trouble.

She continued thus throughout the whole day, quiet, kind, and
attentive--at once a little matron and a tender bashful girl. The
three who had known her longest expected every moment to see some
whimsical vagary of her capricious spirit burst forth; but they waited
in vain for it. Undine remained as mild and gentle as an angel. The
holy father could not take his eyes from her, and he said repeatedly
to the bridegroom, "The goodness of heaven, sir, has intrusted a
treasure to you yesterday through me, unworthy as I am; cherish it as
you ought, and it will promote your temporal and eternal welfare."

[Illustration: FRIEDRICH BARON DE LA MOTTE-FOUQUE.]

Toward evening Undine was hanging on the knight's arm with humble
tenderness, and drew him gently out of the door where the declining
sun was shining pleasantly on the fresh grass and upon the tall
slender stems of the trees. The eyes of the young wife were moist,
as with the dew of sadness and love, and a tender and fearful secret
seemed hovering on her lips--which, however, was disclosed only by
scarcely audible sighs. She led her husband onward and onward in
silence; when he spoke she answered him only with looks, in which,
it is true, there lay no direct reply to his inquiries, but a whole
heaven of love and timid devotion. Thus they reached the edge of
the swollen forest-stream, and the knight was astonished to see it
rippling along in gentle waves, without a trace of its former wildness
and swell. "By the morning, it will be quite dry," said the beautiful
wife, in a regretful tone, "and you can then travel away wherever you
will, without anything to hinder you."

"Not without you, my little Undine," replied the knight, laughing;
"remember, even if I wished to desert you, the church, and the
spiritual powers, and the emperor, and the empire, would interpose and
bring the fugitive back again."

"All depends upon you, all depends upon you," whispered his wife, half
weeping and half smiling. "I think, however, nevertheless, that you
will keep me with you; I love you so heartily. Now carry me across to
that little island that lies before us. The matter shall be decided
there. I could easily indeed glide through the rippling waves, but it
is so restful in your arms, and, if you are to cast me off, I shall
have sweetly rested in them once more for the last time." Huldbrand,
full as he was of strange fear and emotion, knew not what to reply. He
took her in his