andthisevening,forthelasttime,rudyandbabettesatinthemiller'shouseasanengagedcouple.outside,thealpsglowedintheeveningsunset,theeveningbellschimed,andthechildrenofthesunbeamsang,"whateverhappensisbest."

xiv.nightvisions

thesunhadgonedown,andthecloudslaylowonthevalleyoftherhone.thewindblewfromthesouthacrossthemountains;itwasanafricanwind,awindwhichscatteredthecloudsforamoment,andthensuddenlyfell.thebrokencloudshunginfantasticformsuponthewood-coveredhillsbytherapidrhone.theyassumedtheshapesofantediluviananimals,ofeagleshoveringintheair,offrogsleapingoveramarsh,andthensunkdownupontherushingstreamandappearedtosailuponit,althoughfloatingintheair.anuprootedfir-treewasbeingcarriedawaybythecurrent,andmarkingoutitspathbyeddyingcirclesonthewater.vertigoandhissistersweredancinguponit,andraisingthesecirclesonthefoamingriver.themoonlightedupthesnowonthemountain-tops,shoneonthedarkwoods,andonthedriftingcloudsthosefantasticformswhichatnightmightbetakenforspiritsofthepowersofnature.themountain-dwellersawthemthroughthepanesofhislittlewindow.theysailedinhostsbeforetheicemaidenasshecameoutofherpalaceofice.thensheseatedherselfonthetrunkofthefir-treeasonabrokenskiff,andthewaterfromtheglacierscarriedherdowntherivertotheopenlake.

"theweddingguestsarecoming,"soundedfromairandsea.thesewerethesightsandsoundswithout;withintherewerevisions,forbabettehadawonderfuldream.shedreamtthatshehadbeenmarriedtorudyformanyyears,andthat,onedaywhenhewasoutchamoishunting,andshealoneintheirdwellingathome,theyoungenglishmanwiththegoldenwhiskerssatwithher.hiseyeswerequiteeloquent,andhiswordspossessedamagicpower;heofferedherhishand,andshewasobligedtofollowhim.theywentoutofthehouseandsteppeddownwards,alwaysdownwards,anditseemedtobabetteasifshehadaweightonherheartwhichcontinuallygrewheavier.shefeltshewascommittingasinagainstrudy,asinagainstgod.suddenlyshefoundherselfforsaken,herclothestornbythethorns,andherhairgray;shelookedupwardsinheragony,andthere,ontheedgeoftherock,sheespiedrudy.shestretchedoutherarmstohim,butshedidnotventuretocallhimortopray;andhadshecalledhim,itwouldhavebeenuseless,foritwasnotrudy,onlyhishuntingcoatandhathangingonanalpenstock,asthehunterssometimesarrangethemtodeceivethechamois."oh!"sheexclaimedinheragony;"oh,thatihaddiedonthehappiestdayofmylife,mywedding-day.omygod,itwouldhavebeenamercyandablessinghadrudytravelledfarawayfromme,andihadneverknownhim.noneknowwhatwillhappeninthefuture."andthen,inungodlydespair,shecastherselfdownintothedeeprockygulf.thespellwasbroken;acryofterrorescapedher,andsheawoke.

thedreamwasover;ithadvanished.butsheknewshehaddreamtsomethingfrightfulabouttheyoungenglishman,yetmonthshadpassedsinceshehadseenhimoreventhoughtofhim.washestillatmontreux,andshouldshemeethimthereonherweddingday?aslightshadowpassedoverherprettymouthasshethoughtofthis,andsheknitherbrows;butthesmilesoonreturnedtoherlip,andjoysparkledinhereyes,forthiswasthemorningofthedayonwhichsheandrudyweretobemarried,andthesunwasshiningbrightly.rudywasalreadyintheparlorwhensheenteredit,andtheyverysoonstartedforvilleneuve.bothofthemwereoverflowingwithhappiness,andthemillerwasinthebestoftempers,laughingandmerry;hewasagood,honestsoul,andakindfather.

"nowwearemastersofthehouse,"saidtheparlor-cat.

xv.theconclusion

itwasearlyintheafternoon,andjustatdinner-time,whenthethreejoyoustravellersreachedvilleneuve.afterdinner,themillerplacedhimselfinthearm-chair,smokedhispipe,andhadalittlenap.thebridalpairwentarm-in-armoutthroughthetownandalongthehighroad,atthefootofthewood-coveredrocks,andbythedeep,bluelake.

thegraywalls,andtheheavyclumsy-lookingtowersofthegloomycastleofchillon,werereflectedintheclearflood.thelittleisland,onwhichgrewthethreeacacias,layatashortdistance,lookinglikeabouquetrisingfromthelake."howdelightfulitmustbetolivethere,"saidbabette,whoagainfeltthegreatestwishtovisittheisland;andanopportunityofferedtogratifyherwishatonce,forontheshorelayaboat,andtheropebywhichitwasmooredcouldbeveryeasilyloosened.theysawnoonenear,sotheytookpossessionofitwithoutaskingpermissionofanyone,andrudycouldrowverywell.theoarsdividedthepliantwaterlikethefinsofafish-thatwaterwhich,withallitsyieldingsoftness,issostrongtobearandtocarry,somildandsmilingwhenatrest,andyetsoterribleinitsdestroyingpower.awhitestreakoffoamfollowedinthewakeoftheboat,which,inafewminutes,carriedthembothtothelittleisland,wheretheywentonshore;buttherewasonlyjustroomenoughfortwotodance.rudyswungbabetteroundtwoorthreetimes;andthen,hand-in-hand,theysatdownonalittlebenchunderthedroopingacacia-tree,andlookedintoeachother'seyes,whileeverythingaroundthemglowedintheraysofthesettingsun.

thefir-treeforestsonthemountainswerecoveredwithapurplehueliketheheatherbloom;andwherethewoodsterminated,andtherocksbecameprominent,theylookedalmosttransparentintherichcrimsonglowoftheeveningsky.thesurfaceofthelakewaslikeabedofpinkrose-leaves.

astheeveningadvanced,theshadowsfelluponthesnow-cappedmountainsofsavoypaintingthemincolorsofdeepblue,whiletheirtopmostpeaksglowedlikeredlava;andforamomentthislightwasreflectedonthecultivatedpartsofthemountains,makingthemappearasifnewlyrisenfromthelapofearth,andgivingtothesnow-crestedpeakofthedentdumiditheappearanceofthefullmoonasitrisesabovethehorizon.

rudyandbabettefeltthattheyhadneverseenthealpineglowinsuchperfectionbefore."howverybeautifulitis,andwhathappinesstobehere!"