the ice maiden-第6章

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

long　way　for　any　one　who　takes　the　high…road；　but　not　so　far　if　he

takes　a　short　cut　across　the　mountain；　and　that　just　suits　a

chamois…hunter。　I　have　been　that　way　before；　for　it　leads　to　the

home　of　my　childhood；　where；　as　a　little　boy；　I　lived　with　my

grandfather。　And　there　are　shooting　matches　at　Interlachen。　I　will　go；

and　try　to　stand　first　in　the　match。　Babette　will　be　there；　and　I

shall　be　able　to　make　her　acquaintance。〃

　　　　Carrying　his　light　knapsack；　which　contained　his　Sunday　clothes；

on　his　back；　and　with　his　musket　and　his　game…bag　over　his　shoulder；

Rudy　started　to　take　the　shortest　way　across　the　mountain。　Still　it

was　a　great　distance。　The　shooting　matches　were　to　commence　on　that

day；　and　to　continue　for　a　whole　week。　He　had　been　told　also　that

the　miller　and　Babette　would　remain　that　time　with　some　relatives　at

Interlachen。　So　over　the　Gemmi　Rudy　climbed　bravely；　and　determined　to

descend　the　side　of　the　Grindelwald。　Bright　and　joyous　were　his

feelings　as　he　stepped　lightly　onwards；　inhaling　the　invigorating

mountain　air。　The　valley　sunk　as　he　ascended；　the　circle　of　the

horizon　expanded。　One　snow…capped　peak　after　another　rose　before

him；　till　the　whole　of　the　glittering　Alpine　range　became　visible。

Rudy　knew　each　ice…clad　peak；　and　he　continued　his　course　towards

the　Schreckhorn；　with　its　white　powdered　stone　finger　raised　high　in

the　air。　At　length　he　had　crossed　the　highest　ridges；　and　before　him

lay　the　green　pasture　lands　sloping　down　towards　the　valley；　which　was

once　his　home。　The　buoyancy　of　the　air　made　his　heart　light。　Hill

and　valley　were　blooming　in　luxuriant　beauty；　and　his　thoughts　were

youthful　dreams；　in　which　old　age　or　death　were　out　of　the　question。

Life；　power；　and　enjoyment　were　in　the　future；　and　he　felt　free　and

light　as　a　bird。　And　the　swallows　flew　round　him；　as　in　the　days　of

his　childhood；　singing　〃We　and　you…　you　and　we。〃　All　was　overflowing

with　joy。　Beneath　him　lay　the　meadows；　covered　with　velvety　green；

with　the　murmuring　river　flowing　through　them；　and　dotted　here　and

there　were　small　wooden　houses。　He　could　see　the　edges　of　the

glaciers；　looking　like　green　glass　against　the　soiled　snow；　and　the

deep　chasms　beneath　the　loftiest　glacier。　The　church　bells　were

ringing；　as　if　to　welcome　him　to　his　home　with　their　sweet　tones。

His　heart　beat　quickly；　and　for　a　moment　he　seemed　to　have

foregotten　Babette；　so　full　were　his　thoughts　of　old　recollections。　He

was；　in　imagination；　once　more　wandering　on　the　road　where；　when　a

little　boy；　he；　with　other　children；　came　to　sell　their　curiously

carved　toy　houses。　Yonder；　behind　the　fir…trees；　still　stood　his

grandfather's　house；　his　mother's　father；　but　strangers　dwelt　in　it

now。　Children　came　running　to　him；　as　he　had　once　done；　and　wished

to　sell　their　wares。　One　of　them　offered　him　an　Alpine　rose。　Rudy　took

the　rose　as　a　good　omen；　and　thought　of　Babette。　He　quickly　crossed

the　bridge　where　the　two　rivers　flow　into　each　other。　Here　he　found

a　walk　over…shadowed　with　large　walnut…trees；　and　their　thick

foliage　formed　a　pleasant　shade。　Very　soon　he　perceived　in　the

distance；　waving　flags；　on　which　glittered　a　white　cross　on　a　red

ground…　the　standard　of　the　Danes　as　well　as　of　the　Swiss…　and

before　him　lay　Interlachen。

　　　　〃It　is　really　a　splendid　town；　like　none　other　that　I　have　ever

seen；〃　said　Rudy　to　himself。　It　was　indeed　a　Swiss　town　in　its　holiday

dress。　Not　like　the　many　other　towns；　crowded　with　heavy　stone　houses；

stiff　and　foreign　looking。　No；　here　it　seemed　as　if　the　wooden

houses　on　the　hills　had　run　into　the　valley；　and　placed　themselves

in　rows　and　ranks　by　the　side　of　the　clear　river；　which　rushes　like　an

arrow　in　its　course。　The　streets　were　rather　irregular；　it　is　true；

but　still　this　added　to　their　picturesque　appearance。　There　was　one

street　which　Rudy　thought　the　prettiest　of　them　all；　it　had　been　built

since　he　had　visited　the　town　when　a　little　boy。　It　seemed　to　him　as

if　all　the　neatest　and　most　curiously　carved　toy　houses　which　his

grandfather　once　kept　in　the　large　cupboard　at　home；　had　been

brought　out　and　placed　in　this　spot；　and　that　they　had　increased　in

size　since　then；　as　the　old　chestnut　trees　had　done。　The　houses　were

called　hotels；　the　woodwork　on　the　windows　and　balconies　was　curiously

carved。　The　roofs　were　gayly　painted；　and　before　each　house　was　a

flower　garden；　which　separated　it　from　the　macadamized　high…road。

These　houses　all　stood　on　the　same　side　of　the　road；　so　that　the

fresh；　green　meadows；　in　which　were　cows　grazing；　with　bells　on

their　necks；　were　not　hidden。　The　sound　of　these　bells　is　often

heard　amidst　Alpine　scenery。　These　meadows　were　encircled　by　lofty

hills；　which　receded　a　little　in　the　centre；　so　that　the　most

beautifully　formed　of　Swiss　mountains…　the　snow…crowned　Jungfrau…

could　be　distinctly　seen　glittering　in　the　distance。　A　number　of

elegantly　dressed　gentlemen　and　ladies　from　foreign　lands；　and

crowds　of　country　people　from　the　neighboring　cantons；　were

assembled　in　the　town。　Each　marksman　wore　the　number　of　hits　he　had

made　twisted　in　a　garland　round　his　hat。　Here　were　music　and　singing

of　all　descriptions：　hand…organs；　trumpets；　shouting；　and　noise。　The

houses　and　bridges　were　adorned　with　verses　and　inscriptions。　Flags

and　banners　were　waving。　Shot　after　shot　was　fired；　which　was　the　best

music　to　Rudy's　ears。　And　amidst　all　this　excitement　he　quite　forgot

Babette；　on　whose　account　only　he　had　come。　The　shooters　were

thronging　round　the　target；　and　Rudy　was　soon　amongst　them。　But　when

he　took　his　turn　to　fire；　he　proved　himself　the　best　shot；　for　he

always　struck　the　bull's…eye。

　　　　〃Who　may　that　young　stranger　be？〃　was　the　inquiry　on　all　sides。

〃He　speaks　French　as　it　is　spoken　in　the　Swiss　cantons。〃

　　　　〃And　makes　himself　understood　very　well　when　he　speaks　German；〃

said　some。

　　　　〃He　lived　here；　when　a　child；　with　his　grandfather；　in　a　house

on　the　road　to　Grindelwald；〃　remarked　one　of　the　sportsmen。

　　　　And　full　of　life　was　this　young　stranger；　his　eyes　sparkled；　his

glance　was　steady；　and　his　arm　sure；　therefore　he　always　hit　the　mark。

Good　fortune　gives　courage；　and　Rudy　was　always　courageous。　He　soon

had　a　circle　of　friends　gathered　round　him。　Every　one　noticed　him；　and

did　him　homage。　Babette　had　quite　vanished　from　his　thoughts；　when

he　was　struck　on　the　shoulder　by　a　heavy　hand；　and　a　deep　voice　said

to　him　in　French；　〃You　are　from　the　canton　Valais。〃

　　　　Rudy　turned　round；　and　beheld　a　man　with　a　ruddy；　pleasant　face；

and　a　stout　figure。　It　was　the　rich　miller　from　Bex。　His　broad；　portly

person；　hid　the　slender；　lovely　Babette；　but　she　came　forward　and

glanced　at　him　with　her　bright；　dark　eyes。　The　rich　miller　was　very

much　flattered　at　the　thought　that　the　young　man；　who　was　acknowledged

to　be　the　best　shot；　and　was　so　praised　by　every　one；　should　be　from

his　own　canton。　Now　was　Rudy　really　fortunate：　he　had　travelled　all

this　way　to　this　place；　and　those　he　had　forgotten　were　now　come　to

seek　him。　When　country　people　go　far　from　home；　they　often　meet　with

those　they　know；　and　improve　their　acquaintance。　Rudy；　by　his

shooting；　had　gained　the　first　place　in　the　shooting…match；　just　as

the　miller　at　home　at　Bex　stood　first；　because　of　his　money　and　his

mill。　So　the　two　men　shook　hands；　which　they　had　never　done　before。

Babette；　too；　held　out　her　hand　to　Rudy　frankly；　and　he　pressed　it

in　his；　and　looked　at　her　so　earnestly；　that　she　blushed　deeply。　The

miller　talked　of　the　long　journey　they　had　travelled；　and　of　the

many　towns　they　had　seen。　It　was　his　opinion　that　he　had　really　made

as　great　a　journey　as　if　he　had　travelled　in　a　steamship；　a　railway

carriage；　or　a　post…chaise。

　　　　〃I　came　by　a　much　shorter　way；〃　said　Rudy；　〃I　came　over　the

mountains。　There　is　no　road　so　high　that　a　man　may　not　venture　upon

it。〃

　　　　〃Ah；　yes；　and　break　your　neck；〃　said　the　miller；　〃and　you　look

like　one　who　will　break　his　neck　some　day；　you　are　so　daring。〃

　　　　〃Oh；　nothing