安徒生童话-第95章

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ettestood　very　high；　and　was　rather　difficult　to　aspire　to。　But　saidRudy　to　himself；　〃Nothing　is　too　high　for　a　man　to　reach：　he　mustclimb　with　confidence　in　himself；　and　he　will　not　fail。〃　He　had　learntthis　lesson　in　his　youthful　home。

It　happened　once　that　Rudy　had　some　business　to　settle　at　Bex。It　was　a　long　journey　at　that　time；　for　the　railway　had　not　beenopened。　From　the　glaciers　of　the　Rhone；　at　the　foot　of　the　Simplon；between　its　ever…changing　mountain　summits；　stretches　the　valley　ofthe　canton　Valais。　Through　it　runs　the　noble　river　of　the　Rhone；　whichoften　overflows　its　banks；　covering　fields　and　highways；　anddestroying　everything　in　its　course。　Near　the　towns　of　Sion　and　St。Maurice；　the　valley　takes　a　turn；　and　bends　like　an　elbow；　andbehind　St。　Maurice　bees　so　narrow　that　there　is　only　space　enoughfor　the　bed　of　the　river　and　a　narrow　carriage…road。　An　old　towerstands　here；　as　if　it　were　guardian　to　the　canton　Valais；　which　endsat　this　point；　and　from　it　we　can　look　across　the　stone　bridge　tothe　toll…house　on　the　other　side；　where　the　canton　Vaud　mences。　Notfar　from　this　spot　stands　the　town　of　Bex；　and　at　every　step　can　beseen　an　increase　of　fruitfulness　and　verdure。　It　is　like　entering　agrove　of　chestnut　and　walnut…trees。　Here　and　there　the　cypress　andpomegranate　blossoms　peep　forth；　and　it　is　almost　as　warm　as　anItalian　climate。　Rudy　arrived　at　Bex；　and　soon　finished　the　businesswhich　had　brought　him　there；　and　then　walked　about　the　town；　but　noteven　the　miller's　boy　could　be　seen；　nor　any　one　belonging　to　themill；　not　to　mention　Babette。　This　did　not　please　him　at　all。Evening　came　on。　The　air　was　filled　with　the　perfume　of　the　wild　thymeand　the　blossoms　of　the　lime…trees；　and　the　green　woods　on　themountains　seemed　to　be　covered　with　a　shining　veil；　blue　as　the　sky。Over　everything　reigned　a　stillness；　not　of　sleep　or　of　death；　butas　if　Nature　were　holding　her　breath；　that　her　image　might　bephotographed　on　the　blue　vault　of　heaven。　Here　and　there；　amidst　thetrees　of　the　silent　valley；　stood　poles　which　supported　the　wires　ofthe　electric　telegraph。　Against　one　of　these　poles　leaned　an　object　somotionless　that　it　might　have　been　mistaken　for　the　trunk　of　a　tree；but　it　was　Rudy；　standing　there　as　still　as　at　that　moment　waseverything　around　him。　He　was　not　asleep；　neither　was　he　dead；　butjust　as　the　various　events　in　the　world…　matters　of　momentousimportance　to　individuals…　were　flying　through　the　telegraph　wires；without　the　quiver　of　a　wire　or　the　slightest　tone；　so；　through　themind　of　Rudy；　thoughts　of　overwhelming　importance　were　passing；without　an　outward　sign　of　emotion。　The　happiness　of　his　future　lifedepended　upon　the　decision　of　his　present　reflections。　His　eyes　werefixed　on　one　spot　in　the　distance…　a　light　that　twinkled　through　thefoliage　from　the　parlor　of　the　miller's　house；　where　Babette　dwelt。Rudy　stood　so　still；　that　it　might　have　been　supposed　he　waswatching　for　a　chamois；　but　he　was　in　reality　like　a　chamois；　who　willstand　for　a　moment；　looking　as　if　it　were　chiselled　out　of　the　rock；and　then；　if　only　a　stone　rolled　by；　would　suddenly　bound　forward　witha　spring；　far　away　from　the　hunter。　And　so　with　Rudy：　a　sudden　roll　ofhis　thoughts　roused　him　from　his　stillness；　and　made　him　bound　forwardwith　determination　to　act。

〃Never　despair！〃　cried　he。　〃A　visit　to　the　mill；　to　say　goodevening　to　the　miller；　and　good　evening　to　little　Babette；　can　do　noharm。　No　one　ever　fails　who　has　confidence　in　himself。　If　I　am　to　beBabette's　husband；　I　must　see　her　some　time　or　other。〃

Then　Rudy　laughed　joyously；　and　took　courage　to　go　to　the　mill。　Heknew　what　he　wanted；　he　wanted　to　marry　Babette。　The　clear　water　ofthe　river　rolled　over　its　yellow　bed；　and　willows　and　lime…treeswere　reflected　in　it；　as　Rudy　stepped　along　the　path　to　the　miller'shouse。　But；　as　the　children　sing…

　　〃There　was　no　one　at　home　in　the　house；

　　　Only　a　kitten　at　play。〃

The　cat　standing　on　the　steps　put　up　its　back　and　cried　〃mew。〃　ButRudy　had　no　inclination　for　this　sort　of　conversation；　he　passed　on；and　knocked　at　the　door。　No　one　heard　him；　no　one　opened　the　door。〃Mew；〃　said　the　cat　again；　and　had　Rudy　been　still　a　child；　he　wouldhave　understood　this　language；　and　known　that　the　cat　wished　to　tellhim　there　was　no　one　at　home。　So　he　was　obliged　to　go　to　the　milland　make　inquiries；　and　there　he　heard　that　the　miller　had　gone　on　ajourney　to　Interlachen；　and　taken　Babette　with　him；　to　the　greatshooting　festival；　which　began　that　morning；　and　would　continue　foreight　days；　and　that　people　from　all　the　German　settlements　would　bethere。

Poor　Rudy！　we　may　well　say。　It　was　not　a　fortunate　day　for　hisvisit　to　Bex。　He　had　just　to　return　the　way　he　came；　through　St。Maurice　and　Sion；　to　his　home　in　the　valley。　But　he　did　not　despair。When　the　sun　rose　the　next　morning；　his　good　spirits　had　returned；indeed　he　had　never　really　lost　them。　〃Babette　is　at　Interlachen；〃said　Rudy　to　himself；　〃many　days'　journey　from　here。　It　is　certainly　along　way　for　any　one　who　takes　the　high…road；　but　not　so　far　if　hetakes　a　short　cut　across　the　mountain；　and　that　just　suits　achamois…hunter。　I　have　been　that　way　before；　for　it　leads　to　thehome　of　my　childhood；　where；　as　a　little　boy；　I　lived　with　mygrandfather。　And　there　are　shooting　matches　at　Interlachen。　I　will　go；and　try　to　stand　first　in　the　match。　Babette　will　be　there；　and　Ishall　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　itwas　a　great　distance。　The　shooting　matches　were　to　mence　on　thatday；　and　to　continue　for　a　whole　week。　He　had　been　told　also　thatthe　miller　and　Babette　would　remain　that　time　with　some　relatives　atInterlachen。　So　over　the　Gemmi　Rudy　climbed　bravely；　and　determined　todescend　the　side　of　the　Grindelwald。　Bright　and　joyous　were　hisfeelings　as　he　stepped　lightly　onwards；　inhaling　the　invigoratingmountain　air。　The　valley　sunk　as　he　ascended；　the　circle　of　thehorizon　expanded。　One　snow…capped　peak　after　another　rose　beforehim；　till　the　whole　of　the　glittering　Alpine　range　became　visible。Rudy　knew　each　ice…clad　peak；　and　he　continued　his　course　towardsthe　Schreckhorn；　with　its　white　powdered　stone　finger　raised　high　inthe　air。　At　length　he　had　crossed　the　highest　ridges；　and　before　himlay　the　green　pasture　lands　sloping　down　towards　the　valley；　which　wasonce　his　home。　The　buoyancy　of　the　air　made　his　heart　light。　Hilland　valley　were　blooming　in　luxuriant　beauty；　and　his　thoughts　wereyouthful　dreams；　in　which　old　age　or　death　were　out　of　the　question。Life；　power；　and　enjoyment　were　in　the　future；　and　he　felt　free　andlight　as　a　bird。　And　the　swallows　flew　round　him；　as　in　the　days　ofhis　childhood；　singing　〃We　and　you…　you　and　we。〃　All　was　overflowingwith　joy。　Beneath　him　lay　the　meadows；　covered　with　velvety　green；with　the　murmuring　river　flowing　through　them；　and　dotted　here　andthere　were　small　wooden　houses。　He　could　see　the　edges　of　theglaciers；　looking　like　green　glass　against　the　soiled　snow；　and　thedeep　chasms　beneath　the　loftiest　glacier。　The　church　bells　wereringing；　as　if　to　wele　him　to　his　home　with　their　sweet　tones。His　heart　beat　quickly；　and　for　a　moment　he　seemed　to　haveforegotten　Babette；　so　full　were　his　thoughts　of　old　recollections。　Hewas；　in　imagination；　once　more　wandering　on　the　road　where；　when　alittle　boy；　he；　with　other　children；　came　to　sell　their　curiouslycarved　toy　houses。　Yonder；　behind　the　fir…trees；　still　stood　hisgrandfather's　house；　his　mother's　father；　but　strangers　dwelt　in　itnow。　Children　came　running　to　him；　as　he　had　once　done；　and　wishedto　sell　their　wares。　One　of　them　offered　him　an　Alpine　rose。　Rudy　tookthe　rose　as　a　good　omen；　and　thought　of　Babette。　He　quickly　crossedthe　bridge　where　the　two　rivers　flow　into　each　other。　Here　he　founda　walk　over…shadowed　with　large　walnut…trees；　and　their　thickfoliage　formed　a　pleasant　shade。　Very　soon　he　perceived　in　thedistance；　waving　flags；　on　which　glittered　a　white　cross　on　a　redground…　the　standard　of　the　Danes　as　well　as　of　the　Swiss…　andbefore　him　lay　Interlachen。

〃It　is　really　a　splendid　town；　like　none　other　that　I　have　everseen；〃　said　Rudy　to　himself。　It　was　indeed　a　Swiss　town　in　its　holidaydress。　Not　like　the　many　other　towns；　crowded　with　heavy　stone　houses；stiff　and　foreign　looking。　No；　here　it　seemed　as　if　the　woodenhouses　on　the　hills　had　run　into　the　valley；　and　placed　themselvesin　rows　and　ranks　by　the　side　of　the　clear　river；　which　rushes　like　anarrow　in　its　course。　The　streets　were　rather　irregular；　it　is　true；but　still　this　added　to　their　picturesque　appearance。　There　was　onestreet　which　Rudy　thought　the　prettiest　of　them　all；　it　had　been　builtsince　he　had　visited　the　town　when　a　little　boy。　It　seemed　to　him　asif　all　the　neatest　and　most　curiously　carved　toy　houses　which　hisgrandfather　once　kept　in　the　large　cupboard　at　home；　had　beenbrought　out　and　placed　in　this　spot；　and　that　they　had　increased　insize　since　then；　as　the　old　chestnut　trees　had　done。　The　houses　werecalled　hotels；　the　woodwork　on　the　windows　and　balconies　was　curiouslycarved。　The　roofs　were　gayly　painted；　and　before　each　house　was　aflower　garden；　w