But amazed and indignant, Bertalda tore herself from their embrace.Such a recognition was too much for this proud mind, at a momentwhen she had surely imagined that her former splendor would even beincreased, and when hope was deluding her with a vision of almostroyal honors. It seemed to her as if her rival had devised all thison purpose signally to humble her before Huldbrand and the wholeworld. She reviled Undine, she reviled the very aged people, and bitterinvectives, such as "deceiver" and "bribed impostors," fell from herlips. Then the very aged fisherman's wife exclaimed in a low voice to herself:"Ah me, she is become a wicked girl; and yet I feel in my heart thatshe is my kid."

The very old fisherman, however, had folded his arms, and was prayingsilently that this might not be his daughter. Undine, pale as death,turned with agitation from the parents to Bertalda, and fromBertalda to the parents; suddenly cast down from that heaven ofhappiness of which she had dreamed, and overwhelmed with a fear anda terror such as she had never known even in imagination. "have youa soul? Have you really a soul, Bertalda?" she cried again and againto her angry friend, as if forcibly to rouse her to consciousnessfrom some sudden delirium or maddening nightmare. But when Bertaldaonly became more and more enraged, when the repulsed parents beganto weep aloud, and the company, in eager dispute, were takingdifferent sides, she begged in such a dignified and serious mannerto be allowed to speak in this her husband's hall, that all aroundwere in a moment silenced. She then advanced to the upper end of thetable, where Bertalda has seated herself, and with a modest and yetproud air, while every eye was fixed upon her, she spoke asfollows:--