saidthemiller.

poorbabettesatwithherhandsclasped,andherheadboweddown,dumbwithgrief;shehadceasedtoweepandcryforhelp.

"inthedeepwater!"shesaidtoherself;"fardownhelies,asifbeneathaglacier."

deepinherheartrestedthememoryofwhatrudyhadtoldherofthedeathofhismother,andofhisownrecovery,evenafterhehadbeentakenupasdeadfromthecleftintheglacier.

"ah,"shethought,"theicemaidenhashimatlast."

suddenlytherecameaflashoflightning,asdazzlingastheraysofthesunonthewhitesnow.thelakeroseforamomentlikeashiningglacier;andbeforebabettestoodthepallid,glittering,majesticformoftheicemaiden,andatherfeetlayrudy'scorpse.

"mine!"shecried,andagainallwasdarknessaroundtheheavingwater.

"howcruel,"murmuredbabette;"whyshouldhediejustasthedayofhappinessdrewnear?mercifulgod,enlightenmyunderstanding,shedlightuponmyheart;foricannotcomprehendthearrangementsofthyprovidence,evenwhileibowtothedecreeofthyalmightywisdomandpower."andgoddidenlightenherheart.

asuddenflashofthought,likearayofmercy,recalledherdreamoftheprecedingnight;allwasvividlyrepresentedbeforeher.sherememberedthewordsandwishesshehadthenexpressed,thatwhatwasbestforherandforrudyshemightpiouslysubmitto.

"woeisme,"shesaid;"wasthegermofsinreallyinmyheart?wasmydreamaglimpseintothecourseofmyfuturelife,whosethreadmustbeviolentlybrokentorescuemefromsin?oh,miserablecreaturethatiam!"

thusshesatlamentinginthedarknight,whilethroughthedeepstillnessthelastwordsofrudyseemedtoringinherears."thisearthhasnothingmoretobestow."words,utteredinthefulnessofjoy,wereagainheardamidthedepthsofsorrow.

yearshavepassedsincethissadeventhappened.theshoresofthepeacefullakestillsmileinbeauty.thevinesarefulloflusciousgrapes.steamboats,withwavingflags,passswiftlyby.pleasure-boats,withtheirswellingsails,skimlightlyoverthewaterymirror,likewhitebutterflies.therailwayisopenedbeyondchillon,andgoesfarintothedeepvalleyoftherhone.ateverystationstrangersalightwithred-boundguide-booksintheirhands,inwhichtheyreadofeveryplaceworthseeing.theyvisitchillon,andobserveonthelakethelittleislandwiththethreeacacias,andthenreadintheirguide-bookthestoryofthebridalpairwho,intheyear1856,rowedovertoit.theyreadthatthetwoweremissingtillthenextmorning,whensomepeopleontheshoreheardthedespairingcriesofthebride,andwenttoherassistance,andbyherweretoldofthebridegroom'sfate.

buttheguide-bookdoesnotspeakofbabette'squietlifeafterwardswithherfather,notatthemill-strangersdwelltherenow-butinaprettyhouseinarownearthestation.onmanyaneveningshesitsatherwindow,andlooksoutoverthechestnut-treestothesnow-cappedmountainsonwhichrudyonceroamed.shelooksatthealpineglowintheeveningsky,whichiscausedbythechildrenofthesunretiringtorestonthemountain-tops;andagaintheybreathetheirsongofthetravellerwhomthewhirlwindcoulddepriveofhiscloakbutnotofhislife.thereisarosytintonthemountainsnow,andtherearerosygleamsineachheartinwhichdwellsthethought,"godpermitsnothingtohappen,whichisnotthebestforus."butthisisnotoftenrevealedtoall,asitwasrevealedtobabetteinherwonderfuldream.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

thejewishmaiden

byhanschristianandersen

inacharityschool,amongthechildren,satalittlejewishgirl.shewasagood,intelligentchild,andveryquickatherlessons;butthescripture-lessonclassshewasnotallowedtojoin,forthiswasachristianschool.duringthehourofthislesson,thejewishgirlwasallowedtolearnhergeography,ortoworkhersumforthenextday;andwhenhergeographylessonwasperfect,thebookremainedopenbeforeher,butshereadnotanotherword,forshesatsilentlylisteningtothewordsofthechristianteacher.hesoonbecameawarethatthelittleonewaspayingmoreattentiontowhathesaidthanmostoftheotherchildren."readyourbook,sarah,"hesaidtohergently.

butagainandagainhesawherdark,beamingeyesfixeduponhim;andonce,whenheaskedheraquestion,shecouldanswerhimevenbetterthantheotherchildren.shehadnotonlyheard,butunderstoodhiswords,andponderedtheminherheart.herfather,apoorbuthonestman,hadplacedhisdaughterattheschoolontheconditionsthatsheshouldnotbeinstructedinthechristianfaith.butitmighthavecausedconfusion,orraiseddiscontentinthemindsoftheotherchildrenifshehadbeensentoutoftheroom,sosheremained;andnowitwasevidentthiscouldnotgoon.theteacherwenttoherfather,andadvisedhimtoremovehisdaughterfromtheschool,ortoallowhertobecomeachristian."icannotanylongerbeanidlespectatorofthosebeamingeyes,whichexpresssuchadeepandearnestlongingforthewordsofthegospel,"saidhe.

thenthefatherburstintotears."iknowverylittleofthelawofmyfathers,"saidhe;"butsarah'smotherwasfirminherbeliefasadaughterofisrael,andivowedtoheronherdeathbedthatourchildshouldneverbebaptized.imustkeepmyvow:itistomeevenasacovenantwithgodhimself."andsothelittlejewishgirlleftthechristianschool.

yearsrolledby.inoneofthesmallestprovincialtowns,inahumblehousehold,livedapoormaidenofthejewishfaith,asaservant.herhairwasblackasebony,hereyedarkasnight,yetfulloflightandbrilliancysopeculiartothedaughtersofthewassarah.theexpressioninthefaceofthegrown-upmaidenwasstillthesameaswhen,achild,shesatontheschoolroomformlisteningwiththoughtfuleyestothewordsofthechristianteacher.everysundaytheresoundedforthfromachurchclosebythetonesofanorganandthesingingofthecongregation.thejewishgirlheardtheminthehousewhere,industriousandfaithfulinallthings,sheperformedherhouseholdduties."thoushaltkeepthesabbathholy,"saidthevoiceofthelawinherheart;buthersabbathwasaworkingdayamongthechristians,whichwasagreattroubletodthenasthethoughtaroseinhermind,"doesgodreckonbydaysandhours?"