repliedrudy,lookingatbabette.

"to-morrowimustreturnhome,"remarkedrudyafewminutesafterwards.

"comeandvisitusatbex,"whisperedbabette;"myfatherwillbepleasedtoseeyou."

v.onthewayhome

oh,whatanumberofthingsrudyhadtocarryoverthemountains,whenhesetouttoreturnhome!hehadthreesilvercups,twohandsomepistols,andasilvercoffee-pot.thislatterwouldbeusefulwhenhebeganhousekeeping.butallthesewerenottheheaviestweighthehadtobear;somethingmightierandmoreimportanthecarriedwithhiminhisheart,overthehighmountains,ashejourneyedhomeward.

theweatherwasdismallydark,andinclinedtorain;thecloudshunglow,likeamourningveilonthetopsofthemountains,andshroudedtheirglitteringpeaks.inthewoodscouldbeheardthesoundoftheaxeandtheheavyfallofthetrunksofthetrees,astheyrolleddowntheslopesofthemountains.whenseenfromtheheights,thetrunksofthesetreeslookedlikeslenderstems;butonanearerinspectiontheywerefoundtobelargeandstrongenoughforthemastsofaship.therivermurmuredmonotonously,thewindwhistled,andthecloudssailedalonghurriedly.

suddenlythereappeared,closebyrudy'sside,ayoungmaiden;hehadnotnoticedhertillshecamequiteneartohim.shewasalsogoingtoascendthemountain.themaiden'seyesshonewithanunearthlypower,whichobligedyoutolookintothem;theywerestrangeeyes,-clear,deep,andunfathomable.

"hastthoualover?"askedrudy;allhisthoughtswerenaturallyonlovejustthen.

"ihavenone,"answeredthemaiden,withalaugh;itwasasifshehadnotspokenthetruth.

"donotletusgosuchalongwayround,"saidshe."wemustkeeptotheleft;itismuchshorter."

"ah,yes,"hereplied;"andfallintosomecrevasse.doyoupretendtobeaguide,andnotknowtheroadbetterthanthat?"

"iknoweverystepoftheway,"saidshe;"andmythoughtsarecollected,whileyoursaredowninthevalleyyonder.weshouldthinkoftheicemaidenwhileweareuphere;mensaysheisnotkindtotheirrace."

"ifearhernot,"saidrudy."shecouldnotkeepmewheniwasachild;iwillnotgivemyselfuptohernowiamaman."

darknesscameon,therainfell,andthenitbegantosnow,andthewhitenessdazzledtheeyes.

"givemeyourhand,"saidthemaiden;"iwillhelpyoutomount."andhefeltthetouchofhericyfingers.

"youhelpme,"criedrudy;"idonotyetrequireawomantohelpmetoclimb."andhesteppedquicklyforwardsawayfromher.

thedriftingsnow-showerfelllikeaveilbetweenthem,thewindwhistled,andbehindhimhecouldhearthemaidenlaughingandsinging,andthesoundwasmoststrangetohear.

"itcertainlymustbeaspectreoraservantoftheicemaiden,"thoughtrudy,whohadheardsuchthingstalkedaboutwhenhewasalittleboy,andhadstayedallnightonthemountainwiththeguides.

thesnowfellthickerthanever,thecloudslaybeneathhim;helookedback,therewasnoonetobeseen,butheheardsoundsofmockinglaughter,whichwerenotthoseofahumanvoice.

whenrudyatlengthreachedthehighestpartofthemountain,wherethepathleddowntothevalleyoftherhone,thesnowhadceased,andintheclearheavenshesawtwobrightstarsyremindedhimofbabetteandofhimself,andofhisfuturehappiness,andhisheartglowedatthethought.

vi.thevisittothemill

"whatbeautifulthingsyouhavebroughthome!"