"holdfast,rudy!"criedhisuncle;"holdfast,withallyourmight."

thenrudyclungwithhisarmstothetrunkofthenearesttree,whilehisuncleclimbedabovehim,andheldfastbytheavalancherolledpastthematsomedistance;butthegustofwindthatfollowed,likethestorm-wingsoftheavalanche,snappedasunderthetreesandbushesoverwhichitswept,asiftheyhadbeenbutdryrushes,andthrewthemaboutineverydirection.thetreetowhichrudyclungwasthusoverthrown,andrudydashedtotheground.thehigherbranchesweresnappedoff,andcarriedawaytoagreatdistance;andamongtheseshatteredbrancheslayrudy'suncle,withhisskullfractured.whentheyfoundhim,hishandwasstillwarm;butitwouldhavebeenimpossibletorecognizehisface.rudystoodby,paleandtrembling;itwasthefirstshockofhislife,thefirsttimehehadeverfeltfear.lateintheeveninghereturnedhomewiththefatalnews,-tothathomewhichwasnowtobesofullofsorrow.hisuncle'swifeutterednotaword,norshedatear,tillthecorpsewasbroughtin;thenheragonyburstpoorcretincreptawaytohisbed,andnothingwasseenofhimduringthewholeofthefollowingday.towardsevening,however,hecametorudy,andsaid,"willyouwritealetterforme?saperlicannotwrite;saperlicanonlytaketheletterstothepost."

"aletterforyou!"saidrudy;"whodoyouwishtowriteto?"

"tothelordchrist,"hereplied.

"whatdoyoumean?"askedrudy.

thenthepooridiot,asthecretinwasoftencalled,lookedatrudywithamosttouchingexpressioninhiseyes,claspedhishands,andsaid,solemnlyanddevoutly,"saperliwantstosendalettertojesuschrist,toprayhimtoletsaperlidie,andnotthemasterofthehousehere."

rudypressedhishand,andreplied,"aletterwouldnotreachhimupabove;itwouldnotgivehimbackwhomwehavelost."

itwasnot,however,easyforrudytoconvincesaperlioftheimpossibilityofdoingwhathewished.

"nowyoumustworkforus,"saidhisfoster-mother;andrudyverysoonbecametheentiresupportofthehouse.babette

iv.babette

whowasthebestmarksmaninthecantonvalais?thechamoisknewwell."saveyourselvesfromrudy,"theymightwellsay.andwhoisthehandsomestmarksman?"oh,itisrudy,"saidthemaidens;buttheydidnotsay,"saveyourselvesfromrudy."neitherdidanxiousmotherssayso;forhebowedtothemaspleasantlyastotheyounggirls.hewassobraveandcheerful.hischeekswerebrown,histeethwhite,andhiseyesdarkandsparkling.hewasnowahandsomeyoungmanoftwentyyears.themosticywatercouldnotdeterhimfromswimming;hecouldtwistandturnlikeafish.nonecouldclimblikehe,andheclungasfirmlytotheedgesoftherocksasalimpet.hehadstrongmuscularpower,ascouldbeseenwhenheleaptfromrocktorock.hehadlearntthisfirstfromthecat,andmorelatelyfromthechamois.rudywasconsideredthebestguideoverthemountains;everyonehadgreatconfidenceinhim.hemighthavemadeagreatdealofmoneyasguide.hisunclehadalsotaughthimthetradeofacooper;buthehadnoinclinationforeither;hisdelightwasinchamois-hunting,whichalsobroughthimplentyofmoney.rudywouldbeaverygoodmatch,aspeoplesaid,ifhewouldnotlookabovehisownstation.hewasalsosuchafamouspartnerindancing,thatthegirlsoftendreamtabouthim,andoneandanotherthoughtofhimevenwhenawake.

"hekissedmeinthedance,"saidannette,theschoolmaster'sdaughter,toherdearestfriend;butsheoughtnottohavetoldthis,eventoherdearestfriend.itisnoteasytokeepsuchsecrets;theyarelikesandinasieve;theyslipout.itwasthereforesoonknownthatrudy,sobraveandsogoodashewas,hadkissedsomeonewhiledancing,andyethehadneverkissedherwhowasdearesttohim.

"ah,ah,"saidanoldhunter,"hehaskissedannette,hashe?