they gave their consent to the union. After a great number of
questions and answers, the affair was arranged to the satisfaction of
all; and the mistress of the house went to prepare the bridal
apartment of the young couple, and also, with a view to grace the
nuptial solemnity, to seek for two consecrated tapers, which she had
for a long time kept by her, for this occasion.

The knight in the meanwhile busied himself about his golden chain,
for the purpose of disengaging two of its links, that he might make
an exchange of rings with his bride. But when she saw his object,
she started from her trance of musing, and exclaimed--

"Not so! my parents by no means sent me into the world so perfectly
destitute; on the contrary, they foresaw, even at that early period,
that such a night as this would come."

Thus speaking she went out of the room, and a moment after returned
with two costly rings, of which she gave one to her bridegroom, and
kept the other for herself. The old fisherman was beyond measure
astonished at this; and his wife, who was just re-entering the room,
was even more surprised than he, that neither of them had ever seen
these jewels in the child's possession.

"My parents," said Undine, "sewed these trinkets to that beautiful
raiment which I wore the very day I came to you. They also charged
me on no account whatever to mention them to any one before my
wedding evening. At the time of my coming, therefore, I took them
off in secret, and have kept them concealed to the present hour."

The priest now cut short all further questioning and wondering, while