selected writings-第24部分

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comrade　hidden　in　a　corner。　Then　he　relighted　the　fire　and　made

the　soup；　hoping　every　moment　to　see　the　old　man　come　in。　From

time　to　time　he　went　out　to　see　if　Gaspard　were　not　in　sight。　It

was　night　now；　that　wan　night　of　the　mountain；　a　livid　night；

with　the　crescent　moon；　yellow　and　dim；　just　disappearing　behind

the　mountain　tops；　and　shining　faintly　on　the　edge　of　the

horizon。



Then　the　young　man　went　in　and　sat　down　to　warm　his　hands　and

feet；　while　he　pictured　to　himself　every　possible　sort　of

accident。　Gaspard　might　have　broken　a　leg；　have　fallen　into　a

crevasse；　have　taken　a　false　step　and　dislocated　his　ankle。

Perhaps　he　was　lying　on　the　snow；　overcome　and　stiff　with　the

cold；　in　agony　of　mind；　lost　and　perhaps　shouting　for　help；

calling　with　all　his　might；　in　the　silence　of　the　night。



But　where？　The　mountain　was　so　vast；　so　rugged；　so　dangerous　in

places；　especially　at　that　time　of　the　year；　that　it　would　have

required　ten　or　twenty　guides　walking　for　a　week　in　all

directions；　to　find　a　man　in　that　immense　space。　Ulrich　Kunsi；

however；　made　up　his　mind　to　set　out　with　Sam；　if　Gaspard　did　not

return　by　one　in　the　morning；　and　he　made　his　preparations。



He　put　provisions　for　two　days　into　a　bag；　took　his　steel

climbing…irons；　tied　a　long；　thin；　strong　rope　round　his　waist

and　looked　to　see　that　his　iron…shod　stick　and　his　ax；　which

served　to　cut　steps　in　the　ice；　were　in　order。　Then　he　waited。

The　fire　was　burning　on　the　hearth；　the　great　dog　was　snoring　in

front　of　it；　and　the　clock　was　ticking　in　its　case　of　resounding

wood；　as　regularly　as　a　heart　beating。



He　waited；　his　ears　on　the　alert　for　distant　sounds；　and　shivered

when　the　wind　blew　against　the　roof　and　the　walls。　It　struck

twelve；　and　he　trembled。　Then；　as　he　felt　frightened　and　shivery；

he　put　some　water　on　the　fire；　so　that　he　might　have　hot　coffee

before　starting。　When　the　clock　struck　one　he　got　up；　woke　Sam；

opened　the　door　and　went　off　in　the　direction　of　the　Wildstrubel。

For　five　hours　he　ascended；　scaling　the　rocks　by　means　of　his

climbing…irons；　cutting　into　the　ice；　advancing　continually；　and

occasionally　hauling　up　the　dog；　who　remained　below　at　the　foot

of　some　slope　that　was　too　steep　for　him；　by　means　of　the　rope。

About　six　o'clock　he　reached　one　of　the　summits　to　which　old

Gaspard　often　came　after　chamois；　and　he　waited　till　it　should　be

day…light。



The　sky　was　growing　pale　overhead；　and　suddenly　a　strange　light；

springing；　nobody　could　tell　whence；　suddenly　illuminated　the

immense　ocean　of　pale　mountain　peaks；　which　stretched　for　many

leagues　around　him。　It　seemed　as　if　this　vague　brightness　arose

from　the　snow　itself；　in　order　to　spread　itself　into　space。　By

degrees　the　highest　and　most　distant　summits　assumed　a　delicate；

fleshlike　rose　color；　and　the　red　sun　appeared　behind　the

ponderous　giants　of　the　Bernese　Alps。



Ulrich　Kunsi　set　off　again；　walking　like　a　hunter；　stooping　and

looking　for　any　traces；　and　saying　to　his　dog：　〃Seek　old　fellow；

seek！〃



He　was　descending　the　mountain　now；　scanning　the　depths　closely；

and　from　time　to　time　shouting；　uttering　a　loud；　prolonged

familiar　cry　which　soon　died　away　in　that　silent　vastness。　Then；

he　put　his　ear　to　the　ground；　to　listen。　He　thought　he　could

distinguish　a　voice；　and　so　he　began　to　run　and　shout　again。　But

he　heard　nothing　more　and　sat　down；　worn　out　and　in　despair。

Toward　midday　he　breakfasted　and　gave　Sam；　who　was　as　tired　as

himself；　something　to　eat　also；　then　he　recommenced　his　search。



When　evening　came　he　was　still　walking；　having　traveled　more　than

thirty　miles　over　the　mountains。　As　he　was　too　far　away　to　return

home；　and　too　tired　to　drag　himself　along　any　further；　he　dug　a

hole　in　the　snow　and　crouched　in　it　with　his　dog；　under　a　blanket

which　he　had　brought　with　him。　The　man　and　the　dog　lay　side　by

side；　warming　themselves　one　against　the　other；　but　frozen　to　the

marrow；　nevertheless。　Ulrich　scarcely　slept；　his　mind　haunted　by

visions　and　his　limbs　shaking　with　cold。



Day　was　breaking　when　he　got　up。　His　legs　were　as　stiff　as　iron

bars；　and　his　spirits　so　low　that　he　was　ready　to　weep；　while　his

heart　was　beating　so　that　he　almost　fell　with　excitement　whenever

he　thought　he　heard　a　noise。



Suddenly　he　imagined　that　he　ALSO　was　going　to　die　of　cold　in　the

midst　of　this　vast　solitude。　The　terror　of　such　a　death　roused

his　energies　and　gave　him　renewed　vigor。　He　was　descending　toward

the　inn；　falling　down　and　getting　up　again；　and　followed　at　a

distance　by　Sam；　who　was　limping　on　three　legs。　They　did　not

reach　Schwarenbach　until　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　The　house

was　empty；　and　the　young　man　made　a　fire；　had　something　to　eat；

and　went　to　sleep；　so　worn…out　that　he　did　not　think　of　anything

more。



He　slept　for　a　long　time；　for　a　very　long　time；　the　unconquerable

sleep　of　exhaustion。　But　suddenly　a　voice；　a　cry；　a　name：

〃Ulrich；〃　aroused　him　from　his　profound　slumber；　and　made　him　sit

up　in　bed。　Had　he　been　dreaming？　Was　it　one　of　those　strange

appeals　which　cross　the　dreams　of　disquieted　minds？　No；　he　heard

it　still；　that　reverberating　cry；which　had　entered　at　his　ears

and　remained　in　his　brain；thrilling　him　to　the　tips　of　his

sinewy　fingers。　Certainly；　somebody　had　cried　out；　and　called：

〃Ulrich！〃　There　was　somebody　there；　near　the　house；　there　could

be　no　doubt　of　that；　and　he　opened　the　door　and　shouted：　〃Is　it

you；　Gaspard？〃　with　all　the　strength　of　his　lungs。　But　there　was

no　reply；　no　murmur；　no　groan；　nothing。　It　was　quite　dark；　and

the　snow　looked　wan。



The　wind　had　risen；　that　icy　wind　which　cracks　the　rocks；　and

leaves　nothing　alive　on　those　deserted　heights。　It　came　in　sudden

gusts；　more　parching　and　more　deadly　than　the　burning　wind　of　the

desert；　and　again　Ulrich　shouted：　〃Gaspard！　Gaspard！　Gaspard！〃

Then　he　waited　again。　Everything　was　silent　on　the　mountain！　Then

he　shook　with　terror；　and　with　a　bound　he　was　inside　the　inn。　He

shut　and　bolted　the　door；　and　then　fell　into　a　chair；　trembling

all　over；　for　he　felt　certain　that　his　comrade　had　called　him　at

the　moment　of　dissolution。



He　was　certain　of　that；　as　certain　as　one　is　of　conscious　life　or

of　taste　when　eating。　Old　Gaspard　Hari　had　been　dying　for　two

days　and　three　nights　somewhere；　in　some　hole；　in　one　of　those

deep；　untrodden　ravines　whose　whiteness　is　more　sinister　than

subterranean　darkness。　He　had　been　dying　for　two　days　and　three

nights　and　he　had　just　then　died；　thinking　of　his　comrade。　His

soul；　almost　before　it　was　released；　had　taken　its　flight　to　the

inn　where　Ulrich　was　sleeping；　and　it　had　called　him　by　that

terrible　and　mysterious　power　which　the　spirits　of　the　dead

possess。　That　voiceless　soul　had　cried　to　the　worn…out　soul　of

the　sleeper；　it　had　uttered　its　last　farewell；　or　its　reproach；

or　its　curse　on　the　man　who　had　not　searched　carefully　enough。



And　Ulrich　felt　that　it　was　there；　quite　close　to　him；　behind　the

wall；　behind　the　door　which　he　had　just　fastened。　It　was

wandering　about；　like　a　night　bird　which　skims　a　lighted　window

with　his　wings；　and　the　terrified　young　man　was　ready　to　scream

with　horror。　He　wanted　to　run　away；　but　did　not　dare　go　out；　he

did　not　dare；　and　would　never　dare　in　the　future；　for　that

phantom　would　remain　there　day　and　night；　round　the　inn；　as　long

as　the　old　man's　body　was　not　recovered　and　deposited　in　the

consecrated　earth　of　a　churchyard。



Daylight　came；　and　Kunsi　recovered　some　of　his　courage　with　the

return　of　the　bright　sun。　He　prepared　his　meal；　gave　his　dog　some

food；　and　then　remained　motionless　on　a　chair；　tortured　at　heart

as　he　thought　of　the　old　man　lying　on　the　snow。　Then；　as　soon　as

night　once　more　covered　the　mountains；　new　terrors　assailed　him。

He　now　walked　up　and　down　the　dark　kitchen；　which　was　scarcely

lighted　by　the　flame　of　one　candle。　He　walked　from　one　end　of　it

to　the　other　with　great　strides；　listening；　listening　to　hear　the

terrible　cry　of　the　preceding　night　again　break　the　dreary

silence　outside。　He　felt　himself　alone；　unhappy　man；　as　no　man

had　ever　been　alone　before！　Alone　in　this　immense　desert　of　snow；

alone　five　thousand　feet　above　the　inhabited　earth；　above　human

habitations；　above　that　stirring；　noisy；　palpitating　life；　alone

under　an　icy　sky！　A　mad　longing　impelled　him　to　run　away；　no

matter　where；　to　get　down　to　Loeche　by　flinging　himself　over　the

precipice；　but　he　did　not　even　dare　to　open　the　door；　as　he　felt

sure　that　the　other；　the　DEAD；　man　would　bar　his　road；　so　that　he

might　not　be　obliged　to　remain　up　there　alone。



Toward　midnight；　tired　with　walking；　worn…out　by　grief　and　fear；

he　fell　into　a　doze　in　his　chair；　for　he　was　afraid　of　his　bed；

as　one　is　of　a　haunted　spot。　But　suddenly　the　strident　cry　of　the

preceding　evening　pierced　his　ears；　so　shrill　that　Ulrich

stretched　out　his　arms　to　repulse　the　ghost；　and　he　fell　on　to

his　back　with　his　chair。



Sam；　who　was　awakened　by　the　noise；　began　to　howl　as　frightened

dogs　do；　and　trotted　all　about　the　house　trying　to　find　out　where

the　danger　came　from。　When　he　got　to　the　door；　he　sniffed　beneath

it；　smelling　vigorously；　with　his　coat　bristling　and　his　tail

stiff　while　he　growled　angrily。　Kunsi；　who　was　terrified；　jumped

up；　and　holding　his　chair　by　one　leg；　cried：　〃Don't　come　in；

don't　come　in；　or　I　shall　kill　you。〃　And　the　dog；　excited　by　this

threat；　barked　angrily　at　that　invisible　enemy　who　defied　his

master's　voice。　By　degrees；　however；　he　quieted　down；　came　back

and　stretched　himself　in　front　of　the　fire。　But　he　was　uneasy；

and　kept　his　head　up；　and　growled　between　his　teeth。



Ulrich；　in　turn；　recovered　his　senses；　but　as　he　felt　faint　with

terror；　he　went　and　got　a　bottle　of　brandy　out　of　the　sideboard；

and　drank　off　several　glasses；　one　after　another；　at　a　gulp。　His

ideas　became　vague；　his　courage　revived；　and　a　feverish　glow　ran

th