onsiderable space of time in a few
words, and only tells you generally what therein happened. He knows well
that it might be unfolded skilfully, and step by step, how Huldbrand's
heart began to turn from Undine and towards Bertalda--how Bertalda met
the young knight with ardent love, and how they both looked upon the
poor wife as a mysterious being, more to be dreaded than pitied--how
Undine wept, and her tears stung the conscience of her husband, without
recalling his former love; so that though at times he showed kindness
to her, a cold shudder soon forced him to turn from her to his
fellow-mortal Bertalda;--all this, the writer knows, might have been
drawn out fully, and perhaps it ought to have been. But it would have
made him too sad; for he has witnessed such things, and shrinks from
recalling even their shadow. Thou knowest, probably, the like feeling,
dear reader; for it is the lot of mortal man. Happy art thou if thou
hast received the injury, not inflicted it; for in this case it is
more blessed to receive than to give. Then only a soft sorrow at such a
recollection passes through thy heart, and perhaps a quiet tear trickles
down thy cheek over the faded flowers in which thou once so heartily
rejoiced. This is enough: we will not pierce our hearts with a thousand
separate stings, but only bear in mind that all happened as I just now
said.

Poor Undine was greatly troubled; and the other two were very far from
being happy. Bertalda in particular, whenever she was in the slightest
degree opposed in her wishes, attributed the cause to the jealousy and
oppression of the injured wife. She was therefore daily in the habit of
showing a haughty and imperious demeanour, to which Undine yielded with
a sad submission; and which was generally encouraged strongly by the now
blinded Huldbrand.

What disturbed the inmates of the castle still more, was the endless
variety of wonderful apparitions which assailed Huldbrand and Bertalda
in the vaulted passages of the building, and of which nothing had ever
been heard before within the memory of man. The tall white man, in
whom Huldbrand but too plainly recognized Undine's uncle Kuhleborn, and
Bertalda the spectral master of the waterworks, often passed before them
with threatening aspect and gestures; more especially, however, before
Bertalda, so that, through terror, she had several times already fallen
sick, and had, in consequence, frequently thought of quitting the
castle.