veil.

The priest, going up to her with a solemn look, now addressed himself
to her, and conjured her, by the name of God most holy, if any spirit
of evil possessed her, to remove the light covering from her face.
But she sank before him on her knees, and repeated after him every
sacred expression he uttered, giving praise to God, and protesting
"that she wished well to the whole world."

The priest then spoke to the knight: "Sir bridegroom, I leave you
alone with her whom I have united to you in marriage. So far as I
can discover, there is nothing of evil in her, but assuredly much
that is wonderful. What I recommend to you is--prudence, love, and
fidelity."

Thus speaking, he left the apartment; and the fisherman, with his
wife, followed him, crossing themselves.

Undine had sunk upon her knees. She uncovered her face, and
exclaimed, while she looked fearfully round upon Huldbrand, "Alas!
you will now refuse to look upon me as your own; and still I have
done nothing evil, poor unhappy child that I am!" She spoke these
words with a look so infinitely sweet and touching, that her
bridegroom forgot both the confession that had shocked, and the
mystery that had perplexed him; and hastening to her, he raised her
in his arms. She smiled through her tears; and that smile was like
the morning light playing upon a small stream. "You cannot desert
me!" she whispered confidingly, and stroked the knight's cheeks with
her little soft hands. He turned away from the frightful thoughts
that still lurked in the recesses of his soul, and were persuading