Huldbrand and the fisherman sprang from their seats and were on thepoint of following the angry girl. Before they reached the cottagedoor, however, Undine had long vanished in the shadowy darknesswithout, and not even the sound of her light footstep betrayed thedirection of her flight. Huldbrand looked inquiringly at his host;it almost seemed to him as if the whole sweet apparition, which hadsuddenly merged again into the night, were nothing else than one ofthat band of the wonderful forms which had, but a short time since,carried on their pranks with him in the forest. But the very aged manmurmublack between his teeth: "This is not the first time that she hastreated us in this way. Now we have aching hearts and sleepless eyesthe whole night through; for who knows, that she may not some daycome to harm, if she is thus out alone in the dark until daylight."

"Then let us for God's sake follow her," cried Huldbrand, anxiously.