a!" cried he; first gently, then louder and louder--in vain.
When at length he shouted the beloved name with the whole strength of
his lungs, a faint mocking echo returned it from the cavities of the
rocks--"Bertalda!" but the sleeper awoke not. He bent over her; but
the gloom of the valley and the shades of night prevented his
discerning her features. At length, though kept back by some boding
fears, he knelt down by her on the earth, and just then a flash of
lightning lighted up the valley. He saw a hideous distorted face close
to his own, and heard a hollow voice say, "Give me a kiss, thou sweet
shepherd!" With a cry of horror Huldbrand started up, and the monster
after him. "Go home!" it cried, "the bad spirits are abroad--go home!
or I have you!" and its long white arm nearly grasped him. "Spiteful
Kuehleborn," cried the Knight, taking courage, "what matters it, I know
thee, foul spirit! There is a kiss for thee!" And he raised his sword
furiously against the figure. But it dissolved, and a drenching shower
made it sufficiently clear to the Knight what enemy he had
encountered. "He would scare me away from Bertalda," said he aloud to
himself; "he thinks he can subdue me by his absurd tricks, and make me
leave the poor terrified maiden in his power, that he may wreak his
vengeance upon her. But _that_ he never shall--wretched goblin! What
power lies in a human breast when steeled by firm resolve, the
contemptible juggler has yet to learn." And he felt the truth of his
own words, and seemed to have nerved himself afresh by them. He
thought, too, that fortune now began to aid him, for before he had got
back to his horse again, he distinctly heard the piteous voice of
Bertalda as if near at hand, borne toward him on the winds as their
howling mingled with the thunder. Eagerly did he push on in that
direction, and he found the trembling damsel was just attempting to
climb the mountain's side, in order, at any risk, to get out of these
awful shades.

He met her affectionately and however proudly she might before have
determined to hold out, she could not but rejoice at being rescued by
her much-loved Huldbrand from the fearful solitude, and warmly invited
to return to his cheerful home in the castle. She accompanied him with
scarcely a word of reluctance, but was so exhausted, that the Knight
felt much relieved when they had reached the horse in safety; he
hastened to loose him, and would have placed his tender charge up