In the hotel was a buzz of tourists. Alexander and Hannele sat in the restaurant drinking hot coffee and milk, and watching the maidens1 in cotton frocks and aprons2 and bare arms, and the fair youths with maidenly3 necks and huge voracious4 boots, and the many Jews of the wrong sort and the wrong shape. These Jews were all being very Austrian, in Tyrol costume that didn’t sit on them, assuming the whole gesture and intonation5 of aristocratic Austria, so that you might think they WERE Austrian aristocrats6, if you weren’t properly listening, or if you didn’t look twice. Certainly they were lords of the Alps, or at least lords of the Alpine7 hotels this summer, let prejudice be what it might. Jews of the wrong sort. And yet even they imparted a wholesome8 breath of sanity9, disillusion10, unsentimentality to the excited ‘Bergheil’ atmosphere. Their dark-eyed, sardonic11 presence seemed to say to the maidenly-necked mountain youths: ‘Don’t sprout12 wings of the spirit too much, my dears.’
The rain had ceased. There was a wisp of sunshine from a grey sky. Alexander left the knapsack, and the two went out into the air. Before them lay the last level of the up-climb, the Lammerboden. It was a rather gruesome hollow between the peaks, a last shallow valley about a mile long. At the end the enormous static stream of the glacier13 poured in from the blunt mountain-top of ice. The ice was dull, sullen14-coloured, melted on the surface by the very hot summer: and so it seemed a huge, arrested, sodden15 flood, ending in a wave-wall of stone-speckled ice upon the valley bed of rocky débris. A gruesome descent of stone and blocks of rock, the little valley bed, with a river raving16 through. On the left rose the grey rock, but the glacier was there, sending down great paws of ice. It was like some great, deep-furred ice-bear lying spread upon the top heights, and reaching down terrible paws of ice into the valley: like some immense sky-bear fishing in the earth’s solid hollows from above. Hepburn it just filled with terror. Hannele too it scared, but it gave her a sense of ecstasy17. Some of the immense, furrowed18 paws of ice held down between the rock were vivid blue in colour, but of a frightening, poisonous blue, like crystal copper19 sulphate. Most of the ice was a sullen, semi-translucent20 greeny grey.
The two set off to walk through the massy, desolate21 stone-bed, under rocks and over waters, to the main glacier. The flowers were even more beautiful on this last reach. Particularly the dark harebells were large and almost black and ice-metallic: one could imagine they gave a dull ice-chink. And the grass of Parnassus stood erect22, white-veined big cups held terribly naked and open to their ice air.
From behind the great blunt summit of ice that blocked the distance at the end of the valley, a pale-grey, woolly mist or cloud was fusing up, exhaling23 huge, like some grey-dead aura into the sky, and covering the top of the glacier. All the way along the valley people were threading, strangely insignificant24, among the grey dishevel of stone and rock, like insects. Hannele and Alexander went ahead quickly, along the tiring track.
‘Are you glad now that you came?’ she said, looking at him triumphant25.
‘Very glad I came,’ he said. His eyes were dilated26 with excitement that was ordeal27 or mystic battle rather than the Bergheil ecstasy. The curious vibration28 of his excitement made the scene strange, rather horrible to her. She too shuddered29. But it still seemed to her to hold the key to all glamour30 and ecstasy, the great silent, living glacier. It seemed to her like a grand beast.
As they came near they saw the wall of ice: the glacier end, thick crusted and speckled with stone and dirt debris31. From underneath32, secret in stones, water rushed out. When they came quite near, they saw the great monster was sweating all over, trickles33 and rivulets34 of sweat running down his sides of pure, slush-translucent ice. There it was, the glacier, ending abruptly35 in the wall of ice under which they stood. Near to, the ice was pure, but water-logged, all the surface rather rotten from the hot summer. It was sullenly36 translucent, and of a watery37, darkish bluey-green colour. But near the earth it became again bright coloured, gleams of green like jade38, gleams of blue like thin, pale sapphire39, in little caverns40 above the wet stones where the walls trickled41 for ever.
Alexander wanted to climb on to the glacier. It was his one desire — to stand upon it. So under the pellucid42 wet wall they toiled43 among rock upwards44, to where the guide-track mounted the ice. Several other people were before them — mere45 day tourists — and all uncertain about venturing any farther. For the ice-slope rose steep and slithery, pure, sun-locked, sweating ice. Still, it was like a curved back. One could scramble46 on to it, and on up to the first level, like the flat on top of some huge paw.
There stood the little cluster of people, facing the uphill of sullen, pure, sodden-looking ice. They were all afraid: naturally. But being human, they all wanted to go beyond their fear. It was strange that the ice looked so pure, like flesh. Not bright, because the surface was soft like a soft, deep epidermis47. But pure ice away down to immense depths.
Alexander, after some hesitation48, began gingerly to try the ice. He was frightened of it. And he had no stick, and only smooth-soled boots. But he had a great desire to stand on the glacier. So, gingerly and shakily, he began to struggle a few steps up the pure slope. The ice was soft on the surface, he could kick his heel in it and get a little sideways grip. So, staggering and going sideways he got up a few yards, and was on the naked ice-slope.
Immediately the youths and the fat man below began to tackle it too: also two maidens. For some time, however, Alexander gingerly and scramblingly led the way. The slope of ice was steeper, and rounded, so that it was difficult to stand up in any way. Sometimes he slipped, and was clinging with burnt finger-ends to the soft ice mass. Then he tried throwing his coat down, and getting a foot-hold on that. Then he went quite quickly by bending down and getting a little grip with his fingers, and going ridiculously as on four legs.
Hannele watched from below, and saw the ridiculous exhibition, and was frightened and amused, but more frightened. And she kept calling, to the great joy of the Austrians down below:
‘Come back. Do come back.’
But when he got on to his feet again he only waved his hand at her, half crossly, as she stood away down there in her blue frock. The other fellows with sticks and nail-boots had now taken heart and were scrambling49 like crabs50 past our hero, doing better than he.
He had come to a rift51 in the ice. He sat near the edge and looked down. Clean, pure ice, fused with pale colour, and fused into intense copper-sulphate blue away down in the crack. It was not like crystal, but fused as one fuses a borax bead52 under a blow-flame. And keenly, wickedly blue in the depths of the crack.
He looked upwards. He had not half mounted the slope. So on he went, upon the huge body of the soft-fleshed ice, slanting53 his way sometimes on all fours, sometimes using his coat, usually hitting-in with the side of his heel. Hannele down below was crying him to come back. But two other youths were now almost level with him.
So he struggled on till he was more or less over the brim. There he stood and looked at the ice. It came down from above in a great hollow world of ice. A world, a terrible place of hills and valleys and slopes, all motionless, all of ice. Away above the grey mist-cloud was looming54 bigger. And near at hand were long, huge cracks, side by side, like gills in the ice. It would seem as if the ice breathed through these great ridged gills. One could look down into the series of gulfs, fearful depths, and the colour burning that acid, intense blue, intenser as the crack went deeper. And the crests55 of the open gills ridged and grouped pale blue above the crevices56. It seemed as if the ice breathed there.
The wonder, the terror, and the bitterness of it. Never a warm leaf to unfold, never a gesture of life to give off. A world sufficient unto itself in lifelessness, all this ice.
He turned to go down, though the youths were passing beyond him. And seeing the naked translucent ice heaving downwards57 in a vicious curve, always the same dark translucency58 underfoot, he was afraid. If he slipped, he would certainly slither the whole way down, and break some of his bones. Even when he sat down he had to cling with his finger-nails in the ice, because if he had started to slide he would have slid the whole way down on his trouser-seat, precipitously, and have landed heaven knows how.
Hannele was watching from below. And he was frightened, perched, seated on the shoulder of ice and not knowing how to get off. Above he saw the great blue gills of ice ridging the air. Down below were two blue cracks — then the last wet level claws of ice upon the stones. And there stood Hannele and the three or four people who had got so far.
However, he found that by striking in his heels sideways with sufficient sharpness he could keep his footing, no matter how steep the slope. So he started to jerk his way zig-zag downwards.
As he descended59, arrived a guide with a black beard and all the paraphernalia60 of ropes and pole and bristling61 boots. He and his gentlemen began to strike their way up the ice. With those bristling nails like teeth in one’s boots, it was quite easy: and a pole to press on to.
Hannele, who had got sick of waiting, and who was also frightened, had gone scuttling62 on the return journey. He hurried after her, thankful to be off the ice, but excited and gratified. Looking round, he saw the guide and the men on the ice watching the ice-world and the weather. Then they too turned to come down. The day wasn’t safe.
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1
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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aprons
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| 围裙( apron的名词复数 )； 停机坪，台口（舞台幕前的部份） | |
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maidenly
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| adj. 像处女的, 谨慎的, 稳静的 | |
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voracious
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| adj.狼吞虎咽的，贪婪的 | |
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intonation
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| n.语调，声调；发声 | |
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aristocrats
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| n.贵族( aristocrat的名词复数 ) | |
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alpine
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| adj.高山的；n.高山植物 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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disillusion
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| vt.使不再抱幻想，使理想破灭 | |
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sardonic
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| adj.嘲笑的，冷笑的，讥讽的 | |
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sprout
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| n.芽，萌芽；vt.使发芽，摘去芽；vi.长芽，抽条 | |
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glacier
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| n.冰川，冰河 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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raving
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| adj.说胡话的；疯狂的，怒吼的；非常漂亮的；令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话；疯话adv.胡言乱语地；疯狂地 | |
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ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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furrowed
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| v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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translucent
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| adj.半透明的；透明的 | |
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21
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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22
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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23
exhaling
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| v.呼出，发散出( exhale的现在分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气 | |
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24
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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26
dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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28
vibration
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| n.颤动，振动；摆动 | |
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29
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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30
glamour
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| n.魔力，魅力；vt.迷住 | |
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31
debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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33
trickles
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| n.细流( trickle的名词复数 )；稀稀疏疏缓慢来往的东西v.滴( trickle的第三人称单数 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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34
rivulets
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| n.小河，小溪( rivulet的名词复数 ) | |
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35
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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37
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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38
jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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39
sapphire
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| n.青玉，蓝宝石；adj.天蓝色的 | |
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40
caverns
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| 大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
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41
trickled
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| v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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42
pellucid
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| adj.透明的，简单的 | |
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43
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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44
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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45
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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46
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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47
epidermis
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| n.表皮 | |
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48
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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49
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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50
crabs
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| n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 ) | |
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51
rift
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| n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入 | |
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52
bead
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| n.念珠；(pl.)珠子项链；水珠 | |
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53
slanting
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| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
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54
looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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55
crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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56
crevices
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| n.（尤指岩石的）裂缝，缺口( crevice的名词复数 ) | |
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57
downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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58
translucency
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| 半透明，半透明物； 半透澈度 | |
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59
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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60
paraphernalia
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| n.装备；随身用品 | |
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61
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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62
scuttling
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| n.船底穿孔，打开通海阀（沉船用）v.使船沉没( scuttle的现在分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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