the swiss twins-第6部分

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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　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