the ice maiden-第2章

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strongest　among　them。　They　exercise　their　power　in　different　ways；　and

everywhere。　Some　sit　on　the　banisters　of　steep　stairs；　others　on　the

outer　rails　of　lofty　towers；　or　spring　like　squirrels　along　the　ridges

of　the　mountains。　Others　tread　the　air　as　a　swimmer　treads　the

water；　and　lure　their　victims　here　and　there　till　they　fall　into　the

deep　abyss。　Vertigo　and　the　Ice　Maiden　clutch　at　human　beings；　as

the　polypus　seizes　upon　all　that　comes　within　its　reach。　And　now

Vertigo　was　to　seize　Rudy。

　　　　〃Seize　him；　indeed；〃　cried　Vertigo；　〃I　cannot　do　it。　That

monster　of　a　cat　has　taught　him　her　tricks。　That　child　of　the　human

race　has　a　power　within　him　which　keeps　me　at　a　distance；　I　cannot

possibly　reach　the　boy　when　he　hangs　from　the　branches　of　trees；

over　the　precipice；　or　I　would　gladly　tickle　his　feet；　and　send　him

heels　over　head　through　the　air；　but　I　cannot　accomplish　it。〃

　　　　〃We　must　accomplish　it；〃　said　the　Ice　Maiden；　〃either　you　or　I

must；　and　I　will…　I　will！〃

　　　　〃No；　no！〃　sounded　through　the　air；　like　an　echo　on　the　mountain

church　bells　chime。　It　was　an　answer　in　song；　in　the　melting　tones

of　a　chorus　from　others　of　nature's　spirits…　good　and　loving

spirits；　the　daughters　of　the　sunbeam。　They　who　place　themselves　in

a　circle　every　evening　on　the　mountain　peaks；　there　they　spread　out

their　rose…colored　wings；　which；　as　the　sun　sinks；　become　more　flaming

red；　until　the　lofty　Alps　seem　to　burn　with　fire。　Men　call　this　the

Alpine　glow。　After　the　sun　has　set；　they　disappear　within　the　white

snow　on　the　mountain…tops；　and　slumber　there　till　sunrise；　when　they

again　come　forth。　They　have　great　love　for　flowers；　for　butterflies；

and　for　mankind；　and　from　among　the　latter　they　had　chosen　little

Rudy。　〃You　shall　not　catch　him；　you　shall　not　seize　him！〃　they　sang。

　　　　〃Greater　and　stronger　than　he　have　I　seized！〃　said　the　Ice　Maiden。

　　　　Then　the　daughters　of　the　sun　sang　a　song　of　the　traveller；

whose　cloak　had　been　carried　away　by　the　wind。　〃The　wind　took　the

covering；　but　not　the　man；　it　could　even　seize　upon　him；　but　not

hold　him　fast。　The　children　of　strength　are　more　powerful；　more

ethereal；　even　than　we　are。　They　can　rise　higher　than　our　parent；

the　sun。　They　have　the　magic　words　that　rule　the　wind　and　the　waves；

and　compel　them　to　serve　and　obey；　and　they　can；　at　last；　cast　off　the

heavy；　oppressive　weight　of　mortality；　and　soar　upwards。〃　Thus　sweetly

sounded　the　bell…like　tones　of　the　chorus。

　　　　And　each　morning　the　sun's　rays　shone　through　the　one　little

window　of　the　grandfather's　house　upon　the　quiet　child。　The

daughters　of　the　sunbeam　kissed　him；　they　wished　to　thaw；　and　melt；

and　obliterate　the　ice　kiss　which　the　queenly　maiden　of　the　glaciers

had　given　him　as　he　lay　in　the　lap　of　his　dead　mother；　in　the　deep

crevasse　of　ice　from　which　he　had　been　so　wonderfully　rescued。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　II。　THE　JOURNEY　TO　THE　NEW　HOME



　　　　Rudy　was　just　eight　years　old；　when　his　uncle；　who　lived　on　the

other　side　of　the　mountain；　wished　to　have　the　boy；　as　he　thought　he

might　obtain　a　better　education　with　him；　and　learn　something　more。

His　grandfather　thought　the　same；　so　he　consented　to　let　him　go。

Rudy　had　many　to　say　farewell　to；　as　well　as　his　grandfather。　First；

there　was　Ajola；　the　old　dog。

　　　　〃Your　father　was　the　postilion；　and　I　was　the　postilion's　dog；〃

said　Ajola。　〃We　have　often　travelled　the　same　journey　together；　I　knew

all　the　dogs　and　men　on　this　side　of　the　mountain。　It　is　not　my

habit　to　talk　much；　but　now　that　we　have　so　little　time　to　converse

together；　I　will　say　something　more　than　usual。　I　will　relate　to　you　a

story；　which　I　have　reflected　upon　for　a　long　time。　I　do　not

understand　it；　and　very　likely　you　will　not；　but　that　is　of　no

consequence。　I　have；　however；　learnt　from　it　that　in　this　world　things

are　not　equally　divided；　neither　for　dogs　nor　for　men。　All　are　not

born　to　lie　on　the　lap　and　to　drink　milk：　I　have　never　been　petted

in　this　way；　but　I　have　seen　a　little　dog　seated　in　the　place　of　a

gentleman　or　lady；　and　travelling　inside　a　post…chaise。　The　lady；

who　was　his　mistress；　or　of　whom　he　was　master；　carried　a　bottle　of

milk；

of　which　the　little　dog　now　and　then　drank；　she　also　offered　him

pieces　of　sugar　to　crunch。　He　sniffed　at　them　proudly；　but　would　not

eat　one；　so　she　ate　them　herself。　I　was　running　along　the　dirty　road

by　the　side　of　the　carriage　as　hungry　as　a　dog　could　be；　chewing　the

cud　of　my　own　thoughts；　which　were　rather　in　confusion。　But　many　other

things　seemed　in　confusion　also。　Why　was　not　I　lying　on　a　lap　and

travelling　in　a　coach？　I　could　not　tell；　yet　I　knew　I　could　not

alter　my　own　condition；　either　by　barking　or　growling。

　　　　This　was　Ajola's　farewell　speech；　and　Rudy　threw　his　arms　round

the　dog's　neck　and　kissed　his　cold　nose。　Then　he　took　the　cat　in　his

arms；　but　he　struggled　to　get　free。

　　　　〃You　are　getting　too　strong　for　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　will　not

use　my　claws　against　you。　Clamber　away　over　the　mountains；　it　was　I

who　taught　you　to　climb。　Do　not　fancy　you　are　going　to　fall；　and　you

will　be　quite　safe。〃　Then　the　cat　jumped　down　and　ran　away；　he　did　not

wish　Rudy　to　see　that　there　were　tears　in　his　eyes。

　　　　The　hens　were　hopping　about　the　floor；　one　of　them　had　no　tail；

a　traveller；　who　fancied　himself　a　sportsman；　had　shot　off　her　tail；

he　had　mistaken　her　for　a　bird　of　prey。

　　　　〃Rudy　is　going　away　over　the　mountains；〃　said　one　of　the　hens。

　　　　〃He　is　always　in　such　a　hurry；〃　said　the　other；　〃and　I　don't

like　taking　leave；〃　so　they　both　hopped　out。

　　　　But　the　goats　said　farewell；　they　bleated　and　wanted　to　go　with

him；　they　were　so　very　sorry。

　　　　Just　at　this　time　two　clever　guides　were　going　to　cross　the

mountains　to　the　other　side　of　the　Gemmi；　and　Rudy　was　to　go　with　them

on　foot。　It　was　a　long　walk　for　such　a　little　boy；　but　he　had　plenty

of　strength　and　invincible　courage。　The　swallows　flew　with　him　a

little　way；　singing；　〃We　and　you…　you　and　we。〃　The　way　led　across

the　rushing　Lutschine；　which　falls　in　numerous　streams　from　the　dark

clefts　of　the　Grindelwald　glaciers。　Trunks　of　fallen　trees　and

blocks　of　stone　form　bridges　over　these　streams。　After　passing　a

forest　of　alders；　they　began　to　ascend；　passing　by　some　blocks　of

ice　that　had　loosened　themselves　from　the　side　of　the　mountain　and　lay

across　their　path；　they　had　to　step　over　these　ice…blocks　or　walk

round　them。　Rudy　crept　here　and　ran　there；　his　eyes　sparkling　with

joy；　and　he　stepped　so　firmly　with　his　iron…tipped　mountain　shoe；　that

he　left　a　mark　behind　him　wherever　he　placed　his　foot。

　　　　The　earth　was　black　where　the　mountain　torrents　or　the　melted

ice　had　poured　upon　it；　but　the　bluish　green；　glassy　ice　sparkled

and　glittered。　They　had　to　go　round　little　pools；　like　lakes；　enclosed

between　large　masses　of　ice；　and；　while　thus　wandering　out　of　their

path；　they　came　near　an　immense　stone；　which　lay　balanced　on　the

edge　of　an　icy　peak。　The　stone　lost　its　balance　just　as　they　reached

it；　and　rolled　over　into　the　abyss　beneath；　while　the　noise　of　its

fall　was　echoed　back　from　every　hollow　cliff　of　the　glaciers。

　　　　They　were　always　going　upwards。　The　glaciers　seemed　to　spread

above　them　like　a　continued　chain　of　masses　of　ice；　piled　up　in　wild

confusion　between　bare　and　rugged　rocks。　Rudy　thought　for　a　moment

of　what　had　been　told　him；　that　he　and　his　mother　had　once　lain　buried

in　one　of　these　cold；　heart…chilling　fissures；　but　he　soon　banished

such　thoughts；　and　looked　upon　the　story　as　fabulous；　like　many

other　stories　which　had　been　told　him。　Once　or　twice；　when　the　men

thought　the　way　was　rather　difficult　for　such　a　little　boy；　they

held　out　their　hands　to　assist　him；　but　he　would　not　accept　their

assistance；　for　he　stood　on　the　slippery　ice　as　firmly　as　if　he　had

been　a　chamois。　They　came　at　length　to　rocky　ground；　sometimes

stepping　upon　moss…covered　stones；　sometimes　passing　beneath　stunted

fir…trees；　and　again　through　green　meadows。　The　landscape　was　always

changing；　but　ever　above　them　towered　the　lofty　snow…clad　mountains；

whose　names　not　only　Rudy　but　every　other　child　knew…　〃The

Jungfrau；〃　〃The　Monk　and　the　Eiger。〃

　　　　Rudy　had　never　been　so　far　away　before；　he　had　never　trodden　on

the　wide…spreading　ocean　of　snow　that　lay　here　with　its　immovable

billows；　from　which　the　wind　blows　off　the　snowflake　now　and　then；

as　it　cuts　the　foam　from　the　waves　of　the　sea。　The　glaciers　stand　here

so　close　together　it　might　almost　be　said　they　are　hand…in…hand；　and

each　is　a　crystal　palace　for　the　Ice　Maiden；　whose　power　and　will　it

is　to　seize　and　imprison　the　unwary　traveller。

　　　　The　sun　shone　warmly；　and　the　snow　sparkled　as　if　covered　with

glittering　diamonds。　Numerous　insects；　especially　butterflies　and

bees；　lay　dead　in　heaps　on　the　snow。　They　had　ventured　too　high；　or

the　wind　had　carried　them　here　and　left　them　to　die　of　cold。

　　　　Around　the　Wetterhorn　hung　a　feathery　cloud；　like　a　woolbag；　and　a

threatening　cloud　too；　for　as　it　sunk　lower　it　increased　in　size；

and　concealed　within　was　a　〃fohn；〃　fearful　in　its　violence　should　it

break　loose。　This　journey；　with　its　varied　incidents；…　the　wild　paths；

the　night　passed　on　the　mountain；　the　steep　rocky　precipices；　the

hollow　clefts；　in　which　the　rustling　waters　from　time　immemorial　had

worn　away　passages　for　themselves　through　blocks　of　stone；…　all

these　were　firmly　impressed　on　Rudy's　memory。

　　　　In　a　forsaken　stone　building；　which　stood　just　beyond　the　seas

of　snow；　they　one　night　took　shelter。　Here　they　found　some　charcoal

and　pine　branches；　so　that　they　soon　made　a　fire。　They　arranged

couches　to　lie　on　as　well　as　they　could；　and　then　the　men　seated

themselves　by　the　fire；　took　out　their　pipes；　and　began　to　smoke。　They

also　prepared　a　warm；　spiced　drink；　of　which　they　partook　and　Rudy　was

not　forgotten…　he　had　his　share。　Then　they　began　to　talk　of　those

mysterious　beings　with　which　the　land　of　the　Alps　abounds；　the　hosts

of　apparitions　which　come　in　the　night；　and　carry　off　the　sleepers

through　the　air；　to　the　wonderful　floating　town　of　Venice；　of　the　wild

herds…man；　who　drives　the　black　sheep　across　the　meadows。　These　flocks

are　never　seen；　yet　the　tinkle　of　their　little　bells　has　often　been

heard；　as　well　as　their　unearthly　bleating。　Rudy　listened　eagerly；　but

without　fear；　for　he　knew　not　what　fear　meant；　and　while　he

listened；　he　fancied　he　could　hear　the　roaring　of　the　spectral　herd。

It　seemed　to　come　nearer　and　roar　louder；　till　the　men　heard　it　also

and　listened　in　silence；　till；　at　length；　they　told　Rudy　that　he

must　not　dare　to　sleep。　It　was　a　〃fohn；〃　that　violent　storm…wind　which

rushes　from　the　mountain　to　the　valley　beneath；　and　in　its　fury

snaps　asunder　the　trunks　of　large　trees　as　if　they　were　but　slender

reeds；　and　carries　the　wooden　houses　from　one　side　of　a　river　to　the

other　as　easily　as　we　could　move　the　pieces　on　a　chess…board。　After　an

hour　had　passed；　they　told　Rudy　that　it　was　all　over；　and　he　might

go　to　sleep；　and；　fatigued　with　his　long　walk；　he　readily　slept　at　the

word　of　command。

　　　　Very　ea