Snowflake (7 page)

“Snowflake, dear, whose are all those many little voices I seem to hear all about us, and to whom you speak from time to time?”

Snowflake smiled shyly and said gently: “I was wondering when you would notice. Those are our children, dear Raindrop.”

Raindrop was greatly pleased, but could only say: “Well . . .” and then once more, “Well, well! How many of them are there?”

Snowflake counted them again to make certain and then said with pride: “Four.”

“Four! That is a fine number. What are their names?”

Snowflake thought first to get them right and in the proper order before she replied: “They are called Snowdrop, Rainflake, Snowcrystal and Raindrop-Minor.”

Raindrop said: “Well, well, well, well.” And then added, “I think those are very nice names.”

Raindrop did not appear to pay much attention to the children after that, though secretly he was very proud of how handsome they were and would watch out of the corner of his eye as they swirled and played about Snowflake or went for rides on tiny air bubbles on the surface of the river. Once in a while he would speak with them and try to answer their questions.

But Snowflake seemed from then on to be busy from morning until night, keeping them clean, brushing away bits of oil or soot or dust that came flying through the air from the smokestacks of the steamers and got on to their faces, watching to see that they did not stray too far from her side, holding on to their hands when they passed beneath a boat and teaching them all she had learned about floating down a big river.

Still there was time left to enjoy the points of interest and note the many fine and exciting things to be seen, such as cars whizzing by on the white ribbon of road that ran along the bank, railway trains on both sides of the river, gay cafés and restaurants with tables on terraces beneath coloured umbrellas and the ruins of many old castles crowning the hilltops, their bare walls standing out darkly and full of mystery against the evening sky.

Thus one day seemed to pass like another in contentment and interest and things of even greater moment lay ahead, for in the far distance they could catch a glimpse of the towers and steeples of a city much larger than they had ever seen before, and the twin spires of a great church rising from the river haze.

They happened to be travelling close to the left bank at that time and suddenly before they were aware of it a narrow opening appeared in it with a kind of floor of stone paving that was slanted sharply downhill for a short distance so that they were unexpectedly swept into it with a rush.

Gone was the broad, placid river flowing between the lofty hills; gone the slow, gentle pace that allowed one to think and dream as one floated along.

They were caught in a narrow man-made canal of smooth granite blocks. And they were dashing along faster and faster all the time.

Raindrop looked grave. “I do not like this at all,” he said.

“No,” Raindrop repeated, “I do not care for this in the least. Had I thought that something like this might occur I should have kept us all well out in the middle of the river.”

Snowflake now became alarmed herself, for she had never seen Raindrop so serious or disturbed. She cried:

“What is happening? Are we in danger?” And she quickly called to Snowdrop, Rainflake, Snowcrystal and Raindrop-Minor to come to her at once, give her their hands and stay close to her side.

Raindrop looked even graver. The sides of the canal were steeper now so that they could no longer see much of the sky above them. And faster, always faster was the pace at which they were being swept along.

“I do not know,” Raindrop replied, “but keep the children together and stay close to me. Whatever; we must not be separated now.”

The next moment, the canal became roofed over, the sky vanished, and with a gurgling roar and sucking sound they plunged into the mouth of a dark tunnel.

It was fearful to be hurled along through the pitch black, unable to see or know where they were going.

The entrance to the tunnel fell further and further away behind them. As they gazed back in despair, first it looked like this—
O
, then smaller, like this—
O
, then smaller still, like this—O, and then, alas, only like this—o.

And thereafter, not so much as a single gleam or ray of light entered to relieve the gloom through which they were plunging.

Snowflake was frightened as she had never been before, but for the sake of the children she pretended she was not and asked Raindrop calmly: “Where do you think we are?”

“Underneath the city, the huge one we saw in the distance,” he replied, “or if not, we will be soon. We may have luck and escape with nothing worse than to be drawn in a bath, or used to wash dishes. But there are hundreds of things which can happen to us.” He dropped his voice to a whisper: “If only we do not meet our greatest enemy . . .”

Snowflake said softly:

“Who is our greatest enemy, Raindrop? Whisper it to me. I don’t want the children to see how frightened I am.”

“Shhh,” Raindrop replied. “Have courage. Perhaps it will never happen. Remember, I am with you.”

But the tunnel through which they were dashing grew more chill and narrow all the time. It had many branches that opened to left or right. Fortune, good or bad they knew not which, swept them this way or that but always onwards.

The speed increased. The space through which they were rushing became always smaller. It changed from stone to brick and then from brick to iron as they entered the mains pipe beneath the city.

Faster, faster, faster! Some mighty power had them in its grip. Then without warning they felt themselves being snatched upwards. Sounds reached them, the clanging of bells, shouts, the breaking of glass, a thumping and a roaring . . .

Raindrop cried: “Courage, Snowflake! It
is
our most bitter foe.”

“Who is it?” Snowflake gasped.

Raindrop then pronounced the terrible word: “Fire!”

There was so little time left now even to be afraid.

Above, the powerful pumps were drawing them up from the depths at blinding speed. Snowflake felt helpless and lost. The children were snatched from her though they still managed to cling to Raindrop.

As the pipe narrowed and the pressure increased she thought she would be crushed to death. But worse was yet to follow. Caught in a grip like that of a giant she was forced into a long, flexible tube at such speed that she could barely cling to her senses. Nothing so painful or terrible had ever happened to her before. Snowflake threw one last, despairing look at Raindrop, for she was certain she could bear no more.

Then with a great spurt and a cry of agony, she burst into the open and for an instant gazed upon an awful scene.

There was a house in a crowded city street before her. Black smoke and yellow flames were pouring from the roof and windows. Orange tongues of fire were licking upwards.

She heard Raindrop call to her: “Give all your strength, all your heart and soul, Snowflake! We must win!”

Then, with the powerful stream of water shot from the brass nozzle of the hose held by the firemen, she was hurled straight for the centre of the fiery furnace.

At once she was enveloped by flames and fearful heat while from all about her came a terrifying crackling and roaring, a splintering and tearing, a thundering and a crashing.