From hence she indeed beheld a beautiful prospect across rich-blooming meadows and valleys towards the sea, on which the sun now shone with full refulgence and glory. There too she saw a beautiful island, which lay with its verdant woods like a green emerald amid the blue waters. A strange mood of mind now came over the lonely damsel. She felt attracted towards that island with an irresistible longing, and could not help believing that Sir Otto von Trautwangen dwelt thereon, that he had built for himself a hermitage under the green shade of the trees, where he had completely forgot the attractions of the noble Gabrielle, and waited anxiously for the reappearance of his beloved Bertha. At first this was like a dream, but every moment its influence became more powerful, and had more of reality. She thought that she could distinguish blooming gardens, parterres, and winding-walks, which Sir Otto had cultivated around his hermitage; and soon afterwards she marked a boat approaching the shore, floating about on the sun-illumined waters, in which she could clearly distinguish her brother’s figure. These were his very gestures,--his form,--the colour and fashion of his garments! “Good Heaven!” said she, “if indeed he should have found Otto in that island, if he should have been reconciled to his former adversary, and wish to bring me across?” Thereafter it seemed as if Sir Heerdegen waved a white handkerchief, making her signs; but, when she had drawn off her veil to return the signal, she was withheld by an inward terror, and hastily closed the window. With deep melancholy she now thought on the good kind Lady Minnatrost; how sad and affectionate had been her behaviour on the night of her departure, and she wept bitterly, because she had been even once disobedient to her injunctions; yet, so weak are we, poor mortals, in resisting temptation, that she could not, even now, divert her thoughts from the island and the boat, and, by way of defence against herself, she said many times aloud, “Thank Heaven, I have not even the keys of the castle-gate!” Suddenly the recollection occurred to her, that she knew very well where they lay, and her anxiety increased every moment, for she knew not where to seek for help and consolation. Anxious to find any object that might divert her attention, she ran to the chamber wherein was stationed the wonderful mirror. On the way she brushed, with her garments, a chair on which she had laid her lute, and immediately it sounded, as if her once favourite companion addressed to her words of admonition and reproach; for the Lady Minnatrost had commanded her to play on the lute, if she wished for aid, or had any desire to gratify. Bertha, however, was too much agitated to attend to sounds so light and gentle; she ran breathless into the chamber, and though the glass was covered with a red curtain, which hung over it in deep mysterious folds, yet, in a mood of wild forgetfulness, she drew it suddenly away.