ThisreflectionbroughtsomethingtoGodfrey’smindwhichhadescapeditinhisfirstdisturbance，alsoconnectedwithaflower。TherecamebeforehimthevisionofaLondonsquare，andofatall，palegirl，inanantiquedress，givingarosetoamaninknight’sarmour，whichrosebothofthemkissedsimultaneously。Ofcourse，whenhesawithehadruledouttheroseandonlythoughtofthekisses，although，nowthathecametothinkofit，aroseisofamuchthickertexturethanalily。Ashehadwitnessedthatlittlescene，anddrawnhisownconclusions，soothershadwitnessedanotherlittlescenethatafternoon，andmadetherefromdeductionswhich，inhisinnocentsoul，heknewtobetotallyfalse。Suppose，then，that/his/deductionswerealsofalse。Oh!itwasnotpossible。Besides，abarrierbuiltofroseleaveswasnotsufficient，whichagain，withperfectjustice，herememberedwasexactlywhatBrotherSmithandProfessorPetersenhadthoughtofonecomposedoflilypetals。
　　Thereforthetimethematterended。Juliettereappearedonthemorrowquitecuredofherheadache，andasgayandcharmingasever。Possiblyshehadconfidedinhermamma，whohadtoldherthatafterallthingswerenotsoterrible，evenifthey/had/beenseen。
　　Atanyrate，theequilibriumwasrestored。Godfreyactedonhissolemnresolutionsofhaughtinessanddetachmentforquiteanhour，afterwhichJuliettethrewakittenathimandaskedwhatwasthematter，andthensanghimoneofherpretty/chansonettes/totheaccompanimentofaguitarwiththreestrings，whichclosedtheincident。Stilltherewerenomoreflowerhuntsandnonewadventures。
　　Tacitly，butcompletely，everythingofthesortwasdroppedoutoftheirrelationship。Theyremainedexcellentfriends，onaffectionatetermsindeed，butthatwasall。
　　Meanwhile，owingtohisdoubtsarisingoutofasingularcoincidenceconcernedwithflowersandkisses，GodfreygraduallymadeuphismindtowritetoIsobel。Indeed，hehadhalfcomposedtheepistlewhenattheendofoneofhisbrieflettershisfatherinformedhimthatshehadgonetoMexicowithheruncle。Soitcameaboutthatitwasneverposted，sinceitisakindofsuperstitionwithyoungpeoplethatletterscanonlybedeliveredattheplacewheretheaddresseelastresided。Itrarelyoccurstothemthatthesemaybeforwarded，andultimatelyarrive。Nor，indeed，diditoccurtoGodfreythatasIsobel’sunclewastheBritishMinistertoacertaincountry，anenvelopeaddressedtoherinhiscareinthatcountryprobablywouldhavereachedher。
　　Shewasgoneandtherewasanend；itwasofnousetothinkmoreofthematter。Still，hewassorry，becauseinthatsameletterhisfatherhadalludedcasuallytothedeathofLadyJane，whichhadcausedHawk’sHalltobeshutupforawhile，andhewouldhavelikedtocondolewithIsobelonherloss。Heknewthatshelovedhermotherdearly，andofthisgentleladyhehimselfhadveryaffectionateremembrances，sinceshehadalwaysbeenmostkindtohim。Yetforthereasonsstated，heneverdidso。
　　AboutafortnightaftertheflowerepisodeachancecameGodfrey’swayofmakinganAlp-climbingexpeditioninthecompanyofsomemountaineers。TheywerefriendsofthePasteurwhojoinedthepartyhimself，butstayedinavillageatthefootofthemountainstheyweretoclimb，sinceforsuchexercisehehadlostthetaste。Thefirsttwoexpeditionswentoffverysuccessfully，Godfreyshowinghimselfmostagileatthesportwhichsuitedhisadventurousspiritanddelightedhim。Bynature，notwithstandinghisdreamycharacteristics，hewasfearless，atanyratewherehispersonalsafetywasconcerned，andhavingagoodhead，itgavehimpleasuretocreepalongtheedgeofprecipices，orupslipperyiceslopes，cuttingnicheswithanaxeforhisfeet。
　　Thencamethethirdattempt，upareallydifficultpeakwhichhadnotyetbeenconqueredthatyear。Thedetailsoftheexpeditiondonotmatter，buttheendofitwasthatataparticularlyperilousplaceoneofthepartylosthisheadorhisbreathandrolledfromthepath。
　　Therehelayhalfsenseless，onthebrinkofagulf，withadropofathousandfeetormorebeneathhim。Asithappened，theywereclimbinginlotsofthree，eachofwhichlotswasropedtogether，butatsomedistancebetweentheparties，thatwiththeguidebeingagoodwayahead。
　　Godfreywasleadinghispartyalongthetrackmadebytheother，buttheirprogresswasnotveryrapidowingtotheweaknessofthemanwhohadfallenwho，asitafterwardstranspired，sufferedfromhisheart，andwasaffectedbythealtitude。TheclimberbehindGodfreywasstrongandbold；also，asitchancedatthemomentofthefall，thisman’sfeetwereplanteduponalumpofprojectingrock，sofirmlythatbythrowinghimselfforwardagainstthesnowslope，graspinganotherlumpofrockwithhislefthandandbearingontothealpenstockwithhisright，hewasabletosustaintheweightoftheircompanion。Buttheropewhichboundthemtogether，thoughstrong，wasthin；moreover，atthepointwheremostofthestraincameitrestedonaknife-likeedgeofice，sosharpthattherewasmomentarilydangerofitsfrayingthroughasthemovementsoftheweightbeneathrubbeditagainsttheedge。
　　WhenashoutandthestoppagewarnedGodfreyofwhathadhappened，heturnedroundandstudiedtheposition。Eventohisinexperiencedeyeitwasobviousthatacatastrophewasimminent。Nowthereweretwothingswhichmightbedone；onewastostayinhisplaceandhelptobearthestrainoftheswingingbody，foralmostimmediatelythefaintingmanslippedfromtheledge，andhungabovethegulf。Theotherwastotrusttonumbertwotoholdhisweight，andgotohisassistanceinthehopeofbeingabletosupporthimuntiltheguidecouldreturntothefirstparty。Asbyaflash-likeworkingofthemindGodfreyweighedthesealternatives，hisquickeyesawwhatlookedlikealittlebitoffluffappearfromtheundersideoftherope，whichtoldhimthatoneatleastofthestrandsmusthaveseveredupontheedgeofice。Thenalmostinstinctivelyhemadehischoice。
　　“Canyouholdhim？“hesaidswiftlytonumbertwo，whoanswered，“Yes，Ithinkso，“inamuffledvoice。
　　“ThenIgotohelphim。“
　　“Ifyouslip，Icannotbearyouboth，“saidthemuffledvoice。
　　“No，“answeredGodfrey，anddrawingthesheathknifehewore，deliberatelycuttheropewhichjoinedhimtonumbertwo。
　　Thenhescrambleddowntotheledgewithoutmuchdifficulty，reachingit，butjustintime，fornowtherazorbladeoftheicehadcuthalfthroughtherope，andverysoontheswingingofthesenselessweightbeneathmustcompleteitswork。Thisledge，beingbroad，thoughsloping，wasnotaparticularlybadplace；moreover，onitwerelittlehummocksofice，resultingfromsnowthathadmeltedandfrozenagain，againstoneofwhichGodfreywasabletoresthisleftshoulder，andeventopasshisarmroundit。Butherecametherub。Hecouldnotgetsufficientgripofthethinropewithhisrighthandbeyondthepointwhereitwascut，toenablehimtosupportevenhalftheweightthathungbelow。Shoulditsever，asitmustdoveryshortly，itwouldbetornfromhisgrasp。
　　Whatthencouldbedone？Godfreypeeredovertheedge。Themanwasswingingnotmorethantwofeetbelowitsbrink，thatistosay，theupdrawnloopofhisstoutleatherbelt，towhichtheropewasfastened，wasaboutthatdistancefromthebrink，andoneithersideofithehungdownlikeasacktiedroundthemiddle，quitemotionlessinhisswoon，hisheadtoonesideandhisfeettotheother。
　　Couldhereachandgraspthatleatherbeltwithoutfallinghimself，andifso，couldhebeartheman’sweightandnotbedraggedover？
　　Godfreyshrankfromtheattempt；hisbloodcurdled。Thenhepictured，againinamind-flash，hispoorcompanionwhirlingdownthroughspacetobedashedtopulpatthebottom，andtheagonyofhiswifeandchildrenwhomheknew，andwhohadwishedtopreventhimfromclimbingthatday。Oh!hewouldtry。Butstillaparalysingfearovercamehim，makinghimweakandnervous。ThenitwasinGodfrey’sextremitythathisimaginationproducedaverycuriousillusion。Quitedistinctlyheseemedtohearavoice，thatofMissOgilvy，saytohim：
　　“Doit，Godfrey，atonce，oritwillbetoolate。Wewillhelpyou。“
　　Thisphantasy，orwhateveritwas，seemedtogivehimbackhisnerveandcourage。Coollyhetightenedthegripofhisleftarmabouttheknobofice，anddrawinghimselfforwardalittle，sothathisneckandpartofhischestwereovertheedge，reachedhisrighthanddownwards。Hisfingerstouchedthebelt；tograspithemusthaveanotherinchandahalf，ortwoinches。Helethimselfdownthatdistance。Oh!howeasyitseemedtodoso——andthrusthisfingersbeneaththebelt。Asheclosedthemroundit，theropepartedandalltheweightthatithadbornecameuponGodfrey’sarm!
　　Howlongdidhesupportit，heoftenwonderedafterwards。Foragesitseemed。Hefeltasthoughhisrightarmwasbeingtornfromthesocket，whiletheicecutintothemusclesofhisleftlikeactivetorture。Hefilledhimselfwithair，blowingouthislowerpartsothatitsmusclesmightenablehimtogetsomeextraholdoftheroughground；hedughistoesdeepintotheicysnow。Hishatfellfromhishead，restedforamomentinaridiculousfashionupontheswingingbodybeneath，thenfloatedoffcomposedlyintospace，thetallfeatherinitstickingupwardsandflutteringalittle。Heheardvoicesapproaching，andabovethemtheshoutsoftheguide，thoughwhatthesesaidconveyednomeaningtohim。Hemustloosehisholdandgotoo。
　　No，hewouldnot。Hewouldnot，althoughnowhefeltasthoughhisshoulder-jointweredislocated，alsothathisleftarmwasslipping。
　　Hewoulddielikeabraveman——likeabraveman。Surelythiswasdeath!Hewasgone——everythingpassedaway。
　　Godfreywokeagaintofindhimselflyinguponaflatpieceofsnow。
　　Recollectioncamebacktohimwithapang，andhethoughtthathemusthavefallen。
　　Thenheheardvoices，andsawfaceslookingathimasthroughamist，alsohefeltsomethinginhismouthandthroat，whichseemedtoburnthem。Oneofthevoices，itwasthatoftheguide，said：
　　“Good，good!Hefindshimself，thisyoungEnglishhero。See，hiseyesopen；morecognac，itwillmakehimhappy，andpreventtheshock。
　　Nevermindtheotherone；heisallright，thestupid。“
　　Godfreysatupandtriedtolifthisarmtothrustawaytheflaskwhichhesawapproachinghim，buthecouldnot。
　　“Takethatburningstuffaway，Karl，confoundyou，“hesaid。
　　ThenKarl，agoodhonestfellow，whowasonhiskneesbesidehim，threwhisarmsabouthim，andembracedhiminawaythatGodfreythoughttheatricalandunpleasant，whilealltheothers，excepttherescuedman，wholaysemi-comatose，setupakindofp？anofpraise，likeaGreekchorus。