less loving eyes, little by little he began to shun her presence.

Then Undine, seeing that her husband's love grew less, wept, and the
knight, seeing her tears, would speak kindly to her, yet even as he
spoke he would leave her side to walk with Bertalda.

She, Bertalda, meanwhile grew once more rude and proud, nor could
Undine's patience win her to behave more wisely.

Then in the long dark passages of the old castle, spectres began to
appear to Huldbrand and Bertalda, and worse than any was the tall form
of Kühleborn, or the Master of the fountain, as the maiden still
called him.

Now one day, when Huldbrand had ridden to the hunt, Undine gathered
all her servants together in the court of the castle and bade them
bring a big stone to cover up the fountain which stood in the middle
of the square.

The servants, who loved their mistress, hastened to obey her commands.
A huge stone was carried into the court, and was just about to be
placed on the fountain when Bertalda came hurriedly to the spot.

'The fountain must not be closed,' she cried haughtily, 'for it is
from it that water is drawn for my daily bath.'

But Undine, who on other days had often given way to the wishes of
Bertalda, was to-day determined that her will should be done.

'It is I who am mistress of the castle in the absence of my lord,' she