t
delight, the stubborn Kuhleborn, dropping all disguise, began to show
his power of annoying them. He had no other means of doing this, indeed,
than by tricks--for Undine often rebuked the swelling waves or the
contrary winds, and then the insolence of the enemy was instantly
humbled and subdued; but his attacks were renewed, and Undine's reproofs
again became necessary, so that the pleasure of the fellow-travellers
was completely destroyed. The boatmen, too, were continually whispering
to one another in dismay, and eying their three superiors with distrust,
while even the servants began more and more to form dismal surmises, and
to watch their master and mistress with looks of suspicion.

Huldbrand often said in his own mind, "This comes when like marries not
like--when a man forms an unnatural union with a sea-maiden." Excusing
himself, as we all love to do, he would add: "I did not, in fact, know
that she was a maid of the sea. It is my misfortune that my steps are
haunted and disturbed by the wild humours of her kindred, but it is not
my crime."

By reflections like these, he felt himself in some measure strengthened;
but, on the other hand, he felt the more ill-humour, almost dislike,
towards Undine. He would look angrily at her, and the unhappy wife but
too well understood his meaning. One day, grieved by this unkindness, as
well as exhausted by her unremitted exertions to frustrate the artifices
of Kuhleborn, she toward evening fell into a deep slumber, rocked and
soothed by the gentle motion of the bark. But hardly had she closed
her eyes, when every person in the boat, in whatever direction he might
look, saw the head of a man, frightful beyond imagination: each head
rose out of the waves, not like that of a person swimming, but quite
perpendicular, as if firmly fastened to the watery mirror, and yet
moving on with the bark. Every one wished to show to his companion what
terrified himself, and each perceived the same expression of horror on
the face of the other, only hands and eyes were directed to a different
quarter, as if to a point where the monster, half laughing and half
threatening, rose opposite to each.

When, however, they wished to make one another understand the site,
and all cried out, "Look, there!" "No, there!" the frightful heads all
became visible to each, and the whole river around the boat swarmed with
the most horrible faces. All raised a scream of terror at the sight, and
Undine starte