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178 THROUGH NORWAY WITII A KNAPSACK.
but the " yodl" was much wilder, more shrill and rapid,
than any I have heard in Switzerland; the sudden
breaking from the lightly-touched contralto notes into
the piercing liquid falsetto, was marvellous for sweetness
and rapidity: some of these falsetto notes seemed to
me higher than any I had ever heard produced by
the human voice. Unhappily, before ten minutes had
passed since I had laid me down to listen thus at
leisure, she turned her head and saw me there. In an
instant, she sprang upon her feet, and bounded like a
startled hare into the wood hard by. She disappeared
quite out of sight, hidden by the tall stems of the
pine-trees. I waited for some time, hoping that she might
take courage and return; for I felt that it would be
too impertinent to follow her. But she did not even
peep from her hiding-place; so I walked mournfully
away, and very slowly, looking back very often; but the
cows were ruminating all alone, and no more " yodling’’
was heard. I wished for riches and leisure, that I
might linger hereabouts, and learn where she lived and
all about her, make her acquaintance, and then employ
great masters to cultivate her voice and teach her all
the mysteries of music. I cannot say whether she was
pretty, though I feel morally certain that she must have
been. 1 only saw that she had large bright eyes, which
seemed to flash with terror as she started up, and that
her figure was slight, as she bounded into the wood.
Soon after this, I arrived at the little cottage-station
of Söllesnaes, where the hostess, a simple woman, on
finding that L was an Englishman, stepped back a little
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