the swiss twins-第6节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


wilder　and　wilder　and　wound　slowly　upward。

〃It's　going　to　be　dark　pretty　soon；〃　said　Leneli　at　last；　trying
hard　to　conceal　the　tremble　in　her　voice；　〃and　we　are　going　up
instead　of　down。　Seppi；　do　you　suppose　there　are　any　bears　and
wolves　about　here？〃

〃Maybe；〃　said　Seppi；　and　there　was　a　little　catch　in　his　throat；
too。　〃But　then；〃　he　added；　trying　hard　to　look　on　the　bright　side
of　things；　〃if　there　are；　they'd　be　much　more　likely　to　eat　the
goats。　I　don't　believe　they　care　much　about　eating　people。〃

〃Well；　anyway；　if　they　do；〃　quavered　Leneli；　〃I　hope　they'll
begin　with　Nanni。〃

The　afternoon　waned；　the　shadows　grew　longer　and　longer；　and　they
wire　just　making　up　their　minds　that　they　must　soon　lie　down
among　the　goats　beside　the　trail　and　wait　for　morning；　when　a
turn　in　the　path　brought　them　out　on　a　spur　of　the　mountain　where
they　could　look　for　miles　across　a　deep　valley　towards　the　west。
On　the　farther　side；　range　after　range　of　snow…capped　peaks　gave
back　the　golden　glory　of　the　sunset；　and　from　somewhere　came　the
sound　of　an　Alpine　horn　playing　the　first　few　notes　of　the　hymn
〃Praise　Ye　the　Lord。〃

〃The　Angelus！〃　cried　Leneli　clasping；　her　hands。　〃They　can't　hear
the　church…bells　up　here；　so　they　blow　the　horns　instead。〃

Far　away　across　the　valley　another　horn　answered；　then　another
and　another；　and　the　echoes　took　up　the　refrain　until　it　seemed
as　if　the　hills　themselves　were　singing。

Following　eagerly　the　direction　of　the　sound　the　children　were
overjoyed　to　see　in　the　distance　a　lonely　herdsman　standing　on　a
great　rock　overlooking　the　valley；　his　long　Alpine　horn　in　his
hand；　and　his　head　bowed　in　prayer。　Leneli　and　Seppi　bowed　their
heads　too；　and　it　comforted　them　to　think　that　their　mother　in
the　old　farm…house；　and　Father　and　Fritz　on　the　far…away　alp；
were　all　at　that　same　moment　praying　too。　It　seemed　to　bring　them
near　together　in　spite　of　the　distance　which　separated　them。

Their　prayers　said；　the　children　hastened　forward；　driving　the
goats　before　them；　and　now　the　sound　of　cow…bells　mingled　with
the　tinkle　of　the　bells　on　the　goats。　Another　turn　in　the　path
revealed　a　green　pasture　where　a　herd　of　cows　was　grazing；　and；
just　beyond；　a　rough　shelter　made　of　logs　with　the　herdsman；
still　holding　his　horn；　standing　beside　it。　He　was　gazing　in
astonishment　at　the　sight　of　two　little　children　alone　on　the
mountains　at　so　late　an　hour。　He　was　an　old　man；　with　a　shaggy
white　beard；　and　strange　kind　eyes　that　seemed　always　looking　for
something　that　he　could　not　find。　Beside　him；　his　ears　pointed
forward　and　his　tail　pointing　back；　was　his　dog。　The　dog　was
growling。

For　an　instant　the　children　stood　still；　not　quite　daring　to　go
nearer；　but　Bello；　dear　friendly　old　Bello；　had　no　such　fears。　He
ran　forward　barking　joyfully；　the　two　dogs　smelled　each　other；
and　then　trotted　back　down　the　path　together　as　if　they　had　been
friends　since　they　were　puppies。

The　man　followed　at　a　slower　pace。　〃What　in　the　world　are　you
doing　up　here　on　the　mountains　with　your　goats　at　this　time　o'
day？〃　he　said　to　the　children。

The　Twins　told　him　their　story；　and　he　stood　for　a　moment
scratching　his　head；　as　if　he　were　much　puzzled　to　know　what　to
do　with　them。

〃Well；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃you　can't　get　down　the　mountain
tonight；　that's　certain；　and　you　must　be　hungry　enough　to　eat　an
ox　roasted　whole；　that's　certain　too。　And　your　goats　are　hungry
into　the　bargain。　Goats　aren't　allowed　in　this　pasture；　but　they
mustn't　starve　either。　Nothing　is　as　it　should　be。〃

He　scratched　his　head　again；　and　Leneli；　fearing　he　was　going　to
turn　them　away；　could　not　keep　a　large　tear　from　rolling；　down
her　nose　and　splashing　off　her　chin。

〃There；　there；〃　said　the　old　herdsman；　comfortingly；　〃don't　you
cry；　sissy。　Things　aren't　so　bad　but　that　they　might　be　worse。
You　can　sleep　in　the　hay　up　yonder；〃　he　jerked　his　thumb　toward
the　hut；　〃and　I'll　give　you　a　bite　to　eat；　and　the　goats　will
help　themselves；　I've　no　manner　of　doubt。〃

〃We　can　drink　goat's　milk；〃　said　Leneli　timidly；　〃and　you　may
have　all　we　don't　take。〃

〃We'll　have　to　milk　them　first；〃　said　Seppi；　〃and　we've　never
done　it　before。　Mother　always　does　the　milking。〃

〃I　know　how；〃　said　Leneli　proudly。　〃Don't　you　remember；　Fritz
taught　me　the　day　Nanni　swallowed　my　lunch？〃

〃I'll　lend　you　a　milk…pail；〃　said　the　herdsman。　〃The　cows　were
all　milked　some　time　ago。〃

He　went　back　to　the　but　and　soon　reappeared　with　two　pails；　and
as　Leneli　struggled　with　one　goat　he　milked　another；　while　Seppi
fed　both　creatures　with　tufts　of　grass　to　keep　them　quiet。　It　was
the　first　good　grass　the　goats　had　seen　since　morning；　and
apparently　they　were　determined　to　eat　the　pasture　clean。

The　herdsman　looked　at　them　anxiously　and　scratched　his　head
again。　〃They　certainly　have　healthy　appetites；〃　he　said　woefully；
〃they　don't　calculate　to　leave　anything　behind　'em　but　stones　and
gravel！〃

The　milking　took　some　time　and　after　it　was　done；　the　old　man
placed　the　sad　and　tired　children　on　the　bench　beside　his　door；
and　while　they　ate　the　food　he　gave　them　and　watched　the　moon
rise　over　the　mountains；　he　told　them　about　his　home　in　the
village　fifteen　miles　away　at　the　foot　of　the　pass；　and　about　his
wife　and　two　grandchildren　who　lived　there　with　him。

〃The　only　thing　you　can　do；〃　he　said；　〃is　to　go　down　the　pass　on
this　side　of　the　mountain。　You　can　spend　the　night　at　my　house　or
at　some　farm…house　on　the　way　and　it　is　only　about　ten　miles　back
to　your　own　village　from　the　foot　of　the　pass。〃

〃But　how　can　we　find　the　way？〃　quavered　poor　Leneli。

The　old　man　scratched　his　head；　as　he　always　did　when　he　was
puzzled；　and　finally　said；　〃Well；　I'm　blest　if　I　can　tell　you。
It's　a　hard　pass。　I'd　go　with　you；　but　I'm　alone　here　and　I　can't
leave　the　cows　even　for　half　a　day。　I'll　start　you　right；　the　dog
and　the　goats　have　some　sense　of　their　own；　and　the　good　God　will
guide　you。　Besides；　Swiss　boys　and　girls　are　never　afraid。〃

〃I'm　a　little　afraid；　I　think；〃　confessed　Leneli。　She　looked　at
the　moon　and　thought　how　it　must　be　shining　down　on　the　old　farm…
house；　and　of　her　mother；　who　at　that　very　moment　must　be　frantic
with　fears　for　their　safety；　and　of　the　long　and　perilous　journey
before　they　could　see　her　again；　and　though　she　tried　hard　to
swallow　them；　three　little　sobs　slipped　out。

The　old　man　heard　them。　〃Why；　bless　me；　bless　me；〃　he　said；
rumpling　his　hair　until　it　stood　on　end；　〃this　will　never　do　at
all！　Why；　bless　us；　think　of　William　Tell！　Think　of　Peter；　who
lived　long　ago　in　your　own　Lucerne；　and　who　saved　the　whole　city！
To　take　a　little　herd　of　goats　down　a　strange　pass　is　child's
play　compared　with　what　he　did；　and　he　was　only　a　boy　like　Seppi
here；　and　I　always　thought　girls　were　braver　than　boys。〃

Leneli　sat　up　and　sniffed　resolutely。　〃I　thinkI'm　almost　sure
I'm　going　to　be　brave　now；〃　she　said。　〃Tell　us　about　Peter。〃

〃Well；　it　was　like　this；〃　said　the　herds…　man。　〃Peter　was　a
smart；　likely　lad　enough；　but　nobody　thought　he　was　a　hero。　In
fact；　he　never　suspected　it　himself。　You　see；　you　can't　tell
whether　you　are　one　or　not　until　something　happens　that　calls　for
courage。　Then　if　you　do　the　right　thing；　whether　you　are　afraid
or　not；　you'll　know　you　are　one。　Well；　one　summer　night　this
Peter　went　out　to　have　a　swim　in　the　lake；　and　when　he　crawled
upon　the　bank　to　dress　again；　he　was　so　tired　he　fell　asleep。　By
and　by　he　was　wakened　by　voices　and；　opening　his　eyes；　he　saw
five　or　six　men　creeping　stealthily　along　the　lake…shore。

〃'Aha；'　says　Peter　to　himself；　'that's　not　the　walk　of　honest
men。'

〃He　got　up　on　his　elbow　in　the　long　grass　and　watched　them
without　being　seen。　He　saw　many　more　men　steal　silently　after　the
first　group；　and　among　them　he　recognized　the　Bailiff　of
Rothenburg；whom　he　knew　to　be　an　Austrian　and　the　sworn　enemy　of
Lucerne。　He　saw　the　men　talk　together　and　heard　enough　of　what
they　paid　to　be　sure　that　danger　threatened　his　beloved　town。　So
when　they　moved　on；　he　followed　them；　slipping　along　behind　rocks
and　bushes；　until　suddenly　they　disappeared　as　if　the　earth　had
swallowed　them。　Peter　groped　about　hunting　for　them　until　at　last
he　saw　a　faint　light　shining　from　out　a　dark　cavern　among　the
rocks。　Then；　though　he　knew　how　dangerous　it　was；　he　followed　the
light　and　found　himself　in　along；　dark　tunnel。〃

〃Oh；〃　shuddered　Leneli。　〃I　could　never　be　as　brave　as　that。　I
don't　like　dark　places。〃

〃Peter　knew　that　a　tunnel　ran　underneath　the　walls　of　the　town
and　that　the　other　end　of　it　opened　by　a　trap…door　into　a　stable
in　Lucerne；〃　went　on　the　old　man　without　noticing　Leneli's
interruption；　〃and　at　once　he　saw　that　some　traitor　must　have
told　the　Austrians　of　this　secret　passage。　He　crept　closer　and
closer　to　the　group　of　men；　until　he　was　near　enough　to　hear　what
they　said。　You　may　be　sure　his　blood　ran　cold　in　his　veins　when
he　heard　the　voice　of　a　man　he　knew；　telling　the　Austrians　just
how　best　they　could　capture　the　town！　He　knew　that　terrible
things　would　happen　in　Lucerne　that　night　if　the　enemy　ever
reached　the　other　end　of　the　tunnel；　and　at　once　made　up　his　mind
that　he　must　alarm