Banner In The Sky

Franz explains his encounter with Winter to his sister, Ilse. Winter is the best he ever climbed with, and he promised to climb any peak with him for half his usual rate. But Winter wants only to climb the Citadel, which Franz thinks is “against the will of God” (90).

At the hotel, Rudi cannot focus on work, despite Old Teo’s attempts to encourage him or the proprietor’s warnings about the number of dishes he breaks. The worst part of his day is walking home, when the boys of the town taunt him for doing domestic work after climbing only once, saying things like, “All hail the conqueror of Mount Dishpan!” (92). The summer is busy, making Franz busier than ever. Rudi wants to tell his uncle how well he climbed with Teo, but he can’t bring himself to do so. He thinks about Winter, knowing that he went to Broli to find the famous guide Emil Saxo. Rudi thinks the mountain is Winter’s, just “as it was Rudi’s mountain” (95). That night, Rudi leaves a note for his mother, telling her he will be all right. Sneaking into his uncle’s house, he retrieves the climbing equipment Winter gave him.