the swiss twins-第7节

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reached　the　other　end　of　the　tunnel；　and　at　once　made　up　his　mind
that　he　must　alarm　the　town。　He　dropped　on　his　hands　and　knees
and　was　beginning　to　crawl　back　toward　the　entrance；　when　he
heard　some　one　coming　into　the　tunnel！　He　sprang　to　his　feet　and
tried　to　run　past；　but　the　passage　was　narrow；　and　he　was　caught
at　once　and　dragged　into　the　light。〃

〃Oh！　Oh！〃　gasped　the　Twins；　breathless　with　excitement。　〃It
sounds　just　like　a　bad　dream。〃

〃It　was　no　dream；〃　said　the　old　herdsman；　〃for　when　the　traitor；
whose　name　was　Jean　de　Malters；　saw　Peter；　he　was　terribly　angry。
'How　did　you　come　here；'　he　roared；　in　a　voice　that　made　the
earth　shake。

〃'I　was　asleep　on　the　bank　and　you　woke　me　up；　so　I　followed　to
see　what　was　going　on；'　said　Peter。

〃'I　don't　believe　you。　Some　one　sent　you　to　spy　upon　us；'　said
Jean　de　Matters；　and　he　shook　Peter。　'Who　sent　you？'

〃'No　one；'　said　Peter。　'I　have　told　you　the　truth。'

〃'You　lie；'　said　his　captor。　〃I　give　you　just　two　minutes　to　tell
who　sent　you；　and　if　you　do　not　tell　us　then；　you　shall　die！'

〃Poor　Peter　thought　of　his　home　and　his　mother　and　father；　and
there　never　was　a　more　homesick　boy　in　the　world　than　he　was　at
that　moment；　but　though　he　was　terribly　frightened；　he　did　not
say　a　single　word。

〃'He　shall　die；　then；'　said　Jean　de　Falters；　when　the　two　minutes
were　up；　and　Peter　had　not　spoken。

〃One　of　the　Austrians　interfered。　'No；'　he　said。　'It　would　be　bad
luck　to　begin　the　night's　work　by　shedding　the　blood　of　a　child。
Make　him　swear　he　will　not　tell　what　he　has　seen　to　any　living
soul；　and　let　him　go。'

〃In　spite　of　Jean　de　Matters；　who　was　bound　that　he　should　be
killed；　that　was　what　they　did；　and　the　moment　he　was　free　you
may　be　sure　Peter　ran　like　the　wind　for　home。

〃Now　you　see；〃　said　the　old　herdsman；　and　he　shook　his　finger　at
Seppi　and　Leneli；　〃I　this　was　a　dreadful　position　for　Peter。　He
had　solemnly　promised　not　to　tell　a　living　soul　what　he　had　seen
and　heard；　but　if　he　didn't　tell；　his　parents　and　friends　would
be　murdered　before　morning。

〃That　evening　his　father　and　a　number　of　other　men　were　gathered
together　in　the　town　hall　of　Lucerne　to　talk　over　community
affairs；　when　Peter　suddenly　burst　into　the　room；　his　eyes　as　big
as　saucers。

〃The　men　gathered　about　him；　thinking　he　must　have　some
tremendous　piece　of　news；　but　Peter　spoke　never　a　word　to　them。
Instead；　he　marched　up　to　the　great　porcelain　stove　that　stood　in
the　room。

〃'O　Stove；'　said　Peter；　'I　have　just　heard　terrible　things　which
I　have　promised　not　to　tell　to　a　living　soul；　but　you；　O　Stove；
have　no　soul；　so　to　you　I　will　say　that　the　Austrians　are　now　in
the　tunnel　underneath　the　walls　and　that　at　midnight　they　will
break　in　and　sack　the　town。'

〃At　first　the　men　thought　Peter　had　gone　crazy；　but　when　he　had
finished　telling　the　stove　all　he　had　seen　and　heard；　they　flew
to　alarm　the　town　and　get　their　weapons。

〃At　midnight；　when　the　Austrians　came　up　through　the　hole　in　the
stable　floor；　they　were　received　by　a　little　army　of　men　of
Lucerne；　and　in　the　battle　that　followed　they　were　completely
whipped　and　driven　from　the　town　forever。　And　it　was　Peter　who
saved　the　city。

〃You　see　that　was　Peter's　chance　to　show　what　he　was　made　of；　and
he　didn't　miss　his　chance。　He　did　the　right　thing；　even　though　he
was　afraid。　It's　a　great　thing　not　to　miss　one's　chance。〃

The　old　herdsman　looked　up　at　the　moon　as　if　he　hadn't　meant　any
one　in　particular　when　he　said　that　about　missing　one's　chance；
and　the　children　didn't　say　a　word　for　a　minute。

Then　Seppi　said；　〃If　Peter　could　save　a　whole　town；　I　guess　we
can　get　down　that　pass　with　a　few　goats。〃

〃Why；　of　course；〃　said　the　herdsman。　〃It's　your　chance；　you　see；
and　when　you　get　home　very　likely　you'll　find　you　are　both
heroes。　You　see　if　there　were　never　any　danger；　there　never　could
be　any　heroes　at　all！　Now　climb　up　into　the　hay；　both　of　you；　and
I'll　wake　you　for　an　early　start　in　the　morning。〃


V。　THE　PASS

THE　PASS

All　night　long　the　children　slept　soundly　in　the　hayloft；　with
the　moon　peering　in　at　them　through　the　chinks　between　the　logs。
In　the　morning　they　were　awakened　by　the　music　of　cow…bells；　and
by　the　voice　of　the　old　herdsman；　who　stuck　his　head　up　through
the　hole　in　the　floor　and　called　out　〃Wake　up；　my　young　heroes！
The　sun　is　already　looking　over　the　crest　of　Rigi；　and　it's　time
you　were　on　your　way。〃

Seppi　and　Leneli　sat　up　and　rubbed　their　eyes；　and　for　a　moment
could　not　think　where　they　were　or　how　they　came　to　be　there。
Then　they　remembered；　and；　springing　from　their　rude　beds；　ran
out　into　the　glorious　morning　and　washed　their　faces　and　hands　in
the　mountain　stream　that　flowed　near　the　hut。　Then　there　were　the
goats　to　be　milked；　and　breakfast　to　be　eaten；　and　the　shadows
were　already　shortening　when　at　last　they　were　ready　for　their
lonely　and　dangerous　journey。

The　old　herdsman　packed　some　bread　and　cheese　in　their　lunch…
cloth；　Leneli　slung　the　bundle　on　her　alpenstock；　and　Seppi
called　Bello　to　herd　the　goats。　But　the　goats　were　well　pleased
with　the　rich　green　grass　of　the　alp；　and　were　unwilling　to　leave
the　pasture。　They　frisked　and　gamboled　and　stood　on　their　hind
legs　butting　each　other　playfully；　and　it　was　some　time　before
Seppi　and　Bello　could　get　them　fairly　started。

The　old　herdsman　had　done　his　milking　very　early　in　order　to　go　a
little　way　with　the　children；　and　now；　leaving　the　cows　in　charge
of　his　faithful　dog；　he　led　the　way　down　the　steep　mountain　path。

The　morning　air　was　so　clear　and　sparkling　and　the　sun　shone　so
bright　upon　the　snow…capped　peaks；　that　the　children　almost
forgot　the　dangers　of　the　unknown　path。　It　seemed　impossible　that
anything　could　happen　to　them　in　such　a　wonderful　and　beautiful
world；　and　they　said　good…bye　quite　cheerfully　to　the　good　old
herdsman　when　at　last　he　stopped　and　told　them　he　must　go　back　to
his　cheese…making。　From　the　place　where　they　stood；　they　could
see　the　path　like　a　tiny　thread；　winding　through　forests；　down　a
long；　narrow　valley　shut　in　by　high　cliffs；　past　waterfalls　fed
by　mountain　snows；　and　losing　itself　at　last　where　a　tiny　white
steeple　marked　the　little　village　which　was　the　home　of　the　old
herdsman。　The　old　man　pointed　to　it。　〃Follow　the　path　and
remember　Peter　of　Lucerne；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　your　chance！　Trust
the　good　God；　do　not　be　afraid；　and　soon　your　troubles　will　be
over　and　you　will　be　once　more　in　your　mother's　arms。〃　He　stood
on　a　rock　and　watched　the　little　procession　until　a　bend　in　the
path　hid　it　from　sight；　then　he　went　back　to　his　lonely　pasture。

For　an　hour　or　so；　the　children　trudged　quite　cheerfully　on　their
way。　〃This　isn't　hard　at　all；〃　said　Seppi。　〃The　pass　is　easier　to
follow　than　our　own。　How　silly　we　were　to　be　scared！〃

They　were　so　used　to　climbing　about　in　perilous　places　that　when
a　little　later　the　path　led　them　along　a　shelf…like　projection　on
the　side　of　steep　cliffs；　overhanging　a　mountain　stream；　they
were　not　frightened。　But　when　they　began　to　grow　tired；　and　the
trail　led　them　into　a　dark　forest；　where　the　sun　came　through　the
thick　boughs　and　shone　only　in　patches　of　light　upon　the　slippery
spruce　needles；　they　grew　less　courageous。

〃I　don't　like　the　forest；〃　said　Leneli；　shivering　a　little　and
looking　behind　her。　〃It　always　seems　as　if　things　would　happen　to
you　in　the　woods。〃

〃What　kind　of　things？〃　said　Seppi；　who　was　beginning　to　feel　a
bit　shaky　himself。

〃Whyyou　know；〃　answered　Leneli；　〃the　kind　of　things　that　giants
and　dragons　and　dwarfs　do！　And　then　there's　that　story　about
Pontius　Pilate。　You　know　our　old　Mount　Pilatus　was　named　that
because　they　say　his　body　was　thrown　into　one　of　its　lakes；　and
his　spirit　haunts　the　mountain。　He　only　comes　out　once　a　year；
but　oh；　Seppi；　suppose　this　should　be　the　time！〃

〃Huh！〃　said　Seppi　scornfully。　〃Girls'　talk！　Of　course　I　don't
believe　such　things；　besides；　he　only　comes　out　on　Good　Friday；
anyway！〃

〃Well；〃　said　Leneli；　〃lots　of　people　do　believe　them；　even　grown…
up　people。〃

〃Pooh；〃　said　Seppi；　and　just　to　show　that　he　didn't　care　at　all
about　such　idle　tales　he　began　to　whistle；　but　Leneli　noticed
that　he　too　looked　behind　him　now　and　then。

It　grew　more　and　more　difficult　to　find　the　way；　for　there　were
openings　between　the　trees　that　looked　like　paths　and　the　true
path　wound　in　and　out；　and　came　near　losing　itself　entirely　among
the　rocks。　The　brown　needles　covered　the　ground　in　every
direction；　so　the　pass　was　no　different　in　color　from　the　rest　of
the　forest　floor。　When　they　looked　behind　them　or　peered
fearfully　under　the　spruce　boughs　for　dwarfs　or　giants；　of　course
they　were　not　watching　the　trail　carefully；　and　so；　when　suddenly
there　was　a　loud　whirring　noise　above　the　trees　and　a　great　bird
flew　almost　over　their　heads；　they　were　so　startled　they　just　ran
without　noticing　which　way　they　were　going。　Bello　was　startled
too；　and　began　to　bark。　This　started　the　goats；　and　before　you
could　say　〃Jack　Robinson〃　children；　dog；　goats；　and　all　were
galloping　pell…mell　through　the　woods。

After　the　loud　whirring　noise　the　forest　was　still　again；　and　the
children　stoppe