The young married pair, though it was somewhat late, had called upon
Bertalda to invite her to share their enjoyment; and all three
proceeded familiarly up and down beneath the dark blue heaven, not
seldom interrupted in their converse by the admiration which they
could not but bestow upon the magnificent fountain in the middle of
the square, and upon the wonderful rush and shooting upward of its
waters. All was sweet and soothing to their minds. Among the
shadows of the trees stole in glimmerings of light from the adjacent
houses (sic). A low murmur as of children at play, and of other
persons who were enjoying their walk, floated around them--they were
so alone, and yet sharing so much of social happiness in the bright
and stirring world, that whatever had appeared rough by day now
became smooth of its own accord. All the three friends could no
longer see the slightest cause for hesitation in regard to Bertalda's
taking the journey.

At that instant, while they were just fixing the day of their
departure, a tall man approached them from the middle of the square,
bowed respectfully to the company, and spoke something in the young
bride's ear. Though displeased with the interruption and its cause,
she walked aside a few steps with the stranger; and both began to
whisper, as it seemed, in a foreign tongue. Huldbrand thought he
recognized the strange man of the forest, and he gazed upon him so
fixedly, that he neither heard nor answered the astonished inquiries
of Bertalda. All at once Undine clapped her hands with delight, and
turned back from the stranger, laughing: he, frequently shaking his
head, retired with a hasty step and discontented air, and descended
into the fountain. Huldbrand now felt perfectly certain that his
conjecture was correct. But Bertalda asked: