fisherman said, as he came back to his seat, "You will have the
goodness, my honoured guest, to pardon this freak, and it may be a
multitude more; but she has no thought of evil or of any harm. This
mischievous Undine, to confess the truth, is our adopted daughter, and
she stoutly refuses to give over this frolicsome childishness of hers,
although she has already entered her eighteenth year. But in spite of
this, as I said before, she is at heart one of the very best children in the
world."
"YOU may say so," broke in the old lady, shaking her head; "you can
give a better account of her than I can. When you return home from
fishing, or from selling your fish in the city, you may think her frolics
very delightful, but to have her dancing about you the whole day long,
and never from morning to night to hear her speak one word of sense;
and then as she grows older, instead of having any help from her in the
family, to find her a continual cause of anxiety, lest her wild humours
should completely ruin us, that is quite another thing, and enough at
last to weary out the patience even of a saint."
"Well, well," replied the master of the house with a smile, "you have
your trials with Undine, and I have mine with the lake. The lake often
beats down my dams, and breaks the meshes of my nets, but for all that
I have a strong affection for it, and so have you, in spite of your mighty
crosses and vexations, for our graceful little child. Is it not true?"
"One cannot be very angry with her," answered the old lady, as she
gave her husband an approving smile.
That instant the door flew open, and a fair girl, of wondrous beauty,
sprang laughing in, and said, "You have only been making a mock of
me, father; for where now is the guest you mentioned?"

The same moment, however, she perceived the knight also, and
continued standing before the young man in fixed astonishment.
Huldbrand was charmed with her graceful figure, and viewed her
lovely features with the more intense interest, as he imagined it was
only her surprise that allowed him the opportunity, and that she would
soon turn away from his gaze with increased bashfulness. But the event
was the very reverse of what he expected; for, after looking at him for a
long while, she became more confident, moved nearer, knelt down
before him, and while she played with a gold medal which he wore
attached to a rich chain on his breast, exclaimed,
"Why, you beautiful, you kind guest! how have you reached our poor
cottage at last? Have you been obliged for years and years to wander
about the world before you could catch one glimpse of our nook? Do
you come out of that wild forest, my beautiful knight?"
The old