seraphita-第2章

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！



the　lower　hills　of　Jarvis；　where　the　luscious　Northern　vegetables

spring　up　in　families；　in　myriads；　where　the　white　birches　bend；

graceful　as　maidens；　where　colonnades　of　beeches　rear　their　boles

mossy　with　the　growth　of　centuries；　where　shades　of　green　contrast；

and　white　clouds　float　amid　the　blackness　of　the　distant　pines；　and

tracts　of　many…tinted　crimson　and　purple　shrubs　are　shaded　endlessly；

in　short；　where　blend　all　colors；　all　perfumes　of　a　flora　whose

wonders　are　still　ignored。　Widen　the　boundaries　of　this　limited

ampitheatre；　spring　upward　to　the　clouds；　lose　yourself　among　the

rocks　where　the　seals　are　lying　and　even　then　your　thought　cannot

compass　the　wealth　of　beauty　nor　the　poetry　of　this　Norwegian　coast。

Can　your　thought　be　as　vast　as　the　ocean　that　bounds　it？　as　weird　as

the　fantastic　forms　drawn　by　these　forests；　these　clouds；　these

shadows；　these　changeful　lights？



Do　you　see　above　the　meadows　on　that　lowest　slope　which　undulates

around　the　higher　hills　of　Jarvis　two　or　three　hundred　houses　roofed

with　〃noever；〃　a　sort　of　thatch　made　of　birch…bark；frail　houses；

long　and　low；　looking　like　silk…worms　on　a　mulberry…leaf　tossed　hither

by　the　winds？　Above　these　humble；　peaceful　dwellings　stands　the

church；　built　with　a　simplicity　in　keeping　with　the　poverty　of　the

villagers。　A　graveyard　surrounds　the　chancel；　and　a　little　farther　on

you　see　the　parsonage。　Higher　up；　on　a　projection　of　the　mountain　is　a

dwelling…house；　the　only　one　of　stone；　for　which　reason　the

inhabitants　of　the　village　call　it　〃the　Swedish　Castle。〃　In　fact；　a

wealthy　Swede　settled　in　Jarvis　about　thirty　years　before　this　history

begins；　and　did　his　best　to　ameliorate　its　condition。　This　little

house；　certainly　not　a　castle；　built　with　the　intention　of　leading　the

inhabitants　to　build　others　like　it；　was　noticeable　for　its　solidity

and　for　the　wall　that　inclosed　it；　a　rare　thing　in　Norway　where；

notwithstanding　the　abundance　of　stone；　wood　alone　is　used　for　all

fences；　even　those　of　fields。　This　Swedish　house；　thus　protected

against　the　climate；　stood　on　rising　ground　in　the　centre　of　an

immense　courtyard。　The　windows　were　sheltered　by　those　projecting

pent…house　roofs　supported　by　squared　trunks　of　trees　which　give　so

patriarchal　an　air　to　Northern　dwellings。　From　beneath　them　the　eye

could　see　the　savage　nudity　of　the　Falberg；　or　compare　the　infinitude

of　the　open　sea　with　the　tiny　drop　of　water　in　the　foaming　fiord；　the

ear　could　hear　the　flowing　of　the　Sieg；　whose　white　sheet　far　away

looked　motionless　as　it　fell　into　its　granite　cup　edged　for　miles

around　with　glaciers；in　short；　from　this　vantage　ground　the　whole

landscape　whereon　our　simple　yet　superhuman　drama　was　about　to　be

enacted　could　be　seen　and　noted。



The　winter　of　1799…1800　was　one　of　the　most　severe　ever　known　to

Europeans。　The　Norwegian　sea　was　frozen　in　all　the　fiords；　where；　as　a

usual　thing；　the　violence　of　the　surf　kept　the　ice　from　forming。　A

wind；　whose　effects　were　like　those　of　the　Spanish　levanter；　swept　the

ice　of　the　Strom…fiord；　driving　the　snow　to　the　upper　end　of　the　gulf。

Seldom　indeed　could　the　people　of　Jarvis　see　the　mirror　of　frozen

waters　reflecting　the　colors　of　the　sky；　a　wondrous　site　in　the　bosom

of　these　mountains　when　all　other　aspects　of　nature　are　levelled

beneath　successive　sheets　of　snow；　and　crests　and　valleys　are　alike

mere　folds　of　the　vast　mantle　flung　by　winter　across　a　landscape　at

once　so　mournfully　dazzling　and　so　monotonous。　The　falling　volume　of

the　Sieg；　suddenly　frozen；　formed　an　immense　arcade　beneath　which　the

inhabitants　might　have　crossed　under　shelter　from　the　blast　had　any

dared　to　risk　themselves　inland。　But　the　dangers　of　every　step　away

from　their　own　surroundings　kept　even　the　boldest　hunters　in　their

homes；　afraid　lest　the　narrow　paths　along　the　precipices；　the　clefts

and　fissures　among　the　rocks；　might　be　unrecognizable　beneath　the

snow。



Thus　it　was　that　no　human　creature　gave　life　to　the　white　desert　where

Boreas　reigned；　his　voice　alone　resounding　at　distant　intervals。　The

sky；　nearly　always　gray；　gave　tones　of　polished　steel　to　the　ice　of

the　fiord。　Perchance　some　ancient　eider…duck　crossed　the　expanse；

trusting　to　the　warm　down　beneath　which　dream；　in　other　lands；　the

luxurious　rich；　little　knowing　of　the　dangers　through　which　their

luxury　has　come　to　them。　Like　the　Bedouin　of　the　desert　who　darts

alone　across　the　sands　of　Africa；　the　bird　is　neither　seen　nor　heard；

the　torpid　atmosphere；　deprived　of　its　electrical　conditions；　echoes

neither　the　whirr　of　its　wings　nor　its　joyous　notes。　Besides；　what

human　eye　was　strong　enough　to　bear　the　glitter　of　those　pinnacles

adorned　with　sparkling　crystals；　or　the　sharp　reflections　of　the　snow；

iridescent　on　the　summits　in　the　rays　of　a　pallid　sun　which

infrequently　appeared；　like　a　dying　man　seeking　to　make　known　that　he

still　lives。　Often；　when　the　flocks　of　gray　clouds；　driven　in

squadrons　athwart　the　mountains　and　among　the　tree…tops；　hid　the　sky

with　their　triple　veils　Earth；　lacking　the　celestial　lights；　lit

herself　by　herself。



Here；　then；　we　meet　the　majesty　of　Cold；　seated　eternally　at　the　pole

in　that　regal　silence　which　is　the　attribute　of　all　absolute　monarchy。

Every　extreme　principle　carries　with　it　an　appearance　of　negation　and

the　symptoms　of　death；　for　is　not　life　the　struggle　of　two　forces？

Here　in　this　Northern　nature　nothing　lived。　One　sole　powerthe

unproductive　power　of　icereigned　unchallenged。　The　roar　of　the　open

sea　no　longer　reached　the　deaf；　dumb　inlet；　where　during　one　short

season　of　the　year　Nature　made　haste　to　produce　the　slender　harvests

necessary　for　the　food　of　the　patient　people。　A　few　tall　pine…trees

lifted　their　black　pyramids　garlanded　with　snow；　and　the　form　of　their

long　branches　and　depending　shoots　completed　the　mourning　garments　of

those　solemn　heights。



Each　household　gathered　in　its　chimney…corner；　in　houses　carefully

closed　from　the　outer　air；　and　well　supplied　with　biscuit；　melted

butter；　dried　fish；　and　other　provisions　laid　in　for　the　seven…months

winter。　The　very　smoke　of　these　dwellings　was　hardly　seen；　half…hidden

as　they　were　beneath　the　snow；　against　the　weight　of　which　they　were

protected　by　long　planks　reaching　from　the　roof　and　fastened　at　some

distance　to　solid　blocks　on　the　ground；　forming　a　covered　way　around

each　building。



During　these　terrible　winter　months　the　women　spun　and　dyed　the

woollen　stuffs　and　the　linen　fabrics　with　which　they　clothed　their

families；　while　the　men　read；　or　fell　into　those　endless　meditations

which　have　given　birth　to　so　many　profound　theories；　to　the　mystic

dreams　of　the　North；　to　its　beliefs；　to　its　studies　（so　full　and　so

complete　in　one　science；　at　least；　sounded　as　with　a　plummet）；　to　its

manners　and　its　morals；　half…monastic；　which　force　the　soul　to　react

and　feed　upon　itself　and　make　the　Norwegian　peasant　a　being　apart

among　the　peoples　of　Europe。



Such　was　the　condition　of　the　Strom…fiord　in　the　first　year　of　the

nineteenth　century　and　about　the　middle　of　the　month　of　May。



On　a　morning　when　the　sun　burst　forth　upon　this　landscape；　lighting

the　fires　of　the　ephemeral　diamonds　produced　by　crystallizations　of

the　snow　and　ice；　two　beings　crossed　the　fiord　and　flew　along　the　base

of　the　Falberg；　rising　thence　from　ledge　to　ledge　toward　the　summit。

What　were　they？　human　creatures；　or　two　arrows？　They　might　have　been

taken　for　eider…ducks　sailing　in　consort　before　the　wind。　Not　the

boldest　hunter　nor　the　most　superstitious　fisherman　would　have

attributed　to　human　beings　the　power　to　move　safely　along　the　slender

lines　traced　beneath　the　snow　by　the　granite　ledges；　where　yet　this

couple　glided　with　the　terrifying　dexterity　of　somnambulists　who；

forgetting　their　own　weight　and　the　dangers　of　the　slightest

deviation；　hurry　along　a　ridge…pole　and　keep　their　equilibrium　by　the

power　of　some　mysterious　force。



〃Stop　me；　Seraphitus；〃　said　a　pale　young　girl；　〃and　let　me　breathe。　I

look　at　you；　you　only；　while　scaling　these　walls　of　the　gulf；

otherwise；　what　would　become　of　me？　I　am　such　a　feeble　creature。　Do　I

tire　you？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　being　on　whose　arm　she　leaned。　〃But　let　us　go　on；

Minna；　the　place　where　we　are　is　not　firm　enough　to　stand　on。〃



Once　more　the　snow　creaked　sharply　beneath　the　long　boards　fastened　to

their　feet；　and　soon　they　reached　the　upper　terrace　of　the　first

ledge；　clearly　defined　upon　the　flank　of　the　precipice。　The　person

whom　Minna　had　addressed　as　Seraphitus　threw　his　weight　upon　his　right

heel；　arresting　the　planksix　and　a　half　feet　long　and　narrow　as　the

foot　of　a　childwhich　was　fastened　to　his　boot　by　a　double　thong　of

leather。　This　plank；　two　inches　thick；　was　covered　with　reindeer　skin；

which　bristled　against　the　snow　when　the　foot　was　raised；　and　served

to　stop　the　wearer。　Seraphitus　drew　in　his　left　foot；　furnished　with

another　〃skee；〃　which　was　only　two　feet　long；　turned　swiftly　where　he

stood；　caught　his　timid　companion　in　his　arms；　lifted　her　in　spite　of

the　long　boards　on　her　feet；　and　placed　her　on　a　projecting　rock　from

which　he　brushed　the　snow　with　his　pelisse。



〃You　are　safe　there；　Minna；　you　can　tremble　at　your　ease。〃



〃We　are　a　third　of　the　way　up　the　Ice…Cap；〃　she　said；　looking　at　the

peak　to　which　she　gave　the　popular　name　by　which　it　is　known　in

Norway；　〃I　can　hardly　believe　it。〃



Too　much　out　of　breath　to　say　more；　she　smiled　at　Seraphitus；　who；

without　answering；　laid　his　hand　upon　her　heart　and　listened　to　its

sounding　throbs；　rapid　as　those　of　a　frightened　bird。



〃It　often　beats　as　fast　when　I　run；〃　she　said。



Seraphitus　inclined　his　head　with　a　gesture　that　was　neither　coldness

nor　indifference；　and　yet；　despite　the　grace　which　made　the　movement

almost　tender；　it　none　the　less　bespoke　a　certain　negation；　which　in　a

woman　would　have　seemed　an　exquisite　coquetry。　Seraphitus　clasped　the

young　girl　in　his　arms。　Minna　accepted　the　caress　as　an　answer　to　her

words；　continuing　to　gaze　at　him。　As　he　raised　his　head；　and　threw

back　with　impatient　gesture　the　golden　masses　of　his　hair　to　free　his

brow；　he　saw　an　expression　of　joy　in　the　eyes　of　his　companion。



〃Yes；　Minna；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　whose　paternal　accents　were　charming

from　the　lips　of　a　being　who　was　still　adolescent；　〃Keep　your　eyes　on

me；　do　not　look　below　you。〃



〃Why　not？〃　she　asked。



〃You　wish　to　know　why？　then　look！〃



Minna　glanced　quickly　at　her　feet　and　cried　out　suddenly　like　a　child

who　sees　a　tiger。　The　awful　sensation　of　abysses　seized　her；　one

glance　sufficed　to　communicate　its　contagion。　The　fiord；　eager　for

food；　bewildered　her　with　its　loud　voice　ringing　in　her　ears；

interposing　between　herself　and　life　as　though　to　devour　her　more

surely。　From　the　crown　of　her　head　to　her　feet　and　along　her　spine　an

icy　shudder　ran；　then　suddenly　intolerable