servants.

And some who dared to follow her saw that she went slowly down toward
the fountain.




CHAPTER XVII

THE BURIAL


Now when Father Heilman heard that the knight was dead, he hastened to
the castle to comfort Bertalda. The priest, who but the day before had
married the maiden to the knight, had already fled from the haunted
house.

But Father Heilman found that the haughty spirit of the bride needed
no comfort. She was more angry with Undine than sorrowful that she had
lost the knight. Indeed, as she thought of the strange way in which
Huldbrand had been snatched away from her, she cried aloud, 'Why did
Huldbrand bring a water spirit to his home? She is worse than a
mermaiden, she is a witch, a sorceress!'

Then the old fisherman, who heard her cruel words, hushed her, saying,
'It was God's will that Huldbrand should die, and Undine alone,
forsaken, weeps for his death in great sorrow of soul.'

But if Father Heilman was not needed to comfort Bertalda, his presence