A month had glided by, during which Dale and Saxe had explored valleys,
traced glaciers to their sources, and made plenty of mountain ascents;
but though they penetrated into the wildest regions of the higher alps,
and encountered storm and wind sufficient to tear them from the giddy
crags to which they climbed, no more crystals rewarded their efforts, no
curiously half-hidden rift fringed with sparkling points invited them to
break a way in.
"Why not try the Blitzenhorn, herr?" Melchior would say: "the young
herr is getting to be a clever, sure-footed mountaineer now, and I have
hopes of our being successful there."
Dale would gaze up at the mighty peak whose icy crown stood up before
them, beyond the mountains which surrounded Andregg's hut, and shake his
head.
"No," he said: "the climb is too difficult for Saxe."
"Oh no!" cried the boy; "I feel sure I could do it."
"And I feel sure you could not," replied Dale. "Look at it. The snow
slopes you could manage; but those black, forbidding, almost
perpendicular crags would be too much for you, and that is the part we
should have to explore."
"Yes," said Melchior; "certainly that is the part we should have to
explore."
"Well, why not let me try!" cried Saxe.
"Wait, my lad--wait."
So their days passed on, amidst fine weather and foul; partly-passed at
Andregg's chalet, partly in the mountains with their tent. They had
been again and again to the black ravine, and examined other grottoes,
bringing away a good assortment of crystals, but, as Dale said, there
was nothing particular among them; and though they divided their time
between trying to make fresh discoveries and tracing the old treasures,
the crystals had disappeared as completely as if the legendary spirits
of the grots and mines had snatched them back, and hidden them where
they would be safe from mortal eyes.
But it was a glorious time, in spite of the disappointment, and Saxe
revelled in the wondrous scenery, growing more sure-footed and firm of
nerve day by day when in the mountains, and happy and full of fun when
back in Andregg's valley, leaving the donkey or his companion Gros, and
accompanying heavy, surly, stupid, strong Pierre up the green alps to
fetch home the goats and cows, becoming a perfect adept with a great
wooden Alpine horn, whose notes evoked wonderful echoes among the
mountains which shut them in.
The natural history collection increased--butterflies, pressed plants
and minerals were stored up; the falls were used for shower-baths; trout
caught in the streams and lakes; and time was passing, when one evening,
as the glorious sky foretold a bright day on the morrow, Dale, who was
seated outside Andregg's chalet with Melchior, returned that day from
far below with a fresh load of provisions, called Saxe to bring him his
field-glass.
This was brought, and the lad watched him, and saw that he was scanning
the Blitzenhorn carefully.
"He means to try it, after all," thought the boy, whose heart began to
beat heavily.
"Fine day to-morrow, Melchior," said Dale at last, as he closed the
glass.
"Yes, herr, I think so; though one never knows what changes may come."
"But it is pretty sure to be a good day!"
"Yes, herr."
"Then we'll start at three to ascend the Blitzenhorn, and I hope your
prophecies will prove right."
"I hope so, herr. Everything shall be ready. We'll take the mule and
tent?"
"No: we'll go in light marching order, and chance it. Let's get to bed
at once, and start at two."
"Good, herr. Coffee shall be ready at half-past one."
"One moment. What about the moon!"
"We shall have it with us at starting, herr."
"And which way do you propose?"
The guide raised the ice-axe, which never seemed to leave his side, and
pointed out the route he meant to take, with the difficulties likely to
be encountered among the great snowfields which clothed the giant's
sides.
An hour later the preparations had been made, and they were all
sleeping, when, just as he had apparently closed his eyes, Melchior
stood over Saxe and roused him up once more.
"One o'clock, herr; and the coffee is nearly ready."
It had now become such a matter of course to rise at these nocturnal
hours for long expeditions, that Saxe turned out at once, with nothing
more than a growl or two and a vicious snatch at his clothes. The cold
water and the coffee, however, soon set him right, and at two punctually
the trio were on their way along the valley, with the last quarter of
the moon to light them as they struck up close by the end of the lower
glacier, and then went on and on at a steady rate toward the great giant
whose pyramidal peak could be faintly discerned in the distance, looking
to Saxe terribly far off, and as if it would be impossible to reach the
top that day. But their guide had cunning ways for shortening the
distance, leading them round this outer buttress, up that ravine, and in
and out and along shelves, so that, by the time the sun rose, they had
well mastered the outworks, and were ready to attack the peak itself.
For the next two hours it was now steady climb over rock and snow. Then
the difficulties began, but were surmounted one by one,--a great
snowfield or two were skirted, an arete mounted, which led them to the
foot of a slope of hard ice, where they halted for a rest.
"Must we take that, Melchior?"
"Yes, herr: there is no other way, and with the rope it is not so
difficult."
"But you will have to cut steps all the way!"
"Yes, herr."
"And the precipice?"
"You will not mind that, herr; and I am sure he will not shrink from it
now."
Saxe declared that he was ready, and for the next hour they were
crossing the ice, where a slip might have sent all flying down two or
three thousand feet. But it was passed at last, and the great black
crags were now within easy reach.
"Do you mean to go right to the top, herr?" said the guide; "because, if
so, it would be better to do it now, before the snow grows softer, and
descend to the black crags afterwards. Then, if we do not find
crystals, I can take you round by the cornice, and over or round one of
the snowfields home."
"What do you say, Saxe? Shall we venture?"
"Yes, we must be able to say we have climbed the Blitzenhorn."
"Go on, then, Melchior, and we'll do it. Is there anything very bad?"
"No, herr, I think not. A few crevasses, perhaps, that one can get
over, are the worst. Nothing more difficult than we have often done."
They climbed on, but the difficulties increased, and there proved to be
an awkward ice ledge to pass along, with a terrific gulf beneath; and a
gap or two, with snow bridges, which were apparently waiting a touch to
go down at once. These were all safely overcome. And at last a long
slope of loose snow was all that remained to toil up before they reached
the top, where Saxe threw himself down to enjoy the wondrous prospect of
glittering ice peaks, and, a few minutes after, the food Melchior
brought from his wallet.
"It doesn't seem so difficult as you thought," said Saxe, with his mouth
full.
"Don't holloa till you are out of the wood," replied Dale. "Shall we go
back the same way?" he said to the guide.
"No, herr; I shall take you back right to the black rock, where it is
too steep for the snow to lie."
"And for us to get down?"
"I shall skirt the edge of those steep bits, herr. You will see."
In half an hour they were once more afoot, with the sun beginning to
blaze down upon them and the snow dazzling their eyes; but the descent
to the first bare rocks was steadily made, and the exploration began,
with the result during the next two hours of four crevices being
discovered, each lined with crystals that, at the first sight, looked
like ice, but a close investigation satisfied Dale that they were not
worthy of his notice, and that the minor grotto in the black ravine was
far superior.
"No good, herr," said the guide sadly. "Sehr schlecht. I hoped we
should have done better."
"Never mind. We have done the best we could, and this has been a
magnificent ascent."
"The herr is satisfied with that?"
"Yes."
"Splendid!" added Saxe.
Then a difficult descent began, among the jagged masses of rock, whose
hollows were full of snow. After some stiff work a great couloir was
reached, one which led well down in the direction the guide was now
taking, and along this gully they managed to glide in safety, though
twice over great stones came bounding down from the black crags
overhead.
Then a ledge of ice had to be cautiously approached and passed, one
angle where there was barely foothold calling for all Saxe's fortitude;
but he passed it bravely and fought very hard not to show that he had
felt a slight attack of nerves. There had been a curious catching
sensation in his throat, and his breath had come as he glanced once down
into the blue haze in an ice gulf; but he breathed more freely as firm
snow and then solid rock was reached; and the descent continued, no
allusion being made to the perilous bit, though on glancing at the guide
once he received a nod which evidently meant:
"Bravo! well done! You could not have faced that when you first came
among the Alps."