" They all
three felt at the bottom of their hearts that Father Heilmann's words
were true but they would not yield to them. Even the old Fisherman was
so blinded as to think that what had been settled between them for so
many days, could not now be relinquished. So they resisted the
Priest's warnings, and urged the fulfilment of their wishes with
headlong, gloomy determination, till Father Heilmann departed with a
melancholy shake of the head, without accepting even for one night
their proffered hospitalities, or tasting any of the refreshments they
set before him. But Huldbrand persuaded himself that the old Priest
was a weak dotard; and early next morning he sent to a monk from the
nearest cloister, who readily promised to come and marry them in a few
days.
XVII.--THE KNIGHT'S DREAM
The morning twilight was beginning to dawn, and the Knight lay
half-awake on his couch. Whenever he dropped asleep he was scared by
mysterious terrors, and started up as if sleep were peopled by
phantoms. If he woke up in earnest, he felt himself fanned all around
by what seemed like swans' wings, and soothed by watery airs, which
lulled him back again into the half-unconscious, twilight state. At
length he did fall asleep and fancied himself lifted by swans on their
soft wings, and carried far away over lands and seas, all to the sound
of their sweetest melody. "Swans singing! swans singing!" thought he
continually; "is not that the strain of Death?" Presently he found
himself hovering above a vast sea.
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