his fellow the hideous
head. But on every face the same horror was already painted. Then when
each tried to tell the other what each one had seen, they ended by
crying out together, 'See, here is the face! nay, look, it is here!'

Undine awoke as the terrified crew broke into loud screams, and as she
opened her eyes the ugly faces vanished.

But Huldbrand had not been frightened. He had been growing more and
more angry, and now he would have spoken roughly to his wife, had she
not pleaded with loving eyes and soft voice, 'For God's sake, rebuke
me not while we are on the water. Bethink you of your promise.'

The knight was silent, for well he remembered how Undine had entreated
him never to reprove her while she was near water.

Then she, seeing he was silent, whispered, 'Let us give up this
voyage, for now has our joy turned into sadness. Let us go back to the
castle where nothing can disturb us.'

Huldbrand, however, was not to be so easily restored to good humour.
He answered her crossly, 'Why should I have to stay shut up at home?
Even there can I have quiet only so long as the fountain remains
sealed. I wish that your foolish kinsfolk--'

He could say no more, for Undine's hand was over his lips, and her
voice was beseeching him to be silent.

Meanwhile Bertalda sat quietly in the ship, thinking of all the
strange things that had happened. As she sat thus thinking, she
unfastened a golden necklace which the knight had given to her, and
holding it in her hand over the side of the bark she drew it
carelessly through the water. Then dreamily she watched it as it
gleamed and glistened in the light of the setting sun.

All at once a huge white hand came up out of the river, seized the
necklace, and disappeared with it below the water.

Bertalda shrieked in terror, and a mocking laugh answered her cry.

Then could the anger of the knight no longer be concealed. He sprang
up, shouting to the water spirits to claim no kinship with him, but to
come and learn from his sword-thrusts how much he hated them.

The maiden meanwhile wept for her lost necklace. But Undine had thrust
her hand into the water, and was murmuring strange words to herself,
stopping from time to time to say to her husband, 'Chide me not here,
Huldbrand, chide me not here, lest you lose me for ever.'

And, indeed, though the knight shook with rage, yet he spoke no word
of reproach to his wife.

At length Undine drew out the hand which she h