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 40 UNDINE.

" Heavily must the soul weigh dowTi its possessor," she pursued, when no one returned her any answer — " very heavily! — for already its approaching image overshadows me with anguish and mourning. And, alas, I have till now been so merry and light-hearted !" — And sLe burst into another flood of tears, and covered her face with her veil.

The priest, going up to her with a solemn look, now addressed himself to her, and conjured her by the name of God most holy, if any spirit of evil possessed her, to re- move the light covering from her face. But she sank before him on her knees, and repeated after him every sacred ex- pression he uttered, giving praise to God, and protesting " that she wished well to the whole world."

The priest then spoke to the kniglit: " Sir bridegroom, I leave you alone Avith her whom I have united to you in marriage. So far as I can discover, there is nothing of evil in her, but assuredly much that is wonderful. AVhat I recommend to you is — prudence, love, and fidelity."

Thus speaking, he left the apartment ; and the fisher- man, with his wife, followed him, crossing themselves.

Undine had sunk upon her knees. She uncovered her face, and exclaimed, while she looked fearfully round upon Huldbrand, "Alas! you will now refuse to look upon me as your own ; and still I have done nothing evil, poor un- happy child that I am !" She spoke these words with a look so infinitely sweet and touching, that her bridegroom forgot both the confession that had shocked and the mys- tery that had perplexed him ; and hastening to her, he raised her in his arms. She smiled through her tears ; and that smile was like the morning light playing upon a small stream. "You cannot desert me!" she whispered, con- fidingly, and stroked the knight's cheeks with her little soft hands. He turned away from the frightful thoughts that still lurked in the recesses of his soul, anti were per- suading him that he had been married to a fairy, or some spiteful and mischievous being of the si)irit-world. Only