THE ALM HUTTE. 131 



of kindness, — this thoughtfulness of another's wants, 

 when there should be no one to minister to them but 

 himself. But indeed there is much good-heartedness in 

 these people ; and I never left the mountains and my 

 trusty friends the foresters, to move again among the 

 conventional forms of town society, without a regret for 

 their many gracious services, rendered always with the 

 best of all politeness — that of a willing heart. 



" Now, Maxl, it is time for bed ; empty the pipkin 

 and then let us turn into the hay. But we will first 

 see how the weather looks." And I opened the door 

 of the hut. Without was darkness as profound as that 

 which must have weighed upon the world when all was 

 yet chaos : not a star was in the sky. I never yet 

 looked upon such darkness : before and around me was 

 one mass of gloom. The gurgling of the rivulet was 

 heard as it crossed the meadow; a low moaning wind 

 moved among the rocks. I shut the door quickly, and 

 Maxl, as my chamberlain, kindling a piece of pine, pre- 

 pared to light me to bed. Having bolted the door, my 

 companion gave me my rifle. " It is better to take 

 it with you," said he ; ' c one can't tell what may happen ; 

 and at all events it is safer than to leave it down here." 

 I scrambled into the loft, whilst Max held up the fla- 

 ming brand at arm's length that I might see to arrange 

 my bed. The bright red flame flung a wild glare over 

 my strange chamber ; the beams of the roof that were 

 nearest caught the light, and the bed of hay where I 

 stood was illumined by the blaze. But further back 

 were shadows huddled together in deep impenetrable 

 corners, as if they had all fled there on the approach 

 of the lurid light. Max now joined me, and with our 

 rifles beside us, and buried in the fragrant hay, we 

 soon fell asleep. 



