ll not go on to pierce our hearts with a thousand
separate arrows, but content ourselves with saying, that so it
happened in the present instance.

Poor Undine drooped day by day, and the others were neither of them
happy; Bertalda especially was uneasy, and ready to suspect the
injured wife, whenever she fancied herself slighted by Huldbrand;
meantime she had gradually assumed the command in the house, and the
deluded Huldbrand supported her openly. Undine looked on, in meek
resignation. To increase the discomfort of their lives, there was no
end to the mysterious sights and sounds that haunted Huldbrand and
Bertalda in the vaulted galleries of the castle; such as had never
been heard of before. The long white man, too well known to him as
Uncle Kuehleborn, and to her as the spirit of the fountain, often
showed his threatening countenance to both; but chiefly to Bertalda,
who had more than once been made ill by the fright, and thought
seriously of leaving the castle. But her love for Huldbrand detained
her, and she quieted her conscience by thinking, that it had never
come to a declaration of love between them; and, besides, she would
not have known which way to turn. After receiving the Lord of
Ringstetten's message, that Bertalda was with them, the old Fisherman
had traced a few lines, scarcely legible, from infirmity and long
disuse, saying, "I am now a poor old widower; for my dear good wife is
dead. But, lonely as I am by my fireside, I had rather Bertalda stayed
away than come here. Provided she does not harm my dear Undine! My
curse be upon her if she does." Bertalda scattered these last words to
the winds, but treasured up her father's command that she should not
join him: as is the way with us selfish beings.

One day, when Huldbrand had just ridden out, Undine sent for her
servants and desired them to fetch a large stone and carefully to stop
up the mouth of the magnificent fountain, which played in the centre
of the court. The men objected, that they must then always go down the
valley to a great distance for water. Undine smiled mournfully. "It
grieves me to add to your burdens, my good friends," said she, "I had
rather go and fill my pitcher myself; but this fountain must be
sealed up. Trust me, nothing else will do, and it is our only way of
escaping a much worse evil."

The servants rejoiced at any opportunity of pleasing their gentle
mistress; not a word more was said, and they lifted the huge stone.