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68 somewhat freer. For example, I have a word to say to the lady there."

And, ere they saw what he would be at, he was on the other side of the priest, hard by Undine. He raised himself up to whisper something in her ear, but she turned away with alarm, and cried out "Nothing more have I to do with thee!"

"Ho, ho," laughed the stranger, "hast made so grand a marriage that no longer thou recognisest thy relations? Hast forgotten thy uncle Kühleborn, who so faithfully bore thee on his back to this region?"

"Nathless I beg of thee," quoth Undine, "not to appear to me again. I fear thee now. What if my husband were to learn to avoid me, when he seeth me in such strange company and with such relations!"

"Little niece," saith Kühleborn, "forget not that I am here with thee as a guide–else might the malicious goblins of the earth play some stupid pranks with thee. Let me therefore go on quickly at thy side. The old priest had better memory for me than thou hast, for he told me that I seemed familiar to him and that perchance I was with him in the boat, out of which he fell into the water. In sooth was I, for I was the waterspout that threw him out of it and washed him safely ashore for thy bridals."

Undine and the knight turned then to Father Heilmann, but he seemed walking as it were in a dream, and perceived naught of what was passing. Thereupon said Undine to Khüleborn, "Lo! there I see