; the tempest had become hushed, the small birds sung merrily on the
moist branches.

As Undine now insisted upon hearing the recital of the knight's promised
adventures, the aged couple readily agreed to her wish. Breakfast was
brought out beneath the trees which stood behind the cottage toward the
lake on the north, and they sat down to it with contented hearts;
Undine at the knight's feet on the grass. These arrangements being made,
Huldbrand began his story in the following manner:--

"It is now about eight days since I rode into the free imperial city
which lies yonder on the farther side of the forest. Soon after my
arrival a splendid tournament and running at the ring took place there,
and I spared neither my horse nor my lance in the encounters.

"Once while I was pausing at the lists to rest from the brisk exercise,
and was handing back my helmet to one of my attendants, a female figure
of extraordinary beauty caught my attention, as, most magnificently
attired, she stood looking on at one of the balconies. I learned, on
making inquiry of a person near me, that the name of the young lady
was Bertalda, and that she was a foster-daughter of one of the powerful
dukes of this country. She too, I observed, was gazing at me, and the
consequences were such as we young knights are wont to experience;
whatever success in riding I might have had before, I was now favoured
with still better fortune. That evening I was Bertalda's partner in the
dance, and I enjoyed the same distinction during the remainder of the
festival."

A sharp pain in his left hand, as it hung carelessly beside him, here
interrupted Huldbrand's relation, and drew his eye to the part affected.
Undine had fastened her pearly teeth, and not without some keenness
too, upon one of his fingers, appearing at the same time very gloomy
and displeased. On a sudden, however, she looked up in his eyes with an
expression of tender melancholy, and whispered almost inaudibly,--

"It is all your own fault."

She then covered her face; and the knight, strangely embarrassed and
thoughtful, went on with his story.

"This lady, Bertalda, of whom I spoke, is of a proud and wayward spirit.
The second day I saw her she pleased me by no means so much as she
had the first, and the third day still less. But I continued about her
because she showed me more favour than she did any other knight, and
it so happened that I playfully asked her to give me one of her gloves.