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 UNDINE. 2.1

observe whether the state of things were such as Undine had represented it to be. The old man accompanied him; and the maiden went merrily dancing beside them. They found all, in fact, just as Undine had said ; and that the knight, whether willing or not willing, must submit to remaining on the island, so lately a peninsula, until the flood should subside.

When the three were now returning to the cottage after their ramble, the knight whispered in the ear of the little maiden, " Well, dear Undin«, are you angry at my re- maining?"

" Ah," she pettishly replied, " do not speak to me ! If I had not bitten you, who knows what fine things you would have put into your story about Bertalda ?"

CHAPTER III.

It may have happened to thee, my dear reader, after being much driven to and fro in the world, to reach at length a spot where all was well with thee. The love of home and of its peaceful joys, innate to all, again sprang up in thy heart ; thou thoughtest that thy home was decked with all the flowers of childhood, and of that purest, deepest love which had grown upon the graves of thy beloved, and that here it was good to live and to build houses. Even if thou didst err, and hast had bitterly to mourn thy error, it is nothing to my purpose, and thou thyself wilt not like to dwell on the sad recollection. But recall those unspeak- ably sweet feelings, that angelic greeting of peace, and thou wilt be able to understand what was the happiness of the knight Huldbrand during his abode on that narrow slip of land.

He frequently observed, with heartfelt satisfaction, that the forest-stream continued every day to swell and