whatwasheabout?whyshouldhebeentertained,andwaiteduponbybabette?rudywasjealous,andthatmadebabettehappy.itamusedhertodiscoverallthefeelingsofhisheart;thestrongpointsandweakones.lovewastoherasyetonlyapastime,andsheplayedwithrudy'swholeheart.atthesametimeitmustbeacknowledgedthatherfortune,herwholelife,herinmostthoughts,herbestandmostnoblefeelingsinthisworldwereallforhim.stillthemoregloomyhelooked,themorehereyeslaughed.shecouldalmosthavekissedthefairenglishman,withthegoldenwhiskers,ifbysodoingshecouldhaveputrudyinarage,andmadehimrunoutofthehouse.thatwouldhaveprovedhowmuchhelovedher.allthiswasnotrightinbabette,butshewasonlynineteenyearsofage,andshedidnotreflectonwhatshedid,neitherdidshethinkthatherconductwouldappeartotheyoungenglishmanaslight,andnotevenbecomingthemodestandmuch-loveddaughterofthemiller.

themillatbexstoodinthehighway,whichpassedunderthesnow-cladmountains,andnotfarfromarapidmountain-stream,whosewatersseemedtohavebeenlashedintoafoamlikesoap-suds.thisstream,however,didnotpassnearenoughtothemill,andthereforethemill-wheelwasturnedbyasmallerstreamwhichtumbleddowntherocksontheoppositeside,whereitwasopposedbyastonemill-dam,andobtainedgreaterstrengthandspeed,tillitfellintoalargebasin,andfromthencethroughachanneltothemill-wheel.thischannelsometimesoverflowed,andmadethepathsoslipperythatanyonepassingthatwaymighteasilyfallin,andbecarriedtowardsthemillwheelwithfrightfulrapidity.suchacatastrophenearlyhappenedtotheyoungenglishman.hehaddressedhimselfinwhiteclothes,likeamiller'sman,andwasclimbingthepathtothemiller'shouse,buthehadneverbeentaughttoclimb,andthereforeslipped,andnearlywentinhead-foremost.hemanaged,however,toscrambleoutwithwetsleevesandbespatteredtrousers.still,wetandsplashedwithmud,hecontrivedtoreachbabette'swindow,towhichhehadbeenguidedbythelightthatshonefromit.hereheclimbedtheoldlinden-treethatstoodnearit,andbegantoimitatethevoiceofanowl,theonlybirdhecouldventuretomimic.babetteheardthenoise,andglancedthroughthethinwindowcurtain;butwhenshesawthemaninwhite,andguessedwhohewas,herlittleheartbeatwithterroraswellasanger.shequicklyputoutthelight,feltifthefasteningofthewindowwassecure,andthenlefthimtohowlaslongasheliked.howdreadfulitwouldbe,thoughtbabette,ifrudywerehereinthehouse.butrudywasnotinthehouse.no,itwasmuchworse,hewasoutside,standingjustunderthelinden-tree.hewasspeakingloud,angrywords.hecouldfight,andtheremightbemurder!babetteopenedthewindowinalarm,andcalledrudy'sname;shetoldhimtogoaway,shedidnotwishhimtoremainthere.

"youdonotwishmetostay,"criedhe;"thenthisisanappointmentyouexpected-thisgoodfriendwhomyouprefertome.shameonyou,babette!"

"youaredetestable!"exclaimedbabette,burstingintotears."goaway.ihateyou."

"ihavenotdeservedthis,"saidrudy,asheturnedaway,hischeeksburning,andhisheartlikefire.

babettethrewherselfonthebed,andweptbitterly."somuchasilovedthee,rudy,andyetthoucanstthinkillofme."

thusherangerbrokeforth;itrelievedher,however:otherwiseshewouldhavebeenmoredeeplygrieved;butnowshecouldsleepsoundly,asyouthonlycansleep.

xii.evilpowers

rudyleftbex,andtookhiswayhomealongthemountainairwasfresh,butcold;forhereamidstthedeepsnow,theicemaidenreigned.hewassohighupthatthelargetreesbeneathhim,withtheirthickfoliage,appearedlikegardenplants,andthepinesandbushesevenless.thealpinerosesgrewnearthesnow,whichlayindetachedstripes,andlookedlikelinenlaidouttobleach.abluegentiangrewinhispath,andhecrusheditwiththebuttendofhisgun.alittlehigherup,heespiedtwochamois.rudy'seyesglistened,andhisthoughtsflewatonceinadifferentdirection;buthewasnotnearenoughtotakeasureaim.heascendedstillhigher,toaspotwhereafewroughbladesofgrassgrewbetweentheblocksofstoneandthechamoispassedquietlyonoverthesnow-fields.rudywalkedhurriedly,whilethecloudsofmistgatheredroundhim.suddenlyhefoundhimselfonthebrinkofaprecipitousrock.therainwasfallingintorrents.hefeltaburningthirst,hisheadwashot,andhislimbstrembledwithcold.heseizedhishunting-flask,butitwasempty;hehadnotthoughtoffillingitbeforeascendingthemountain.hehadneverbeenillinhislife,noreverexperiencedsuchsensationsasthosehenowfelt.hewassotiredthathecouldscarcelyresistlyingdownathisfulllengthtosleep,althoughthegroundwasfloodedwiththerain.yetwhenhetriedtorousehimselfalittle,everyobjectaroundhimdancedandtrembledbeforehiseyes.

suddenlyheobservedinthedoorwayofahutnewlybuiltundertherock,ayoungmaiden.hedidnotrememberhavingseenthishutbefore,yetthereitstood;andhethought,atfirst,thattheyoungmaidenwasannette,theschoolmaster'sdaughter,whomhehadoncekissedinthedance.themaidenwasnotannette;yetitseemedasifhehadseenhersomewherebefore,perhapsneargrindelwald,ontheeveningofhisreturnhomefrominterlachen,aftertheshooting-match.

"howdidyoucomehere?"