Part 9 (1/2)

”Ugh--talking of the icy trees makes me chilly!” said Joe.

”With life everlasting and unchangeable!” continued Glenn, after a momentary pause from the interruption of his man, which he only noticed by a significant motion of the hand for him to be silent.

”But I wouldn't like the eternal _frost-work_,” said Joe.

”Pshaw!” replied Glenn, pursuing his way downwards. When they reached the bottom of the valley, they were yet a hundred paces distant from its junction with the river, which was obscured by the many intervening trees that grew along the frozen rivulet. Here Glenn again paused to contemplate the scene. The hills that rose abruptly on either hand, and the thick intertwining branches above, combined to produce a dusky aspect scarce less dim than twilight. Glenn folded his arms composedly, and looked thoughtfully round, as if indulging the delightful fancies engendered when wandering forth on a summer's pleasant evening. ”There seems to be a supernatural influence pervading the air to-day,” he said, in a low-tone, ”for I sometimes imagine that flitting spirits become partially visible. On the pendent icicles and jewelled twigs, me thinks I sometimes behold for an instant the prismatic rays of elfins' eyes--”

”Don't believe it,” said Joe; ”or if it is so, they are weeping at the cold, and will soon be frozen up.”

”And at each sudden turn,” continued Glenn, ”they seem to linger an instant in view, and then vanish sportively, as if amused at the expense of impotent mortals.”

”I can't hear 'em laugh,” said Joe.

”And then,” continued Glenn, ”although beyond human consciousness, there may be heavenly sounds in the air--the melody of aerial harps and fairy voices--to which our ears may be sealed, when, perchance, our vicinity to their presence may inspire the peculiar sensation I now experience.”

”I heard a heap of curious sounds one warm suns.h.i.+ny morning,” said Joe; ”but when I asked an old fellow jogging along the same road what they meant, he said the day before had been so cold when the stage-driver went by that his wind froze as it came out of the bugle, and was just then thawing.”

”If such beings do exist,” continued Glenn, paying no attention to Joe, ”it would delight me to commune with them face to face.”

”I see a buck's head!” cried Joe, looking down the dell, where the object he mentioned was distinctly observable amid a cl.u.s.ter of spicewood bushes, whence a slight jingling sound proceeded as the animal plucked the nutritious buds bent down by the innumerable icicles.

”Why should not the sylvan G.o.ds”--continued Glenn.

”Hus.h.!.+ I'm going to fire!” said Joe.

”Why should they not resort hither,” said Glenn, unmindful of Joe, ”where no meaner beings abide?”

Joe fired, and Glenn started in astonishment, as if he had had no intimation of his companion's intention.

”Hang it all! Isn't he going to die, I wonder?” said Joe, after the buck had made one or two plunges in the snow, his sharp hoofs piercing through the crust on the surface, and with much struggling extricated himself and stood trembling, and looked imploringly at his foe.

”What in the world are you about?” exclaimed Glenn, casting a listless glance at the deer, and then staring his companion in the face.

”Whip me if there was any lead in the gun!” said Joe. ”I drew the bullets out yesterday, and forgot to put them in again. But no matter--he can't run through the snow--I'll kill him with the b.u.t.t of my musket.”

”Move not, at your peril!” said Glenn, authoritatively, when Joe was about to rush on the defenceless buck.

”I do believe you are out of your head!” said Joe, staring Glenn in the face, and glancing at the tempting prize, alternately.

”At such an hour--in such an elysian place as this--no blood shall be spilled. It were profanity to discolor these pearly walks with clotted gore.”

”The deuce take the pearls, say I!” said Joe.

”Perhaps,” continued Glenn, ”a G.o.d may have put on the semblance of a stag to tempt us.”

”And hang me, if I wouldn't pretty soon spoil his physiognomy, if you would only say the word!” said Joe, shaking his head sullenly at the buck.

”Come,” said Glenn, sternly; and, leading the way, he pa.s.sed within a few feet of the terrified animal without turning his head aside, and directed his steps down the valley towards the river. Joe said nothing when opposite the buck, awed by the impressive tone and mysterious bearing of his master; but he grinned defiance at him, and resolved to embrace the first opportunity to steal out alone, and fully gratify his revenge; for such was the feeling he now harboured against the animal.

When they reached the margin of the river, they wandered along the narrow path that turned to the left, and continued up the stream, with the ice but a few feet distant on one hand, and the precipitous acclivity of rocks on the other. They maintained a brisk pace for about thirty minutes, when the range of cliffs terminating abruptly, they entered a low flat forest.