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Rh "Nathless, the laws of our element hold thee bound, my niece; an he marrieth again and break his troth, thou must needs take away his life."

"A widower he is," saith Undine, "to this very hour, and his sad heart holdeth me dear."

"Nay, but at the same time he hath already exchanged vows with another;" and Kühleborn laughed right scornfully. "Wait but a day or two, and the priest will have given his blessing on the pair, and then–it is thy duty to go up to earth and give death to the twice-wedded!"

"That may not be;" and Undine laughed in her turn, "for with my own hands have I sealed up the fountain against myself and my race."

"Ah, but what if he leave his castle," said Kühleborn, "or have the fountain opened? He thinketh but little of such things."

"'Tis for this very reason," Undine replied, smiling through her tears, "that he is now hovering in spirit over the Mediterranean, and is hearing this talk of ours, in a warning and bodeful dream. With manifest intent have I arranged it all."

Then Kühleborn looked up at the knight; muttering threats and stamping his feet in furious rage, he shot like an arrow beneath the waters. And so wild was his anger that he seemed to swell and grow to the size of some huge whale. And now again did the swans commence their song, flapping their wings for flight; and the knight soared, or so it appeared to