Night VisionsThe sun had gone down, and the clouds lay low on the
valley of the Rhone. The wind blew from the south across the
mountains; it was an African wind, a wind which scattered the
clouds for a moment, and then suddenly fell. The broken clouds hung
in fantastic forms upon the wood-covered hills by the rapid Rhone.
They assumed the shapes of antediluvian animals, of eagles hovering
in the air, of frogs leaping over a marsh, and then sunk down upon
the rushing stream and appeared to sail upon it, although floating
in the air. An uprooted fir-tree was being carried away by the
current, and marking out its path by eddying circles on the water.
Vertigo and his sisters were dancing upon it, and raising these
circles on the foaming river. The moon lighted up the snow on the
mo
