heasked.

"iamathome,"shereplied;"iamwatchingmyflocks."

"yourflocks!"heexclaimed;"wheredotheyfindpasture?thereisnothingherebutsnowandrocks."

"muchyouknowofwhatgrowshere,"shereplied,laughing."notfarbeneathusthereisbeautifulpasture-land.mygoatsgothere.itendthemcarefully;inevermissone.whatisoncemineremainsmine."

"youarebold,"saidrudy.

"andsoareyou,"sheanswered.

"haveyouanymilkinthehouse?"heasked;"ifso,givemesometodrink;mythirstisintolerable."

"ihavesomethingbetterthanmilk,"shereplied,"whichiwillgiveyou.sometravellerswhowerehereyesterdaywiththeirguideleftbehindthemahalfaflaskofwine,suchasyouhavenevertasted.theywillnotcomebacktofetchit,iknow,andishallnotdrinkit;soyoushallhaveit."

thenthemaidenwenttofetchthewine,pouredsomeintoawoodencup,andofferedittorudy.

"howgooditis!"saidhe;"ihaveneverbeforetastedsuchwarm,invigoratingwine."andhiseyessparkledwithnewlife;aglowdiffuseditselfoverhisframe;itseemedasifeverysorrow,everyoppressionwerebanishedfromhismind,andafresh,freenaturewerestirringwithinhim."youaresurelyannette,theschoolmaster'sdaughter,"criedhe;"willyougivemeakiss?"

"yes,ifyouwillgivemethatbeautifulringwhichyouwearonyourfinger."

"mybetrothalring?"hereplied.

"yes,justso,"saidthemaiden,asshepouredoutsomemorewine,andheldittohislips.againhedrank,andalivingjoystreamedthrougheveryvein.

"thewholeworldismine,whythereforeshouldigrieve?"thoughthe."everythingiscreatedforourenjoymentandstreamoflifeisastreamofhappiness;letusflowonwithittojoyandfelicity."

rudygazedontheyoungmaiden;itwasannette,andyetitwasnotannette;stilllessdidhesupposeitwasthespectralphantom,whomhehadmetneargrindelwald.themaidenuphereonthemountainwasfreshasthenewfallensnow,bloomingasanalpinerose,andasnimble-footedasayoungkid.still,shewasoneofadam'srace,likerudy.heflunghisarmsroundthebeautifulbeing,andgazedintoherwonderfullycleareyes,-onlyforamoment;butinthatmomentwordscannotexpresstheeffectofhisgaze.wasitthespiritoflifeorofdeaththatoverpoweredhim?washerisinghigher,orsinkinglowerandlowerintothedeep,deadlyabyss?heknewnot;butthewallsoficeshonelikeblue-greenglass;innumerablecleftsyawnedaroundhim,andthewater-dropstinkledlikethechimingofchurchbells,andshoneclearlyaspearlsinthelightofapale-blueflame.theicemaiden,forsheitwas,kissedhim,andherkisssentachillasoficethroughhiswholeframe.acryofagonyescapedfromhim;hestruggledtogetfree,andtotteredfromher.foramomentallwasdarkbeforehiseyes,butwhenheopenedthemagainitwaslight,andthealpinemaidenhadvanished.thepowersofevilhadplayedtheirgame;theshelteringhutwasnomoretobeseen.thewatertrickleddownthenakedsidesoftherocks,andsnowlaythicklyallaround.rudyshiveredwithcold;hewaswetthroughtotheskin;andhisringwasgone,-thebetrothalringthatbabettehadgivensgunlaynearhiminthesnow;hetookitupandtriedtodischargeit,butitmissedfire.heavycloudslayonthemountainclefts,likefirmmassesofsnow.upononeofthesevertigosat,lurkingafterhispowerlessprey,andfrombeneathcameasoundasifapieceofrockhadfallenfromthecleft,andwascrushingeverythingthatstoodinitswayoropposeditscourse.

but,atthemiller's,babettesataloneandwept.rudyhadnotbeentoseeherforsixdays.hewhowasinthewrong,andwhooughttoaskherforgiveness;fordidshenotlovehimwithherwholeheart?