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,