The nixy maidens readily complied: was not singing their most natural mode of expressing themselves? They sang these verses to a weird, haunting melody: "The wild-fowl are calling: come back to the lake! O nixies come back, or your proud hearts must break; The moonbeams are glancing, the fairies are dancing, Come back. The grey mists are rising! Beware, O beware! For though you are slender and though you are fair, Your treacherous waters, O nixy king's daughters, Can slay. Beware the king's anger--O tempt not your fate, The white water-lilies your coming still wait; Wide open each flower until the twelfth hour-- Beware!" The old pendulum clock on the wall struck eleven. How fast the time had flown! The three beautiful maidens rose up hastily and departed, wishing a courteous "good night" and "good luck to you" to the company. As Hermann opened the door for them, he saw a little dwarf with a lighted lantern waiting for them outside the door, and much as he wished to accompany them home, he did not dare to do so. When they had left the room, a storm of conjecture burst forth; at last everyone agreed that they must be the nixies of the lake. "We did not like the look of their eyes; they were so cold and treacherous," said some of the girls who were jealous of a beauty that they felt they could never attain to. "You are ill-natured things, not fit to sweep the floor for such exquisite creatures," said Hermann angrily; and the whole company began to jeer and to laugh at him, saying: "Hermann has fallen in love with the nixies. Many a wet kiss will he have from them--ha--ha!--but cold water will be his bridal bed, and death the groomsman--ha, ha!" "Do not be so cruel," said kind little Brigitte, who had blamed the nixy in the story. "See how pale Hermann looks, he will faint in another minute; he has never been strong since he was out in that awful storm." Hermann could bear the conversation no longer; hastily saying good night he went home with wild thoughts in his head, and, alas! wild, ungovernable love in his heart. For the next few weeks on Saturday evenings the same thing happened. There was the usual social gathering, no one was absent; the little room could hardly hold the thronging guests. Then there was the eagerly looked for knock at the door, and the three lovely maidens entered and shared so naturally in what was going on that the young people gradually lost somewhat of their awe of them. Who could spin so fast and so finely as the three strangers; who could sing such entrancing songs; who could tell more wonderful stories! Hermann generally managed to sit by Lenore, and to hold her hand, and he knew his love was returned. Naturally the exquisite Elfrida, and the stately Clothilde had their admirers as well.