selected writings-第26节

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supper　and　went　to　bed。



The　following　days　were　like　the　first；　bright　and　cold；　without

any　more　snow。　Old　Gaspard　spent　his　afternoons　in　watching　the

eagles　and　other　rare　birds　which　ventured　on　to　those　frozen

heights；　while　Ulrich　journeyed　regularly　to　the　neck　of　the

Gemmi　to　look　at　the　village。　In　the　evening　they　played　at

cards；　dice；　or　dominoes；　and　lost　and　won　trifling　sums；　just　to

create　an　interest　in　the　game。



One　morning　Hari；　who　was　up　first；　called　his　companion。　A

moving　cloud　of　white　spray；　deep　and　light；　was　falling　on　them

noiselessly；　and　burying　them　by　degrees　under　a　dark；　thick

coverlet　of　foam。　This　lasted　four　days　and　four　nights。　It　was

necessary　to　free　the　door　and　the　windows；　to　dig　out　a　passage；

and　to　cut　steps　to　get　over　this　frozen　powder；　which　a

twelve…hours'　frost　had　made　as　hard　as　the　granite　of　the

moraines。



They　lived　like　prisoners；　not　venturing　outside　their　abode。

They　had　divided　their　duties　and　performed　them　regularly。

Ulrich　Kunsi　undertook　the　scouring；　washing；　and　everything　that

belonged　to　cleanliness。　He　also　chopped　up　the　wood；　while

Gaspard　Hari　did　the　cooking　and　attended　to　the　fire。　Their

regular　and　monotonous　work　was　relieved　by　long　games　at　cards

or　dice；　but　they　never　quarreled；　and　were　always　calm　and

placid。　They　were　never　even　impatient　or　ill…humored；　nor　did

they　ever　use　hard　words；　for　they　had　laid　in　a　stock　of

patience　for　this　wintering　on　the　top　of　the　mountain。



Sometimes　old　Gaspard　took　his　rifle　and　went　after　chamois；　and

occasionally　killed　one。　Then　there　was　a　feast　in　the　inn　at

Schwarenbach；　and　they　reveled　in　fresh　meat。　One　morning　he　went

out　as　usual。　The　thermometer　outside　marked　eighteen　degrees　of

frost；　and　as　the　sun　had　not　yet　risen；　the　hunter　hoped　to

surprise　the　animals　at　the　approaches　to　the　Wildstrubel。

Ulrich；　being　alone；　remained　in　bed　until　ten　o'clock。　He　was　of

a　sleepy　nature；　but　would　not　have　dared　to　give　way　like　that

to　his　inclination　in　the　presence　of　the　old　guide；　who　was　ever

an　early　riser。　He　breakfasted　leisurely　with　Sam；　who　also　spent

his　days　and　nights　in　sleeping　in　front　of　the　fire；　then　he

felt　low…spirited　and　even　frightened　at　the　solitude；　and　was

seized　by　a　longing　for　his　daily　game　of　cards；　as　one　is　by　the

domination　of　an　invincible　habit。　So　he　went　out　to　meet　his

companion；　who　was　to　return　at　four　o'clock。



The　snow　had　leveled　the　whole　deep　valley；　filled　up　the

crevasses；　obliterated　all　signs　of　the　two　lakes　and　covered　the

rocks；　so　that　between　the　high　summits　there　was　nothing　but　an

immense；　white；　regular；　dazzling；　and　frozen　surface。　For　three

weeks；　Ulrich　had　not　been　to　the　edge　of　the　precipice；　from

which　he　had　looked　down　on　to　the　village；　and　he　wanted　to　go

there　before　climbing　the　slopes　which　led　to　the　Wildstrubel。

Loeche　was　now　covered　by　the　snow；　and　the　houses　could　scarcely

be　distinguished；　hidden　as　they　were　by　that　white　cloak。



Turning　to　the　right；　Ulrich　reached　the　Lammern　glacier。　He

strode　along　with　a　mountaineer's　long　swinging　pace；　striking

the　snow；　which　was　as　hard　as　a　rock；　with　his　iron…shod　stick；

and　with　piercing　eyes　looking　for　the　little　black；　moving　speck

in　the　distance；　on　that　enormous；　white　expanse。



When　he　reached　the　end　of　the　glacier　he　stopped；　and　asked

himself　whether　the　old　man　had　taken　that　road；　and　then　he

began　to　walk　along　the　moraines　with　rapid　and　uneasy　steps。　The

day　was　declining；　the　snow　was　assuming　a　rosy　tint；　and　a　dry；

frozen　wind　blew　in　rough　gusts　over　its　crystal　surface。　Ulrich

uttered　a　long；　shrill；　vibrating　call。　His　voice　sped　through

the　deathlike　silence　in　which　the　mountains　were　sleeping；　it

reached　into　the　distance；　over　the　profound　and　motionless　waves

of　glacial　foam；　like　the　cry　of　a　bird　over　the　waves　of　the

sea；　then　it　died　away　and　nothing　answered　him。



He　started　off　again。　The　sun　had　sunk　behind　the　mountain　tops；

which　still　were　purpled　with　the　reflection　from　the　heavens；

but　the　depths　of　the　valley　were　becoming　gray；　and　suddenly　the

young　man　felt　frightened。　It　seemed　to　him　as　if　the　silence；

the　cold；　the　solitude；　the　wintry　death　of　these　mountains　were

taking　possession　of　him；　were　stopping　and　freezing　his　blood；

making　his　limbs　grow　stiff；　and　turning　him　into　a　motionless

and　frozen　object；　and　he　began　to　run　rapidly　toward　the

dwelling。　The　old　man；　he　thought；　would　have　returned　during　his

absence。　He　had　probably　taken　another　road；　and　would；　no　doubt；

be　sitting　before　the　fire；　with　a　dead　chamois　at　his　feet。



He　soon　came　in　sight　of　the　inn；　but　no　smoke　rose　from　it。

Ulrich　ran　faster。　Opening　the　door　he　met　Sam　who　ran　up　to　him

to　greet　him；　but　Gaspard　Hari　had　not　returned。　Kunsi；　in　his

alarm；　turned　round　suddenly；　as　if　he　had　expected　to　find　his

comrade　hidden　in　a　corner。　Then　he　relighted　the　fire　and　made

the　soup；　hoping　every　moment　to　see　the　old　man　come　in。　From

time　to　time　he　went　out　to　see　if　Gaspard　were　not　in　sight。　It

was　night　now；　that　wan　night　of　the　mountain；　a　livid　night；

with　the　crescent　moon；　yellow　and　dim；　just　disappearing　behind

the　mountain　tops；　and　shining　faintly　on　the　edge　of　the

horizon。



Then　the　young　man　went　in　and　sat　down　to　warm　his　hands　and

feet；　while　he　pictured　to　himself　every　possible　sort　of

accident。　Gaspard　might　have　broken　a　leg；　have　fallen　into　a

crevasse；　have　taken　a　false　step　and　dislocated　his　ankle。

Perhaps　he　was　lying　on　the　snow；　overcome　and　stiff　with　the

cold；　in　agony　of　mind；　lost　and　perhaps　shouting　for　help；

calling　with　all　his　might；　in　the　silence　of　the　night。



But　where？　The　mountain　was　so　vast；　so　rugged；　so　dangerous　in

places；　especially　at　that　time　of　the　year；　that　it　would　have

required　ten　or　twenty　guides　walking　for　a　week　in　all

directions；　to　find　a　man　in　that　immense　space。　Ulrich　Kunsi；

however；　made　up　his　mind　to　set　out　with　Sam；　if　Gaspard　did　not

return　by　one　in　the　morning；　and　he　made　his　preparations。



He　put　provisions　for　two　days　into　a　bag；　took　his　steel

climbing…irons；　tied　a　long；　thin；　strong　rope　round　his　waist

and　looked　to　see　that　his　iron…shod　stick　and　his　ax；　which

served　to　cut　steps　in　the　ice；　were　in　order。　Then　he　waited。

The　fire　was　burning　on　the　hearth；　the　great　dog　was　snoring　in

front　of　it；　and　the　clock　was　ticking　in　its　case　of　resounding

wood；　as　regularly　as　a　heart　beating。



He　waited；　his　ears　on　the　alert　for　distant　sounds；　and　shivered

when　the　wind　blew　against　the　roof　and　the　walls。　It　struck

twelve；　and　he　trembled。　Then；　as　he　felt　frightened　and　shivery；

he　put　some　water　on　the　fire；　so　that　he　might　have　hot　coffee

before　starting。　When　the　clock　struck　one　he　got　up；　woke　Sam；

opened　the　door　and　went　off　in　the　direction　of　the　Wildstrubel。

For　five　hours　he　ascended；　scaling　the　rocks　by　means　of　his

climbing…irons；　cutting　into　the　ice；　advancing　continually；　and

occasionally　hauling　up　the　dog；　who　remained　below　at　the　foot

of　some　slope　that　was　too　steep　for　him；　by　means　of　the　rope。

About　six　o'clock　he　reached　one　of　the　summits　to　which　old

Gaspard　often　came　after　chamois；　and　he　waited　till　it　should　be

day…light。



The　sky　was　growing　pale　overhead；　and　suddenly　a　strange　light；

springing；　nobody　could　tell　whence；　suddenly　illuminated　the

immense　ocean　of　pale　mountain　peaks；　which　stretched　for　many

leagues　around　him。　It　seemed　as　if　this　vague　brightness　arose

from　the　snow　itself；　in　order　to　spread　itself　into　space。　By

degrees　the　highest　and　most　distant　summits　assumed　a　delicate；

fleshlike　rose　color；　and　the　red　sun　appeared　behind　the

ponderous　giants　of　the　Bernese　Alps。



Ulrich　Kunsi　set　off　again；　walking　like　a　hunter；　stooping　and

looking　for　any　traces；　and　saying　to　his　dog：　〃Seek　old　fellow；

seek！〃



He　was　descending　the　mountain　now；　scanning　the　depths　closely；

and　from　time　to　time　shouting；　uttering　a　loud；　prolonged

familiar　cry　which　soon　died　away　in　that　silent　vastness。　Then；

he　put　his　ear　to　the　ground；　to　listen。　He　thought　he　could

distinguish　a　voice；　and　so　he　began　to　run　and　shout　again。　But

he　heard　nothing　more　and　sat　down；　worn　out　and　in　despair。

Toward　midday　he　breakfasted　and　gave　Sam；　who　was　as　tired　as

himself；　something　to　eat　also；　then　he　recommenced　his　search。



When　evening　came　he　was　still　walking；　having　traveled　more　than

thirty　miles　over　the　mountains。　As　he　was　too　far　away　to　return

home；　and　too　tired　to　drag　himself　along　any　further；　he　dug　a

hole　in　the　snow　and　crouched　in　it　with　his　dog；　under　a　blanket

which　he　had　brought　with　him。　The　man　and　the　dog　lay　side　by

side；　warming　themselves　one　against　the　other；　but　frozen　to　the

marrow；　nevertheless。　Ulrich　scarcely　slept；　his　mind　hau