selected writings of guy de maupassant(莫伯桑作品选)-第23部分

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of　glacial　foam；　like　the　cry　of　a　bird　over　the　waves　of　the
sea；　then　it　died　away　and　nothing　answered　him。

He　started　off　again。　The　sun　had　sunk　behind　the　mountain　tops；
which　still　were　purpled　with　the　reflection　from　the　heavens；
but　the　depths　of　the　valley　were　becoming　gray；　and　suddenly　the
young　man　felt　frightened。　It　seemed　to　him　as　if　the　silence；
the　cold；　the　solitude；　the　wintry　death　of　these　mountains　were
taking　possession　of　him；　were　stopping　and　freezing　his　blood；
making　his　limbs　grow　stiff；　and　turning　him　into　a　motionless
and　frozen　object；　and　he　began　to　run　rapidly　toward　the
dwelling。　The　old　man；　he　thought；　would　have　returned　during　his
absence。　He　had　probably　taken　another　road；　and　would；　no　doubt；
be　sitting　before　the　fire；　with　a　dead　chamois　at　his　feet。

He　soon　came　in　sight　of　the　inn；　but　no　smoke　rose　from　it。
Ulrich　ran　faster。　Opening　the　door　he　met　Sam　who　ran　up　to　him
to　greet　him；　but　Gaspard　Hari　had　not　returned。　Kunsi；　in　his
alarm；　turned　round　suddenly；　as　if　he　had　expected　to　find　his
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