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It was the day on which the Hauser family were going to return to
Loeche； as winter was approaching； and the descent was becoming
dangerous。 Three mules started first； laden with baggage and led
by the three sons。 Then the mother； Jeanne Hauser； and her
daughter Louise mounted a fourth mule； and set off in their turn。
The father followed them； accompanied by the two men in charge；
who were to escort the family as far as the brow of the descent。
First of all they skirted the small lake； now frozen over； at the
foot of the mass of rocks which stretched in front of the inn；
then they followed the valley； which was dominated on all sides
by snow…covered peaks。
A ray of sunlight glinted into that little white； glistening；
frozen desert； illuminating it with a cold and dazzling flame。 No
living thing appeared among this ocean of hills； there was no
stir in that immeasurable solitude； no noise disturbed the
profound silence。
By degrees the young guide； Ulrich Kunsi； a tall； long…legged
Swiss； left daddy Hauser and old Gaspard behind； in order to
catch up with the mule which carried the two women。 The younger
one looked at him as he approached； as if she would call him with
her sad eyes。 She was a young； light…haired peasant girl； whose
milk…white cheeks and pale hair seemed to have lost their color
by long dwelling amid the ice。 When Ulrich had caught up with the
animal which carried the women； he put his hand on the crupper；
and relaxed his speed。 Mother Hauser began to talk to him； and
enumerated with minutest detail all that he would have to attend
to during the winter。 It was the first winter he would spend up
there； while old Hari had already spent fourteen winters amid the
snow； at the inn of Schwarenbach。
Ulrich Kunsi listened； without appearing to understand； and
looked incessantly at the girl。 From time to time he replied：
〃Yes； Madame Hauser〃； but his thoughts seemed far away； and his
calm features remained unmoved。
They reached Lake Daube； whose broad； frozen surface reached to
the bottom of the valley。 On the right； the Daubenhorn showed its
black mass； rising up in a peak above the enormous moraines of
the Lommeon glacier； which soared above the Wildstrubel。 As they
approached the neck of the Gemmi； where the descent to Loeche
begins； the immense horizon of the Alps of the Valais； from which
the broad； deep valley of the Rhone separated them； came in view。
In the distance； there was a group of white； unequal； flat or
pointed mountain summits； which glistened in the sun； the
Mischabel with its twin peaks； the huge group of the Weisshorn；
the heavy Brunegghorn； the lofty and formidable pyramid of Mont
Cervin； slayer of men； and the Dent Blanche； that terrible
coquette。
Then beneath them； as at the bottom of a terrible abyss； they saw
Loeche； its houses looking like grains of sand which had been
thrown into that enormous crevice which finishes and closes the
Gemmi； and which opens； down below； on to the Rhone。
The mule stopped at the edge of the path； which turns and twists
continually； zigzagging fantastically and strangely along the
steep side of the mountain； as far as the almost invisible little
village at its feet。 The women jumped into the snow； and the two
old men joined them。
〃Well；〃 father Hauser said； 〃good…bye； and keep up your spirits
till next year； my friends；〃 and old Hari replied： 〃Till next
year。〃
They embraced each other； and then Madame Hauser in her turn；
offered her cheek； and the girl did the same。 When Ulrich Kunsi's
turn came； he whispered in Louise's ear：
〃Do not forget those up yonder；〃 and she replied： 〃No；〃 in such a
low voice； that he guessed what she had said； without hearing it。
〃Well； adieu；〃 Jean Hauser repeated； 〃and don't fall ill。〃 Then；
going before the two women； he commenced the descent； and soon
all three disappeared at the first turn in the road； while the
two men returned to the inn at Schwarenbach。
They walked slowly side by side； without speaking。 The parting
was over； and they would be alone together for four or five
months。 Then Gaspard Hari began to relate his life last winter。
He had remained with Michael Canol； who was too old now to stand
it； for an accident might happen during that long solitude。 They
had not been dull； however； the only thing was to be resigned to
it from the first； and in the end one would find plenty of
distraction； games and other means of whiling away the time。
Ulrich Kunsi listened to him with his eyes on the ground； for in
thought he was with those who were descending to the village。
They soon came in sight of the inn； which was scarcely visible；
so small did it look； a mere black speck at the foot of that
enormous billow of snow。 When they opened the door； Sam； the
great curly dog； began to romp round them。
〃Come； my boy；〃 old Gaspard said； 〃we have no women now； so we
must get our own dinner ready。 Go and peel the potatoes。〃 And
they both sat down on wooden stools； and began to put the bread
into the soup。
The next morning seemed very long to Kunsi。 Old Hari smoked and
smoked beside the hearth； while the young man looked out of the
window at the snow…covered mountain opposite the house。 In the
afternoon he went out； and going over the previous day's ground
again； he looked for the traces of the mule that had carried the
two women； then when he had reached the neck of the Gemmi； he
laid himself down on his stomach； and looked at Loeche。
The village； in its rocky pit； was not yet buried under the snow；
although the white masses came quite close to it； balked；
however； of their prey by the pine woods which protected the
hamlet。 From his vantage point the low houses looked like
paving…stones in a large meadow。 Hauser's little daughter was
there now in one of those gray…colored houses。 In which？ Ulrich
Kunsi was too far away to be able to make them out separately。
How he would have liked to go down while he was yet able！
But the sun had disappeared behind the lofty crest of the
Wildstrubel； and the young man returned to the chalet。 Daddy Hari
was smoking； and； when he saw his mate come in； proposed a game
of cards to him。 They sat down opposite each other for a long
time and played the simple game called brisque； then they had
supper and went to bed。
The following days were like the first； bright and cold； without
any more snow。 Old Gaspard spent his afternoons in watching the
eagles and other rare birds which ventured on to those frozen
heights； while Ulrich journeyed regularly to the neck of the
Gemmi to look at the village。 In the evening they played at
cards； dice； or dominoes； and lost and won trifling sums； just to
create an interest in the game。
One morning Hari； who was up first； called his companion。 A
moving cloud of white spray； deep and light； was falling on them
noiselessly； and burying them by degrees under a dark； thick
coverlet of foam。 This lasted four days and four nights。 It was
necessary to free the door and the windows； to dig out a passage；
and to cut steps to get over this frozen powder； which a
twelve…hours' frost had made as hard as the granite of the
moraines。
They lived