selected writings-第22部分

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the　first　germ　of　life　pulsated　and　expanded　to　the　day？



I　arrived　at　my　cousin's　in　the　evening。　It　was　freezing　hard

enough　to　split　the　stones。



During　dinner；　in　the　large　room　whose　side…boards；　walls；　and

ceiling　were　covered　with　stuffed　birds；　with　wings　extended　or

perched　on　branches　　to　which　they　were　nailed；hawks；　herons；

owls；　nightjars；　buzzards；　tiercels；　vultures；　falcons；my

cousin　who；　dressed　in　a　sealskin　jacket；　himself　resembled　some

strange　animal　from　a　cold　country；　told　me　what　preparations　he

had　made　for　that　same　night。



We　were　to　start　at　half　past　three　in　the　morning；　so　as　to

arrive　at　the　place　which　he　had　chosen　for　our　watching…place　at

about　half　past　four。　On　that　spot　a　hut　had　been　built　of　lumps

of　ice；　so　as　to　shelter　us　somewhat　from　the　trying　wind　which

precedes　daybreak；　a　wind　so　cold　as　to　tear　the　flesh　like　a

saw；　cut　it　like　the　blade　of　a　knife；　prick　it　like　a　poisoned

sting；　twist　it　like　a　pair　of　pincers；　and　burn　it　like　fire。



My　cousin　rubbed　his　hands：　〃I　have　never　known　such　a　frost；〃　he

said；　〃it　is　already　twelve　degrees　below　zero　at　six　o'clock　in

the　evening。〃



I　threw　myself　on　to　my　bed　immediately　after　we　had　finished　our

meal；　and　went　to　sleep　by　the　light　of　a　bright　fire　burning　in

the　grate。



At　three　o'clock　he　woke　me。　In　my　turn；　I　put　on　a　sheepskin；

and　found　my　cousin　Karl　covered　with　a　bearskin。　After　having

each　swallowed　two　cups　of　scalding　coffee；　followed　by　glasses

of　liqueur　brandy；　we　started；　accompanied　by　a　gamekeeper　and

our　dogs；　Plongeon　and　Pierrot。



From　the　first　moment　that　I　got　outside；　I　felt　chilled　to　the

very　marrow。　It　was　one　of　those　nights　on　which　the　earth　seems

dead　with　cold。　The　frozen　air　becomes　resisting　and　palpable；

such　pain　does　it　cause；　no　breath　of　wind　moves　it；　it　is　fixed

and　motionless；　it　bites　you；　pierces　through　you；　dries　you；

kills　the　trees；　the　plants；　the　insects；　the　small　birds

themselves；　who　fall　from　the　branches　on　to　the　hard　ground；　and

become　stiff　themselves　under　the　grip　of　the…cold。



The　moon；　which　was　in　her　last　quarter　and　was　inclining　all　to

one　side；　seemed　fainting　in　the　midst　of　space；　so　weak　that　she

was　unable　to　wane；　forced　to　stay　up　yonder；　seized　and

paralyzed　by　the　severity　of　the　weather。　She　shed　a　cold；

mournful　light　over　the　world；　that　dying　and　wan　light　which　she

gives　us　every　month；　at　the　end　of　her　period。



Karl　and　I　walked　side　by　side；　our　backs　bent；　our　hands　in　our

pockets　and　our　guns　under　our　arms。　Our　boots；　which　were

wrapped　in　wool　so　that　we　might　be　able　to　walk　without　slipping

on　the　frozen　river；　made　no　sound；　and　I　looked　at　the　white

vapor　which　our　dogs'　breath　made。



We　were　soon　on　the　edge　of　the　marsh；　and　entered　one　of　the

lanes　of　dry　rushes　which　ran　through　the　low　forest。



Our　elbows；　which　touched　the　long；　ribbonlike　leaves；　left　a

slight　noise　behind　us；　and　I　was　seized；　as　I　had　never　been

before；　by　the　powerful　and　singular　emotion　which　marshes　cause

in　me。　This　one　was　dead；　dead　from　cold；　since　we　were　walking

on　it；　in　the　middle　of　its　population　of　dried　rushes。



Suddenly；　at　the　turn　of　one　of　the　lanes；　I　perceived　the

ice…hut　which　had　been　constructed　to　shelter　us。　I　went　in；　and

as　we　had　nearly　an　hour　to　wait　before　the　wandering　birds　would

awake；　I　rolled　myself　up　in　my　rug　in　order　to　try　and　get　warm。

Then；　lying　on　my　back；　I　began　to　look　at　the　misshapen　moon；

which　had　four　horns　through　the　vaguely　transparent　walls　of

this　polar　house。　But　the　frost　of　the　frozen　marshes；　the　cold

of　these　walls；　the　cold　from　the　firmament　penetrated　me　so

terribly　that　I　began　to　cough。　My　cousin　Karl　became　uneasy。



〃No　matter　if　we　do　not　kill　much　to…day；〃　he　said：　〃I　do　not

want　you　to　catch　cold；　we　will　light　a　fire。〃　And　he　told　the

gamekeeper　to　cut　some　rushes。



We　made　a　pile　in　the　middle　of　our　hut　which　had　a　hole　in　the

middle　of　the　roof　to　let　out　the　smoke；　and　when　the　red　flames

rose　up　to　the　clear；　crystal　blocks　they　began　to　melt；　gently；

imperceptibly；　as　if　they　were　sweating。　Karl；　who　had　remained

outside；　called　out　to　me：　〃Come　and　look　here！〃　I　went　out　of

the　hut　and　remained　struck　with　astonishment。　Our　hut；　in　the

shape　of　a　cone；　looked　like　an　enormous　diamond　with　a　heart　of

fire　which　had　been　suddenly　planted　there　in　the　midst　of　the

frozen　water　of　the　marsh。　And　inside；　we　saw　two　fantastic

forms；　those　of　our　dogs；　who　were　warming　themselves　at　the

fire。



But　a　peculiar　cry；　a　lost；　a　wandering　cry；　passed　over　our

heads；　and　the　light　from　our　hearth　showed　us　the　wild　birds。

Nothing　moves　one　so　much　as　the　first　clamor　of　a　life　which　one

does　not　see；　which　passes　through　the　somber　air　so　quickly　and

so　far　off；　just　before　the　first　streak　of　a　winter's　day

appears　on　the　horizon。　It　seems　to　me；　at　this　glacial　hour　of

dawn；　as　if　that　passing　cry　which　is　carried　away　by　the　wings

of　a　bird　is　the　sigh　of　a　soul　from　the　world！



〃Put　out　the　fire；〃　said　Karl；　〃it　is　getting　daylight。〃



The　sky　was；　in　fact；　beginning　to　grow　pale；　and　the　flights　of

ducks　made　long；　rapid　streaks　which　were　soon　obliterated　on　the

sky。



A　stream　of　light　burst　out　into　the　night；　Karl　had　fired；　and

the　two　dogs　ran　forward。



And　then；　nearly　every　minute；　now　he；　now　I；　aimed　rapidly　as

soon　as　the　shadow　of　a　flying　flock　appeared　above　the　rushes。

And　Pierrot　and　Plongeon；　out　of　breath　but　happy；　retrieved　the

bleeding　birds；　whose　eyes　still；　occasionally；　looked　at　us。



The　sun　had　risen；　and　it　was　a　bright　day　with　a　blue　sky；　and

we　were　thinking　of　taking　our　departure；　when　two　birds　with

extended　necks　and　outstretched　wings；　glided　rapidly　over　our

heads。　I　fired；　and　one　of　them　fell　almost　at　my　feet。　It　was　a

teal；　with　a　silver　breast；　and　then；　in　the　blue　space　above　me；

I　heard　a　voice；　the　voice　of　a　bird。　It　was　a　short；　repeated；

heart…rending　lament；　and　the　bird；　the　little　animal　that　had

been　spared　began　to　turn　round　in　the　blue　sky；　over　our　heads；

looking　at　its　dead　companion　which　I　was　holding　in　my　hand。



Karl　was　on　his　knees；　his　gun　to　his　shoulder　watching　it

eagerly；　until　it　should　be　within　shot。　〃You　have　killed　the

duck；〃　he　said；　〃and　the　drake　will　not　fly　away。〃



He　certainly　did　not　fly　away；　he　circled　over　our　heads

continually；　and　continued　his　cries。　Never　have　any　groans　of

suffering　pained　me　so　much　as　that　desolate　appeal；　as　that

lamentable　reproach　of　this　poor　bird　which　was　lost　in　space。



Occasionally　he　took　flight　under　the　menace　of　the　gun　which

followed　his　movements；　and　seemed　ready　to　continue　his　flight

alone；　but　as　he　could　not　make　up　his　mind　to　this；　he　returned

to　find　his　mate。



〃Leave　her　on　the　ground；〃　Karl　said　to　me；　〃he　will　come　within

shot　by　and　by。〃　And　he　did　indeed　come　near　us；　careless　of

danger；　infatuated　by　his　animal　love；　by　his　affection　for　his

mate；　which　I　had　just　killed。



Karl　fired；　and　it　was　as　if　somebody　had　cut　the　string　which

held　the　bird　suspended。　I　saw　something　black　descend；　and　I

heard　the　noise　of　a　fall　among　the　rushes。　And　Pierrot　brought

it　to　me。



I　put　themthey　were　already　coldinto　the　same　game…bag；　and　I

returned　to　Paris　the　same　evening。







THE　INN



Like　all　the　little　wooden　inns　in　the　higher　Alps；　tiny　auberges

situated　in　the　bare　and　rocky　gorges　which　intersect　the　white

summits　of　the　mountains；　the　inn　of　Schwarenbach　is　a　refuge　for

travelers　who　are　crossing　the　Gemmi。



It　is　open　six　months　in　the　year；　and　is　inhabited　by　the　family

of　Jean　Hauser。　As　soon　as　the　snow　begins　to　fall；　and　fills　the

valley　so　as　to　make　the　road　down　to　Loeche　impassable；　the

father；　with　mother；　daughter；　and　the　three　sons　depart；　leaving

the　house　in　charge　of　the　old　guide；　Gaspard　Hari；　with　the

young　guide；　Ulrich　Kunsi；　and　Sam；　the　great　mountain　dog。



The　two　men　and　the　dog　remain　till　spring　in　their　snowy　prison；

with　nothing　before　their　eyes　except　immense；　white　slopes　of

the　Balmhorn；　surrounded　by　light；　glistening　summits；　and　shut

up；　blocked　up；　and　buried　by　the　snow　which　rises　around　them；

enveloping　and　almost　burying　the　little　house　up　to　the　eaves。



It　was　the　day　on　which　the　Hauser　family　were　going　to　return　to

Loeche；　as　winter　was　approaching；　and　the　descent　was　becoming

dangerous。　Three　mules　started　first；　laden　with　baggage　and　led

by　the　three　sons。　Then　the　mother；　Jeanne　Hauser；　and　her

daughter　Louise　mounted　a　fourth　mule；　and　set　off　in　their　turn。

The　father　followed　them；　accompanied　by　the　two　men　in　charge；

who　were　to　escort　the　family　as　far　as　the　brow　of　the　descent。

First　of　all　they　skirted　the　small　lake；　now　frozen　over；　at　the

foot　of　the　mass　of　rocks　which　stretched　in　front　of　the　inn；

then　they　followed　the　valley；　which　was　dominated　on　all　sides

by　snow…covered　peaks。



A　ray　of　sunlight　glinted　into　that　little　white；　glistening；

frozen　desert；　illuminating　it　with　a　cold　and　dazzling　flame。　No

living　thing　appeared　among　this　ocean　of　hills；　there　was　no

stir　in　that　immeasurable　solitude；　no　noise　disturbed　the

profound　silence。



By　degrees　the　young　guide；　Ulrich　Kunsi；　a　tall；　long…legged

Swiss；　left　daddy　Hauser　and　old　Gaspard　behind；　in　order　to

catch　up　with　the　mule　which　carried　the　two　women。　The　younger

one　looked　at　him　as　he　approached；　as　if　she　would　call　him　with

her　sad　eyes。　She　was　a　young；　light…haired　peasant　girl；　whose

milk…white　cheeks　and　pale　hair　seemed　to　have　lost　their　color

by　long　dwelling　amid　the　ice。　When　Ulrich　had　caught　up　with　the

animal　which　carried　the　women；　he　put　his　hand　on　the　crupper；

and　relaxed　his　speed。　Mother　Hauser　began　to　talk　to　him；　and

enume