the ice maiden-第9节

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moving　about　like　ants　on　a　stone　in　the　sun。　〃Spirits　of　strength；　as

the　children　of　the　sun　call　you；〃　cried　the　Ice　Maiden；　〃ye　are　but

worms！　Let　but　a　snow…ball　roll；　and　you　and　your　houses　and　your

towns　are　crushed　and　swept　away。〃　And　she　raised　her　proud　head；

and　looked　around　her　with　eyes　that　flashed　death　from　their

glance。　From　the　valley　came　a　rumbling　sound；　men　were　busily　at　work

blasting　the　rocks　to　form　tunnels；　and　laying　down　roads　for　the

railway。　〃They　are　playing　at　work　underground；　like　moles；〃　said　she。

〃They　are　digging　passages　beneath　the　earth；　and　the　noise　is　like

the　reports　of　cannons。　I　shall　throw　down　my　palaces；　for　the

clamor　is　louder　than　the　roar　of　thunder。〃　Then　there　ascended　from

the　valley　a　thick　vapor；　which　waved　itself　in　the　air　like　a

fluttering　veil。　It　rose；　as　a　plume　of　feathers；　from　a　steam　engine；

to　which；　on　the　lately…opened　railway；　a　string　of　carriages　was

linked；　carriage　to　carriage；　looking　like　a　winding　serpent。　The

train　shot　past　with　the　speed　of　an　arrow。　〃They　play　at　being

masters　down　there；　those　spirits　of　strength！〃　exclaimed　the　Ice

Maiden；　〃but　the　powers　of　nature　are　still　the　rulers。〃　And　she

laughed　and　sang　till　her　voice　sounded　through　the　valley；　and　people

said　it　was　the　rolling　of　an　avalanche。　But　the　children　of　the　sun

sang　in　louder　strains　in　praise　of　the　mind　of　man；　which　can　span

the　sea　as　with　a　yoke；　can　level　mountains；　and　fill　up　valleys。　It

is　the　power　of　thought　which　gives　man　the　mastery　over　nature。

　　　　Just　at　this　moment　there　came　across　the　snow…field；　where　the

Ice　Maiden　sat；　a　party　of　travellers。　They　had　bound　themselves

fast　to　each　other；　so　that　they　looked　like　one　large　body　on　the

slippery　plains　of　ice　encircling　the　deep　abyss。

　　　　〃Worms！〃　exclaimed　the　Ice　Maiden。　〃You；　the　lords　of　the　powers

of　nature！〃　And　she　turned　away　and　looked　maliciously　at　the　deep

valley　where　the　railway　train　was　rushing　by。　〃There　they　sit；

these　thoughts！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃There　they　sit　in　their　power　over

nature's　strength。　I　see　them　all。　One　sits　proudly　apart；　like　a

king；　others　sit　together　in　a　group；　yonder；　half　of　them　are　asleep；

and　when　the　steam　dragon　stops；　they　will　get　out　and　go　their　way。

The　thoughts　go　forth　into　the　world；〃　and　she　laughed。

　　　　〃There　goes　another　avalanche；〃　said　those　in　the　valley　beneath。

　　　　〃It　will　not　reach　us；〃　said　two　who　sat　together　behind　the　steam

dragon。　〃Two　hearts　and　one　beat；〃　as　people　say。　They　were　Rudy　and

Babette；　and　the　miller　was　with　them。　〃I　am　like　the　luggage；〃　said

he；　〃I　am　here　as　a　necessary　appendage。〃

　　　　〃There　sit　those　two；〃　said　the　Ice　Maiden。　〃Many　a　chamois　have　I

crushed。　Millions　of　Alpine　roses　have　I　snapped　and　broken　off；　not　a

root　have　I　spared。　I　know　them　all；　and　their　thoughts；　those　spirits

of　strength！〃　and　again　she　laughed。

　　　　〃There　rolls　another　avalanche；〃　said　those　in　the　valley。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　X。　THE　GODMOTHER



　　　　At　Montreux；　one　of　the　towns　which　encircle　the　northeast　part　of

the　lake　of　Geneva；　lived　Babette's　godmother；　the　noble　English　lady；

with　her　daughters　and　a　young　relative。　They　had　only　lately　arrived；

yet　the　miller　had　paid　them　a　visit；　and　informed　them　of　Babette's

engagement　to　Rudy。　The　whole　story　of　their　meeting　at　Interlachen；

and　his　brave　adventure　with　the　eaglet；　were　related　to　them；　and

they　were　all　very　much　interested；　and　as　pleased　about　Rudy　and

Babette　as　the　miller　himself。　The　three　were　invited　to　come　to

Montreux；　it　was　but　right　for　Babette　to　become　acquainted　with　her

godmother；　who　wished　to　see　her　very　much。　A　steam…boat　started

from　the　town　of　Villeneuve；　at　one　end　of　the　lake　of　Geneva；　and

arrived　at　Bernex；　a　little　town　beyond　Montreux；　in　about　half　an

hour。　And　in　this　boat；　the　miller；　with　his　daughter　and　Rudy；　set

out　to　visit　her　godmother。　They　passed　the　coast　which　has　been　so

celebrated　in　song。　Here；　under　the　walnut…trees；　by　the　deep　blue

lake；　sat　Byron；　and　wrote　his　melodious　verses　about　the　prisoner

confined　in　the　gloomy　castle　of　Chillon。　Here；　where　Clarens；　with

its　weeping…willows；　is　reflected　in　the　clear　water；　wandered

Rousseau；　dreaming　of　Heloise。　The　river　Rhone　glides　gently　by

beneath　the　lofty　snow…capped　hills　of　Savoy；　and　not　far　from　its

mouth　lies　a　little　island　in　the　lake；　so　small　that；　seen　from　the

shore；　it　looks　like　a　ship。　The　surface　of　the　island　is　rocky；　and

about　a　hundred　years　ago；　a　lady　caused　the　ground　to　be　covered　with

earth；　in　which　three　acacia…trees　were　planted；　and　the　whole

enclosed　with　stone　walls。　The　acacia…trees　now　overshadow　every

part　of　the　island。　Babette　was　enchanted　with　the　spot；　it　seemed

to　her　the　most　beautiful　object　in　the　whole　voyage；　and　she

thought　how　much　she　should　like　to　land　there。　But　the　steam…ship

passed　it　by；　and　did　not　stop　till　it　reached　Bernex。　The　little

party　walked　slowly　from　this　place　to　Montreux；　passing　the　sun…lit

walls　with　which　the　vineyards　of　the　little　mountain　town　of　Montreux

are　surrounded；　and　peasants'　houses；　overshadowed　by　fig…trees；

with　gardens　in　which　grow　the　laurel　and　the　cypress。

　　　　Halfway　up　the　hill　stood　the　boarding…house　in　which　Babette's

godmother　resided。　She　was　received　most　cordially；　her　godmother

was　a　very　friendly　woman；　with　a　round；　smiling　countenance。　When　a

child；　her　head　must　have　resembled　one　of　Raphael's　cherubs；　it　was

still　an　angelic　face；　with　its　white　locks　of　silvery　hair。　The

daughters　were　tall；　elegant；　slender　maidens。

　　　　The　young　cousin；　whom　they　had　brought　with　them；　was　dressed

in　white　from　head　to　foot；　he　had　golden　hair　and　golden　whiskers；

large　enough　to　be　divided　amongst　three　gentlemen；　and　he　began

immediately　to　pay　the　greatest　attention　to　Babette。

　　　　Richly　bound　books；　note…paper；　and　drawings；　lay　on　the　large

table。　The　balcony　window　stood　open；　and　from　it　could　be　seen　the

beautiful　wide　extended　lake；　the　water　so　clear　and　still；　that　the

mountains　of　Savoy；　with　their　villages；　woods；　and　snow…crowned

peaks；　were　clearly　reflected　in　it。

　　　　Rudy；　who　was　usually　so　lively　and　brave；　did　not　in　the　least

feel　himself　at　home；　he　acted　as　if　he　were　walking　on　peas；　over　a

slippery　floor。　How　long　and　wearisome　the　time　appeared；　it　was

like　being　in　a　treadmill。　And　then　they　went　out　for　a　walk；　which

was　very　slow　and　tedious。　Two　steps　forward　and　one　backwards　had

Rudy　to　take　to　keep　pace　with　the　others。　They　walked　down　to

Chillon；　and　went　over　the　old　castle　on　the　rocky　island。　They　saw

the　implements　of　torture；　the　deadly　dungeons；　the　rusty　fetters　in

the　rocky　walls；　the　stone　benches　for　those　condemned　to　death；　the

trap…doors　through　which　the　unhappy　creatures　were　hurled　upon　iron

spikes；　and　impaled　alive。　They　called　looking　at　all　these　a

pleasure。　It　certainly　was　the　right　place　to　visit。　Byron's　poetry

had　made　it　celebrated　in　the　world。　Rudy　could　only　feel　that　it

was　a　place　of　execution。　He　leaned　against　the　stone　framework　of　the

window；　and　gazed　down　into　the　deep；　blue　water；　and　over　to　the

little　island　with　the　three　acacias；　and　wished　himself　there；　away

and　free　from　the　whole　chattering　party。　But　Babette　was　most

unusually　lively　and　good…tempered。

　　　　〃I　have　been　so　amused；〃　she　said。

　　　　The　cousin　had　found　her　quite　perfect。

　　　　〃He　is　a　perfect　fop；〃　said　Rudy；　and　this　was　the　first　time　Rudy

had　said　anything　that　did　not　please　Babette。

　　　　The　Englishman　had　made　her　a　present　of　a　little　book；　in

remembrance　of　their　visit　to　Chillon。　It　was　Byron's　poem；　〃The

Prisoner　of　Chillon；〃　translated　into　French；　so　that　Babette　could

read　it。

　　　　〃The　book　may　be　very　good；〃　said　Rudy；　〃but　that　finely　combed

fellow　who　gave　it　to　you　is　not　worth　much。〃

　　　　〃He　looks　something　like　a　flour…sack　without　any　flour；〃　said　the

miller；　laughing　at　his　own　wit。　Rudy　laughed；　too；　for　so　had　he

appeared　to　him。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XI。　THE　COUSIN



　　　　When　Rudy　went　a　few　days　after　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　mill；　he

found　the　young　Englishman　there。　Babette　was　just　thinking　of

preparing　some　trout　to　set　before　him。　She　understood　well　how　to

garnish　the　dish　with　parsley；　and　make　it　look　quite　tempting。　Rudy

thought　all　this　quite　unnecessary。　What　did　the　Englishman　want

there？　What　was　he　about？　Why　should　he　be　entertained；　and　waited

upon　by　Babette？　Rudy　was　jealous；　and　that　made　Babette　happy。　It

amused　her　to　discover　all　the　feelings　of　his　heart；　the　strong

points　and　weak　ones。　Love　was　to　her　as　yet　only　a　pastime；　and　she

played　with　Rudy's　whole　heart。　At　the　same　time　it　must　be

acknowledged　that　her　fortune；　her　whole　life；　her　inmost　thoughts；

her　best　and　most　noble　feelings　in　this　world　were　all　for　him。　Still

the　more　gloomy　he　looked；　the　more　her　eyes　laughed。　She　could　almost

have　kissed　the　fair　Englishman；　with　the　golden　whiskers；　if　by　so

doing　she　could　have　put　Rudy　in　a　rage；　and　made