selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第22部分

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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
enumerated　with　minutest　detail　all　that　he　would　have　to　attend
to　during　the　winter。　It　was　the　first　winter　he　would　spend　up
there；　while　old　Hari　had　already　spent　fourteen　winters　amid　the
snow；　at　the　inn　of　Schwarenbach。

Ulrich　Kunsi　listened；　without　appearing　to　understand；　and
looked　incessantly　at　the　girl。　From　time　to　time　he　replied：
〃Yes；　Madame　Hauser〃；　but　his　thoughts　seemed　far　away；　and　his
calm　features　remained　unmoved。

They　reached　Lake　Daube；　whose　broad；　frozen　surface　reached　to
the　bottom　of　the　valley。　On　the　right；　the　Daubenhorn　showed　its
black　mass；　rising　up　in　a　peak　above　the　enormous　moraines　of
the　Lommeon　glacier；　which　soared　above　the　Wildstrubel。　As　they
approached　the　neck　of　the　Gemmi；　where　the　descent　to　Loeche
begins；　the　immense　horizon　of　the　Alps　of　the　Valais；　from　which
the　broad；　deep　valley　of　the　Rhone　separated　them；　came　in　view。

In　the　distance；　there　was　a　group　of　white；　unequal；　flat　or
pointed　mountain　summits；　which　glistened　in　the　sun；　the
Mischabel　with　its　twin　peaks；　the　huge　group　of　the　Weisshorn；
the　heavy　Brunegghorn；　the　lofty　and　formidable　pyramid　of　Mont
Cervin；　slayer　of　men；　and　the　Dent　Blanche；　that　terrible
coquette。

Then　beneath　them；　as　at　the　bottom　of　a　terrible　abyss；　they　saw
Loeche；　its　houses　looking　like　grains　of　sand　which　had　been
thrown　into　that　enormous　crevice　which　finishes　and　closes　the
Gemmi；　and　which　opens；　down　below；　on　to　the　Rhone。

The　mule　stopped　at　the　edge　of　the　path；　which　turns　and　twists
continually；　zigzagging　fantastically　and　strangely　along　the
steep　side　of　the　mountain；　as　far　as　the　almost　invisible　little
village　at　its　feet。　The　women　jumped　into　the　snow；　and　the　two
old　men　joined　them。

〃Well；〃　father　Hauser　said；　〃good…bye；　and　keep　up　your　spirits
till　next　year；　my　friends；〃　and　old　Hari　replied：　〃Till　next
year。〃

They　embraced　each　other；　and　then　Madame　Hauser　in　her　turn；
offered　her　cheek；　and　the　girl　did　the　same。　When　Ulrich　Kunsi's
turn　came；　he　whispered　in　Louise's　ear：

〃Do　not　forget　those　up　yonder；〃　and　she　replied：　〃No；〃　in　such　a
low　voice；　that　he　guessed　what　she　had　said；　without　hearing　it。

〃Well；　adieu；〃　Jean　Hauser　repeated；　〃and　don't　fall　ill。〃　Then；
going　before　the　two　women；　he　commenced　the　descent；　and　soon
all　three　disappeared　at　the　first　turn　in　the　road；　while　the
two　men　returned　to　the　inn　at　Schwarenbach。

They　walked　slowly　side　by　side；　without　speaking。　The　parting
was　over；　and　they　would　be　alone　together　for　four　or　five
months。　Then　Gaspard　Hari　began　to　relate　his　life　last　winter。
He　had　remained　with　Michael　Canol；　who　was　too　old　now　to　stand
it；　for　an　accident　might　happen　during　that　long　solitude。　They
had　not　been　dull；　however；　the　only　thing　was　to　be　resigned　to
it　from　the　first；　and　in　the　end　one　would　find　plenty　of
distraction；　games　and　other　means　of　whiling　away　the　time。

Ulrich　Kunsi　listened　to　him　with　his　eyes　on　the　ground；　for　in
thought　he　was　with　those　who　were　descending　to　the　village。
They　soon　came　in　sight　of　the　inn；　which　was　scarcely　visible；
so　small　did　it　look；　a　mere　black　speck　at　the　foot　of　that
enormous　billow　of　snow。　When　they　opened　the　door；　Sam；　the
great　curly　dog；　began　to　romp　round　them。

〃Come；　my　boy；〃　old　Gaspard　said；　〃we　have　no　women　now；　so　we
must　get　our　own　dinner　ready。　Go　and　peel　the　potatoes。〃　And
they　both　sat　down　on　wooden　stools；　and　began　to　put　the　bread
into　the　soup。

The　next　morning　seemed　very　long　to　Kunsi。　Old　Hari　smoked　and
smoked　beside　the　hearth；　while　the　young　man　looked　out　of　the
window　at　the　snow…covered　mountain　opposite　the　house。　In　the
afternoon　he　went　out；　and　going　over　the　previous　day's　ground
again；　he　looked　for　the　traces　of　the　mule　that　had　carried　the
two　women；　then　when　he　had　reached　the　neck　of　the　Gemmi；　he
laid　himself　down　on　his　stomach；　and　looked　at　Loeche。

The　village；　in　its　rocky　pit；　was　not　yet　buried　under　the　snow；
although　the　white　masses　came　quite　close　to　it；　balked；
however；　of　their　prey　by　the　pine　woods　which　protected　the
hamlet。　From　his　vantage　point　the　low　houses　looked　like
paving…stones　in　a　large　meadow。　Hauser's　little　daughter　was
there　now　in　one　of　those　gray…colored　houses。　In　which？　Ulrich
Kunsi　was　too　far　away　to　be　able　to　make　them　out　separately。
How　he　would　have　liked　to　go　down　while　he　was　yet　able！

But　the　sun　had　disappeared　behind　the　lofty　crest　of　the
Wildstrubel；　and　the　young　man　returned　to　the　chalet。　Daddy　Hari
was　smoking；　and；　when　he　saw　his　mate　come　in；　proposed　a　game
of　cards　to　him。　They　sat　down　opposite　each　other　for　a　long
time　and　played　the　simple　game　called　brisque；　then　they　had
supper　and　went　to　bed。

The　following　days　were　like　the　first；　bright　and　cold；　without
any　more　snow。　Old　Gaspard　spent　his　afternoons　in　watching　the
eagles　and　other　rare　birds　which　ventured　on　to　those　frozen
heights；　while　Ulrich　journeyed　regularly　to　the　neck　of　the
Gemmi　to　look　at　the　village。　In　the　evening　they　played　at
cards；　dice；　or　dominoes；　and　lost　and　won　trifling　sums；　just　to
create　an　interest　in　the　game。

One　morning　Hari；　who　was　up　first；　called　his　companion。　A
moving　cloud　of　white　spray；　deep　and　light；　was　falling　on　them
noiselessly；　and　burying　them　by　degrees　under　a　dark；　thick
coverlet　of　foam。　This　lasted　four　days　and　four　nights。　It　was
necessary　to　free　the　door　and　the　windows；　to　dig　out　a　passage；
and　to　cut　steps　to　get　over　this　frozen　powder；　which　a
twelve…hours'　frost　had　made　as　hard　as　the　granite　of　the
moraines。

They　lived　like　prisoners；　not　venturing　outside　their　abode。
They　had　divided　their　duties　and　performed　them　regularly。
Ulrich　Kunsi　undertook　the　scouring；　washing；　and　everything　that
belonged　to　cleanliness。　He　also　chopped　up　the　wood；　while
Gaspard　Hari　did　the　cooking　and　attended　to　the　fire。　Their
regular　and　monotonous　work　was　relieved　by　long　games　at　cards
or　dice；　but　they　never　quarreled；　and　were　always　calm　and
placid。　They　were　never　even　impatient　or　ill…humored；　nor　did
they　ever　use　hard　words；　for　they　had　laid　in　a　stock　of
patience　for　this　wintering　on　the　top　of　the　mountain。

Sometimes　old　Gaspard　took　his　rifle　and　went　after　chamois；　and
occasionally　killed　one。　Then　there　was　a　feast　in　the　inn　at
Schwarenbach；　and　they　reveled　in　fresh　meat。　One　morning　he　went
out　as　usual。　The　thermometer　outside　marked　eighteen　degrees　of
frost；　and　as　the　sun　had　not　yet　risen；　the　hunter　hoped　to
surprise　the　animals　at　the　approaches　to　the　Wildstrubel。
Ulrich；　being　alone；　remained　in　bed　until　ten　o'clock。　He　was　of
a　sleepy　nature；　but　would　not　have　dared　to　give　way　like　that
to　his　inclination　in　the　presence　of　the　old　guide；　who　was　ever
an　early　riser。　He　breakfasted　leisurely　with　Sam；　who　also　spent
his　days　and　nights　in　sleeping　in　front　of　the　fire；　then　he
felt　low…spirited　and　even　frightened　at　the　solitude；　and　was
seized　by　a　longing　for　his　daily　game　of　cards；　as　one　is　by　the
domination　of　an　invincible　habit。　So　he　went　out　to　meet　his
companion；　who　was　to　return　at　four　o'clock。

The　snow　had　leveled　the　whole　deep　valley；　filled　up　the
crevasses；　obliterated　all　signs　of　the　two　lakes　and　covered　the
rocks；　so　that　between　the　high　summits　there　was　nothing　but　an
immense；　white；　regular；　dazzling；　and　frozen　surface。　For　three
weeks；　Ulrich　had　not　been　to　the　edge　of　the　precipice；　from
which　he　had　looked　down　on　to　the　village；　and　he　wanted　to　go
there　before　climbing　the　slopes　which　led　to　the　Wildstrubel。
Loeche　was　now　covered　by　the　snow；　and　the　houses　could　scarcely
be　distinguished；　hidden　as　they　were　by　that　white　cloak。

Turning　to　the　right；　Ulrich　reached　the　Lammern　glacier。　He
strode　along　with　a　mountaineer's　long　swinging　pace；　striking
the　snow；　which　was　as　hard　as　a　rock；　with　his　iron…shod　stick；
and　with　piercing　eyes　looking　for　the　little　black；　moving　speck
in　the　distance；　on　that　enormous；　white　expanse。

When　he　reached　the　end　of　the　glacier　he　stopped；　and　asked
himself　whether　the　old　man　had　taken　that　road；　and　then　he
began　to　walk　along　the　moraines　with　rapid　and　uneasy　steps。　The
day　was　declining；　the　snow　was　assuming　a　rosy　tint；　and　a　dry；
frozen　wind　blew　in　rough　gusts　over　its　crystal　surface。　Ulrich
uttered　a　long；　shrill；　vibrating　call。　His　voice　sped　through
the　deathlike　silence　in　which　the　mountains　were　sleeping；　it
reached　into　the　distance；　over　the　profound　and　motionless　waves
of　glacial　foam；　like　the　cry　of　a　bird　over　the　waves　of　the
sea；　then　it　died　away　and　nothin