安徒生童话-第96章

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onies　was　curiouslycarved。　The　roofs　were　gayly　painted；　and　before　each　house　was　aflower　garden；　which　separated　it　from　the　macadamized　high…road。These　houses　all　stood　on　the　same　side　of　the　road；　so　that　thefresh；　green　meadows；　in　which　were　cows　grazing；　with　bells　ontheir　necks；　were　not　hidden。　The　sound　of　these　bells　is　oftenheard　amidst　Alpine　scenery。　These　meadows　were　encircled　by　loftyhills；　which　receded　a　little　in　the　centre；　so　that　the　mostbeautifully　formed　of　Swiss　mountains…　the　snow…crowned　Jungfrau…could　be　distinctly　seen　glittering　in　the　distance。　A　number　ofelegantly　dressed　gentlemen　and　ladies　from　foreign　lands；　andcrowds　of　country　people　from　the　neighboring　cantons；　wereassembled　in　the　town。　Each　marksman　wore　the　number　of　hits　he　hadmade　twisted　in　a　garland　round　his　hat。　Here　were　music　and　singingof　all　descriptions：　hand…organs；　trumpets；　shouting；　and　noise。　Thehouses　and　bridges　were　adorned　with　verses　and　inscriptions。　Flagsand　banners　were　waving。　Shot　after　shot　was　fired；　which　was　the　bestmusic　to　Rudy's　ears。　And　amidst　all　this　excitement　he　quite　forgotBabette；　on　whose　account　only　he　had　e。　The　shooters　werethronging　round　the　target；　and　Rudy　was　soon　amongst　them。　But　whenhe　took　his　turn　to　fire；　he　proved　himself　the　best　shot；　for　healways　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　houseon　the　road　to　Grindelwald；〃　remarked　one　of　the　sportsmen。

And　full　of　life　was　this　young　stranger；　his　eyes　sparkled；　hisglance　was　steady；　and　his　arm　sure；　therefore　he　always　hit　the　mark。Good　fortune　gives　courage；　and　Rudy　was　always　courageous。　He　soonhad　a　circle　of　friends　gathered　round　him。　Every　one　noticed　him；　anddid　him　homage。　Babette　had　quite　vanished　from　his　thoughts；　whenhe　was　struck　on　the　shoulder　by　a　heavy　hand；　and　a　deep　voice　saidto　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；　portlyperson；　hid　the　slender；　lovely　Babette；　but　she　came　forward　andglanced　at　him　with　her　bright；　dark　eyes。　The　rich　miller　was　verymuch　flattered　at　the　thought　that　the　young　man；　who　was　acknowledgedto　be　the　best　shot；　and　was　so　praised　by　every　one；　should　be　fromhis　own　canton。　Now　was　Rudy　really　fortunate：　he　had　travelled　allthis　way　to　this　place；　and　those　he　had　forgotten　were　now　e　toseek　him。　When　country　people　go　far　from　home；　they　often　meet　withthose　they　know；　and　improve　their　acquaintance。　Rudy；　by　hisshooting；　had　gained　the　first　place　in　the　shooting…match；　just　asthe　miller　at　home　at　Bex　stood　first；　because　of　his　money　and　hismill。　So　the　two　men　shook　hands；　which　they　had　never　done　before。Babette；　too；　held　out　her　hand　to　Rudy　frankly；　and　he　pressed　itin　his；　and　looked　at　her　so　earnestly；　that　she　blushed　deeply。　Themiller　talked　of　the　long　journey　they　had　travelled；　and　of　themany　towns　they　had　seen。　It　was　his　opinion　that　he　had　really　madeas　great　a　journey　as　if　he　had　travelled　in　a　steamship；　a　railwaycarriage；　or　a　post…chaise。

〃I　came　by　a　much　shorter　way；〃　said　Rudy；　〃I　came　over　themountains。　There　is　no　road　so　high　that　a　man　may　not　venture　uponit。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　and　break　your　neck；〃　said　the　miller；　〃and　you　looklike　one　who　will　break　his　neck　some　day；　you　are　so　daring。〃

〃Oh；　nothing　ever　happens　to　a　man　if　he　has　confidence　inhimself；〃　replied　Rudy。

The　miller's　relations　at　Interlachen；　with　whom　the　miller　andBabette　were　staying；　invited　Rudy　to　visit　them；　when　they　found　hecame　from　the　same　canton　as　the　miller。　It　was　a　most　pleasant　visit。Good　fortune　seemed　to　follow　him；　as　it　does　those　who　think　andact　for　themselves；　and　who　remember　the　proverb；　〃Nuts　are　given　tous；　but　they　are　not　cracked　for　us。〃　And　Rudy　was　treated　by　themiller's　relations　almost　like　one　of　the　family；　and　glasses　ofwine　were　poured　out　to　drink　to　the　welfare　of　the　best　shooter。Babette　clinked　glasses　with　Rudy；　and　he　returned　thanks　for　thetoast。　In　the　evening　they　all　took　a　delightful　walk　under　thewalnut…trees；　in　front　of　the　stately　hotels；　there　were　so　manypeople；　and　such　crowding；　that　Rudy　was　obliged　to　offer　his　arm　toBabette。　Then　he　told　her　how　happy　it　made　him　to　meet　people　fromthe　canton　Vaud；…　for　Vaud　and　Valais　were　neighboring　cantons。　Hespoke　of　this　pleasure　so　heartily　that　Babette　could　not　resistgiving　his　arm　a　slight　squeeze；　and　so　they　walked　on　together；　andtalked　and　chatted　like　old　acquaintances。　Rudy　felt　inclined　to　laughsometimes　at　the　absurd　dress　and　walk　of　the　foreign　ladies；　butBabette　did　not　wish　to　make　fun　of　them；　for　she　knew　there　must　besome　good；　excellent　people　amongst　them；　she；　herself；　had　agodmother；　who　was　a　high…born　English　lady。　Eighteen　years　before；when　Babette　was　christened；　this　lady　was　staying　at　Bex；　and　shestood　godmother　for　her；　and　gave　her　the　valuable　brooch　she　now　worein　her　bosom。

Her　godmother　had　twice　written　to　her；　and　this　year　she　wasexpected　to　visit　Interlachen　with　her　two　daughters；　〃but　they　areold…maids；〃　added　Babette；　who　was　only　eighteen：　〃they　are　nearlythirty。〃　Her　sweet　little　mouth　was　never　still　a　moment；　and　all　thatshe　said　sounded　in　Rudy's　ears　as　matters　of　the　greatest　importance；and　at　last　he　told　her　what　he　was　longing　to　tell。　How　often　hehad　been　at　Bex；　how　well　he　knew　the　mill；　and　how　often　he　hadseen　Babette；　when　most　likely　she　had　not　noticed　him；　and　lastly；that　full　of　many　thoughts　which　he　could　not　tell　her；　he　had　been　tothe　mill　on　the　evening　when　she　and　her　father　has　started　on　theirlong　journey；　but　not　too　far　for　him　to　find　a　way　to　overtakethem。　He　told　her　all　this；　and　a　great　deal　more；　he　told　her　howmuch　he　could　endure　for　her；　and　that　it　was　to　see　her；　and　notthe　shooting…match；　which　had　brought　him　to　Interlachen。　Babettebecame　quite　silent　after　hearing　all　this；　it　was　almost　too　much；and　it　troubled　her。

And　while　they　thus　wandered　on；　the　sun　sunk　behind　the　loftymountains。　The　Jungfrau　stood　out　in　brightness　and　splendor；　as　aback…ground　to　the　green　woods　of　the　surrounding　hills。　Every　onestood　still　to　look　at　the　beautiful　sight；　Rudy　and　Babette　amongthem。

〃Nothing　can　be　more　beautiful　than　this；〃　said　Babette。

〃Nothing！〃　replied　Rudy；　looking　at　Babette。

〃To…morrow　I　must　return　home；〃　remarked　Rudy　a　few　minutesafterwards。

〃e　and　visit　us　at　Bex；〃　whispered　Babette；　〃my　father　willbe　pleased　to　see　you。〃

　　　V。　ON　THE　WAY　HOME

Oh；　what　a　number　of　things　Rudy　had　to　carry　over　themountains；　when　he　set　out　to　return　home！　He　had　three　silver　cups；two　handsome　pistols；　and　a　silver　coffee…pot。　This　latter　would　beuseful　when　he　began　housekeeping。　But　all　these　were　not　the　heaviestweight　he　had　to　bear；　something　mightier　and　more　important　hecarried　with　him　in　his　heart；　over　the　high　mountains；　as　hejourneyed　homeward。

The　weather　was　dismally　dark；　and　inclined　to　rain；　the　cloudshung　low；　like　a　mourning　veil　on　the　tops　of　the　mountains；　andshrouded　their　glittering　peaks。　In　the　woods　could　be　heard　the　soundof　the　axe　and　the　heavy　fall　of　the　trunks　of　the　trees；　as　theyrolled　down　the　slopes　of　the　mountains。　When　seen　from　the　heights；the　trunks　of　these　trees　looked　like　slender　stems；　but　on　a　nearerinspection　they　were　found　to　be　large　and　strong　enough　for　the　mastsof　a　ship。　The　river　murmured　monotonously；　the　wind　whistled；　and　theclouds　sailed　along　hurriedly。

Suddenly　there　appeared；　close　by　Rudy's　side；　a　young　maiden；he　had　not　noticed　her　till　she　came　quite　near　to　him。　She　was　alsogoing　to　ascend　the　mountain。　The　maiden's　eyes　shone　with　anunearthly　power；　which　obliged　you　to　look　into　them；　they　werestrange　eyes；…　clear；　deep；　and　unfathomable。

〃Hast　thou　a　lover？〃　asked　Rudy；　all　his　thoughts　were　naturallyon　love　just　then。

〃I　have　none；〃　answered　the　maiden；　with　a　laugh；　it　was　as　if　shehad　not　spoken　the　truth。

〃Do　not　let　us　go　such　a　long　way　round；〃　said　she。　〃We　mustkeep　to　the　left；　it　is　much　shorter。〃

〃Ah；　yes；〃　he　replied；　〃and　fall　into　some　crevasse。　Do　youpretend　to　be　a　guide；　and　not　know　the　road　better　than　that？〃

〃I　know　every　step　of　the　way；〃　said　she；　〃and　my　thoughts　arecollected；　while　yours　are　down　in　the　valley　yonder。　We　shouldthink　of　the　Ice　Maiden　while　we　are　up　here；　men　say　she　is　notkind　to　their　race。〃

〃I　fear　her　not；〃　said　Rudy。　〃She　could　not　keep　me　when　I　was　achild；　I　will　not　give　myself　up　to　her　now　I　am　a　man。〃

Darkness　came　on；　the　rain　fell；　and　then　it　began　to　snow；　andthe　whiteness　dazzled　the　eyes。

〃Give　me　your　hand；〃　said　the　maiden；　〃I　will　help　you　tomount。〃　And　he　felt　the　touch　of　her　icy　fingers。

〃You　help　me；〃　cried　Rudy；　〃I　do　not　yet　require　a　woman　to　helpme　to　climb。〃　And　he　stepped　quickly　forwards　away　from　her。

The　drifting　snow…shower　fell　like　a　veil　between　them；　the　windwhistled；　and　behind　him　he　could　hear　the　maiden　laughing　ands