the ice maiden-第4部分

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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　partner　in　dancing；　that　the

girls　often　dreamt　about　him；　and　one　and　another　thought　of　him

even　when　awake。

　　　　〃He　kissed　me　in　the　dance；〃　said　Annette；　the　schoolmaster's

daughter；　to　her　dearest　friend；　but　she　ought　not　to　have　told

this；　even　to　her　dearest　friend。　It　is　not　easy　to　keep　such　secrets；

they　are　like　sand　in　a　sieve；　they　slip　out。　It　was　therefore　soon

known　that　Rudy；　so　brave　and　so　good　as　he　was；　had　kissed　some　one

while　dancing；　and　yet　he　had　never　kissed　her　who　was　dearest　to　him。

　　　　〃Ah；　ah；〃　said　an　old　hunter；　〃he　has　kissed　Annette；　has　he？　he

has　begun　with　A；　and　I　suppose　he　will　kiss　through　the　whole

alphabet。〃

　　　　But　a　kiss　in　the　dance　was　all　the　busy　tongues　could　accuse

him　of。　He　certainly　had　kissed　Annette；　but　she　was　not　the　flower　of

his　heart。

　　　　Down　in　the　valley；　near　Bex；　among　the　great　walnut…trees；　by　the

side　of　a　little　rushing　mountain…stream；　lived　a　rich　miller。　His

dwelling…house　was　a　large　building；　three　storeys　high；　with　little

turrets。　The　roof　was　covered　with　chips；　bound　together　with　tin

plates；　that　glittered　in　sunshine　and　in　the　moonlight。　The　largest

of　the　turrets　had　a　weather…cock；　representing　an　apple　pierced　by

a　glittering　arrow；　in　memory　of　William　Tell。　The　mill　was　a　neat　and

well…ordered　place；　that　allowed　itself　to　be　sketched　and　written

about；　but　the　miller's　daughter　did　not　permit　any　to　sketch　or　write

about　her。　So；　at　least；　Rudy　would　have　said；　for　her　image　was

pictured　in　his　heart；　her　eyes　shone　in　it　so　brightly；　that　quite

a　flame　had　been　kindled　there；　and；　like　all　other　fires；　it　had

burst　forth　so　suddenly；　that　the　miller's　daughter；　the　beautiful

Babette；　was　quite　unaware　of　it。　Rudy　had　never　spoken　a　word　to

her　on　the　subject。　The　miller　was　rich；　and；　on　that　account；　Babette

stood　very　high；　and　was　rather　difficult　to　aspire　to。　But　said

Rudy　to　himself；　〃Nothing　is　too　high　for　a　man　to　reach：　he　must

climb　with　confidence　in　himself；　and　he　will　not　fail。〃　He　had　learnt

this　lesson　in　his　youthful　home。

　　　　It　happened　once　that　Rudy　had　some　business　to　settle　at　Bex。

It　was　a　long　journey　at　that　time；　for　the　railway　had　not　been

opened。　From　the　glaciers　of　the　Rhone；　at　the　foot　of　the　Simplon；

between　its　ever…changing　mountain　summits；　stretches　the　valley　of

the　canton　Valais。　Through　it　runs　the　noble　river　of　the　Rhone；　which

often　overflows　its　banks；　covering　fields　and　highways；　and

destroying　everything　in　its　course。　Near　the　towns　of　Sion　and　St。

Maurice；　the　valley　takes　a　turn；　and　bends　like　an　elbow；　and

behind　St。　Maurice　becomes　so　narrow　that　there　is　only　space　enough

for　the　bed　of　the　river　and　a　narrow　carriage…road。　An　old　tower

stands　here；　as　if　it　were　guardian　to　the　canton　Valais；　which　ends

at　this　point；　and　from　it　we　can　look　across　the　stone　bridge　to

the　toll…house　on　the　other　side；　where　the　canton　Vaud　commences。　Not

far　from　this　spot　stands　the　town　of　Bex；　and　at　every　step　can　be

seen　an　increase　of　fruitfulness　and　verdure。　It　is　like　entering　a

grove　of　chestnut　and　walnut…trees。　Here　and　there　the　cypress　and

pomegranate　blossoms　peep　forth；　and　it　is　almost　as　warm　as　an

Italian　climate。　Rudy　arrived　at　Bex；　and　soon　finished　the　business

which　had　brought　him　there；　and　then　walked　about　the　town；　but　not

even　the　miller's　boy　could　be　seen；　nor　any　one　belonging　to　the

mill；　not　to　mention　Babette。　This　did　not　please　him　at　all。

Evening　came　on。　The　air　was　filled　with　the　perfume　of　the　wild　thyme

and　the　blossoms　of　the　lime…trees；　and　the　green　woods　on　the

mountains　seemed　to　be　covered　with　a　shining　veil；　blue　as　the　sky。

Over　everything　reigned　a　stillness；　not　of　sleep　or　of　death；　but

as　if　Nature　were　holding　her　breath；　that　her　image　might　be

photographed　on　the　blue　vault　of　heaven。　Here　and　there；　amidst　the

trees　of　the　silent　valley；　stood　poles　which　supported　the　wires　of

the　electric　telegraph。　Against　one　of　these　poles　leaned　an　object　so

motionless　that　it　might　have　been　mistaken　for　the　trunk　of　a　tree；

but　it　was　Rudy；　standing　there　as　still　as　at　that　moment　was

everything　around　him。　He　was　not　asleep；　neither　was　he　dead；　but

just　as　the　various　events　in　the　world…　matters　of　momentous

importance　to　individuals…　were　flying　through　the　telegraph　wires；

without　the　quiver　of　a　wire　or　the　slightest　tone；　so；　through　the

mind　of　Rudy；　thoughts　of　overwhelming　importance　were　passing；

without　an　outward　sign　of　emotion。　The　happiness　of　his　future　life

depended　upon　the　decision　of　his　present　reflections。　His　eyes　were

fixed　on　one　spot　in　the　distance…　a　light　that　twinkled　through　the

foliage　from　the　parlor　of　the　miller's　house；　where　Babette　dwelt。

Rudy　stood　so　still；　that　it　might　have　been　supposed　he　was

watching　for　a　chamois；　but　he　was　in　reality　like　a　chamois；　who　will

stand　for　a　moment；　looking　as　if　it　were　chiselled　out　of　the　rock；

and　then；　if　only　a　stone　rolled　by；　would　suddenly　bound　forward　with

a　spring；　far　away　from　the　hunter。　And　so　with　Rudy：　a　sudden　roll　of

his　thoughts　roused　him　from　his　stillness；　and　made　him　bound　forward

with　determination　to　act。

　　　　〃Never　despair！〃　cried　he。　〃A　visit　to　the　mill；　to　say　good

evening　to　the　miller；　and　good　evening　to　little　Babette；　can　do　no

harm。　No　one　ever　fails　who　has　confidence　in　himself。　If　I　am　to　be

Babette's　husband；　I　must　see　her　some　time　or　other。〃

　　　　Then　Rudy　laughed　joyously；　and　took　courage　to　go　to　the　mill。　He

knew　what　he　wanted；　he　wanted　to　marry　Babette。　The　clear　water　of

the　river　rolled　over　its　yellow　bed；　and　willows　and　lime…trees

were　reflected　in　it；　as　Rudy　stepped　along　the　path　to　the　miller's

house。　But；　as　the　children　sing…



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃There　was　no　one　at　home　in　the　house；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Only　a　kitten　at　play。〃



　　　　The　cat　standing　on　the　steps　put　up　its　back　and　cried　〃mew。〃　But

Rudy　had　no　inclination　for　this　sort　of　conversation；　he　passed　on；

and　knocked　at　the　door。　No　one　heard　him；　no　one　opened　the　door。

〃Mew；〃　said　the　cat　again；　and　had　Rudy　been　still　a　child；　he　would

have　understood　this　language；　and　known　that　the　cat　wished　to　tell

him　there　was　no　one　at　home。　So　he　was　obliged　to　go　to　the　mill

and　make　inquiries；　and　there　he　heard　that　the　miller　had　gone　on　a

journey　to　Interlachen；　and　taken　Babette　with　him；　to　the　great

shooting　festival；　which　began　that　morning；　and　would　continue　for

eight　days；　and　that　people　from　all　the　German　settlements　would　be

there。

　　　　Poor　Rudy！　we　may　well　say。　It　was　not　a　fortunate　day　for　his

visit　to　Bex。　He　had　just　to　return　the　way　he　came；　through　St。

Maurice　and　Sion；　to　his　home　in　the　valley。　But　he　did　not　despair。

When　the　sun　rose　the　next　morning；　his　good　spirits　had　returned；

indeed　he　had　never　really　lost　them。　〃Babette　is　at　Interlachen；〃

said　Rudy　to　himself；　〃many　days'　journey　from　here。　It　is　certai