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.  A piercing cry from Marguerite broke a long silence.

“My God!  On a projecting point, where a wall of ice stretches forward over the torrent, I see a human form!”

“Where, ma’amselle, where?”

“See, there!  On the shelf of ice below the dogs!”

The leader, with a sickened aspect, drew inward, and they were all silent.  But they were not all inactive, for Marguerite, with swift and skilful fingers, had detached both herself and him from the rope in a few seconds.

“Show me the baskets.  These two are the only ropes?”

“The only ropes here, ma’amselle; but at the Hospice—­”

“If he is alive—­I know it is my lover—­he will be dead before you can return.  Dear Guides!  Blessed friends of travellers!  Look at me.  Watch my hands.  If they falter or go wrong, make me your prisoner by force.  If they are steady and go right, help me to save him!”

She girded herself with a cord under the breast and arms, she formed it into a kind of jacket, she drew it into knots, she laid its end side by side with the end of the other cord, she twisted and twined the two together, she knotted them together, she set her foot upon the knots, she strained them, she held them for the two men to strain at.

“She is inspired,” they said to one another.

“By the Almighty’s mercy!” she exclaimed.  “You both know that I am by far the lightest here.  Give me the brandy and the wine, and lower me down to him.  Then go for assistance and a stronger rope.  You see that when it is lowered to me—­look at this about me now—­I can make it fast and safe to his body.  Alive or dead, I will bring him up, or die with him.  I love him passionately.  Can I say more?”