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and feed upon itself and make the Norwegian peasant a being apart
among the peoples of Europe。
Such was the condition of the Strom…fiord in the first year of the
nineteenth century and about the middle of the month of May。
On a morning when the sun burst forth upon this landscape； lighting
the fires of the ephemeral diamonds produced by crystallizations of
the snow and ice； two beings crossed the fiord and flew along the base
of the Falberg； rising thence from ledge to ledge toward the summit。
What were they？ human creatures； or two arrows？ They might have been
taken for eider…ducks sailing in consort before the wind。 Not the
boldest hunter nor the most superstitious fisherman would have
attributed to human beings the power to move safely along the slender
lines traced beneath the snow by the granite ledges； where yet this
couple glided with the terrifying dexterity of somnambulists who；
forgetting their own weight and the dangers of the slightest
deviation； hurry along a ridge…pole and keep their equilibrium by the
power of some mysterious force。
〃Stop me； Seraphitus；〃 said a pale young girl； 〃and let me breathe。 I
look at you； you only； while scaling these walls of the gulf；
otherwise； what would become of me？ I am such a feeble creature。 Do I
tire you？〃
〃No；〃 said the being on whose arm she leaned。 〃But let us go on；
Minna； the place where we are is not firm enough to stand on。〃
Once more the snow creaked sharply beneath the long boards fastened to
their feet； and soon they reached the upper terrace of the first
ledge； clearly defined upon the flank of the precipice。 The person
whom Minna had addressed as Seraphitus threw his weight upon his right
heel； arresting the planksix and a half feet long and narrow as the
foot of a childwhich was fastened to his boot by a double thong of
leather。 This plank； two inches thick； was covered with reindeer skin；
which bristled against the snow when the foot was raised； and served
to stop the wearer。 Seraphitus drew in his left foot； furnished with
another 〃skee；〃 which was only two feet long； turned swiftly where he
stood； caught his timid companion in his arms； lifted her in spite of
the long boards on her feet； and placed her on a projecting rock from
which he brushed the snow with his pelisse。
〃You are safe there； Minna； you can tremble at your ease。〃
〃We are a third of the way up the Ice…Cap；〃 she said； looking at the
peak to which she gave the popular name by which it is known in
Norway； 〃I can hardly believe it。〃
Too much out of breath to say more； she smiled at Seraphitus； who；
without answering； laid his hand upon her heart and listened to its
sounding throbs； rapid as those of a frightened bird。
〃It often beats as fast when I run；〃 she said。
Seraphitus inclined his head with a gesture that was neither coldness
nor indifference； and yet； despite the grace which made the movement
almost tender； it none the less bespoke a certain negation； which in a
woman would have seemed an exquisite coquetry。 Seraphitus clasped the
young girl in his arms。 Minna accepted the caress as an answer to her
words； continuing to gaze at him。 As he raised his head； and threw
back with impatient gesture the golden masses of his hair to free his
brow； he saw an expression of joy in the eyes of his companion。
〃Yes； Minna；〃 he said in a voice whose paternal accents were charming
from the lips of a being who was still adolescent； 〃Keep your eyes on
me； do not look below you。〃
〃Why not？〃 she asked。
〃You wish to know why？ then look！〃
Minna glanced quickly at her feet and cried out suddenly like a child
who sees a tiger。 The awful sensation of abysses seized her； one
glance sufficed to communicate its contagion。 The fiord； eager for
food； bewildered her with its loud voice ringing in her ears；
interposing between herself and life as though to devour her more
surely。 From the crown of her head to her feet and along her spine an
icy shudder ran； then suddenly intolerable heat suffused her nerves；
beat in her veins and overpowered her extremities with electric shocks
like those of the torpedo。 Too feeble to resist； she felt herself
drawn by a mysterious power to the depths below； wherein she fancied
that she saw some monster belching its venom； a monster whose magnetic
eyes were charming her； whose open jaws appeared to craunch their prey
before they seized it。
〃I die； my Seraphitus； loving none but thee；〃 she said； making a
mechanical movement to fling herself into the abyss。
Seraphitus breathed softly on her forehead and eyes。 Suddenly； like a
traveller relaxed after a bath； Minna forgot these keen emotions；
already dissipated by that caressing breath which penetrated her body
and filled it with balsamic essences as quickly as the breath itself
had crossed the air。
〃Who art thou？〃 she said； with a feeling of gentle terror。 〃Ah； but I
know！ thou art my life。 How canst thou look into that gulf and not
die？〃 she added presently。
Seraphitus left her clinging to the granite rock and placed himself at
the edge of the narrow platform on which they stood； whence his eyes
plunged to the depths of the fiord； defying its dazzling invitation。
His body did not tremble； his brow was white and calm as that of a
marble statue；an abyss facing an abyss。
〃Seraphitus！ dost thou not love me？ come back！〃 she cried。 〃Thy danger
renews my terror。 Who art thou to have such superhuman power at thy
age？〃 she asked as she felt his arms inclosing her once more。
〃But； Minna；〃 answered Seraphitus； 〃you look fearlessly at greater
spaces far than that。〃
Then with raised finger； this strange being pointed upward to the blue
dome； which parting clouds left clear above their heads； where stars
could be seen in open day by virtue of atmospheric laws as yet
unstudied。
〃But what a difference！〃 she answered smiling。
〃You are right；〃 he said； 〃we are born to stretch upward to the skies。
Our native land； like the face of a mother； cannot terrify her
children。〃
His voice vibrated through the being of his companion； who made no
reply。
〃Come！ let us go on；〃 he said。
The pair darted forward along the narrow paths traced back and forth
upon the mountain； skimming from terrace to terrace； from line to
line； with the rapidity of a barb； that bird of the desert。 Presently
they reached an open space； carpeted with turf and moss and flowers；
where no foot had ever trod。
〃Oh； the pretty saeter！〃 cried Minna； giving to the upland meadow its
Norwegian name。 〃But how comes it here； at such a height？〃
〃Vegetation ceases here； it is true；〃 said Seraphitus。 〃These few
plants and flowers are due to that sheltering rock which protects the
meadow from the polar winds。 Put that tuft in your bosom； Minna；〃 he
added； gathering a flower；〃that balmy creation which no eye has ever
seen； keep the solitary matchless flower in memory of this one
matchless morning of your life。 You will find no other guide to lead
you again to this saeter。〃
So saying； he gave her the hybrid plant his falcon eye had seen amid
the tufts of gentian acaulis and saxifrages；a marvel； brought to
bloom by the breath of angels。 With girlish eagerness Minna seized the
tufted plant of transparent green； vivid as emerald； which was formed
of little leaves rolled trumpet…wise； brown at the smaller end but
changing tint by tint to their delicately notched edges； which were
green。 These leaves were so tightly pressed together that they seemed
to blend and form a mat or cluster of rosettes。 Here and there from
this green ground rose pure white stars edged with a line of gold； and
from their throats came crimson anthers but no pistils。 A fragrance；
blended of roses and of orange blossoms； yet ethereal and fugitive；
gave something as it were celestial to that mysterious flower； which
Seraphitus sadly contemplated； as though it uttered plaintive thoughts
which he alone could understand。 But to Minna this mysterious
phenomenon seemed a mere caprice of nature giving to stone the
freshness； softness； and perfume of plants。
〃Why do you call it matchless？ can it not reproduce itself？〃 she
asked； looking at Seraphitus； who colored and turned away。
〃Let us sit down；〃 he said presently； 〃look below you； Minna。 See！ At
this height you will have no fear。 The abyss is so far beneath us that
we no longer have a sense of its depths； it acquires the perspective
uniformity of ocean； the vagueness of clouds； the soft coloring of the
sky。 See； the ice of the fiord is a turquoise； the dark pine forests
are mere threads of brown； for us all abysses should be thus adorned。〃
Seraphitus said the words with that fervor of tone and gesture seen
and known only by those who have ascended the highest mountains of the
globe；a fervor so involuntarily acquired that the haughtiest of men
is forced to regard his gu