cried the miller.
  Babette screamed, and started back, while her eyes wandered fromRudy to the bird in astonishment.
  "You are not to be discouraged by difficulties, I see," said themiller.
  "And you will keep your word," replied Rudy. "Each has his owncharacteristic, whether it is honor or courage."
  "But how is it you did not break your neck?" asked the miller.
  "Because I held fast," answered Rudy; "and I mean to hold fastto Babette."
  "You must get her first," said the miller, laughing; and Babettethought this a very good sign.
  "We must take the bird out of the basket," said she. "It isgetting into a rage; how its eyes glare. How did you manage to conquerit?"
  Then Rudy had to describe his adventure, and the miller's eyesopened wide as he listened.
  "With your courage and your good fortune you might win threewives," said the miller.
  "Oh, thank you," cried Rudy.
  "But you have not won Babette yet," said the miller, slappingthe young Alpine hunter on the shoulder playfully.
  "Have you heard the fresh news at the mill?" asked theparlor-cat of the kitchen-cat. "Rudy has brought us the young eagle,and he is to take Babette in exchange. They kissed each other in thepresence of the old man, which is as good as an engagement. He wasquite civil about it; drew in his claws, and took his afternoon nap,so that the two were left to sit and wag their tails as much as theypleased. They have so much to talk about that it will not befinished till Christmas." Neither was it finished till Christmas.
  The wind whirled the faded, fallen leaves; the snow drifted in thevalleys, as well as upon the mountains, and the Ice Maiden sat inthe stately palace which, in winter time, she generally occupied.The perpendicular rocks were covered with slippery ice, and where insummer the stream from the rocks had left a watery veil, icicles largeand heavy hung from the trees, while the snow-powdered fir-treeswere decorated with fantastic garlands of crystal. The Ice Maiden rodeon the howling wind across the deep valleys, the country, as far asBex, was covered with a carpet of snow, so that the Ice Maiden couldfollow Rudy, and see him, when he visited the mill; and while in theroom at the miller's house, where he was accustomed to spend so muchof his time with Babette. The wedding was to take place in thefollowing summer, and they heard enough of it, for so many of theirfriends spoke of the matter.
  Then came sunshine to the mill. The beautiful Alpine rosesbloomed, and joyous, laughing Babette, was like the early spring,which makes all the birds sing of summer time and bridal days.
  "How those two do sit and chatter together," said theparlor-cat; "I have had enough of their mewing."
  IX. THE ICE MAIDEN
  The walnut and chestnut trees, which extend from the bridge of St.Maurice, by the river Rhone, to the shores of the lake of Geneva, werealready covered with the delicate green garlands of early spring, justbursting into bloom, while the Rhone rushed wildly from its sourceamong the green glaciers which form the ice palace of the IceMaiden. She sometimes allows herself to be carried by the keen wind tothe lofty snow-fields, where she stretches herself in the sunshineon the soft snowy-cushions. From thence she throws her far-seeingglance into the deep valley beneath, where human beings are busilymoving about like ants on a stone in the sun. "Spirits of strength, asthe children of the sun call you," cried the Ice Maiden, "ye are butworms! Let but a snow-ball roll, and you and your houses and yourtowns are crushed and swept away." And she raised her proud head,and looked around her with eyes that flashed death from theirglance. From the valley came a rumbling sound; men were busily at workblasting the rocks to form tunnels, and laying down roads for therailway. "They are playing at work underground, like moles," said she."They are digging passages beneath the earth, and the noise is likethe reports of cannons. I shall throw down my palaces, for theclamor is louder than the roar of thunder." Then there ascended fromthe valley a thick vapor, which waved itself in the air like afluttering veil. It rose, as a plume of feathers, from a steam engine,to which, on the lately-opened railway, a string of carriages waslinked, carriage to carriage, looking like a winding serpent. Thetrain shot past with the speed of an arrow. "They play at beingmasters down there, those spirits of strength!"