the ice maiden-第4节

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support　himself　on　his　elbows；　and　cling　with　his　legs；　and　even

lean　firmly　with　his　back；　for　this　could　be　done　when　necessary。　He

told　him　also　that　the　chamois　are　very　cunning；　they　place

lookers…out　on　the　watch；　but　the　hunter　must　be　more　cunning　than

they　are；　and　find　them　out　by　the　scent。

　　　　One　day；　when　Rudy　went　out　hunting　with　his　uncle；　he　hung　a　coat

and　hat　on　an　alpine　staff；　and　the　chamois　mistook　it　for　a　man；　as

they　generally　do。　The　mountain　path　was　narrow　here；　indeed　it　was

scarcely　a　path　at　all；　only　a　kind　of　shelf；　close　to　the　yawning

abyss。　The　snow　that　lay　upon　it　was　partially　thawed；　and　the

stones　crumbled　beneath　the　feet。　Every　fragment　of　stone　broken　off

struck　the　sides　of　the　rock　in　its　fall；　till　it　rolled　into　the

depths　beneath；　and　sunk　to　rest。　Upon　this　shelf　Rudy's　uncle　laid

himself　down；　and　crept　forward。　At　about　a　hundred　paces　behind　him

stood　Rudy；　upon　the　highest　point　of　the　rock；　watching　a　great

vulture　hovering　in　the　air；　with　a　single　stroke　of　his　wing　the　bird

might　easily　cast　the　creeping　hunter　into　the　abyss　beneath；　and　make

him　his　prey。　Rudy's　uncle　had　eyes　for　nothing　but　the　chamois；

who；　with　its　young　kid；　had　just　appeared　round　the　edge　of　the　rock。

So　Rudy　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　bird；　he　knew　well　what　the　great

creature　wanted；　therefore　he　stood　in　readiness　to　discharge　his

gun　at　the　proper　moment。　Suddenly　the　chamois　made　a　spring；　and

his　uncle　fired　and　struck　the　animal　with　the　deadly　bullet；　while

the　young　kid　rushed　away；　as　if　for　a　long　life　he　had　been

accustomed　to　danger　and　practised　flight。　The　large　bird；　alarmed

at　the　report　of　the　gun；　wheeled　off　in　another　direction；　and　Rudy's

uncle　was　saved　from　danger；　of　which　he　knew　nothing　till　he　was　told

of　it　by　the　boy。

　　　　While　they　were　both　in　pleasant　mood；　wending　their　way

homewards；　and　the　uncle　whistling　the　tune　of　a　song　he　had　learnt　in

his　young　days；　they　suddenly　heard　a　peculiar　sound　which　seemed　to

come　from　the　top　of　the　mountain。　They　looked　up；　and　saw　above　them；

on　the　over…hanging　rock；　the　snow…covering　heave　and　lift　itself　as　a

piece　of　linen　stretched　on　the　ground　to　dry　raises　itself　when　the

wind　creeps　under　it。　Smooth　as　polished　marble　slabs；　the　waves　of

snow　cracked　and　loosened　themselves；　and　then　suddenly；　with　the

rumbling　noise　of　distant　thunder；　fell　like　a　foaming　cataract　into

the　abyss。　An　avalanche　had　fallen；　not　upon　Rudy　and　his　uncle；　but

very　near　them。　Alas；　a　great　deal　too　near！

　　　　〃Hold　fast；　Rudy！〃　cried　his　uncle；　〃hold　fast；　with　all　your

might。〃

　　　　Then　Rudy　clung　with　his　arms　to　the　trunk　of　the　nearest　tree；

while　his　uncle　climbed　above　him；　and　held　fast　by　the　branches。

The　avalanche　rolled　past　them　at　some　distance；　but　the　gust　of

wind　that　followed；　like　the　storm…wings　of　the　avalanche；　snapped

asunder　the　trees　and　bushes　over　which　it　swept；　as　if　they　had

been　but　dry　rushes；　and　threw　them　about　in　every　direction。　The　tree

to　which　Rudy　clung　was　thus　overthrown；　and　Rudy　dashed　to　the

ground。　The　higher　branches　were　snapped　off；　and　carried　away　to　a

great　distance；　and　among　these　shattered　branches　lay　Rudy's　uncle；

with　his　skull　fractured。　When　they　found　him；　his　hand　was　still

warm；　but　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　recognize　his　face。　Rudy

stood　by；　pale　and　trembling；　it　was　the　first　shock　of　his　life；

the　first　time　he　had　ever　felt　fear。　Late　in　the　evening　he

returned　home　with　the　fatal　news；…　to　that　home　which　was　now　to　be

so　full　of　sorrow。　His　uncle's　wife　uttered　not　a　word；　nor　shed　a

tear；　till　the　corpse　was　brought　in；　then　her　agony　burst　forth。

The　poor　cretin　crept　away　to　his　bed；　and　nothing　was　seen　of　him

during　the　whole　of　the　following　day。　Towards　evening；　however；　he

came　to　Rudy；　and　said；　〃Will　you　write　a　letter　for　me？　Saperli

cannot　write；　Saperli　can　only　take　the　letters　to　the　post。〃

　　　　〃A　letter　for　you！〃　said　Rudy；　〃who　do　you　wish　to　write　to？〃

　　　　〃To　the　Lord　Christ；〃　he　replied。

　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Rudy。

　　　　Then　the　poor　idiot；　as　the　cretin　was　often　called；　looked　at

Rudy　with　a　most　touching　expression　in　his　eyes；　clasped　his　hands；

and　said；　solemnly　and　devoutly；　〃Saperli　wants　to　send　a　letter　to

Jesus　Christ；　to　pray　Him　to　let　Saperli　die；　and　not　the　master　of

the　house　here。〃

　　　　Rudy　pressed　his　hand；　and　replied；　〃A　letter　would　not　reach

Him　up　above；　it　would　not　give　him　back　whom　we　have　lost。〃

　　　　It　was　not；　however；　easy　for　Rudy　to　convince　Saperli　of　the

impossibility　of　doing　what　he　wished。

　　　　〃Now　you　must　work　for　us；〃　said　his　foster…mother；　and　Rudy

very　soon　became　the　entire　support　of　the　house。

BABETTE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IV。　BABETTE



　　　　Who　was　the　best　marksman　in　the　canton　Valais？　The　chamois　knew

well。　〃Save　yourselves　from　Rudy；〃　they　might　well　say。　And　who　is　the

handsomest　marksman？　〃Oh；　it　is　Rudy；〃　said　the　maidens；　but　they

did　not　say；　〃Save　yourselves　from　Rudy。〃　Neither　did　anxious

mothers　say　so；　for　he　bowed　to　them　as　pleasantly　as　to　the　young

girls。　He　was　so　brave　and　cheerful。　His　cheeks　were　brown；　his

teeth　white；　and　his　eyes　dark　and　sparkling。　He　was　now　a　handsome

young　man　of　twenty　years。　The　most　icy　water　could　not　deter　him　from

swimming；　he　could　twist　and　turn　like　a　fish。　None　could　climb　like

he；　and　he　clung　as　firmly　to　the　edges　of　the　rocks　as　a　limpet。　He

had　strong　muscular　power；　as　could　be　seen　when　he　leapt　from　rock　to

rock。　He　had　learnt　this　first　from　the　cat；　and　more　lately　from

the　chamois。　Rudy　was　considered　the　best　guide　over　the　mountains；

every　one　had　great　confidence　in　him。　He　might　have　made　a　great　deal

of　money　as　guide。　His　uncle　had　also　taught　him　the　trade　of　a

cooper；　but　he　had　no　inclination　for　either；　his　delight　was　in

chamois…hunting；　which　also　brought　him　plenty　of　money。　Rudy　would　be

a　very　good　match；　as　people　said；　if　he　would　not　look　above　his

own　station。　He　was　also　such　a　famous　partner　in　dancing；　that　the

girls　often　dreamt　about　him；　and　one　and　another　thought　of　him

even　when　awake。

　　　　〃He　kissed　me　in　the　dance；〃　said　Annette；　the　schoolmaster's

daughter；　to　her　dearest　friend；　but　she　ought　not　to　have　told

this；　even　to　her　dearest　friend。　It　is　not　easy　to　keep　such　secrets；

they　are　like　sand　in　a　sieve；　they　slip　out。　It　was　therefore　soon

known　that　Rudy；　so　brave　and　so　good　as　he　was；　had　kissed　some　one

while　dancing；　and　yet　he　had　never　kissed　her　who　was　dearest　to　him。

　　　　〃Ah；　ah；〃　said　an　old　hunter；　〃he　has　kissed　Annette；　has　he？　he

has　begun　with　A；　and　I　suppose　he　will　kiss　through　the　whole

alphabet。〃

　　　　But　a　kiss　in　the　dance　was　all　the　busy　tongues　could　accuse

him　of。　He　certainly　had　kissed　Annette；　but　she　was　not　the　flower　of

his　heart。

　　　　Down　in　the　valley；　near　Bex；　among　the　great　walnut…trees；　by　the

side　of　a　little　rushing　mountain…stream；　lived　a　rich　miller。　His

dwelling…house　was　a　large　building；　three　storeys　high；　with　little

turrets。　The　roof　was　covered　with　chips；　bound　together　with　tin

plates；　that　glittered　in　sunshine　and　in　the　moonlight。　The　largest

of　the　turrets　had　a　weather…cock；　representing　an　apple　pierced　by

a　glittering　arrow；　in　memory　of　William　Tell。　The　mill　was　a　neat　and

well…ordered　place；　that　allowed　itself　to　be　sketched　and　written

about；　but　the　miller's　daughter　did　not　permit　any　to　sketch　or　write

about　her。　So；　at　least；　Rudy　would　have　said；　for　her　image　was

pictured　in　his　heart；　her　eyes　shone　in　it　so　brightly；　that　quite

a　flame　had　been　kindled　there；　and；　like　all　other　fires；　it　had

burst　forth　so　suddenly；　that　the　miller's　daughter；　the　beautiful

Babette；　was　quite　unaware　of　it。　Rudy　had　never　spoken　a　word　to

her　on　the　subject。　The　miller　was　rich；　and；　on　that　account；　Babette

stood　very　high；　and　was　rather　difficult　to　aspire　to。　But　said

Rudy　to　himself；　〃Nothing　is　too　high　for　a　man　to　reach：　he　must

climb　with　confidence　in　himself；　and　he　will　not　fail。〃　He　had　learnt

this　lesson　in　his　youthful　home。

　　　　It　happened　once　that　Rudy　had　some　business　to　settle　at　Bex。

It　was　a　long　journey　at　that　time；　for　the　railway　had　not　been

opened。　From　the　glaciers　of　the　Rhone；　at　the　foot　of　the　Simplon；

between　its　ever…changing　mountain　summits；　stretches　the　valley　of

the　canton　Valais。　Through　it　runs　the　noble　river　of　the　Rhone；　which

often　overflows　its　banks；　covering　fields　and　highways；　and

destroying　everything　in　its　course。　Near　the　towns　of　Sion　and　St。

Maurice；　the　valley　takes　a　turn；　and　bends　like　an　elbow；　and

behind　St。　Maurice　becomes　so　narrow　that　there　is　only　space　enough

for　the　bed　of　the　river　and　a　narrow　carriage…road。　An　old　tower

stands　here；　as　if　it　were　guardian　to　the　canton　Valais；　which　ends

at　this　point；　and　from　it　we　can　look　across　the　stone　bridge　to

the　toll…house　on　the　other　side；　where　the　canton　Vaud　commences。　Not

far　from　this　spot　stands　the　town　of　Bex；　and　at　every　step　ca