Music Welcome to snoozecast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us on snoozecast.com and if you enjoy our show, please share us with a friend. This episode is brought to you by secluded valleys. Tonight, we'll read The Maiden of the Mist, or Anne of Gyrstein by Sir Walter Scott published in 1829.

It is set mainly in Switzerland shortly after the Battle of Tukesbury in the 1400s.

This episode originally aired in January of 2021.

In this story, two exiles are on a secret mission to the court of Charles the Bold Duke of Burgundy, hoping to gain his help in regaining the English crown from Edward the fourth. The two Englishmen get into difficulties in the Swiss mountains. They meet Countess Anne and her family, who are involved in the politics of the newly independent Swiss confederation and plan to confront Charles with complaints about his conduct towards the Swiss nation. This book is part of a long series called The Waverly Novels. For nearly a century, they were among the most popular and widely read novels in Europe. Because Scott did not publicly acknowledge authorship until later, the series takes its name from Waverly, the first novel of the series released. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softness of your bed.

Now, take a few deep breaths. CHAPTER I The mists boil up around the glaciers. Clouds rise, curling fast beneath me, white and sulfurous, like foam from the roused ocean. I am giddy, man-fred. It is true that the inhabitants of those countries which lie in the vicinity of the Alps, that immense barrier, were not ignorant that, notwithstanding their rugged and desolate appearance, the secluded valleys which winded among those gigantic mountains nourished a race of

hunters and shepherds. Men who, living in a state of primal simplicity, compelled from the soil a subsistence gained by severe labor.

Followed the chase over the most savage precipices, and through the darkest pine forests, or drove their cattle to spots which afforded them a scanty pastureage, even in the vicinity of eternal snows. But the existence of such a people, or rather of a number of small communities who followed nearly the same poor and hardy course of life, had seemed to the rich and powerful princes of the neighborhood a matter of little consequence, as it is to the stately herds which repose in a fertile meadow that a few half-starved goats find their scanty food among the rocks which overlook their rich domain. It is then in the forest cantons of Switzerland in the autumn of 1474, while these districts We're in the rude and simple state we have described, that our tale opens. Two travelers, one considerably past the prime of life, the other probably 22 years old, past the night at the little town of Lucerne, the capital of the Swiss state of the same name, and beautifully situated on the lake of the four cantons. Their dress and character seemed those of merchants of a higher class, and while they themselves journeyed on foot, the character of the country rendering that by far the most easy mode of pursuing their route. A young peasant lad from the Italian side of the Alps followed them with a a mule laid in apparently with men's wares and baggage, which he sometimes mounted, but more frequently led by the bridal. The travelers were uncommonly fine-looking men, and seemed connected by some very near relationship. Probably that a father and son, for at the little inn where they lodged on the proceeding evening, the great deference and respect paid by the younger to the elder had not escaped the observation of the natives, who, like other sequestered beings, were curious in proportion to the limited means of information which they possessed. observed also that the merchants under pretense of haste declined opening their bales or proposing traffic to the inhabitants of Lucerne alleging in excuse that they had no commodities fitted for the market. The females of the town were the more displeased with the reserve of the mercantile travelers, because they were given to understand that it was occasioned by the wares in which they dealt being too costly to find customers

among the mountain people. For it had transpired by means of their attendant that the strangers had visited Venice and had there made many purchases of rich commodities, which were brought from India and Egypt to that celebrated Emporium as to the common Mart of the Western world, and then dispersed into all quarters of Europe. Now, the Swiss maidens had of late made the discovery that gems were fair to look upon, and, though without the hope of being able to possess themselves of such ornaments, they felt a natural desire to review and handle the rich stores of the merchants and some displeasure at being prevented from doing so. It was also observed that though the strangers were sufficiently courteous in their demeanor, they did not convince that studious anxiety to please displayed by the traveling peddlers or merchants of lumber dee or Savoy, by whom the inhabitants of the mountains were occasionally visited, and who had been more frequent in their rounds of late years. Since the spoils of victory had invested the Swiss with some wealth, and had taught many of them new wants. Those parapetetic traders were civil and deciduous as they're calling required, but the new visitors seemed men who were indifferent to shoppers, or at least to such slender gains as could be gathered in Switzerland. Curiosity was further excited by the circumstance that they spoke to each other in a language which was certainly neither German, Italian, nor French, but from which an old man serving in the cabaret who had once been as far as Paris.

Supposed they might be English, a people of whom it was only known in these mountains that they were a fierce insular race at war with the French for many years, and a large body of whom had long since invaded the forest canton and sustained such a defeat in the valley as was well remembered by the grey-haired men of Lucerne, who received the tale from their fathers. The lad who attended the strangers was soon ascertained to be a youth from the country who acted as their guide, so far as his knowledge of the mountains permitted. He said they designed to go to another town up yonder, but seemed desirous to travel by circuitous and unfrequented roots. The circumstances just mentioned increased the general desire to know more of the travelers and of their merchandise. Not a bale, however, was unpacked, and the merchants Leaving Lucerne next morning, resumed their Toil some journey,

preferring a circuitous route and bad roads, though the peaceful cantons of Switzerland, to encountering the exactions of the robber chivalry of Germany, who, like so many sovereigns, made war at each of his own pleasure, and levied toils and tolls and taxes on everyone who passed their domains of a mile's breath

with all the insolence of petty tyranny. For several hours after leaving Lucerne, the journey of our travelers was successfully prosecuted, The road, the precipitous and difficult,

was rendered interesting by those splendid phenomena,

which no country exhibits in a more astonishing manner

than the mountains of Switzerland,

where the rocky pass, the verdant valley, the broad lake, and the rushing torrent. The attributes of other hills as well as these are interspersed with the magnificent and yet horrible glaciers.

A feature are interspersed with the magnificent and yet horrible glaciers, a feature peculiar to themselves. It was not an age in which the beauties or grandeur of a landscape made much impression either on the minds of those who traveled through the country, or who resided in it. To the latter, the objects, however dignified, were familiar and associated with daily habits and with daily toil. And the former saw, perhaps, more terror than beauty in the wild region through which they passed, and were rather solicitous to get safe to their night's quarters than to comment on the grandeur of the scenes which lay before them and their place of rest. Yet, our merchants, as they proceeded on their journey, could not help being strongly impressed by the character of the scenery around them. Their road lay along the side of the lake, at times level and close on its very margin, times rising to a great height on the side of the mountain, and winding along the verge of precipices which sank down to the water, a sharp and sheer as the wall of a castle descending upon the ditch which defends it. At other times it traversed spots of a milder character, delightful green slopes, and lowly retired valleys, affording both pastorage and arable ground, sometimes watered by small streams, which winded by the hamlet of wooden huts with their fantastic little church and steeple, meandered round the orchard and the mount of vines, and murmuring gently as they flowed, found a quiet passage into the lake. That stream, Arthur, said the elder traveler, as with one consent they stopped to gaze on such a scene as I have described, resembles the life of a good and a happy man. the brook, which hurries itself headlong down Yon Distant Hill, marking its course by a streak of white foam, answered Arthur, what does that resemble? That of a brave and unfortunate one replied his father. The torrent for me said Arthur, a headlong course which no human force can oppose, and then let it be as brief as it is glorious. It is a young man's thought, replied blight his father, but I am well aware that it is so rooted in thy heart that nothing but the root hand of adversity can pluck it up. As yet the root clings fast to my heartstrings," said the young man.

And me thinks adversity's hand hath had a fair grasp of it. He speak my son of what you little understand," said his father. No, until the middle of life be passed, men scarce, distinguished true prosperity from adversity, or rather they court as the favors of fortune, what they should more justly regard as the marks of her displeasure. at Yonder Mountain, which wears on its shaggy brow a diadem of clouds, now raised and now depressed, while the sun glances upon it but is unable to dispel it. A child might believe it to be a crown of glory, a man knows it to be a signal of tempest. Arthur followed the direction of his father's eye to the dark and shadowy eminence of Mount Pilatus. Is the mist of Yonder Mountain so wild and ominous then? Ask the young man. Ask Antonio, said his father, he'll tell you the legend.

The young merchant addressed himself to the Swiss lad who acted as their attendant, Desiring to know the name of the gloomy height, which, in that quarter, seems the Leviathan of the huge congregation of mountains assembled about Lucerne. The lad crossed himself devoutly as he recounted the popular legend that the wicked Pontius pilotate had here found the termination of his impious life having after spending years in the recesses of that mountain which bears his name, at length, in remorse, rather than in penitence, plunged into the dismal lake which occupies the summit. Antonio said that a form was often, he said, seen to emerge from the gloomy waters, and go through the action of one washing his hands. And when he did so, dark clouds of mist gathered first round the bosom of the lake, and then wrapping the whole upper part of the mountain in clouds, presaged a tempest or hurricane, which was sure to follow in a short space. was particularly exasperated at the audacity of such strangers as ascended the mountain to gaze at his place, and that, in consequence, the magistrates of Lucerne had prohibited anyone from approaching Mount Pilatus under severe penalties. Antonio once more crossed himself as he finished his legend, in which act of devotion he was imitated by his hearers, two good Catholics to entertain any doubt of the truth of the story. How the cursed he then scals upon us said the younger of the merchants, while the cloud darkened and seemed to settle on the brow of Mount Pilatus. A rising wind rather heard than felt, seemed to groan forth in the tone of a lion, the acceptance of the spirit to the rash challenge of the young Englishman. The mountain was seen to send down its rugged sides, thick wreaths of heaving mist, which rolling through the rugged casoms that seemed the hill, resembled torrents of rushing lava pouring down from a volcano.

The Riji precipices, which formed the sides of these huge ravines, showed their rugged and splintery edges over the vapor, as if dividing from each other, the descending streams of mist which rolled around them. As a contrast, the more distant mountain range, beyond, shown brilliant, with all the the hues of an autunnel sun. While the travelers watched the striking and varied contrast, which resembled an approaching combat, but wixed the powers of light and dark. Their guide, in a mixed jargon of Italian and German, exhorted them to make haste on their journey. The travelers, thus admonished, gathered the capes of their cloaks, close round their throats, pulled their bonnets resolvently over their brows.

Drew the buckle of the broad belts, which fastened their mantles, and each with a mountain And staff in his hand well-shod with an iron spike.

They pursued their journey with unabated strength and undonted spirit. every step, the scenes around them appeared to change. Each mountain, as if it's firm and immutable form, were flexible and varying, altered in appearance, like that of a shadowy apparition, as the position of the strangers relative to them changed with their motions, and as the mist which continued slowly, though constantly to descend, influenced the rugged aspect of the hills and valleys which it shrouded with its fable mantle, the nature of their progress to never direct, but winding by a narrow path along the sinews of the valley, and making many a circuit round precipices and other obstacles, which it was impossible to surmount, added to the wild variety of a journey in which, at last, the travelers totally lost any vague idea which they had previously entertained concerning the direction in which the road let them. Yn yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n y