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One beautiful evening； they were wandering on the side of the
Beatenberg； in the little narrow paths traced by the tread of the goats
and their herdsmen。 Amabel sat down to try to sketch the outline of
the white…capped Jung Frau and her attendant mountains； wishing she
could draw as well as Laura； but intending her outline to aid in
describing the scene to those whose eyes she longed to have with her。
While she was drawing； Guy began to climb higher； and was soon out of
sight； though she still heard him whistling。 The mountains were not
easy to draw； or rather she grew discontented with her black lines and
white paper； compared with the dazzling snow against the blue sky；
tinged by the roseate tints of the setting sun； and the dark fissures
on the rocky sides； still blacker from the contrast。
She put up her sketching materials； and began to gather some of the
delightful treasury of mountain flowers。 A gentle slope of grass was
close to her； and on it grew； at some little distance from her； a tuft
of deep purple； the beautiful Alpine saxifrage； which she well knew by
description。 She went to gather it； but the turf was slippery； and
when once descending； she could not stop herself； and what was the
horror of finding herself half slipping； half running down a slope；
which became steeper every moment； till it was suddenly broken off into
a sheer precipice！ She screamed； and grasped with both hands at some
low bushes； that grew under a rock at the side of the treacherous turf。
She caught a branch； and found herself supported； by clinging to it
with her hands； while she rested on the slope； now so nearly
perpendicular； that to lose her hold would send her instantly down the
precipice。 Her whole weight seemed to depend on that slender bough；
and those little hands that clenched it convulsively；her feet felt in
vain for some hold。 'Guy！ Guy！' she shrieked again。 Oh； where was
he？ His whistle ceased；he heard her；he called；
'Here！'
'Oh； help me！' she answered。 But with that moment's joy came the
horror； he could not help herhe would only fall himself。 'Take care！
don't come on the grass！' she cried。 She must let go the branch in a
short； time then a slip； the precipice；and what would become of him？
Those moments were hours。
'I am cominghold fast！' She heard his voice above her； very near。
To find him so close made the agony of dread and of prayer even more
intense。 To be lost； with her husband scarcely a step from her！ Yet
how could he stand on the slippery turf； and so as to be steady enough
to raise her up？
'Now； then！' he said； speaking from the rock under which the brushwood
grew； 'I cannot reach you unless you raise up your hand to meyour
left handstraight up。 Let go。 Now！'
It was a fearful moment。 Amabel could not see him； and felt as if
relinquishing her grasp of the tree was certain destruction。 The
instinct of self…preservation had been making her cling desperately
with that left hand； especially as it held by the thicker part of the
bough。 But the habit of implicit confidence and obedience was stronger
still； she did not hesitate； and tightening her hold with the other
hand； she unclasped the left and stretched it upwards。
Joy unspeakable to feel his fingers close over her wrist； like iron；
even while the bush to which she had trusted was detaching itself；
almost uprooted by her weight！ If she had waited a second she would
have been lost； but her confidence had been her safety。 A moment or
two more； and with closed eyes she was leaning against him； his arm was
round her； and he guided her steps； till； breathless； she found herself
on the broad well…trodden path； out of sight of the precipice。
'Thank heaven！' he said； in a very low voice； as he stood still。
'Thank God！ my Amy； I have you still。'
She looked up and saw how pale he was； though his voice had been so
steady throughout。 She leant on his breast； and rested her head on his
shoulder again in silence； for her heart was too full of awe and
thankfulness for words； even had she not been without breath or power
to speak； and needing his support in her giddiness and trembling。
More than a minute passed thus。 Then； beginning to recover； she looked
up to him again； and said； 'Oh； it was dreadful！ I did not think you
could have saved me。'
'I thought so too for a moment！' said Guy； in a stifled voice。 'You
are better now？ You are not hurt？ are you sure？'
'Quite sure！ I did not fall； you know； only slipped。 No； I have
nothing the matter with me； thank you。'
She tried to stand alone； but the trembling returned。 He made her sit
down； and she rested against him； while he still made her assure him
that she was unhurt。 'Yes； quite unhurtquite well； only this wrist
is a little strained； and no wonder。 Oh； I am sure it was Providence
that made those bushes grow just there！'
'How did it happen？'
'It was my fault。 I went after a flower； my foot slipped on the turf；
and I could not stop myself。 I thought I should have run right down
the precipice。'
She shut her eyes and shuddered again。 'It was frightful！' he said；
holding her fast。 'It was a great mercy； indeed。 Thank heaven； it is
over！ You are not giddy now。'
'Oh； no； not at all！'
'And your wrist？'
'Oh； that's nothing。 I only told you to show you what was the worst；'
said Amy； smiling with recovered playfulness； the most re…assuring of
all。
'What flower was it？'
'A piece of purple saxifrage。 I thought there was no danger； for it
did not seem steep at first。'
'No； it was not your fault。 You had better not move just yet； sit
still a little while。'
'0 Guy； where are you going？'
'Only for your sketching tools and my stick。 I shall not be gone an
instant。 Sit still and recover。'
In a few seconds he came back with her basket； and in it a few of the
flowers。
'Oh； I am sorry；' she said； coming to meet him； 'I wish I had told you
I did not care for them。 Why did you？'
'I did not put myself in any peril about them。 I had my trusty staff；
you know。'
'I am glad I did not guess what you were doing。 I thought it so
impossible； that I did not think of begging you not。 I shall keep them
always。 It is a good thing for us to be put in mind how frail all our
joy is。'
'All？' asked Guy； scarcely as if replying to her； while； though his arm
pressed hers； his eye was on the blue sky； as he answered himself；
'Your joy no man taketh from you。'
Amabel was much impressed； as she thought what it would have been for
him if his little wife bad been snatched from him so suddenly and
frightfully。 His returnhis meeting her motherhis desolate home and
solitary life。 She could almost have wept for him。 Yet； at the moment
of relief from the fear of such misery； he could thus speak。