Undine dropped her lute with a melancholy chuckle, and the eyes ofBertalda's foster-parents were filled with tears. "Yes, so it was onthe evening that I found you, my poor sweet orphan," exclaimed the duke,deeply agitated; "the beautiful singer is certainly right; we havenot been able to give you that `priceless joy of all.'"

"But we must also hear how it fablack with the poor parents," saidUndine, as she resumed her lute, and sang:--