第 2 节
作者:笑傲网络      更新:2023-05-17 13:23      字数:9322
  The little stars are the lambs; I guess;
  And the silver moon is the shepherdess。
  Sleep; baby; sleep!〃
  Over and over she sang it; until at last the heavy lids closed
  over the blue eyes。 Then she crept quietly down the creaking
  stairs in the dark; and ate her bread and cheese and drank her
  soup by candle…light with her father and mother; Seppi and Fritz;
  all seated about the kitchen table。
  By nine o'clock the room was once more silent and deserted; the
  little mouse was creeping quietly from his hole in the wall; and
  Bello lay by the door asleep with his nose on his paws。 High over
  Mt。 Pilatus the moon sailed through the star…lit sky; bathing the
  old gray farm…house in silver light and playing hide and seek
  with shadows on the snow…capped peaks。
  〃Cuckoo;〃 called the tiny wooden cuckoo nine times; and at once
  the bells in the village steeple answered him。 〃That's as it
  should be;〃 ticked the cuckoo。 〃That church…bell is really very
  intelligent。 Let me see; to…morrow morning I must wake the
  roosters at three; and the sun at four; and the family must be up
  by five。 I'll just turn in and get a wink of sleep myself while I
  can;〃 and he popped into the clock ones more and shut the door。
  II。 THE TWINS LEARN A NEW TRADE
  THE TWINS LEARN A NEW TRADE
  At five o'clock the next morning Father and Mother Adolf were
  already up; and the cuckoo woke Fritz; but though he shouted five
  times with all his might and main; neither Seppi nor Leneli
  stirred in their sleep。
  〃Fritz; go wake the Twins;〃 said Mother Adolf; when he came to
  the door of the shed where she was milking the goats。 〃Only don't
  wake the baby。 I want her to sleep as long as she will。〃
  〃Yes; Mother;〃 said Fritz dutifully; and he was off at once;
  leaping up the creaky stairs three steps at a time。
  He went first to Leneli's bed and tickled her toes。 She drew up
  her knees and slept on。 Then he went to Seppi's bed; and when
  shaking and rolling over failed to rouse him; he took him by one
  leg and pulled him out of bed。 Seppi woke up with a roar and cast
  himself upon Fritz; and in a moment the two boys were rolling
  about on the floor; yelling like Indians。 The uproar woke Leneli;
  and the baby too; and Mother Adolf; hearing the noise; came
  running from the goat…shed just in time to find Seppi sitting on
  top of Fritz beating time on his stomach to a tune which he was
  singing at the top of his lungs。 The baby was crowing with
  delight as she watched the scuffle from Leneli's arms。
  Mother Adolf gazed upon this lively scene with dismay。 Then she
  picked Seppi off Fritz's stomach and gazed sternly at her oldest
  son。 〃Fritz;〃 said she; 〃I told you to be quiet and not wake the
  baby。〃
  〃I was quiet;〃 said Fritz; sitting up。 〃I was just as quiet as I
  could be; but they wouldn't wake up that way; so I had to pull
  Seppi out of bed; there was no other way to get him up。〃 He
  looked up at his mother with such honest eyes that in spite of
  herself her lips twitched and then she smiled outright。
  〃I should have known better than to send such a great overgrown
  pup of a boy as you on such an errand;〃 she said。 〃Bello would
  have done it better。 Next time I shall send him。
  〃And now; since you are all awake; I will tell you the great news
  that Father told me last night。 He has been chosen by the commune
  to take the herds of the village up to the high alps to be gone
  all summer。 He will take Fritz with him to guard the cattle while
  he makes the cheese。 There is no better cheese…maker in all the
  mountains than your father; and that is why the commune chose
  him;〃 she finished proudly。
  More than anything else in the world; every boy in that part of
  Switzerland longs to go with the herds to the high mountain
  pastures for the summer; and Fritz was so delighted that he
  turned a somersault at once to express his feelings。 When he was
  right side up again; a puzzled look came over his face; and he
  said; 〃Who will take care of our own goats?〃
  〃Ah;〃 answered his mother; and she sighed a little。 〃There is no
  one but Seppi and Leneli。 Together they must fill your place; and
  you; Fritz; must take them with you to…day up the mountain to
  learn the way and begin their work。〃
  〃To…day! This very day?〃 screamed the Twins。 They had never been
  up to the goat…pastures in their lives; and it was a most
  exciting event。
  Then Leneli thought of her mother。 She flung her arms about her
  neck。 〃But who will stay with you; dear Mother?〃 she cried。 〃All
  day you will be alone; with everything to do and no one to speak
  to but the baby。〃
  〃Yes;〃 sighed the mother; 〃that is true。 It will be a long;
  lonely summer for me; but there is no other way; so we must each
  do our part bravely and not complain。 It is good fortune that
  Father and Fritz will both be earning money in the alps; and;
  with wise old Bello to help you; you will soon be as good
  goatherds as your brother。 Come; now; hurry and eat your
  breakfasts; for the goats are already milked and impatient to be
  gone。〃
  She took Roseli in her arms and disappeared down the stairs; and
  when; a few moments later; the Twins and Fritz came into the
  kitchen; she had their breakfast of bread and milk ready for
  them; and their luncheon of bread and cheese wrapped in a clean
  white cloth for Fritz to put in his pocket。
  Father Adolf came back from the garden; where he had been hoeing
  potatoes; to see the little procession start away for the hills。
  First came the goats; frisking about in the fresh morning air and
  jingling all their bells。 Then came Bello; looking very
  important; then Fritz with a cock's feather in his cap and his
  little horn and his cup slung over his shoulder; and last of all
  the Twins。
  〃It's a long way; my children;〃 said Mother Adolf; as she kissed
  them good…bye。 〃Your legs will get tired; but you must climb on
  just the same。 If every one stopped when he was tired; the
  world's work would never be done。 Learn the way carefully and
  remember always to pray if any danger comes。 You are very near
  the good God on the mountain; and He will take care of you if you
  ask Him; never fear。〃
  〃Obey Fritz;〃 said Father Adolf; 〃and do not stray off by
  yourselves。 Stay always with Fritz and the goats。〃
  〃We will;〃 cried the Twins; and away they ran to join their
  brother; who was already some little distance ahead of them。 They
  turned as the path rounded the great cliff where the echoes
  lived; and the Twins waved their hands; while Fritz played his
  merry little tune on the horn。 Then the rocks hid them from view;
  and the long climb began in earnest。
  It was many rough uphill miles to the alps where the goats were
  pastured; and the stout little legs ached with weariness long
  before they reached the patches of green grass which were
  reserved for them。 On the way up they passed fields where cows
  were grazing; and Bello had hard work to keep the goats in the
  path; but these pastures were only for cows; and goats were not
  allowed in them。 For two hours they climbed steadily up and up;
  following a mountain path that led sometimes beside a rushing
  brook; sometimes along the edges of dizzy precipices; and always
  among rocks with wonderful views of distant snow…capped peaks
  above them and green; green valleys below。
  At last; when it seemed to the weary children that they could not
  go another step; they came out upon a high pasture; where Fritz
  called a halt。 The goats leaped joyfully forward; snatching
  greedy mouthfuls of the rich green grass which grew among the
  rocks。 Bello flopped heavily down on a flat stone with his tongue
  hanging out; and Fritz and the Twins rolled over on their backs
  on a soft carpet of grass to rest。
  Almost at once Seppi said; 〃I'm hungry。〃
  〃So 'm I;〃 said Leneli。
  〃You'll be hungry all the time up here;〃 said Fritz
  encouragingly。 〃It's the air。〃
  〃Let's eat;〃 urged Seppi。
  Fritz took the package of luncheon from his pocket and opened it。
  〃It looks very small。 It looks a great deal smaller than it did
  at home;〃 said Leneli。 〃I wonder why?〃
  〃You are hungrier now than you were then;〃 said Fritz。
  〃I could eat it all myself;〃 said Seppi。
  〃But you won't;〃 laughed Fritz; 〃I'll see to that。〃 He divided
  the bread and cheese into three equal portions and handed one to
  each of the Twins。 The third he put in his own pocket。 〃Now I
  don't care what you do with yours;〃 he said; 〃only; if you eat it
  all now; you'll be hungry enough to browse with the goats before
  it's time to go home。 Better take just a bite and a drink of
  water and eat more by and by。〃
  Seppi looked hungrily at his portion and took a bite。 Then he
  just couldn't stop; and before he knew it his whole luncheon was
  gone and it was only nine o'clock in the morning!
  Leneli took two bites of hers; and then; wrapping it carefully in
  the piece of cloth; placed it high up on an overhanging rock out
  of the way of temptation。 Then; while Fritz was teaching Seppi
  all the tricks of a goat…boy's trade; she found a soft patch of
  grass all spangled with blue gentians and fell asleep with her
  head on her arm。 She slept for some time; and Fritz and Seppi;
  seeing how tired she was; did not disturb her。
  She was roused at last by the tinkling of a g