fulfilled; he alone knew what the god-mother intended for the young
couple; they were to receive a bridal present from her, which was well
worth so slight a concession. The day was appointed. They were to
leave for Villeneuve, in time to arrive at Montreux early in the
morning, and so enable the god-mother's daughters to dress the bride.

"Then I suppose there will be a wedding here in the house, on the
following day," said the parlour-cat, "otherwise, I would not give a
single mew for the whole thing!"

"There will be a feast here," said the kitchen-cat, "the ducks are
slain, the pigeons necks wrung, and a whole deer hangs on the wall. My
teeth itch just with looking on! To-morrow the journey commences!"

Yes, to-morrow! Rudy and Babette sat together for the last time in the
mill.

Without was the alpine glow; the evening bells pealed; the daughters
of the Sun sang: "What is for the best will take place!"




XIV.

THE VISIONS OF THE NIGHT.


The sun had gone down; the clouds lowered themselves into the Rhone
valley--between the high mountains; the wind blew from the south over