安徒生童话-第92章

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h　him。　The　swallows；　who　had　notless　than　seven　nests　in　his　grandfather's　house；　flew　up　to　him　andhis　goats；　singing；　〃We　and　you；　you　and　we。〃　They　brought　himgreetings　from　his　grandfather's　house；　even　from　two　hens；　the　onlybirds　of　the　household；　but　Rudy　was　not　intimate　with　them。

Although　so　young　and　such　a　little　fellow；　Rudy　had　travelled　agreat　deal。　He　was　born　in　the　canton　of　Valais；　and　brought　to　hisgrandfather　over　the　mountains。　He　had　walked　to　Staubbach…　a　littletown　that　seems　to　flutter　in　the　air　like　a　silver　veil…　theglittering；　snow…clad　mountain　Jungfrau。　He　had　also　been　to　the　greatglaciers；　but　this　is　connected　with　a　sad　story；　for　here　hismother　met　her　death；　and　his　grandfather　used　to　say　that　allRudy's　childish　merriment　was　lost　from　that　time。　His　mother　hadwritten　in　a　letter；　that　before　he　was　a　year　old　he　had　laughed　morethan　he　cried；　but　after　his　fall　into　the　snow…covered　crevasse；his　disposition　had　pletely　changed。　The　grandfather　seldom　spokeof　this；　but　the　fact　was　generally　known。　Rudy's　father　had　been　apostilion；　and　the　large　dog　which　now　lived　in　his　grandfather'scottage　had　always　followed　him　on　his　journeys　over　the　Simplon　tothe　lake　of　Geneva。　Rudy's　relations；　on　his　father's　side；　lived　inthe　canton　of　Valais；　in　the　valley　of　the　Rhone。　His　uncle　was　achamois　hunter；　and　a　well…known　guide。　Rudy　was　only　a　year　oldwhen　his　father　died；　and　his　mother　was　anxious　to　return　with　herchild　to　her　own　relations；　who　lived　in　the　Bernese　Oberland。　Herfather　dwelt　at　a　few　hours'　distance　from　Grindelwald；　he　was　acarver　in　wood；　and　gained　so　much　by　it　that　he　had　plenty　to　liveupon。　She　set　out　homewards　in　the　month　of　June；　carrying　herinfant　in　her　arms；　and；　acpanied　by　two　chamois　hunters；　crossedthe　Gemmi　on　her　way　to　Grindelwald。　They　had　already　left　more　thanhalf　the　journey　behind　them。　They　had　crossed　high　ridges；　andtraversed　snow…fields；　they　could　even　see　her　native　valley；　with　itsfamiliar　wooden　cottages。　They　had　only　one　more　glacier　to　climb。Some　newly　fallen　snow　concealed　a　cleft　which；　though　it　did　notextend　to　the　foaming　waters　in　the　depths　beneath；　was　still　muchdeeper　than　the　height　of　a　man。　The　young　woman；　with　the　child　inher　arms；　slipped　upon　it；　sank　in；　and　disappeared。　Not　a　shriek；　nota　groan　was　heard；　nothing　but　the　whining　of　a　little　child。　Morethan　an　hour　elapsed　before　her　two　panions　could　obtain　from　thenearest　house　ropes　and　poles　to　assist　in　raising　them；　and　it　waswith　much　exertion　that　they　at　last　succeeded　in　raising　from　thecrevasse　what　appeared　to　be　two　dead　bodies。　Every　means　was　usedto　restore　them　to　life。　With　the　child　they　were　successful；　butnot　with　the　mother；　so　the　old　grandfather　received　his　daughter'slittle　son　into　his　house　an　orphan；…　a　little　boy　who　laughed　morethan　he　cried；　but　it　seemed　as　if　laughter　had　left　him　in　the　coldice…world　into　which　he　had　fallen；　where；　as　the　Swiss　peasantssay；　the　souls　of　the　lost　are　confined　till　the　judgment…day。

The　glaciers　appear　as　if　a　rushing　stream　had　been　frozen　inits　course；　and　pressed　into　blocks　of　green　crystal；　which；balanced　one　upon　another；　form　a　wondrous　palace　of　crystal　for　theIce　Maiden…　the　queen　of　the　glaciers。　It　is　she　whose　mighty　powercan　crush　the　traveller　to　death；　and　arrest　the　flowing　river　inits　course。　She　is　also　a　child　of　the　air；　and　with　the　swiftnessof　the　chamois　she　can　reach　the　snow…covered　mountain　tops；　where　theboldest　mountaineer　has　to　cut　footsteps　in　the　ice　to　ascend。　Shewill　sail　on　a　frail　pine…twig　over　the　raging　torrents　beneath；　andspring　lightly　from　one　iceberg　to　another；　with　her　long；snow…white　hair　flowing　around　her；　and　her　dark…green　robe　glitteringlike　the　waters　of　the　deep　Swiss　lakes。　〃Mine　is　the　power　to　seizeand　crush；〃　she　cried。　〃Once　a　beautiful　boy　was　stolen　from　me　byman；…　a　boy　whom　I　had　kissed；　but　had　not　kissed　to　death。　He　isagain　among　mankind；　and　tends　the　goats　on　the　mountains。　He　isalways　climbing　higher　and　higher；　far　away　from　all　others；　but　notfrom　me。　He　is　mine；　I　will　send　for　him。〃　And　she　gave　Vertigo　themission。

It　was　summer；　and　the　Ice　Maiden　was　melting　amidst　the　greenverdure；　when　Vertigo　swung　himself　up　and　down。　Vertigo　has　manybrothers；　quite　a　troop　of　them；　and　the　Ice　Maiden　chose　thestrongest　among　them。　They　exercise　their　power　in　different　ways；　andeverywhere。　Some　sit　on　the　banisters　of　steep　stairs；　others　on　theouter　rails　of　lofty　towers；　or　spring　like　squirrels　along　the　ridgesof　the　mountains。　Others　tread　the　air　as　a　swimmer　treads　thewater；　and　lure　their　victims　here　and　there　till　they　fall　into　thedeep　abyss。　Vertigo　and　the　Ice　Maiden　clutch　at　human　beings；　asthe　polypus　seizes　upon　all　that　es　within　its　reach。　And　nowVertigo　was　to　seize　Rudy。

〃Seize　him；　indeed；〃　cried　Vertigo；　〃I　cannot　do　it。　Thatmonster　of　a　cat　has　taught　him　her　tricks。　That　child　of　the　humanrace　has　a　power　within　him　which　keeps　me　at　a　distance；　I　cannotpossibly　reach　the　boy　when　he　hangs　from　the　branches　of　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　youwil