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meal； and went to sleep by the light of a bright fire burning in
the grate。
At three o'clock he woke me。 In my turn； I put on a sheepskin；
and found my cousin Karl covered with a bearskin。 After having
each swallowed two cups of scalding coffee； followed by glasses
of liqueur brandy； we started； accompanied by a gamekeeper and
our dogs； Plongeon and Pierrot。
From the first moment that I got outside； I felt chilled to the
very marrow。 It was one of those nights on which the earth seems
dead with cold。 The frozen air becomes resisting and palpable；
such pain does it cause； no breath of wind moves it； it is fixed
and motionless； it bites you； pierces through you； dries you；
kills the trees； the plants； the insects； the small birds
themselves； who fall from the branches on to the hard ground； and
become stiff themselves under the grip of the…cold。
The moon； which was in her last quarter and was inclining all to
one side； seemed fainting in the midst of space； so weak that she
was unable to wane； forced to stay up yonder； seized and
paralyzed by the severity of the weather。 She shed a cold；
mournful light over the world； that dying and wan light which she
gives us every month； at the end of her period。
Karl and I walked side by side； our backs bent； our hands in our
pockets and our guns under our arms。 Our boots； which were
wrapped in wool so that we might be able to walk without slipping
on the frozen river； made no sound； and I looked at the white
vapor which our dogs' breath made。
We were soon on the edge of the marsh； and entered one of the
lanes of dry rushes which ran through the low forest。
Our elbows； which touched the long； ribbonlike leaves； left a
slight noise behind us； and I was seized； as I had never been
before； by the powerful and singular emotion which marshes cause
in me。 This one was dead； dead from cold； since we were walking
on it； in the middle of its population of dried rushes。
Suddenly； at the turn of one of the lanes； I perceived the
ice…hut which had been constructed to shelter us。 I went in； and
as we had nearly an hour to wait before the wandering birds would
awake； I rolled myself up in my rug in order to try and get warm。
Then； lying on my back； I began to look at the misshapen moon；
which had four horns through the vaguely transparent walls of
this polar house。 But the frost of the frozen marshes； the cold
of these walls； the cold from the firmament penetrated me so
terribly that I began to cough。 My cousin Karl became uneasy。
〃No matter if we do not kill much to…day；〃 he said： 〃I do not
want you to catch cold； we will light a fire。〃 And he told the
gamekeeper to cut some rushes。
We made a pile in the middle of our hut which had a hole in the
middle of the roof to let out the smoke； and when the red flames
rose up to the clear； crystal blocks they began to melt； gently；
imperceptibly； as if they were sweating。 Karl； who had remained
outside； called out to me： 〃Come and look here！〃 I went out of
the hut and remained struck with astonishment。 Our hut； in the
shape of a cone； looked like an enormous diamond with a heart of
fire which had been suddenly planted there in the midst of the
frozen water of the marsh。 And inside； we saw two fantastic
forms； those of our dogs； who were warming themselves at the
fire。
But a peculiar cry； a lost； a wandering cry； passed over our
heads； and the light from our hearth showed us the wild birds。
Nothing moves one so much as the first clamor of a life which one
does not see； which passes through the somber air so quickly and
so far off； just before the first streak of a winter's day
appears on the horizon。 It seems to me； at this glacial hour of
dawn； as if that passing cry which is carried away by the wings
of a bird is the sigh of a soul from the world！
〃Put out the fire；〃 said Karl； 〃it is getting daylight。〃
The sky was； in fact； beginning to grow pale； and the flights of
ducks made long； rapid streaks which were soon obliterated on the
sky。
A stream of light burst out into the night； Karl had fired； and
the two dogs ran forward。
And then； nearly every minute； now he； now I； aimed rapidly as
soon as the shadow of a flying flock appeared above the rushes。
And Pierrot and Plongeon； out of breath but happy； retrieved the
bleeding birds； whose eyes still； occasionally； looked at us。
The sun had risen； and it was a bright day with a blue sky； and
we were thinking of taking our departure； when two birds with
extended necks and outstretched wings； glided rapidly over our
heads。 I fired； and one of them fell almost at my feet。 It was a
teal； with a silver breast； and then； in the blue space above me；
I heard a voice； the voice of a bird。 It was a short； repeated；
heart…rending lament； and the bird； the little animal that had
been spared began to turn round in the blue sky； over our heads；
looking at its dead companion which I was holding in my hand。
Karl was on his knees； his gun to his shoulder watching it
eagerly； until it should be within shot。 〃You have killed the
duck；〃 he said； 〃and the drake will not fly away。〃
He certainly did not fly away； he circled over our heads
continually； and continued his cries。 Never have any groans of
suffering pained me so much as that desolate appeal； as that
lamentable reproach of this poor bird which was lost in space。
Occasionally he took flight under the menace of the gun which
followed his movements； and seemed ready to continue his flight
alone； but as he could not make up his mind to this； he returned
to find his mate。
〃Leave her on the ground；〃 Karl said to me； 〃he will come within
shot by and by。〃 And he did indeed come near us； careless of
danger； infatuated by his animal love； by his affection for his
mate； which I had just killed。
Karl fired； and it was as if somebody had cut the string which
held the bird suspended。 I saw something black descend； and I
heard the noise of a fall among the rushes。 And Pierrot brought
it to me。
I put themthey were already coldinto the same game…bag； and I
returned to Paris the same evening。
THE INN
Like all the little wooden inns in the higher Alps； tiny auberges
situated in the bare and rocky gorges which intersect the white
summits of the mountains； the inn of Schwarenbach is a refuge for
travelers who are crossing the Gemmi。
It is open six months in the year； and is inhabited by the family
of Jean Hauser。 As soon as the snow begins to fall； and fills the
valley so as to make the road down to Loeche impassable； the
father； with mother； daughter； and the three sons depart； leaving
the house in charge of the old guide； Gaspard Hari； with the
young guide； Ulrich Kunsi； and Sam； the great mountain dog。
The two men and the dog remain till spring in their snowy prison；
with nothing before their eyes except immense； white slopes of
the Balmhorn； surrounded by light； glistening summits； and shut
up； blocked up； and buried by the snow which rises around them；
enveloping and almost burying the little house up to the eaves。
It was the day on which the Hauser family were going to return to
Loeche； as winter was approaching； and the des