and his wife. But this neither the knight nor his lady knew, nor
would it have comforted Undine had she been told.

The morning after the feast a beautiful carriage stood at the door.
Huldbrand and his wife were ready to set out on their journey to the
castle of Ringstetten.

As the knight and Undine were stepping into the carriage a fisher-girl
drew near, and begged them to buy her fish.

'We are leaving the city, we do not need any fish,' said the knight
courteously. But at the sound of his voice the girl burst into tears,
and Huldbrand saw with surprise that it was Bertalda who had spoken to
him.

'Why do you weep so bitterly?' asked Undine, drawing Bertalda into the
house, and the maiden, who had no pride left, told her story.

'My foster-parents,' she said between her sobs, 'my foster-parents are
so displeased with my cruel behaviour to you and to the old fisherman
and his wife, that they no longer wish me to live with them. They have
given me a large sum of money and have sent me away into the wide
world. The fisherman and his wife, to whom they have also given gifts,
have gone back to their cottage by the lake. I was too fearful to wish
to be left alone in the world, and fain would I have gone with them to
their simple home, but he who is said to be my father--'

[Illustration: At the sound of his voice the girl burst into tears]

'In truth he is your father,' interrupted Undine, and her voice was