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Undine by Friedrich Heinrich Karl Freiherr de La Motte-Fouque
page 102 of 120 (85%)
strengthened; but, on the other hand, he felt the more ill-humour,
almost dislike, towards Undine. He would look angrily at her, and
the unhappy wife but too well understood his meaning. One day,
grieved by this unkindness, as well as exhausted by her unremitted
exertions to frustrate the artifices of Kuhleborn, she toward evening
fell into a deep slumber, rocked and soothed by the gentle motion of
the bark. But hardly had she closed her eyes, when every person in
the boat, in whatever direction he might look, saw the head of a man,
frightful beyond imagination: each head rose out of the waves, not
like that of a person swimming, but quite perpendicular, as if firmly
fastened to the watery mirror, and yet moving on with the bark.
Every one wished to show to his companion what terrified himself, and
each perceived the same expression of horror on the face of the
other, only hands and eyes were directed to a different quarter, as
if to a point where the monster, half laughing and half threatening,
rose opposite to each.

When, however, they wished to make one another understand the site,
and all cried out, "Look, there!" "No, there!" the frightful heads
all became visible to each, and the whole river around the boat
swarmed with the most horrible faces. All raised a scream of terror
at the sight, and Undine started from sleep. As she opened her eyes,
the deformed visages disappeared. But Huldbrand was made furious by
so many hideous visions. He would have burst out in wild
imprecations, had not Undine with the meekest looks and gentlest tone
of voice said--

"For God's sake, my husband, do not express displeasure against me
here--we are on the water."

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