heidi-第12节

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〃Heidi；　go　off　to　the　goats；〃　said　her　grandfather。　You　take　them　a　little　salt　and　stay　with　them　till　I　come。〃

Heidi　vanished　on　the　spot。

〃The　child　ought　to　have　been　at　school　a　year　ago；　and　most　certainly　this　last　winter；〃　said　the　pastor。　〃The　schoolmaster　sent　you　word　about　it；　but　you　gave　him　no　answer。　What　are　you　thinking　of　doing　with　the　child；　neighbor？〃

〃I　am　thinking　of　not　sending　her　to　school；〃　was　the　answer。

The　visitor；　surprised；　looked　across　at　the　old　man；　who　was　sitting　on　his　bench　with　his　arms　crossed　and　a　determined　expression　about　his　whole　person。

〃How　are　you　going　to　let　her　grow　up　then？〃　he　asked。

〃I　am　going　to　let　her　grow　up　and　be　happy　among　the　goats　and　birds；　with　them　she　is　safe；　and　will　learn　nothing　evil。〃

〃But　the　child　is　not　a　goat　or　a　bird；　she　is　a　human　being。　If　she　learns　no　evil　from　these　comrades　of　hers；　she　will　at　the　same　time　learn　nothing；　but　she　ought　not　to　grow　up　in　ignorance；　and　it　is　time　she　began　her　lessons。　I　have　come　now　that　you　may　have　leisure　to　think　over　it；　and　to　arrange　about　it　during　the　summer。　This　is　the　last　winter　that　she　must　be　allowed　to　run　wild；　next　winter　she　must　come　regularly　to　school　every　day。〃

〃She　will　do　no　such　thing；〃　said　the　old　man　with　calm　determination。

〃Do　you　mean　that　by　no　persuasion　can　you　be　brought　to　see　reason；　and　that　you　intend　to　stick　obstinately　to　your　decision？〃　said　the　pastor；　growing　somewhat　angry。　〃You　have　been　about　the　world；　and　must　have　seen　and　learnt　much；　and　I　should　have　given　you　credit　for　more　sense；　neighbor。〃

〃Indeed；〃　replied　the　old　man；　and　there　was　a　tone　in　his　voice　that　betrayed　a　growing　irritation　on　his　part　too；　〃and　does　the　worthy　pastor　really　mean　that　he　would　wish　me　next　winter　to　send　a　young　child　like　that　some　miles　down　the　mountain　on　ice…cold　mornings　through　storm　and　snow；　and　let　her　return　at　night　when　the　wind　is　raging；　when　even　one　like　ourselves　would　run　a　risk　of　being　blown　down　by　it　and　buried　in　the　snow？　And　perhaps　he　may　not　have　forgotten　the　child's　mother；　Adelaide？　She　was　a　sleep…walker；　and　had　fits。　Might　not　the　child　be　attacked　in　the　same　way　if　obliged　to　over…exert　herself？　And　some　one　thinks　they　can　come　and　force　me　to　send　her？　I　will　go　before　all　the　courts　of　justice　in　the　country；　and　then　we　shall　see　who　will　force　me　to　do　it！〃

〃You　are　quite　right；　neighbor；〃　said　the　pastor　in　a　friendly　tone　of　voice。　〃I　see　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　send　the　child　to　school　from　here。　But　I　perceive　that　the　child　is　dear　to　you；　for　her　sake　do　what　you　ought　to　have　done　long　ago：　come　down　into　Dorfli　and　live　again　among　your　fellowmen。　What　sort　of　a　life　is　this　you　lead；　alone；　and　with　bitter　thoughts　towards　God　and　man！　If　anything　were　to　happen　to　you　up　here　who　would　there　be　to　help　you？　I　cannot　think　but　what　you　must　be　half…frozen　to　death　in　this　hut　in　the　winter；　and　I　do　not　know　how　the　child　lives　through　it！〃

〃The　child　has　young　blood　in　her　veins　and　a　good　roof　over　her　head；　and　let　me　further　tell　the　pastor；　that　I　know　where　wood　is　to　be　found；　and　when　is　the　proper　time　to　fetch　it；　the　pastor　can　go　and　look　inside　my　wood…shed；　the　fire　is　never　out　in　my　hut　the　whole　winter　through。　As　to　going　to　live　below　that　is　far　from　my　thoughts；　the　people　despise　me　and　I　them；　it　is　therefore　best　for　all　of　us　that　we　live　apart。〃

〃No；　no；　it　is　not　best　for　you；　I　know　what　it　is　you　lack；〃　said　the　pastor　in　an　earnest　voice。　〃As　to　the　people　down　there　looking　on　you　with　dislike；　it　is　not　as　bad　as　you　think。　Believe　me；　neighbor；　seek　to　make　your　peace　with　God；　pray　for　forgiveness　where　you　need　it；　and　then　come　and　see　how　differently　people　will　look　upon　you；　and　how　happy　you　may　yet　be。〃

The　pastor　had　risen　and　stood　holding　out　his　hand　to　the　old　man　as　he　added　with　renewed　earnestness；　〃I　will　wager；　neighbor；　that　next　winter　you　will　be　down　among　us　again；　and　we　shall　be　good　neighbors　as　of　old。　I　should　be　very　grieved　if　any　pressure　had　to　be　put　upon　you；　give　me　your　hand　and　promise　me　that　you　will　come　and　live　with　us　again　and　become　reconciled　to　God　and　man。〃

Alm…Uncle　gave　the　pastor　his　hand　and　answered　him　calmly　and　firmly；　〃You　mean　well　by　me　I　know；　but　as　to　that　which　you　wish　me　to　do；　I　say　now　what　I　shall　continue　to　say；　that　I　will　not　send　the　child　to　school　nor　come　and　live　among　you。〃

〃Then　God　help　you！〃　said　the　pastor；　and　he　turned　sadly　away　and　left　the　hut　and　went　down　the　mountain。

Alm…Uncle　was　out　of　humor。　When　Heidi　said　as　usual　that　afternoon；　〃Can　we　go　down　to　grandmother　now？〃　he　answered；　〃Not　to…day。〃　He　did　not　speak　again　the　whole　of　that　day；　and　the　following　morning　when　Heidi　again　asked　the　same　question；　he　replied；　〃We　will　see。〃　But　before　the　dinner　bowls　had　been　cleared　away　another　visitor　arrived；　and　this　time　it　was　Cousin　Dete。　She　had　a　fine　feathered　hat　on　her　head；　and　a　long　trailing　skirt　to　her　dress　which　swept　the　floor；　and　on　the　floor　of　a　goatherd's　hut　there　are　all　sorts　of　things　that　do　not　belong　to　a　dress。

The　grandfather　looked　her　up　and　down　without　uttering　a　word。　But　Dete　was　prepared　with　an　exceedingly　amiable　speech　and　began　at　once　to　praise　the　looks　of　the　child。　She　was　looking　so　well　she　should　hardly　have　known　her　again；　and　it　was　evident　that　she　had　been　happy　and　well…cared　for　with　her　grandfather；　but　she　had　never　lost　sight　of　the　idea　of　taking　the　child　back　again；　for　she　well　understood　that　the　little　one　must　be　much　in　his　way；　but　she　had　not　been　able　to　do　it　at　first。　Day　and　night；　however；　she　had　thought　over　the　means　of　placing　the　child　somewhere；　and　that　was　why　she　had　come　to…day；　for　she　had　just　heard　of　something　that　would　be　a　lucky　chance　for　Heidi　beyond　her　most　ambitious　hopes。　Some　immensely　wealthy　relatives　of　the　people　she　was　serving；　who　had　the　most　splendid　house　almost　in　Frankfurt；　had　an　only　daughter；　young　and　an　invalid；　who　was　always　obliged　to　go　about　in　a　wheeled　chair；　she　was　therefore　very　much　alone　and　had　no　one　to　share　her　lessons；　and　so　the　little　girl　felt　dull。　Her　father　had　spoken　to　Dete's　mistress　about　finding　a　companion　for　her；　and　her　mistress　was　anxious　to　help　in　the　matter；　as　she　felt　so　sympathetic　about　it。　The　lady…housekeeper　had　described　the　sort　of　child　they　wanted；　simple…minded　and　unspoilt；　and　not　like　most　of　the　children　that　one　saw　now…a…days。　Dete　had　thought　at　once　of　Heidi　and　had　gone　off　without　delay　to　see　the　lady…housekeeper；　and　after　Dete　had　given　her　a　description　of　Heidi；　she　had　immediately　agreed　to　take　her。　And　no　one　could　tell　what　good　fortune　there　might　not　be　in　store　for　Heidi；　for　if　she　was　once　with　these　people　and　they　took　a　fancy　to　her；　and　anything　happened　to　their　own　daughterone　could　never　tell；　the　child　was　so　weaklyand　they　did　not　feel　they　could　live　without　a　child；　why　then　the　most　unheard　of　luck

〃Have　you　nearly　finished　what　you　had　to　say？　broke　in　Alm…Uncle；　who　had　allowed　her　to　talk　on　uninterruptedly　so　far。

〃Ugh！〃　exclaimed　Dete；　throwing　up　her　head　in　disgust；　〃one　would　think　I　had　been　talking　to　you　about　the　most　ordinary　matter；　why　there　is　not　one　person　in　all　Prattigau　who　would　not　thank　God　if　I　were　to　bring　them　such　a　piece　of　news　as　I　am　bringing　you。〃

〃You　may　take　your　news　to　anybody　you　like；　I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃

But　now　Dete　leaped　up　from　her　seat　like　a　rocket　and　cried；　〃If　that　is　all　you　have　to　say　about　it；　why　then　I　will　give　you　a　bit　of　my　mind。　The　child　is　now　eight　years　old　and　knows　nothing；　and　you　will　not　let　her　learn。　You　will　not　send　her　to　church　or　school；　as　I　was　told　down　in　Dorfli；　and　she　is　my　own　sister's　child。　I　am　responsible　for　what　happens　to　her；　and　when　there　is　such　a　good　opening　for　a　child；　as　this　which　offers　for　Heidi；　only　a　person　who　cares　for　nobody　and　never　wishes　good　to　any　one　would　think　of　not　jumping　at　it。　But　I　am　not　going　to　give　in；　and　that　I　tell　you；　I　have　everybody　in　Dorfli　on　my　side；　there　is　not　one　person　there　who　will　not　take　my　part　against　you；　and　I　advise　you　to　think　well　before　bringing　it　into　court；　if　that　is　your　intention；　there　are　certain　things　which　might　be　brought　up　against　you　which　you　would　not　care　to　hear；　for　when　one　has　to　do　with　law…courts　there　is　a　great　deal　raked　up　that　had　been　forgotten。〃

〃Be　silent！〃　thundered　the　Uncle；　and　his　eyes　flashed　with　anger。　〃Go　and　be　done　with　you！　and　never　let　me　see　you　again　with　your　hat　and　feather；　and　such　words　on　your　tongue　as　you　come　with　today！〃　And　with　that　he　strode　out　of　the　hut。

〃You　have　made　grandfather　angry；〃　said　Heidi；　and　her　dark　eyes　had　anything　but　a　friendly　expression　in　them　as　she　looked　at　Dete。

〃He　will　soon　be　all　right　again；　come　now；〃　said　Dete　hurriedly；　〃and　show　me　where　your　clothes　are。〃

〃I　am　not　coming；〃　said　Heidi。

〃Nonsense；〃　continued　Dete；　then　altering　her　tone　to　one　half…coaxing；　half…cross；　〃Come；　come；　you　do　not　understand　any　better　than　your　grandfather；　you　will　ha