heidi-第1节

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Heidi


by　Johanna　Spyri








CONTENTS



I　Up　the　Mountain　to　Alm…Uncle

II　At　Home　with　Grandfather

III　Out　with　the　Goats

IV　The　Visit　to　Grandmother

V　Two　Visits　and　What　Came　of　Them

VI　A　New　Chapter　about　New　Things

VII　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　Spends　an　Uncomfortable　Day

VIII　There　is　Great　Commotion　in　the　Large　House

IX　Herr　Sesemann　Hears　of　Things　that　are　New　to　Him

X　Another　Grandmother

XI　Heidi　Gains　in　One　Way　and　Loses　in　Another

XII　A　Ghost　in　the　House

XIII　A　Summer　Evening　on　the　Mountain

XIV　Sunday　Bells

XV　Preparations　for　a　journey

XVI　A　Visitor

XVII　A　Compensation

XVIII　Winter　in　Dorfli

XIX　The　Winter　Continues

XX　News　from　Distant　Friends

XXI　How　Life　went　on　at　Grandfather's

XXII　Something　Unexpected　Happens

XXIII　〃Good…bye　Till　We　Meet　Again〃








　INTRODUCTION


〃Heidi〃　is　a　delightful　story　for　children　of　life　in　the　Alps；　one　of　many　tales　written　by　the　Swiss　authoress；　Johanna　Spyri；　who　died　in　her　home　at　Zurich　in　1891。　She　had　been　well　known　to　the　younger　readers　of　her　own　country　since　1880；　when　she　published　her　story；　Heimathlos；　which　ran　into　three　or　more　editions；　and　which；　like　her　other　books；　as　she　states　on　the　title　page；　was　written　for　those　who　love　children；　as　well　as　for　the　youngsters　themselves。　Her　own　sympathy　with　the　instincts　and　longings　of　the　child's　heart　is　shown　in　her　picture　of　Heidi。　The　record　of　the　early　life　of　this　Swiss　child　amid　the　beauties　of　her　passionately　loved　mountain…home　and　during　her　exile　in　the　great　town　has　been　for　many　years　a　favorite　book　of　younger　readers　in　Germany　and　America。

Madame　Spyri；　like　Hans　Andersen；　had　by　temperament　a　peculiar　skill　in　writing　the　simple　histories　of　an　innocent　world。　In　all　her　stories　she　shows　an　underlying　desire　to　preserve　children　alike　from　misunderstanding　and　the　mistaken　kindness　that　frequently　hinder　the　happiness　and　natural　development　of　their　lives　and　characters。　The　authoress；　as　we　feel　in　reading　her　tales；　lived　among　the　scenes　and　people　she　describes；　and　the　setting　of　her　stories　has　the　charm　of　the　mountain　scenery　amid　which　she　places　her　small　actors。

Her　chief　works；　besides　Heidi；　were：　Am　Sonntag；　Arthur　und　Squirrel；　Aus　dem　Leben；　Aus　den　Schweizer　Bergen；　Aus　Nah　und　Fern；　Aus　unserem；　Lande；　Cornelli　wird　erzogen；　Einer　vom　Hause　Lesa；　10　Geschichten　fur　Yung　und　Alt；　Kurze　Geschichten；　2　vols。；　Gritli's　Kinder；　2　vols。；　Heimathlos；　Im　Tilonethal；　In　Leuchtensa；　Keiner　zu　Klein　Helfer　zu　sein；　Onkel　Titus；　Schloss　Wildenstein；　Sina；　Ein　Goldener　Spruch；　Die　Hauffer　Muhle；　Verschollen；　nicht　vergessen；　Was　soll　deim　aus　ihr　werden；　Was　aus　ihr　Geworden　ist。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　M。E。




HEIDI

CHAPTER　I。　UP　THE　MOUNTAIN　TO　ALM…UNCLE

From　the　old　and　pleasantly　situated　village　of　Mayenfeld；　a　footpath　winds　through　green　and　shady　meadows　to　the　foot　of　the　mountains；　which　on　this　side　look　down　from　their　stern　and　lofty　heights　upon　the　valley　below。　The　land　grows　gradually　wilder　as　the　path　ascends；　and　the　climber　has　not　gone　far　before　he　begins　to　inhale　the　fragrance　of　the　short　grass　and　sturdy　mountain…plants；　for　the　way　is　steep　and　leads　directly　up　to　the　summits　above。

On　a　clear　sunny　morning　in　June　two　figures　might　be　seen　climbing　the　narrow　mountain　path；　one；　a　tall　strong…looking　girl；　the　other　a　child　whom　she　was　leading　by　the　hand；　and　whose　little　checks　were　so　aglow　with　heat　that　the　crimson　color　could　be　seen　even　through　the　dark；　sunburnt　skin。　And　this　was　hardly　to　be　wondered　at；　for　in　spite　of　the　hot　June　sun　the　child　was　clothed　as　if　to　keep　off　the　bitterest　frost。　She　did　not　look　more　than　five　years　old；　if　as　much；　but　what　her　natural　figure　was　like；　it　would　have　been　hard　to　say；　for　she　had　apparently　two；　if　not　three　dresses；　one　above　the　other；　and　over　these　a　thick　red　woollen　shawl　wound　round　about　her；　so　that　the　little　body　presented　a　shapeless　appearance；　as；　with　its　small　feet　shod　in　thick；　nailed　mountain…shoes；　it　slowly　and　laboriously　plodded　its　way　up　in　the　heat。　The　two　must　have　left　the　valley　a　good　hour's　walk　behind　them；　when　they　came　to　the　hamlet　known　as　Dorfli；　which　is　situated　half…way　up　the　mountain。　Here　the　wayfarers　met　with　greetings　from　all　sides；　some　calling　to　them　from　windows；　some　from　open　doors；　others　from　outside；　for　the　elder　girl　was　now　in　her　old　home。　She　did　not；　however；　pause　in　her　walk　to　respond　to　her　friends'　welcoming　cries　and　questions；　but　passed　on　without　stopping　for　a　moment　until　she　reached　the　last　of　the　scattered　houses　of　the　hamlet。　Here　a　voice　called　to　her　from　the　door：　〃Wait　a　moment；　Dete；　if　you　are　going　up　higher；　I　will　come　with　you。〃

The　girl　thus　addressed　stood　still；　and　the　child　immediately　let　go　her　hand　and　seated　herself　on　the　ground。

〃Are　you　tired；　Heidi？〃　asked　her　companion。

〃No；　I　am　hot；〃　answered　the　child。

〃We　shall　soon　get　to　the　top　now。　…　You　must　walk　bravely　on　a　little　longer；　and　take　good　long　steps；　and　in　another　hour　we　shall　be　there；〃　said　Dete　in　an　encouraging　voice。

They　were　now　joined　by　a　stout；　good…natured…looking　woman；　who　walked　on　ahead　with　her　old　acquaintance；　the　two　breaking　forth　at　once　into　lively　conversation　about　everybody　and　everything　in　Dorfli　and　its　surroundings；　while　the　child　wandered　behind　them。

〃And　where　are　you　off　to　with　the　child？〃　asked　the　one　who　had　just　joined　the　party。　〃I　suppose　it　is　the　child　your　sister　left？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Dete。　〃I　am　taking　her　up　to　Uncle；　where　she　must　stay。〃

〃The　child　stay　up　there　with　Alm…Uncle！　You　must　be　out　of　your　senses；　Dete！　How　can　you　think　of　such　a　thing！　The　old　man；　however；　will　soon　send　you　and　your　proposal　packing　off　home　again！〃

〃He　cannot　very　well　do　that；　seeing　that　he　is　her　grandfather。　He　must　do　something　for　her。　I　have　had　the　charge　of　the　child　till　now；　and　I　can　tell　you；　Barbel；　I　am　not　going　to　give　up　the　chance　which　has　just　fallen　to　me　of　getting　a　good　place；　for　her　sake。　It　is　for　the　grandfather　now　to　do　his　duty　by　her。〃

〃That　would　be　all　very　well　if　he　were　like　other　people；〃　asseverated　stout　Barbel　warmly；　〃but　you　know　what　he　is。　And　what　can　he　do　with　a　child；　especially　with　one　so　young！　The　child　cannot　possibly　live　with　him。　But　where　are　you　thinking　of　going　yourself？〃

〃To　Frankfurt；　where　an　extra　good　place　awaits　me；〃　answered　Dete。　〃The　people　I　am　going　to　were　down　at　the　Baths　last　summer；　and　it　was　part　of　my　duty　to　attend　upon　their　rooms。　They　would　have　liked　then　to　take　me　away　with　them；　but　I　could　not　leave。　Now　they　are　there　again　and　have　repeated　their　offer；　and　I　intend　to　go　with　them；　you　may　make　up　your　mind　to　that！〃

〃I　am　glad　I　am　not　the　child！〃　exclaimed　Barbel；　with　a　gesture　of　horrified　pity。　〃Not　a　creature　knows　anything　about　the　old　man　up　there！　He　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　anybody；　and　never　sets　his　foot　inside　a　church　from　one　year's　end　to　another。　When　he　does　come　down　once　in　a　while；　everybody　clears　out　of　the　way　of　him　and　his　big　stick。　The　mere　sight　of　him；　with　his　bushy　grey　eyebrows　and　his　immense　beard；　is　alarming　enough。　He　looks　like　any　old　heathen　or　Indian；　and　few　would　care　to　meet　him　alone。〃

〃Well；　and　what　of　that？〃　said　Dete；　in　a　defiant　voice；　〃he　is　the　grandfather　all　the　same；　and　must　look　after　the　child。　He　is　not　likely　to　do　her　any　harm；　and　if　he　does；　he　will　be　answerable　for　it；　not　I。〃

〃I　should　very　much　like　to　know；〃　continued　Barbel；　in　an　inquiring　tone　of　voice；　〃what　the　old　man　has　on　his　conscience　that　he　looks　as　he　does；　and　lives　up　there　on　the　mountain　like　a　hermit；　hardly　ever　allowing　himself　to　be　seen。　All　kinds　of　things　are　said　about　him。　You；　Dete；　however；　must　certainly　have　learnt　a　good　deal　concerning　him　from　your　sisteram　I　not　right？〃

〃You　are　right；　I　did；　but　I　am　not　going　to　repeat　what　I　heard；　if　it　should　come　to　his　ears　I　should　get　into　trouble　about　it。〃

Now　Barbel　had　for　long　past　been　most　anxious　to　ascertain　particulars　about　Alm…Uncle；　as　she　could　not　understand　why　he　seemed　to　feel　such　hatred　towards　his　fellow…creatures；　and　insisted　on　living　all　alone；　or　why　people　spoke　about　him　half　in　whispers；　as　if　afraid　to　say　anything　against　him；　and　yet　unwilling　to　take　his　Part。　Moreover；　Barbel　was　in　ignorance　as　to　why　all　the　people　in　Dorfli　called　him　Alm…Uncle；　for　he　could　not　possibly　be　uncle　to　everybody　living　there。　As；　however；　it　was　the　custom；　she　did　like　the　rest　and　called　the　old　man　Uncle。　Barbel　had　only　lived　in　Dorfli　since　her　marriage；　which　had　taken　place　not　long　before。　Previous　to　that　her　home　had　been　below　in　Prattigau；　so　that　she　was　not　well　acquainted　with　all　the　events　that　had　ever　taken　place；　and　with　all　the　people　who　had　ever　lived　in　Dorfli　and　its　neighborhood。　Dete；　on　the　contrary；　had　been　born　in　Dorfli；　and　had　lived　there　with　her　mother　until　the　death　of　the　latter　the　year　before；　and　had　then　gone　over　to　the　Baths　at　Ragatz　and　taken　service　in　the　large　hot