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Now in the midst of this stillness came the sound of soft knocking at the door, and startled those that were within; for, at times, but a trifling incident can scare us, when it happeneth unexpectedly. But in this case there was the more reason for alarm in that the enchanted forest lay so near, and that the little promontory appeared out of the reach of all human visitors. They looked at each other with doubt in their faces, and when the knocking came again, and this time accompanied with a groan, the knight sprang to reach his sword. But the old man whispered softly, "Sir Knight," quoth he, "an it be what I fear, no weapon will be of avail." Meantime Undine approached the door and called out boldly and angrily, "Spirits of the earth, I warn ye! If ye mean mischief, Kühleborn shall teach ye better!"

Words so full of mystery only added to the terror