安徒生童话-第101章

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　such　agreat　fault　to　doubt　Babette's　truth…　it　was　most　abominable　of　him。Such　mistrust；　such　violence；　would　cause　them　both　great　unhappiness。This　certainly　was　very　true；　she　knew　that；　and　therefore　Babettepreached　him　a　little　sermon；　with　which　she　was　herself　muchamused；　and　during　the　preaching　of　which　she　looked　quite　lovely。　Sheacknowledged；　however；　that　on　one　point　Rudy　was　right。　Hergodmother's　nephew　was　a　fop：　she　intended　to　burn　the　book　which　hehad　given　her；　so　that　not　the　slightest　thing　should　remain　to　remindher　of　him。

〃Well；　that　quarrel　is　all　over；〃　said　the　kitchen…cat。　〃Rudy　ise　back；　and　they　are　friends　again；　which　they　say　is　thegreatest　of　all　pleasures。〃

〃I　heard　the　rats　say　one　night；〃　said　the　kitchen…cat；　〃thatthe　greatest　pleasure　in　the　world　was　to　eat　tallow　candles　and　tofeast　on　rancid　bacon。　Which　are　we　to　believe；　the　rats　or　thelovers？〃

〃Neither　of　them；〃　said　the　parlor…cat；　〃it　is　always　the　safestplan　to　believe　nothing　you　hear。〃

The　greatest　happiness　was　ing　for　Rudy　and　Babette。　Thehappy　day；　as　it　is　called；　that　is；　their　wedding…day；　was　near　athand。　They　were　not　to　be　married　at　the　church　at　Bex；　nor　at　themiller's　house；　Babette's　godmother　wished　the　nuptials　to　besolemnized　at　Montreux；　in　the　pretty　little　church　in　that　town。The　miller　was　very　anxious　that　this　arrangement　should　be　agreed　to。He　alone　knew　what　the　newly…married　couple　would　receive　fromBabette's　godmother；　and　he　knew　also　that　it　was　a　wedding　presentwell　worth　a　concession。　The　day　was　fixed；　and　they　were　to　travel　asfar　as　Villeneuve　the　evening　before；　to　be　in　time　for　the　steamerwhich　sailed　in　the　morning　for　Montreux；　and　the　godmother'sdaughters　were　to　dress　and　adorn　the　bride。

〃Here　in　this　house　there　ought　to　be　a　wedding…day　kept；〃　saidthe　parlor…cat；　〃or　else　I　would　not　give　a　mew　for　the　whole　affair。〃

〃There　is　going　to　be　great　feasting；〃　replied　the　kitchen…cat。〃Ducks　and　pigeons　have　been　killed；　and　a　whole　roebuck　hangs　onthe　wall。　It　makes　me　lick　my　lips　when　I　think　of　it。〃

〃To…morrow　morning　they　will　begin　the　journey。〃

Yes；　to…morrow！　And　this　evening；　for　the　last　time；　Rudy　andBabette　sat　in　the　miller's　house　as　an　engaged　couple。　Outside；　theAlps　glowed　in　the　evening　sunset；　the　evening　bells　chimed；　and　thechildren　of　the　sunbeam　sang；　〃Whatever　happens　is　best。〃

　　　XIV。　NIGHT　VISIONS

The　sun　had　gone　down；　and　the　clouds　lay　low　on　the　valley　of　theRhone。　The　wind　blew　from　the　south　across　the　mountains；　it　was　anAfrican　wind；　a　wind　which　scattered　the　clouds　for　a　moment；　and　thensuddenly　fell。　The　broken　clouds　hung　in　fantastic　forms　upon　thewood…covered　hills　by　the　rapid　Rhone。　They　assumed　the　shapes　ofantediluvian　animals；　of　eagles　hovering　in　the　air；　of　frogsleaping　over　a　marsh；　and　then　sunk　down　upon　the　rushing　stream　andappeared　to　sail　upon　it；　although　floating　in　the　air。　An　uprootedfir…tree　was　being　carried　away　by　the　current；　and　marking　out　itspath　by　eddying　circles　on　the　water。　Vertigo　and　his　sisters　weredancing　upon　it；　and　raising　these　circles　on　the　foaming　river。　Themoon　lighted　up　the　snow　on　the　mountain…tops；　shone　on　the　darkwoods；　and　on　the　drifting　clouds　those　fantastic　forms　which　at　nightmight　be　taken　for　spirits　of　the　powers　of　nature。　Themountain…dweller　saw　them　through　the　panes　of　his　little　window。　Theysailed　in　hosts　before　the　Ice　Maiden　as　she　came　out　of　her　palace　ofice。　Then　she　seated　herself　on　the　trunk　of　the　fir…tree　as　on　abroken　skiff；　and　the　water　from　the　glaciers　carried　her　down　theriver　to　the　open　lake。

〃The　wedding　guests　are　ing；〃　sounded　from　air　and　sea。　Thesewere　the　sights　and　sounds　without；　within　there　were　visions；　forBabette　had　a　wonderful　dream。　She　dreamt　that　she　had　been　married　toRudy　for　many　years；　and　that；　one　day　when　he　was　out　chamoishunting；　and　she　alone　in　their　dwelling　at　home；　the　young　Englishmanwith　the　golden　whiskers　sat　with　her。　His　eyes　were　quite　eloquent；and　his　words　possessed　a　magic　power；　he　offered　her　his　hand；　andshe　was　obliged　to　follow　him。　They　went　out　of　the　house　andstepped　downwards；　always　downwards；　and　it　seemed　to　Babette　as　ifshe　had　a　weight　on　her　heart　which　continually　grew　heavier。　She　feltshe　was　mitting　a　sin　against　Rudy；　a　sin　against　God。　Suddenly　shefound　herself　forsaken；　her　clothes　torn　by　the　thorns；　and　her　hairgray；　she　looked　upwards　in　her　agony；　and　there；　on　the　edge　of　therock；　she　espied　Rudy。　She　stretched　out　her　arms　to　him；　but　shedid　not　venture　to　call　him　or　to　pray；　and　had　she　called　him；　itwould　have　been　useless；　for　it　was　not　Rudy；　only　his　hunting　coatand　hat　hanging　on　an　alpenstock；　as　the　hunters　sometimes　arrangethem　to　deceive　the　chamois。　〃Oh！〃　she　exclaimed　in　her　agony；　〃oh；that　I　had　died　on　the　happiest　day　of　my　life；　my　wedding…day。　O　myGod；　it　would　have　been　a　mercy　and　a　blessing　had　Rudy　travelledfar　away　from　me；　and　I　had　never　known　him。　None　know　what　willhappen　in　the　future。〃　And　then；　in　ungodly　despair；　she　castherself　down　into　the　deep　rocky　gulf。　The　spell　was　broken；　a　cryof　terror　escaped　her；　and　she　awoke。

The　dream　was　over；　it　had　vanished。　But　she　knew　she　had　dreamtsomething　frightful　about　the　young　Englishman；　yet　months　hadpassed　since　she　had　seen　him　or　even　thought　of　him。　Was　he　stillat　Montreux；　and　should　she　meet　him　there　on　her　wedding　day？　Aslight　shadow　passed　over　her　pretty　mouth　as　she　thought　of　this；　andshe　knit　her　brows；　but　the　smile　soon　returned　to　her　lip；　and　joysparkled　in　her　eyes；　for　this　was　the　morning　of　the　day　on　which　sheand　Rudy　were　to　be　married；　and　the　sun　was　shining　brightly。　Rudywas　already　in　the　parlor　when　she　entered　it；　and　they　very　soonstarted　for　Villeneuve。　Both　of　them　were　overflowing　withhappiness；　and　the　miller　was　in　the　best　of　tempers；　laughing　andmerry；　he　was　a　good；　honest　soul；　and　a　kind　father。

〃Now　we　are　masters　of　the　house；〃　said　the　parlor…cat。

　　XV。　THE　CONCLUSION

It　was　early　in　the　afternoon；　and　just　at　dinner…time；　when　thethree　joyous　travellers　reached　Villeneuve。　After　dinner；　the　millerplaced　himself　in　the　arm…chair；　smoked　his　pipe；　and　had　a　littlenap。　The　bridal　pair　went　arm…in…arm　out　through　the　town　and　alongthe　high　road；　at　the　foot　of　the　wood…covered　rocks；　and　by　the　deep；blue　lake。

The　gray　walls；　and　the　heavy　clumsy…looking　towers　of　thegloomy　castle　of　Chillon；　were　reflected　in　the　clear　flood。　Thelittle　island；　on　which　grew　the　three　acacias；　lay　at　a　shortdistance；　looking　like　a　bouquet　rising　from　the　lake。　〃How　delightfulit　must　be　to　live　there；〃　said　Babette；　who　again　felt　the　greatestwish　to　visit　the　island；　and　an　opportunity　offered　to　gratify　herwish　at　once；　for　on　the　shore　lay　a　boat；　and　the　rope　by　which　itwas　moored　could　be　very　easily　loosened。　They　saw　no　one　near；　sothey　took　possession　of　it　without　asking　permission　of　any　one；　andRudy　could　row　very　well。　The　oars　divided　the　pliant　water　like　thefins　of　a　fish…　that　water　which；　with　all　its　yielding　softness；　isso　strong　to　bear　and　to　carry；　so　mild　and　smiling　when　at　rest；and　yet　so　terrible　in　its　destroying　power。　A　white　streak　of　foamfollowed　in　the　wake　of　the　boat；　which；　in　a　few　minutes；　carriedthem　both　to　the　little　island；　where　they　went　on　shore；　but　therewas　only　just　room　enough　for　two　to　dance。　Rudy　swung　Babette　roundtwo　or　three　times；　and　then；　hand…in…hand；　they　sat　down　on　alittle　bench　under　the　drooping　acacia…tree；　and　looked　into　eachother's　eyes；　while　everything　around　them　glowed　in　the　rays　of　thesetting　sun。

The　fir…tree　forests　on　the　mountains　were　covered　with　a　purplehue　like　the　heather　bloom；　and　where　the　woods　terminated；　and　therocks　became　prominent；　they　looked　almost　transparent　in　the　richcrimson　glow　of　the　evening　sky。　The　surface　of　the　lake　was　like　abed　of　pink　rose…leaves。

As　the　evening　advanced；　the　shadows　fell　upon　the　snow…cappedmountains　of　Savoy　painting　them　in　colors　of　deep　blue；　while　theirtopmost　peaks　glowed　like　red　lava；　and　for　a　moment　this　light　wasreflected　on　the　cultivated　parts　of　the　mountains；　making　them　appearas　if　newly　risen　from　the　lap　of　earth；　and　giving　to　thesnow…crested　peak　of　the　Dent　du　Midi　the　appearance　of　the　fullmoon　as　it　rises　above　the　horizon。

Rudy　and　Babette　felt　that　they　had　never　seen　the　Alpine　glowin　such　perfection　before。　〃How　very　beautiful　it　is；　and　whathappiness　to　be　here！〃　exclaimed　Babette。

〃Earth　has　nothing　more　to　bestow　upon　me；〃　said　Rudy；　〃an　eveninglike　this　is　worth　a　whole　life。　Often　have　I　realized　my　goodfortune；　but　never　more　than　in　this　moment。　I　feel　that　if　myexistence　were　to　end　now；　I　should　still　have　lived　a　happy　life。What　a　glorious　world　this　is；　one　day　ends；　and　another　begins　evenmore　beautiful　than　the　last。　How　infinitely　good　God　is；　Babette！〃

〃I　have　such　plete　happiness　in　my　heart；〃　said　she。

〃Earth　has　no　more　to　bestow；〃　answered　Rudy。　And　then　came　thesound　of　the　evening　bells；　borne　upon　the　breeze　over　the　mountainsof　Switzerland　and　Savoy；　while　still；　in　the　golden　splendor　of　thewest；　stood　the　dark　blue　mountains　of　Jura。

〃God　grant　you　all　that　is　brightest　and　b