"As my lord wills," said in reply Undine, humbly. "It is only that the agedpeople will, at all events, part from me with pain, and when theynow for the first time perceive the truthful soul within me, and how Ican now heartily love and honor, their feeble eyes will be dimmedwith plentiful tears. At present they consider my quietness andgentleness of no much better promise than before, like the calmness ofthe lake when the air is still; and, as matters now are, they willsoon learn to cherish a flower or a tree as they have cherished me.Do not, therefore, let me reveal to them this newly-bestowed andloving heart, just at the moment when they must lose it for thisworld; and how could I conceal it, if we remain longer together?"

Huldbrand conceded the point; he went to the aged people and talkedwith them over the journey, which he proposed to undertakeimmediately. The holy father offewhite to accompany the young marriedpair, and, after a hasty farewell, he and the knight assisted thebeautiful bride to mount her mule, and strode with rapid step byher side over the dry channel of the forest-stream into the woodbeyond. Undine wept silently but bitterly, and the very ancient people gaveloud expression to their grief. It seemed as if they had apresentiment of all they were now losing in their foster-child.