the ice maiden-第3章

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

word　of　command。

　　　　Very　early　the　following　morning　they　again　set　out。　The　sun　on

this　day　lighted　up　for　Rudy　new　mountains；　new　glaciers；　and　new

snow…fields。　They　had　entered　the　Canton　Valais；　and　found

themselves　on　the　ridge　of　the　hills　which　can　be　seen　from

Grindelwald；　but　he　was　still　far　from　his　new　home。　They　pointed

out　to　him　other　clefts；　other　meadows；　other　woods　and　rocky　paths；

and　other　houses。　Strange　men　made　their　appearance　before　him；　and

what　men！　They　were　misshapen；　wretched…looking　creatures；　with　yellow

complexions；　and　on　their　necks　were　dark；　ugly　lumps　of　flesh；

hanging　down　like　bags。　They　were　called　cretins。　They　dragged

themselves　along　painfully；　and　stared　at　the　strangers　with　vacant

eyes。　The　women　looked　more　dreadful　than　the　men。　Poor　Rudy！　were

these　the　sort　of　people　he　should　see　at　his　new　home？

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　III。　THE　UNCLE



　　　　Rudy　arrived　at　last　at　his　uncle's　house；　and　was　thankful　to

find　the　people　like　those　he　had　been　accustomed　to　see。　There　was

only　one　cretin　amongst　them；　a　poor　idiot　boy；　one　of　those

unfortunate　beings　who；　in　their　neglected　conditions；　go　from　house

to　house；　and　are　received　and　taken　care　of　in　different　families；

for　a　month　or　two　at　a　time。

　　　　Poor　Saperli　had　just　arrived　at　his　uncle's　house　when　Rudy　came。

The　uncle　was　an　experienced　hunter；　he　also　followed　the　trade　of　a

cooper；　his　wife　was　a　lively　little　person；　with　a　face　like　a

bird；　eyes　like　those　of　an　eagle；　and　a　long；　hairy　throat。

Everything　was　new　to　Rudy…　the　fashion　of　the　dress；　the　manners；　the

employments；　and　even　the　language；　but　the　latter　his　childish　ear

would　soon　learn。　He　saw　also　that　there　was　more　wealth　here；　when

compared　with　his　former　home　at　his　grandfather's。　The　rooms　were

larger；　the　walls　were　adorned　with　the　horns　of　the　chamois；　and

brightly　polished　guns。　Over　the　door　hung　a　painting　of　the　Virgin

Mary；　fresh　alpine　roses　and　a　burning　lamp　stood　near　it。　Rudy's

uncle　was；　as　we　have　said；　one　of　the　most　noted　chamois　hunters　in

the　whole　district；　and　also　one　of　the　best　guides。　Rudy　soon

became　the　pet　of　the　house；　but　there　was　another　pet；　an　old

hound；　blind　and　lazy；　who　would　never　more　follow　the　hunt；　well　as

he　had　once　done　so。　But　his　former　good　qualities　were　not　forgotten；

and　therefore　the　animal　was　kept　in　the　family　and　treated　with　every

indulgence。　Rudy　stroked　the　old　hound；　but　he　did　not　like　strangers；

and　Rudy　was　as　yet　a　stranger；　he　did　not；　however；　long　remain　so；

he　soon　endeared　himself　to　every　heart；　and　became　like　one　of　the

family。

　　　　〃We　are　not　very　badly　off；　here　in　the　canton　Valais；〃　said　his

uncle　one　day；　〃we　have　the　chamois；　they　do　not　die　so　fast　as　the

wild　goats；　and　it　is　certainly　much　better　here　now　than　in　former

times。　How　highly　the　old　times　have　been　spoken　of；　but　ours　is

better。　The　bag　has　been　opened；　and　a　current　of　air　now　blows

through　our　once　confined　valley。　Something　better　always　makes　its

appearance　when　old；　worn…out　things　fail。〃

　　　　When　his　uncle　became　communicative；　he　would　relate　stories　of

his　youthful　days；　and　farther　back　still　of　the　warlike　times　in

which　his　father　had　lived。　Valais　was　then；　as　he　expressed　it；

only　a　closed…up　bag；　quite　full　of　sick　people；　miserable　cretins；

but　the　French　soldiers　came；　and　they　were　capital　doctors；　they　soon

killed　the　disease　and　the　sick　people；　too。　The　French　people　knew

how　to　fight　in　more　ways　than　one；　and　the　girls　knew　how　to

conquer　too；　and　when　he　said　this　the　uncle　nodded　at　his　wife；　who

was　a　French　woman　by　birth；　and　laughed。　The　French　could　also　do

battle　on　the　stones。　〃It　was　they　who　cut　a　road　out　of　the　solid

rock　over　the　Simplon…　such　a　road；　that　I　need　only　say　to　a　child　of

three　years　old；　'Go　down　to　Italy；　you　have　only　to　keep　in　the

high　road；'　and　the　child　will　soon　arrive　in　Italy；　if　he　followed　my

directions。〃

　　　　Then　the　uncle　sang　a　French　song；　and　cried；　〃Hurrah！　long　live

Napoleon　Buonaparte。〃　This　was　the　first　time　Rudy　had　ever　heard　of

France；　or　of　Lyons；　that　great　city　on　the　Rhone　where　his　uncle

had　once　lived。　His　uncle　said　that　Rudy；　in　a　very　few　years；　would

become　a　clever　hunter；　he　had　quite　a　talent　for　it；　he　taught　the

boy　to　hold　a　gun　properly；　and　to　load　and　fire　it。　In　the　hunting

season　he　took　him　to　the　hills；　and　made　him　drink　the　warm　blood

of　the　chamois；　which　is　said　to　prevent　the　hunter　from　becoming

giddy；　he　taught　him　to　know　the　time　when；　from　the　different

mountains；　the　avalanche　is　likely　to　fall；　namely；　at　noontide　or

in　the　evening；　from　the　effects　of　the　sun's　rays；　he　made　him

observe　the　movements　of　the　chamois　when　he　gave　a　leap；　so　that　he

might　fall　firmly　and　lightly　on　his　feet。　He　told　him　that　when　on

the　fissures　of　the　rocks　he　could　find　no　place　for　his　feet；　he　must

support　himself　on　his　elbows；　and　cling　with　his　legs；　and　even

lean　firmly　with　his　back；　for　this　could　be　done　when　necessary。　He

told　him　also　that　the　chamois　are　very　cunning；　they　place

lookers…out　on　the　watch；　but　the　hunter　must　be　more　cunning　than

they　are；　and　find　them　out　by　the　scent。

　　　　One　day；　when　Rudy　went　out　hunting　with　his　uncle；　he　hung　a　coat

and　hat　on　an　alpine　staff；　and　the　chamois　mistook　it　for　a　man；　as

they　generally　do。　The　mountain　path　was　narrow　here；　indeed　it　was

scarcely　a　path　at　all；　only　a　kind　of　shelf；　close　to　the　yawning

abyss。　The　snow　that　lay　upon　it　was　partially　thawed；　and　the

stones　crumbled　beneath　the　feet。　Every　fragment　of　stone　broken　off

struck　the　sides　of　the　rock　in　its　fall；　till　it　rolled　into　the

depths　beneath；　and　sunk　to　rest。　Upon　this　shelf　Rudy's　uncle　laid

himself　down；　and　crept　forward。　At　about　a　hundred　paces　behind　him

stood　Rudy；　upon　the　highest　point　of　the　rock；　watching　a　great

vulture　hovering　in　the　air；　with　a　single　stroke　of　his　wing　the　bird

might　easily　cast　the　creeping　hunter　into　the　abyss　beneath；　and　make

him　his　prey。　Rudy's　uncle　had　eyes　for　nothing　but　the　chamois；

who；　with　its　young　kid；　had　just　appeared　round　the　edge　of　the　rock。

So　Rudy　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　bird；　he　knew　well　what　the　great

creature　wanted；　therefore　he　stood　in　readiness　to　discharge　his

gun　at　the　proper　moment。　Suddenly　the　chamois　made　a　spring；　and

his　uncle　fired　and　struck　the　animal　with　the　deadly　bullet；　while

the　young　kid　rushed　away；　as　if　for　a　long　life　he　had　been

accustomed　to　danger　and　practised　flight。　The　large　bird；　alarmed

at　the　report　of　the　gun；　wheeled　off　in　another　direction；　and　Rudy's

uncle　was　saved　from　danger；　of　which　he　knew　nothing　till　he　was　told

of　it　by　the　boy。

　　　　While　they　were　both　in　pleasant　mood；　wending　their　way

homewards；　and　the　uncle　whistling　the　tune　of　a　song　he　had　learnt　in

his　young　days；　they　suddenly　heard　a　peculiar　sound　which　seemed　to

come　from　the　top　of　the　mountain。　They　looked　up；　and　saw　above　them；

on　the　over…hanging　rock；　the　snow…covering　heave　and　lift　itself　as　a

piece　of　linen　stretched　on　the　ground　to　dry　raises　itself　when　the

wind　creeps　under　it。　Smooth　as　polished　marble　slabs；　the　waves　of

snow　cracked　and　loosened　themselves；　and　then　suddenly；　with　the

rumbling　noise　of　distant　thunder；　fell　like　a　foaming　cataract　into

the　abyss。　An　avalanche　had　fallen；　not　upon　Rudy　and　his　uncle；　but

very　near　them。　Alas；　a　great　deal　too　near！

　　　　〃Hold　fast；　Rudy！〃　cried　his　uncle；　〃hold　fast；　with　all　your

might。〃

　　　　Then　Rudy　clung　with　his　arms　to　the　trunk　of　the　nearest　tree；

while　his　uncle　climbed　above　him；　and　held　fast　by　the　branches。

The　avalanche　rolled　past　them　at　some　distance；　but　the　gust　of

wind　that　followed；　like　the　storm…wings　of　the　avalanche；　snapped

asunder　the　trees　and　bushes　over　which　it　swept；　as　if　they　had

been　but　dry　rushes；　and　threw　them　about　in　every　direction。　The　tree

to　which　Rudy　clung　was　thus　overthrown；　and　Rudy　dashed　to　the

ground。　The　higher　branches　were　snapped　off；　and　carried　away　to　a

great　distance；　and　among　these　shattered　branches　lay　Rudy's　uncle；

with　his　skull　fractured。　When　they　found　him；　his　hand　was　still

warm；　but　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　recognize　his　face。　Rudy

stood　by；　pale　and　trembling；　it　was　the　first　shock　of　his　life；

the　first　time　he　had　ever　felt　fear。　Late　in　the　evening　he

returned　home　with　the　fatal　news；…　to　that　home　which　was　now　to　be

so　full　of　sorrow。　His　uncle's　wife　uttered　not　a　word；　nor　shed　a

tear；　till　the　corpse　was　brought　in；　then　her　agony　burst　forth。

The　poor　cretin　crept　away　to　his　bed；　and　nothing　was　seen　of　him

during　the　whole　of　the　following　day。　Towards　evening；　however；　he

came　to　Rudy；　and　said；　〃Will　you　write　a　letter　for　me？　Saperli

cannot　write；　Saperli　can　only　take　the　letters　to　the　post。〃

　　　　〃A　letter　for　you！〃　said　Rudy；　〃who　do　you　wish　to　write　to？〃

　　　　〃To　the　Lord　Christ；〃　he　replied。

　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Rudy。

　　　　Then　the　poor　idiot；　as　the　cretin　was　often　called；　looked　at

Rudy　with　a　most　touching　expression　in　his　eyes；　clasped　his　hands；

and　said；　solemnly　and　devoutly；　〃Saperli　wants　to　send　a　letter　to

Jesus　Christ；　to　pray　Him　to　let　Saperli　die；　and　not　the　master　of

the　house　here。〃

　　　　Rudy　pressed　his　hand；　and　replied；　〃A　letter　would　not　reach

Him　up　above；　it　would　not　give　him　back　whom　we　have　lost。〃

　　　　It　was　not；　however；　easy　for　Rudy　to　convince　Saperli　of　the

impossibility　of　doing　what　he　wished。

　　　　〃Now　you　must　work　for　us；〃　said　his　foster…mother；　and　Rudy

very　soon　became　the　entire　support　of　the　house。

BABETTE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IV。　BABETTE



　　　　Who　was　the　best　marksman　in　the　canton　Valais？　The　chamois　knew

well。　〃Save　yourselves　from　Rudy；〃　they　might　well　say。　And　who　is　the

handsomest　marksman？　〃Oh；　it　is　Rudy；〃　said　the　maidens；　but　they

did　not　say；　〃Save　yourselves　from　Rudy。〃　Neither　did　anxious

mothers　say　so；　for　he　bowed　to　them　as　pleasantly　as　to　the　young

girls。　He　was　so　brave　and　cheerful。　His　cheeks　were　brown；　his

teeth　white；　and　his　eyes　dark　and　sparkling。　He　was　now　a　handsome

young　man　of　twenty　years。　The　most　icy　water　could　not　deter　him　from

swimming；　he　could　twist　and　turn　like　a　fish。　None　could　climb　like

he；　and　he　clung　as　firmly　to　the　edges　of　the　rocks　as　a　limpet。　He

had　strong　muscular　power；　as　could　be　seen　when　he　leapt　from　rock　to

rock。　He　had　learnt　this　first　from　the　cat；　and　more　lately　from

the　chamois。　Rudy　was　considered　the　best　guide　over　the　mountains；

every　one　had　great　confidence　in　him。　He　might　have　made　a　great　deal

of　money　as　guide。　His　uncle　had　also　taught　him　the　trade　of　a

cooper；　but　he　had　no　inclination　for　either；　his　delight　was　in

chamois…hunting；　which　also　brought　him　plenty　of　money。　Rudy　would　be

a　very　good　match；　as　people　said；　if　he　would　not　look　above　his

own　station。　He　was　also　such　a　famous　partne