without speaking. When he asked her questions, she replied only with
looks, in which, it is true, there appeared to be no immediate answer
to his inquiries, but a whole heaven of love and timid devotion.
Thus they reached the margin of the swollen forest stream, and the
knight was astonished to see it gliding away with so gentle a
murmuring of its waves, that no vestige of its former swell and
wildness was now discernible.

"By morning it will be wholly drained off," said the beautiful wife,
almost weeping, "and you will then be able to travel, without
anything to hinder you, whithersoever you will."

"Not without you, dear Undine," replied the knight, laughing; "think,
only, were I disposed to leave you, both the Church and the spiritual
powers, the Emperor and the laws of the realm, would require the
fugitive to be seized and restored to you."

"All this depends on you--all depends on you," whispered his little
companion, half weeping and half smiling. "But I still feel sure
that you will not leave me; I love you too deeply to fear that
misery. Now bear me over to that little island which lies before us.
There shall the decision be made. I could easily, indeed, glide
through that mere rippling of the water without your aid, but it is
so sweet to lie in your arms; and should you determine to put me
away, I shall have rested in them once more,....for the last time."

Huldbrand was so full of strange anxiety and emotion, that he knew
not what answer to make her. He took her in his arms and carried her
over, now first realizing the fact that this was the same little
island from which he had borne her back to the old fisherman, the