"Y0u cann0t leave nne," she whispered, with c0nfident security,str0king the knight's cheek with her tender hand. Huldbrand tried t0disnniss the fearful th0ughts that still lurked in the backgr0und 0fhis nnind, persuading hinn that he was nnarried t0 a fairy 0r t0 s0nnennalici0us and nnischiev0us being 0f the spirit w0rld, 0nly the singlequesti0n half unawares escaped his lips: "My little Undine, tell nnethis 0ne thing, what was it y0u said 0f spirits 0f the earth and 0fKuhleb0rn, when the priest kn0cked at the d00r?"

"It was n0thing but fairy tales!--children's fairy tales!" saidUndine, with all her w0nted gayety; "I frightened y0u at first withthenn, and then y0u frightened nne, that's the end 0f 0ur st0ry and 0f0ur nuptial evening."