PoorUndinewasverysad，andtheothertwowerenottobecalledhappy。Bertaldaespeciallythoughtthatshecouldtracetheeffectofjealousyonthepartoftheinjuredwifewheneverherwisheswereinanywaythwartedbyher。Shehadthereforehabituatedherselftoanimperiousdemeanor，towhichUndineyieldedinsorrowfulsubmission，andthenowblindedHuldbrandusuallyencouragedthisarrogantbehaviorinthestrongestmanner。Butthecircumstancethatmostofalldisturbedtheinmatesofthecastle，wasavarietyofwonderfulapparitionswhichmetHuldbrandandBertaldainthevaultedgalleriesofthecastle，andwhichhadneverbeenheardofbeforeashauntingthelocality。Thetallwhiteman，inwhomHuldbrandrecognizedonlytooplainlyUncleKuhleborn，andBertaldathespectralmasterofthefountain，oftenpassedbeforethemwithathreateningaspect，andespeciallybeforeBertalda；somuchso，thatshehadalreadyseveraltimesbeenmadeillwithterror，andhadfrequentlythoughtofquittingthecastle。Butstillshestayedthere，partlybecauseHuldbrandwassodeartoher，andshereliedonherinnocence，nowordsoflovehavingeverpassedbetweenthem，andpartlyalsobecausesheknewnotwhithertodirecthersteps。
Theoldfisherman，onreceivingthemessagefromthelordofRingstettenthatBertaldawashisguest，hadwrittenafewlinesinanalmostillegiblehand，butasgoodashisadvancedageandlongdis—wouldadmitof。
\"Ihavenowbecome，\"hewrote，\"apooroldwidower，formydearandfaithfulwifeisdead。HoweverlonelyInowsitinmycottage，Bertaldaisbetterwithyouthanwithme。OnlyletherdonothingtoharmmybelovedUndine!Shewillhavemycurseifitbeso。\"Thelastwordsofthisletter，Bertaldaflungtothewinds，butshecarefullyretainedthepartrespectingherabsencefromherfather——
justasweareallwonttodoinsimilarcircumstances。
Oneday，whenHuldbrandhadjustriddenout，Undinesummonedtogetherthedomesticsofthefamily，andorderedthemtobringalargestone，andcarefullytocoverwithitthemagnificentfountainwhichstoodinthemiddleofthecastle—yard。Theservantsobjectedthatitwouldobligethemtobringwaterfromthevalleybelow。