安徒生童话-第104章

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　trees；over　the　precipice；　or　I　would　gladly　tickle　his　feet；　and　send　himheels　over　head　through　the　air；　but　I　cannot　acplish　it。〃

〃We　must　acplish　it；〃　said　the　Ice　Maiden；　〃either　you　or　Imust；　and　I　will…　I　will！〃

〃No；　no！〃　sounded　through　the　air；　like　an　echo　on　the　mountainchurch　bells　chime。　It　was　an　answer　in　song；　in　the　melting　tonesof　a　chorus　from　others　of　nature's　spirits…　good　and　lovingspirits；　the　daughters　of　the　sunbeam。　They　who　place　themselves　ina　circle　every　evening　on　the　mountain　peaks；　there　they　spread　outtheir　rose…colored　wings；　which；　as　the　sun　sinks；　bee　more　flamingred；　until　the　lofty　Alps　seem　to　burn　with　fire。　Men　call　this　theAlpine　glow。　After　the　sun　has　set；　they　disappear　within　the　whitesnow　on　the　mountain…tops；　and　slumber　there　till　sunrise；　when　theyagain　e　forth。　They　have　great　love　for　flowers；　for　butterflies；and　for　mankind；　and　from　among　the　latter　they　had　chosen　littleRudy。　〃You　shall　not　catch　him；　you　shall　not　seize　him！〃　they　sang。

〃Greater　and　stronger　than　he　have　I　seized！〃　said　the　Ice　Maiden。

Then　the　daughters　of　the　sun　sang　a　song　of　the　traveller；whose　cloak　had　been　carried　away　by　the　wind。　〃The　wind　took　thecovering；　but　not　the　man；　it　could　even　seize　upon　him；　but　nothold　him　fast。　The　children　of　strength　are　more　powerful；　moreethereal；　even　than　we　are。　They　can　rise　higher　than　our　parent；the　sun。　They　have　the　magic　words　that　rule　the　wind　and　the　waves；and　pel　them　to　serve　and　obey；　and　they　can；　at　last；　cast　off　theheavy；　oppressive　weight　of　mortality；　and　soar　upwards。〃　Thus　sweetlysounded　the　bell…like　tones　of　the　chorus。

And　each　morning　the　sun's　rays　shone　through　the　one　littlewindow　of　the　grandfather's　house　upon　the　quiet　child。　Thedaughters　of　the　sunbeam　kissed　him；　they　wished　to　thaw；　and　melt；and　obliterate　the　ice　kiss　which　the　queenly　maiden　of　the　glaciershad　given　him　as　he　lay　in　the　lap　of　his　dead　mother；　in　the　deepcrevasse　of　ice　from　which　he　had　been　so　wonderfully　rescued。

　　　II。　THE　JOURNEY　TO　THE　NEW　HOME

Rudy　was　just　eight　years　old；　when　his　uncle；　who　lived　on　theother　side　of　the　mountain；　wished　to　have　the　boy；　as　he　thought　hemight　obtain　a　better　education　with　him；　and　learn　something　more。His　grandfather　thought　the　same；　so　he　consented　to　let　him　go。Rudy　had　many　to　say　farewell　to；　as　well　as　his　grandfather。　First；there　was　Ajola；　the　old　dog。

〃Your　father　was　the　postilion；　and　I　was　the　postilion's　dog；〃said　Ajola。　〃We　have　often　travelled　the　same　journey　together；　I　knewall　the　dogs　and　men　on　this　side　of　the　mountain。　It　is　not　myhabit　to　talk　much；　but　now　that　we　have　so　little　time　to　conversetogether；　I　will　say　something　more　than　usual。　I　will　relate　to　you　astory；　which　I　have　reflected　upon　for　a　long　time。　I　do　notunderstand　it；　and　very　likely　you　will　not；　but　that　is　of　noconsequence。　I　have；　however；　learnt　from　it　that　in　this　world　thingsare　not　equally　divided；　neither　for　dogs　nor　for　men。　All　are　notborn　to　lie　on　the　lap　and　to　drink　milk：　I　have　never　been　pettedin　this　way；　but　I　have　seen　a　little　dog　seated　in　the　place　of　agentleman　or　lady；　and　travelling　inside　a　post…chaise。　The　lady；who　was　his　mistress；　or　of　whom　he　was　master；　carried　a　bottle　ofmilk；of　which　the　little　dog　now　and　then　drank；　she　also　offered　himpieces　of　sugar　to　crunch。　He　sniffed　at　them　proudly；　but　would　noteat　one；　so　she　ate　them　herself。　I　was　running　along　the　dirty　roadby　the　side　of　the　carriage　as　hungry　as　a　dog　could　be；　chewing　thecud　of　my　own　thoughts；　which　were　rather　in　confusion。　But　many　otherthings　seemed　in　confusion　also。　Why　was　not　I　lying　on　a　lap　andtravelling　in　a　coach？　I　could　not　tell；　yet　I　knew　I　could　notalter　my　own　condition；　either　by　barking　or　growling。

This　was　Ajola's　farewell　speech；　and　Rudy　threw　his　arms　roundthe　dog's　neck　and　kissed　his　cold　nose。　Then　he　took　the　cat　in　hisarms；　but　he　struggled　to　get　free。

〃You　are　getting　too　strong　for　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　will　notuse　my　claws　against　you。　Clamber　away　over　the　mountains；　it　was　Iwho　taught　you　to　climb。　Do　not　fancy　you　are　going　to　fall；　and　youwill　be　quite　safe。〃　Then　the　cat　jumped　down　and　ran　away；　he　did　notwish　Rudy　to　see　that　there　were　tears　in　his　eyes。

The　hens　were　hopping　about　the　floor；　one　of　them　had　no　tail；a　traveller；　who　fancied　himself　a　sportsman；　had　shot　off　her　tail；he　had　mistaken　her　for　a　bird　of　prey。

〃Rudy　is　going　away　over　the　mountains；〃　said　one　of　the　hens。

〃He　is　always　in　such　a　hurry；〃　said　the　other；　〃and　I　don'tlike　taking　leave；〃　so　they　both　hopped　out。

But　the　goats　said　farewell；　they　bleated　and　wanted　to　go　withhim；　they　were　so　very　sorry。

Just　at　this　time　two　clever　guides　were　going　to　cross　themountains　to　the　other　side　of　the　Gemmi；　and　Rudy　was　to　go　with　themon　foot。　It　was　a　long　walk　for　such　a　little　boy；　but　he　had　plentyof　strength　and　invincible　courage。　The　swallows　flew　with　him　alittle　way；　singing；　〃We　and　you…　you　and　we。〃　The　way　led　acrossthe　rushing　Lutschine；　which　falls　in　numerous　streams　from　the　darkclefts　of　the　Grindelwald　glaciers。　Trunks　of　fallen　trees　andblocks　of　stone　form　bridges　over　these　streams。　After　passing　aforest　of　alders；　they　began　to　ascend；　passing　by　some　blocks　ofice　that　had　loosened　themselves　from　the　side　of　the　mountain　and　layacross　their　path；　they　had　to　step　over　these　ice…blocks　or　walkround　them。　Rudy　crept　here　and　ran　there；　his　eyes　sparkling　withjoy；　and　he　stepped　so　firmly　with　his　iron…tipped　mountain　shoe；　thathe　left　a　mark　behind　him　wherever　he　placed　his　foot。

The　earth　was　black　where　the　mountain　torrents　or　the　meltedice　had　poured　upon　it；　but　the　bluish　green；　glassy　ice　sparkledand　glittered。　They　had　to　go　round　little　pools；　like　lakes；　enclosedbetween　large　masses　of　ice；　and；　while　thus　wandering　out　of　theirpath；　they　came　near　an　immense　stone；　which　lay　balanced　on　theedge　of　an　icy　peak。　The　stone　lost　its　balance　just　as　they　reachedit；　and　rolled　over　into　the　abyss　beneath；　while　the　noise　of　itsfall　was　echoed　back　from　every　hollow　cliff　of　the　glaciers。

They　were　always　going　upwards。　The　glaciers　seemed　to　spreadabove　them　like　a　continued　chain　of　masses　of　ice；　piled　up　in　wildconfusion　between　bare　and　rugged　rocks。　Rudy　thought　for　a　momentof　what　had　been　told　him；　that　he　and　his　mother　had　once　lain　buriedin　one　of　these　cold；　heart…chilling　fissures；　but　he　soon　banishedsuch　thoughts；　and　looked　upon　the　story　as　fabulous；　like　manyother　stories　which　had　been　told　him。　Once　or　twice；　when　the　menthought　the　way　was　rather　difficult　for　such　a　little　boy；　theyheld　out　their　hands　to　assist　him；　but　he　would　not　accept　theirassistance；　for　he　stood　on　the　slippery　ice　as　firmly　as　if　he　hadbeen　a　chamois。　They　came　at　length　to　rocky　ground；　sometimesstepping　upon　moss…covered　stones；　sometimes　passing　beneath　stuntedfir…trees；　and　again　through　green　meadows。　The　landscape　was　alwayschanging；　but　ever　above　them　towered　the　lofty　snow…clad　mountains；whose　names　not　only　Rudy　but　every　other　child　knew…　〃TheJungfrau；〃　〃The　Monk　and　the　Eiger。〃

Rudy　had　never　been　so　far　away　before；　he　had　never　trodden　onthe　wide…spreading　ocean　of　snow　that　lay　here　with　its　immovablebillows；　from　which　the　wind　blows　off　the　snowflake　now　and　then；as　it　cuts　the　foam　from　the　waves　of　the　sea。　The　glaciers　stand　hereso　close　together　it　might　almost　be　said　they　are　hand…in…hand；　andeach　is　a　crystal　palace　for　the　Ice　Maiden；　whose　power　and　will　itis　to　seize　and　imprison　the　unwary　traveller。

The　sun　shone　warmly；　and　the　snow　sparkled　as　if　covered　withglittering　diamonds。　Numerous　insects；　especially　butterflies　andbees；　lay　dead　in　heaps　on　the　snow。　They　had　ventured　too　high；　orthe　wind　had　carried　them　here　and　left　them　to　die　of　cold。

Around　the　Wetterhorn　hung　a　feathery　cloud；　like　a　woolbag；　and　athreatening　cloud　too；　for　as　it　sunk　lower　it　increased　in　size；and　concealed　within　was　a　〃fohn；〃　fearful　in　its　violence　should　itbreak　loose。　This　journey；　with　its　varied　incidents；…　the　wild　paths；the　night　passed　on　the　mountain；　the　steep　rocky　precipices；　thehollow　clefts；　in　which　the