lps at this late season of the year, and
which were no more than so many symptoms of the known rigor of the
approaching winter. The guide himself was evidently disposed to lose no
time in explanation, and as the secret excitement stole over all his
followers, he no longer had cause to complain of the tardiness of their
movements. Sigismund kept near his sister and Adelheid, having a care that
their mules did not lag; while the other males performed the same
necessary office for the beasts ridden by the female domestics. In this
manner passed the few sombre minutes which immediately preceded the
disappearance of day. The heavens were no longer visible. In that
direction the eye saw only an endless succession of falling flakes, and it
was getting to be difficult to distinguish even the ramparts of rock that
bounded the irregular ravine in which they rode. They were known to be,
however, at no great distance from the path, which indeed occasionally
brushed their sides. At other moments they crossed rude, stony, mountain
heaths, if such a word can be applied to spots without the symbol or hope
of vegetation. The traces of the beasts that had preceded them, became
less and less apparent, though the trickling stream that came down from
the glaciers, and along which they had now journeyed-for hours, was
occasionally seen, as it was crossed in pursuing their winding way.
Pierre, though still confident that he held the true direction, alone knew
that this guide was not longer to be relied on; for, as they drew nearer
to the top of the mountains, the torrent gradually lessened both in its
force and in the volume of its water, separating into twenty small rills,
which came rippling from the vast bodies of snow that lay among the
different peaks above.

As yet, there had been no wind. The guide, as minute after minute passed
without bringing any change in this respect, ventured at last to advert to
the fact, cheering his companions by giving them reasons to hope that they
should yet reach the convent without any serious calamity. As if in
mockery of this opinion, the flakes of snow began to whirl in the air,
while the words were on his lips, and a blast came through the ravine,
that set the protection of cloaks and mantles at defiance. Notwithstanding
his resolution and experience, the stout-hearted Pierre suffered an
exclamation of despair to escape him, and he instantly stopped, in the
manner of a man who could no longer conceal t