Part 4 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: It was captured alive.]

In a corner of the nest he saw a large and powerful eaglet, which could not yet fly. Rudy fastened his eyes on it, held himself with all the force of one hand, and cast, with the other hand, a noose over the young bird. Thus, with its legs entangled in the line, it was captured alive. Rudy threw the noose with the bird in it over his shoulder, so that it hung a good way below him, and by the help of a rope he made himself fast till his toes reached the highest rung of the ladder.

”Hold fast! don't believe you will fall, and you won't fall!” this was his old lesson, and he stuck to it; he held fast, he scrambled, he was certain he should not fall, and he did not fall.

And now was heard a yodel, so vigorous and joyful. Rudy stood on the firm rock with his eaglet.

CHAPTER VIII.

”I HOLD FAST TO BABETTE.”

”Here is what you demanded!” said Rudy, entering the miller's house at Bex; and, setting on the floor a large basket, he took off the cloth, and there glared from it two yellow, black-rimmed eyes, so sparkling, so wild, that they seemed to burn and devour everything they saw; the short, strong beak gaped, ready to bite, the neck was red and downy.

”The eaglet!” shouted the miller. Babette gave one scream, and sprang aside, but she could not turn her eyes away from Rudy or the eaglet.

”You are not to be frightened!” said the miller.

”And you always keep your word!” said Rudy; ”each has his own characteristic!”

”But how is it you did not break your neck?” inquired the miller.

”Because I held fast!” answered Rudy, ”and that I do still! I hold fast to Babette!”

”First see that you have her!” said the miller with a laugh; and that was a good sign, Babette knew.

”Let us get the eaglet out of the basket; it looks dangerous. How it stares! How did you catch it?”

And Rudy had to tell them, and the miller stared, opening his eyes wider and wider.

”With your boldness and luck you can maintain three wives!” said the miller.

”Thank you! thank you!” cried Rudy.

”Yes; still you have not got Babette!” said the miller, and jestingly slapped the young hunter on the shoulder.

”Have you heard the news in the mill?” said the parlor cat to the kitchen cat. ”Rudy has brought us the eaglet, and will take Babette in exchange. They have kissed each other and let father see it! That is as good as an engagement. The old man didn't kick; he drew in his claws, and took his nap after dinner, and let the two sit and wag their tails. They have so much to say, they won't be finished before Christmas.”

Nor had they finished before Christmas. The wind scattered the brown leaves, the snow drifted in the valley and on the high mountains. The Ice-Maiden sat in her n.o.ble palace, which grows in the winter; the rocky walls were coated with ice, there were icicles ponderous as elephants where in the summer the mountain-torrent poured its watery deluge; ice-garlands of fantastic ice-crystals glittered on the snow-powdered fir-trees. The Ice-Maiden rode on the whistling wind across the deepest valleys. The snow carpet was spread quite down to Bex, and she could come there and see Rudy within doors, more than he was accustomed to, for he sat with Babette. The marriage was to take place towards the summer; he often had a ringing in his ears, so frequently did his friends talk of it. There was summer, glowing with the most beautiful Alpine roses, the merry, laughing Babette, beautiful as spring, the spring that makes all the birds sing of summer and of weddings.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Rudy and Babette.]

”How can those two sit and hang over each other?” said the parlor cat.

”I am now quite tired of their mewing!”