English
PoorlittleGluckwaitedveryanxiouslyaloneinthehouseforHans’sreturn.
Findinghedidnotcomeback,hewasterriblyfrightened,andwentandtoldSchwartzintheprisonallthathadhappened.
ThenSchwartzwasverymuchpleased,andsaidthatHansmustcertainlyhavebeenturnedintoablackstone,andheshouldhaveallthegoldtohimself.
ButGluckwasverysorry,andcriedallnight.
Whenhegotupinthemorningtherewasnobreadinthehouse,noranymoney;soGluckwentandhiredhimselftoanothergoldsmith,andheworkedsohard,andsoneatly,andsolongeveryday,thathesoongotmoneyenoughtogethertopayhisbrother’sfine,andhewentandgaveitalltoSchwartz,andSchwartzgotoutofprison.
ThenSchwartzwasquitepleased,andsaidheshouldhavesomeofthegoldoftheriver.
ButGluckonlybeggedhewouldgoandseewhathadbecomeofHans.
NowwhenSchwartzhadheardthatHanshadstolentheholywater,hethoughttohimselfthatsuchaproceedingmightnotbeconsideredaltogethercorrectbytheKingoftheGoldenRiver,anddeterminedtomanagemattersbetter.
SohetooksomemoreofGluck’smoney,andwenttoabadpriestwhogavehimsomeholywaterveryreadilyforit.
ThenSchwartzwassureitwasallquiteright.
SoSchwartzgotupearlyinthemorningbeforethesunrose,andtooksomebreadandwineinabasket,andputhisholywaterinaflask,andsetoffforthemountains.
Likehisbrother,hewasmuchsurprisedatthesightoftheglacier,andhadgreatdifficultyincrossingit,evenafterleavinghisbasketbehindhim.
Thedaywascloudless,butnotbright:therewasaheavypurplehazehangingoverthesky,andthehillslookedloweringandgloomy.
AndasSchwartzclimbedthesteeprockpath,thethirstcameuponhim,asithaduponhisbrother,untilheliftedhisflasktohislipstodrink.
Thenhesawthefairchildlyingnearhimontherocks,anditcriedtohim,andmoanedforwater.
“Water,indeed,”saidSchwartz;“Ihaven’thalfenoughformyself,”andpassedon.
Andashewenthethoughtthesunbeamsgrewmoredim,andhesawalowbankofblackcloudrisingoutofthewest;and,whenhehadclimbedforanotherhour,thethirstovercamehimagain,andhewouldhavedrunk.
Thenhesawtheoldmanlyingbeforehimonthepath,andheardhimcryoutforwater.
“Water,indeed,”saidSchwartz;“Ihaven’thalfenoughformyself,”andonhewent.
Thenagainthelightseemedtofadefrombeforehiseyes,andhelookedup,and,behold,amist,ofthecolourofblood,hadcomeoverthesun;andthebankofblackcloudhadrisenveryhigh,anditsedgesweretossingandtumblinglikethewavesofanangrysea.
Andtheycastlongshadows,whichflickeredoverSchwartz’spath.
ThenSchwartzclimbedforanotherhour,andagainhisthirstreturned;andasheliftedhisflasktohislips,hethoughthesawhisbrotherHanslyingexhaustedonthepathbeforehim;and,ashegazed,thefigurestretcheditsarmstohim,andcriedforwater.
“Ha,ha,”laughedSchwartz,“areyouthere?Remembertheprisonbars,myboy.Waterindeed!
DoyousupposeIcarrieditallthewayuphereforyou?”
Andhestrodeoverthefigure;yet,ashepassed,hethoughthesawastrangeexpressionofmockeryaboutitslips.
And,whenhehadgoneafewyardsfarther,helookedback;butthefigurewasnotthere.
AndasuddenhorrorcameoverSchwartz,heknewnotwhy;butthethirstforgoldprevailedoverhisfear,andherushedon.
Andthebankofblackcloudrosetothezenith,andoutofitcameburstsofspirylightning,andwavesofdarknessseemedtoheaveandfloatbetweentheirflashesoverthewholeheavens.
Andtheskywherethesunwassettingwasalllevel,andlikealakeofblood;andastrongwindcameoutofthatsky,tearingitscrimsoncloudsintofragments,andscatteringthemfarintothedarkness.
AndwhenSchwartzstoodbythebrinkoftheGoldenRiver,itswaveswereblack,likethunderclouds,buttheirfoamwaslikefire;andtheroarofthewatersbelow,andthethunderabove,met,ashecasttheflaskintothestream.
And,ashedidso,thelightningglaredintohiseyes,andtheearthgavewaybeneathhim,andthewatersclosedoverhiscry.
Andthemoaningoftheriverrosewildlyintothenight,asitgushedovertheTwoBlackStones.
Share this article to
FINISH