登陆注册
5272900000012

第12章 CHAPTER VI. OF A NUPTIAL CEREMONY.(1)

A low knocking at the door was heard in the midst of this stillness, startling all the inmates of the cottage; for there are times when a little circumstance, happening quite unexpectedly, can unduly alarm us. But there was here the additional cause of alarm that the enchanted forest lay so near, and that the little promontory seemed just now inaccessible to human beings. They looked at each other doubtingly, as the knocking was repeated accompanied by a deep groan, and the knight sprang to reach his sword. But the old man whispered softly: "If it be what I fear, no weapon will help us."

Undine meanwhile approached the door and called out angrily and boldly: "Spirits of the earth, if you wish to carry on your mischief, Kuhleborn shall teach you something better."

The terror of the rest was increased by these mysterious words; they looked fearfully at the girl, and Huldbrand was just regaining courage enough to ask what she meant, when a voice said without: "I am no spirit of the earth, but a spirit indeed still within its earthly body. You within the cottage, if you fear God and will help me, open to me." At these words, Undine had already opened the door, and had held a lamp out in the stormy night, by which they perceived an aged priest standing there, who stepped back in terror at the unexpected sight of the beautiful maiden. He might well think that witchcraft and magic were at work when such a lovely form appeared at such an humble cottage door: he therefore began to pray: "All good spirits praise the Lord!"

"I am no spectre," said Undine, smiling; "do I then look so ugly?

Besides you may see the holy words do not frighten me. I too know of God and understand how to praise Him; every one to be sure in his own way, for so He has created us. Come in, venerable father; you come among, good people."

The holy man entered, bowing and looking round him, with a profound, yet tender demeanor. But the water was dropping from every fold of his dark garment, and from his long white beard and from his gray locks. The fisherman and the knight took him to another apartment and furnished him with other clothes, while they gate the women his own wet attire to dry. The aged stranger thanked them humbly and courteously, but he would on no account accept the knight's splendid mantle, which was offered to him; but he chose instead an old gray overcoat belonging to the fisherman. They then returned to the apartment, and the good old dame immediately vacated her easy-chair for the reverend father, and would not rest till he had taken possession of it. "For," said she, "you are old and exhausted, and you are moreover a man of God." Undine pushed under the stranger's feet her little stool, on which she had been wont to sit by the side of Huldbrand, and she showed herself in every way most gentle and kind in her care of the good old man. Huldbrand whispered some raillery at it in her ear, but she replied very seriously: "He is a servant of Him who created us all; holy things are not to be jested with." The knight and the fisherman then refreshed their reverend guest with food and wine, and when he had somewhat recovered himself, he began to relate how he had the day before set out from his cloister, which lay far beyond the great lake, intending to travel to the bishop, in order to acquaint him with the distress into which the monastery and its tributary villages had fallen on account of the extraordinary floods.

After a long, circuitous route, which these very floods had obliged him to take, he had been this day compelled, toward evening, to procure the aid of a couple of good boatmen to cross an arm of the lake, which had overflowed its banks.

"Scarcely however," continued he, "had our small craft touched the waves, than that furious tempest burst forth which is now raging over our heads. It seemed as if the waters had only waited for us, to commence their wildest whirling dance with our little boat. The oars were soon torn out of the hands of my men, and were dashed by the force of the waves further and further beyond our reach. We ourselves, yielding to the resistless powers of nature, helplessly drifted over the surging billows of the lake toward your distant shore, which we already saw looming through the mist and foam.

Presently our boat turned round and round as in a giddy whirlpool; I know not whether it was upset, or whether I fell overboard. In a vague terror of inevitable death I drifted on, till a wave cast me here, under the trees on your island."

"Yes, island!" cried the fisherman; "a short time ago it was only a point of land; but now, since the forest-stream and the lake have become well-nigh bewitched, things are quite different with us."

同类推荐
  • The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

    The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 幻住明禅师语录

    幻住明禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 伤寒附翼

    伤寒附翼

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 吊李群玉

    吊李群玉

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说四辈经

    佛说四辈经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 神禁纹

    神禁纹

    因为身体的不适,竟没想到是意外的收获,让他踏上了不平凡的路程!
  • 佳玉

    佳玉

    佳玉挎着背篼去锅炉房。路面被冬霜打得又硬又滑。佳玉走出紧靠农田的那排平房,上一段长长的黄土斜坡,再从子弟校旁边的天桥上穿过,矿区昏黄的灯光就迎照着她矮胖的身影。雾很浓,悬浮的冰粒子扑打着她的脸,她感觉脸上东一块西一块被饥饿的冰屑咬烂了。
  • 历代御医推荐给皇帝的养生食谱

    历代御医推荐给皇帝的养生食谱

    本书以史料为经、趣闻为纬,详尽介绍了历代皇家秘而不宣的养生食谱,集知识性、生动性、实用性为一体。千载而下,人人得享帝王之福,不亦乐乎!饮食养生在我国历史悠久,自古就有“药食同源”和“药补不如食补”的说法。今天,简便有效的饮食养生越来越受到人们的青睐。本书以严谨客观的文史档案为主料、趣味盎然的稗官传说为调剂,从“益气养血”、“补肾壮阳”、“补虚护元”、“健脾养胃”、“保肝润肺”、“明目聪耳”等11个方面,介绍了200道御医推荐给帝王们的养生食谱。您可根据个人体质,亲自动手制作,一享帝王之乐。
  • 白狐传奇

    白狐传奇

    这是一个流传久远的传说。在白云寺里修行的白狐仙恋上一绝色女子,遭其算计丧了性命。其魂魄哀求青年猎手杨三碗出手相救,不料遭其拒绝,结下仇怨。在白云寺住持的帮助下,白狐仙托生于吴家,取名登瀛。吴登瀛自小聪慧,深得先生欢喜。成婚后,妻子守身如玉,一心帮助丈夫成名。一次偶然的机会,吴登瀛得了一个《无字天书》,食了一粒神雀蛋,有了指物变物、隔物观物的本领。为检验天书的效用,贻误了妻子性命。在恩师的帮助下,吴登瀛到盐渎县任知县。到任伊始,他破陈案,办实事,深得民心。至京述职时,与恩师甥女喜结连理,新婚的妻子原是白狐仙恋人之女。为了实施“灌水排碱,沤草为肥”的成功经验,逼迫龙王斩杀了作祟的老鼋。
  • 正朝摘梅

    正朝摘梅

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 龙凤

    龙凤

    不一样的游戏赛场,不一样的争霸战场,不一样的无敌天下,尽在龙凤……
  • 天下一等假货:纨绔女世子

    天下一等假货:纨绔女世子

    她,萧鱼淼是萧王府不能修炼武道的废材纨绔世子,她嘻笑怒骂,安逸享乐。然,一场突变,整个萧王府一夜之间神秘消失……废材纨绔萧鱼淼为了重振萧家,脱胎换骨,萧鱼淼原本想走的废材纨绔之路彻底被扭转……一个是身份神秘,不识庐山真面目的大叔,对萧鱼淼一路相助相扶;一个是妖孽无双的暗黑之主,自从相遇之后,就对萧鱼淼死缠烂打,不放手……小鱼儿的真爱是谁?且看一正一魔的逐爱追情之路,谁能抱得美人归……【女扮男装+穿越玄幻宠文】【简介无力,内容精彩,欢迎追文,群号:136537872】
  • 剑魔相

    剑魔相

    如若不能洒辉于日下,那我便要划破这天空,去见一见更加深奥的道路,既然正不容我,那么即使为魔,我也要我的道,凌驾于万道之上!
  • 快穿之反派专业户

    快穿之反派专业户

    景如画是个古代老太太,一生崎岖坎坷,心智坚定,手段狠辣,阅历尚深,做事果绝,被反派系统选定作为宿主,走上了当反派的道路,穿越不同的小说影视剧,扮演里面与主角作对的反派人物,拉仇恨拉到要求了就可有奖励。不管什么样的文老太太都游刃有余,不管什么样的男女主,景如画都能辣手摧花,狠狠的虐死他们,拉仇恨值。这条不归路何时是个头,真不好说,待古董老太太能接受任何淬炼,系统大人一脚踢她上了轮回道,说那是奖励,许她一生荣华安康。书群号205143740
  • 神级卡徒

    神级卡徒

    天坑降世,神袛窥伺,以我手中卡牌,守护地星!【斗气化马卡】制作成功,消耗精神力50,卡能1000;【扁鹊三连卡】使用成功,消耗精神力200,卡能3000;【青眼巨虫卡】制作成功,你使用了智慧树功能,寻找到了进阶成【青眼白龙卡】的契机。诸天万界,千般法则,皆可由一张卡具现而出。斗气系列卡牌,可斗气化马;仙侠系列卡牌,可撒豆成兵、画地为牢、只手遮天!青眼系列卡牌,可宠物养成,最终进化成究极龙体。变异青眼巨虫+变异卡=青眼白龙青眼白龙*3+融合卡=青眼究极龙...鬼灵卡+骷髅卡=“黑武士”黑武士+钢铁战衣卡=“超强钢铁侠”系统卡、召唤卡、魔法卡、仙侠卡、机械卡...一切尽在卡牌之中。出牌吧,要么全部带走,要么一无所有!幸运女神在微笑!【新书:今天起做钢铁猛男】