But the dogs went to and fro with
their noses down, and were confident. The party stopping, however, at
the further arch, where the second storm had been especially furious, and
where the drift was deep, the dogs became troubled, and went about and
about, in quest of a lost purpose.
The great abyss being known to lie on the right, they wandered too much
to the left, and had to regain the way with infinite labour through a
deep field of snow. The leader of the line had stopped it, and was
taking note of the landmarks, when one of the dogs fell to tearing up the
snow a little before them. Advancing and stooping to look at it,
thinking that some one might be overwhelmed there, they saw that it was
stained, and that the stain was red.
The other dog was now seen to look over the brink of the gulf, with his
fore legs straightened out, lest he should fall into it, and to tremble
in every limb. Then the dog who had found the stained snow joined him,
and then they ran to and fro, distressed and whining. Finally, they both
stopped on the brink together, and setting up their heads, howled
dolefully.
"There is some one lying below," said Marguerite.
"I think so," said the foremost man. "Stand well inward, the two last,
and let us look over."
The last man kindled two torches from his basket, and handed them
forward. The leader taking one, and Marguerite the other, they looked
down; now shading the torches, now moving them to the right or left, now
raising them, now depressing them, as moonlight far below contended with
black shadows.
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