the swiss twins-第4节

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tail　like　a　flag。

Mother　Adolf's　heart　swelled　with　pride　as　she　watched　her
husband　and　children　march　away　so　gayly；　but　when　they　had
disappeared　from　view　and　the　music　sounded　fainter　and　fainter
as　it　grew　more　distant；　she　wiped　her　eyes　on　her　apron。　picked
up　the　Twins'　breakfast…bowls；　and　went　slowly　with　little　Roseli
back　to　the　lonely　farm…house。　The　people　from　the　village　walked
but　a　little　way　up　the　mountainside；　and　when　they　too　returned
to　their　homes；　there　were　no　mare　songs　and　yodels；　and　a　great
silence　settled　over　the　mountain。

Up　and　up　the　rocky　trail　wound　the　long　train　of　cattle　and
goats；　until　they　came　to　the　Giant　Pine　Tree；　and　here　Father
Adolf　and　Fritz　stopped。

〃Remember；　my　children；〃　said　Father　Adolf　solemnly　to　the　Twins；
〃the　goats　are　our　only　wealth。　If　they　stray　away　and　are　lost
or　fall　over　a　cliff　and　are　killed；　the　fault　will　be　yours。　You
must　be　faithful；　watchful；　and　brave；　and　let　nothing　happen　to
the　goats　lest　we　go　hungry　when　winter　comes。〃　Then　he　and　Fritz
said　good…bye；　and　the　children；　feeling　very　solemn　and
important；　went　on　their　lonely　way。

Bello　was　a　wonderful　dog。　He　could　count；　for　he　always　knew
when　one　of　the　goats　was　missing　and　would　run　about　with　his
nose　to　the　trail　until　he　found　her；　then　he　would　bark　at　her
heels　until　she　came　back　to　join　the　flock。　But；　clever　as　he
was；　he　was　puzzled　when　he　saw　the　goats　going　in　one　direction
and　Fritz　in　another。　He　stood　at　the　parting　of　the　paths　and
looked　first　one　way；　then　the　other；　and　whined；　then　he　dashed
after　Fritz。

〃No；　no；　Bello；　go　with　the　goats；〃　cried　Fritz。　Bello's　ears　and
tail　drooped；　and　he　looked　pleadingly　up　at　Fritz。

Fritz　had　given　his　little　horn　to　Seppi；　and　now　he　shouted　to
him；　〃Blow　your　horn。〃　Seppi　could　not　play　Fritz's　merry　little
tune；　but　he　blew　a　terrific　blast；　and　Bello　knew　that　he　must
follow　the　sound　of　the　horn；　even　though　it　meant　parting　from
his　dear　Fritz。

〃Good　old　dog！〃　said　Fritz；　patting　him；　〃go　find　them；〃　and
Bello　licked　his　hand；　then　tore　away　up　the　mountain　after　the
goats。

When　he　reached　them；　he　tried　to　round　them　up　and　drive　them
back　to　Fritz；　and　it　was　some　time　before　Seppi　could　make　him
understand　that　the　goats　must　go　to　the　pastures　as　usual。　Then；
though　he　followed　them　faithfully；　he　did　not　run　about　in
circles　and　bark　down　every　hollow　log　as　he　usually　did。
Instead；　he　walked　along　solemnly　beside　Leneli　with　his　nose　in
her　hand。

〃See；　Seppi；〃　she　said；　〃he　knows　he　must　help　with　the　goats；
but　he　wants　to　go　with　Fritz。〃

〃There　are　lots　of　people　in　the　world　that　know　less　than
Bello；〃　Seppi　answered　wisely。　He　put　the　horn　to　his　lips；
puffed　out　his　cheeks；　and　blew　with　all　his　might。　It　made　a
fearful　noise；　which　was　echoed　from　all　the　surrounding　cliffs
and　was　answered　by　Fritz's　yodel　far　away　on　the　mountain
path。　Bello　pricked　up　his　ears　and　whined。　They　called　back　and
forth　in　this　way；　the　sounds　growing　fainter　and　fainter　in　the
distance；　until　they　could　no　longer　hear　each　other　at　ail；　and
the　Twins　were　for　the　first　time　quite　alone　on　the　mountain
with　Bello　and　the　goats。

When　at　last　they　reached　the　pasture；　they　threw　themselves　down
on　the　grass；　and　Leneli　at　once　took　her　knitting　out　of　her
pocket　and　went　to　work。　Bello　sighed　and　lay　down　beside　her；
with　his　eyes　on　the　goats。　The　sun　was　warm　and　it　was　very
still　on　the　mountain…side。　There　was　no　sound　except　the　tearing
noise　made　by　the　goats　as　they　cropped　the　grass　and　the　tinkle
of　their　bells。　Then　Seppi　began　to　practice　on　his　horn。　He　blew
and　blew　until　he　was　red　in　the　face；　trying　to　play　Fritz's
tune；　but　only　a　hoarse　bellow　came　from　its　throat。

Leneli　stood　the　noise　for　some　time。　Then　she　plucked　a　blade　of
grass；　stretched　it　across　a　hollow　between　her　two　thumbs；　and；
when　Seppi　was　not　looking；　blew　with　all　her　might　right　by　his
ear！　It　made　a　fearful　screech；　which　echoed　and　reechoed　until
it　seemed　as　if　the　very　air　had　been　broken　into　a　million　bits。

Seppi　gave　a　screech　of　his　own　and　clapped　his　hands　over　his
ears。　〃What　did　you　do　that　for？〃　he　said　crossly；　〃just　when　I
was　beginning　to　get　the　tune。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Leneli；　〃you　may　have　begun；　but　you　were　still　a
long；　long　way　from　getting　it！　My　noise　was　just　as　good　as
yours！　I'll　stop　if　you　will。〃

Seppi　grumpily　laid　aside　his　horn　and　sat　hugging　his　knees　and
looking　at　the　wonderful　view　spread　out　before　them。　Across　the
valley　the　Rigi　lifted　its　crest　to　the　sky。　Little　toy　villages；
each　with　its　white　spire；　lay　sleeping　silently　in　the　sunshine。
On　the　shores　of　the　lake　far　below　he　could　see　the　city　of
Lucerne。　It　might　have　been　a　painted　city；　for　not　a　sound
reached　them　from　its　busy　streets；　and　there　was　no　movement　to
be　seen　except　here　and　there　the　waving　of　a　tiny　thread　of
smoke。　On　the　lake　the　white　sails　looked；　at　that　distance；　like
tiny　white　butterflies　hovering　over　the　blue　water。

〃I　suppose　we　can　see　almost　the　whole　world　from　here；　don't
you？〃　said　Leneli。

〃Pooh！　no；〃　Seppi　answered　loftily。　〃There's　lots　more　to　it　than
this；　though　this　is　the　best　part　of　it；　of　course。　Why；　there
are　oceans　bigger　than　Lake　Lucerne　and　a　mile　deep；　and　there's
Paris　and　London　besides。〃

〃Dear；　dear；〃　said　Leneli。　〃Mother　says　we　are　very　near　to　God
on　the　mountains；　and　I　suppose　He　can　look　down　and　see
everybody　and　know　just　what　they　are　doing　all　the　time；　but　I
don't　see　how　He　possibly　can　keep　track　of　all　of　us　at　once。〃

〃He　can't；　silly；'　answered　her　brother；　still　more　loftily。
〃Don't　you　know　that　the　earth　is　round；　so　He　can't　see　but　one
side　at　a　time；　if　He　looks　ever　so　hard？　I　suppose　that's　why　He
made　the　nighttime。　He　shuts　some　of　the　people　up　in　the　dark
whole　He　watches　the　rest　of　them　on　the　other　side。〃　Seppi　had
never　thought　this　out　before；　but　he　always　tried　to　have　some
answer　to　give　to　Leneli　when　she　asked　questions；　or　else　she
might　get　the　idea　that　he　didn't　know　any　more　than　she　did。
Leneli　usually　believed　whatever　he　told　her；　and；　this　question
being　settled；　she　went　on　with　her　knitting。

The　goats　grazed　peacefully　about　them；　the　air　was　very　still
and　grew　quite　warm　in　the　sunshine。　About　the　snow…white　crest
of　the　Rigi　little　wisps　of　clouds　were　gathering。　They　grew
longer　and　longer　and　sank　lower　on　the　mountain…side。

〃It's　raining　in　Lucerne；〃　said　Seppi。

The　clouds　fell　still　lower　and　spread　over　the　whole　valley；
until　the　children　from　their　high　seat　looked　out　over　a　sea　of
mist。　There　were　sounds　of　distant　thunder　from　the　rolling
clouds　and　vivid　flashes　of　lightning　far　below　them。

〃It's　a　little　lonesome　up　here　with　all　the　world　shut　away　out
of　sight；　and　nobody　around　but　God；　isn't　it？〃　said　Leneli
timidly。

〃There　are　the　goats；　and　Bello；〃　answered　Seppi　comfortingly。　He
looked　straight　up　into　the　sky。　Little　wisps　of　clouds　were
gathering　around　the　crest　of　old　Pilatus　now。　The　sun　was
suddenly　hidden；　and　he　felt　a　drop　of　rain。　〃It's　going　to　rain
here　in　a　minute；　and　hard；　too；〃　he　said。

〃What　shall　we　do？〃　cried　Leneli；　rolling　up　her　knitting　and
springing　to　her　feet。

〃Get　wet；　I　guess；〃　answered　Seppi。　〃There's　no　shelter。〃

〃There　must　be　something；〃　said　Leneli。　〃I'll　look；　while　you　and
Bello　get　the　goats　together。〃　She　dashed　away　as　she　spoke；　and
soon　from　a　point　farther　down　the　mountain　they　heard　her　call。

Goats；　Bello；　and　Seppi；　all　came　thundering　down　the　path
together　and　found　her　huddled　under　an　overhanging　rock；
sheltered　by　the　branches　of　a　spreading　pine。　Bello　and　Seppi
dived　under　the　rock　beside　her；　and　the　goats　gathered　close
about　them　just　as　the　storm　broke　in　earnest。　The　lightning
flashed；　the　thunder　rolled；　and　the　rain　came　down　in　torrents；
making　a　gray　curtain　of　water　about　the　rock。　The　children
shrank　back　under　the　shelter　as　far　as　they　could　go；　and
neither　one　said　a　word；　except　once　when　a　stream　of　water
suddenly　ran　down　the　back　of　Leneli's　neck。　Then　she　jumped　and
said　〃Ow；〃　in　a　voice　that　Seppi　heard　even　above　the　roar　of　the
thunder。

For　a　long　time　they　sat　there　while　the　storm　raged　about　them。
Then　the　thunder　went　roaring　away　farther　and　farther　down　the
valley；　the　rain　ceased；　and　the　sun　came　out。

〃The　storm's　over；〃　said　Seppi。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here。〃

The　goats　had　already　scattered　and　were　nibbling　tufts　of　wet
grass；　when　the　two　children　crawled　out　from　under　the　rock。
Leneli's　dress　was　quite　muddy　where　the　rain　had　come　through
the　crack　and　poured　down　her　neck；　and　she　was　twisting　herself
round；　trying　to　see　the　extent　of　the　damage；　when　suddenly
there　was　a　terrific　roar　and　rumble　as　if　the　thunder　had　begun
all　over　again；　though　the　sky　was　blue　and　clear。　Crash　followed
crash；　and　there　was　a　sound　of　great　rocks　falling　from　dizzy
mountain…heights　far　above　them。

The　children　clung　to　each　other　in　terror；　the　goats　trembled；
and　Bello　crept　farther　under　the　rock。　〃The　avalanche！〃　gasped
Leneli；　shaking　with　fright。　〃F