The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-03-21


grcss seemed only source Of malig-
nant mirth. II was as II something
tragic about to take place must short
ly be the occasion for an explosion
Of evil laughter At length, after o
rather difficult Ice traverse at the top
Of the conloir, we found ourselves
on the first plateau above the lower
buttress Of the mountain, and my first
test was safely over. | felt triumph
ant; and here, as II in question, !
turned once more TO survey the haunt
ing face. There IL stood, grim and
hidcous; and yet surely there was
some change! The viliainous mouth
seemed, somehow, to have lost some
thing Of It's firmness. The face seem
ed, as il were, shrunken like that OF a
strong man after an illness. The
cruel grin was there, but the coarse
brutality Of the lips seemed to be
slightly softened away. The face was
wicked still, but the power for evil
in il seemed partly faded out Of il
like the light from the hollow sockets
OF his eyes | could scarcely tear
myself away, 50 absorbed was in the
subtle change which / bcheId
Looks bit chippy, the old boy,
this morning said Murry cheerily.
"Come In, let's get to the next cou-
loir."
And so we started once more, taxi
ing turn TO the right which hid the
Monk from view. A long smooth
snow slope now lay before us, lead
ing straight up to the summit Of the
first or lower peak, and we set for
ward with eager steps. What now
occupied my mind was the thought Of
that last arete--thc narrow ridge,
some hundred yards long, connecting
the peak we were ascending with the
higher peak beyond. At one time !
had almost hoped it might not "go"
and now, when at length we reached
the summit OF the peak and saw what
actually lay before US, my heart al
most stood still. Never had | seen
anything so stupendous, SO awful!
At no great distance in front Of us
there rose abruptly an exquisitely-
shaped and somewhat slender summit.
II was somewhat loftier than that on
which we stood, and was joined to it
by a long, sharp ridge, slightly jag
gcd with rock. This ridge, after a
level course which began some con-
siderable distance beneath the sum-
init Of the peak which we had reached
curved sharply up the peak beyond
making a sharp dark line right up tc
the very summit From this ridge
there sloped away, with terrible steep,
ness, on the left, tremendous fields oi
snow and ice, right down thousands
of feet, on to the Tchinerva Glacier
and the base OF the Bernine. On the
right OF the ridge the rock was sheer
prccipice, bare OF snow and showing
a terrific chasm of naked stone. II
was evident that only on the ex-
treme edge OF this ridge was any foot
ing to be found. looked at Murray,
who smiled appreciately. |, for my
part continued to gaze in silence al
the terrific spectacle before me. There
then, was the last arete-the arete oi
which | had dreamed. How infinite
ly more imposing, more terrifying
than anything ! had imagined! Could
do it? The vile, dersive face Of the
Monk floated once more in vision
before my mind; and then, calling to-
gcther all my forces, determined tc
meet his evil eyes steadily and brave
him, ! turned to where he stood.
1 And, 10! what did behold? Away
far beneath us, lay the dreadful Monl
a mere huddled heap of rock ant
snow. Where was the cruel grin, the
animal mouth, with the suggestion O
evil mirthi Where the fixed and ter
rible stare OF the hollow eyes? Dis
torted out of all recognition, his feat
ures sprawled foolishly about his face
Even now methought | caught some
thing of the CLINT of hatred, but o
hatred foiled and helpless. Th'
/ Monk had become ridiculous. 1t wa.
as if great weight had suddenly beer
lifted from my soul-as if a darl
spell had been broken. The JOY o
action, the merriment which comes
encountered, filled my whole being
The blood hummed gaily in my ears
The immediate prospect of travers
ing that dizzy edge of ice and rocl
thrilled me like a passion The Monl
was beatenl ! had conquered by sim