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Rh phantom, half laughing and half threatening, rose before him. But when they wished to make each other understand, and were all crying out "Look there!"–"No–there!" all the horrible heads together and at the same moment appeared to their view, and the whole river swarmed with hideous apparitions. The universal shriek of fear awoke Undine, and, as she opened her eyes, the wild crowd of ugly faces vanished.

But as for Huldbrand, it irked him sore to see such jugglery. He had well nigh burst out in a storm of indignation; but Undine implored him in humble and soothing tones: "For God's sake," saith she, "bethink thee, my husband! We are on the water, do not be angry with me now!" So the knight held his peace and sat down with brooding thoughts. Undine whispered in his ear. "Were it not better, my love, that we gave up this foolish voyage, and returned in peace to Ringstetten?"

But Hudbrand murmured moodily: "So I must needs be a prisoner in my own castle, and only able to breathe so long as the fountain is closed! Would that thy mad kindred" Hereupon Undine lovingly pressed her hand on his lips; and he paused, musing in silence over much that Undine had before told him.

Meantime, Bertalda had given herself up to many strange thoughts. Much of Undine's origin she knew, and yet not everything; as to Kühleborn, he above