heidi-第14节

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ld　have　a　voice　in　all　matters；　and　that　nothing　should　be　done　against　her　wish。

As　Clara　was　putting　her　impatient　question　for　the　second　time；　Dete　and　Heidi　arrived　at　the　front　door；　and　the　former　inquired　of　the　coachman；　who　had　just　got　down　from　his　box；　if　it　was　too　late　to　see　Fraulein　Rottenmeier。

〃That's　not　my　business；〃　grumbled　the　coachman；　〃ring　the　bell　in　the　hall　for　Sebastian。〃

Dete　did　so；　and　Sebastian　came　downstairs；　he　looked　astonished　when　he　saw　her；　opening　his　eyes　till　they　were　nearly　as　big　as　the　large　round　buttons　on　his　coat。

〃Is　it　too　late　for　me　to　see　Fraulein　Rottenmeier？〃　Dete　asked　again。

〃That's　not　my　business；〃　answered　the　man；　〃ring　that　other　bell　for　the　maid　Tinette；〃　and　without　troubling　himself　any　farther　Sebastian　disappeared。

Dete　rang　again。　This　time　Tinette　appeared　with　a　spotless　white　cap　perched　on　the　top　of　her　head　and　a　mocking　expression　of　face。

〃What　is　it？〃　she　called　from　the　top　of　the　stairs。　Dete　repeated　her　question。　Tinette　disappeared；　but　soon　came　back　and　called　down　again　to　Dete；　〃Come　up；　she　is　expecting　you。〃

Dete　and　Heidi　went　upstairs　and　into　the　study；　Tinette　following。　Dete　remained　standing　politely　near　the　door；　still　holding　Heidi　tightly　by　the　hand；　for　she　did　not　know　what　the　child　might　take　it　into　her　head　to　do　amid　these　new　surroundings。

Fraulein　Rottenmeier　rose　slowly　and　went　up　to　the　little　new　companion　for　the　daughter　of　the　house；　to　see　what　she　was　like。　She　did　not　seem　very　pleased　with　her　appearance。　Heidi　was　dressed　in　her　plain　little　woollen　frock；　and　her　hat　was　an　old　straw　one　bent　out　of　shape。　The　child　looked　innocently　out　from　beneath　it；　gazing　with　unconcealed　astonishment　at　the　lady's　towering　head　dress。

〃What　is　your　name？〃　asked　Fraulen　Rottenmeier；　after　scrutinisingly　examining　the　child　for　some　minutes；　while　Heidi　in　return　kept　her　eyes　steadily　fixed　upon　the　lady。

〃Heidi；〃　she　answered　in　a　clear；　ringing　voice。

〃What？　what？　that's　no　Christian　name　for　a　child；　you　were　not　christened　that。　What　name　did　they　give　you　when　you　were　baptized？〃　continued　Frauleln　Rottenmeier。

〃I　do　not　remember；〃　replied　Heidi。

〃What　a　way　to　answer！〃　said　the　lady；　shaking　her　head。　〃Dete；　is　the　child　a　simpleton　or　only　saucy？〃

〃If　the　lady　will　allow　me；　I　will　speak　for　the　child；　for　she　is　very　unaccustomed　to　strangers；〃　said　Dete；　who　had　given　Heidi　a　silent　poke　for　making　such　an　unsuitable　answer。　〃She　is　certainly　not　stupid　nor　yet　saucy；　she　does　not　know　what　it　means　even；　she　speaks　exactly　as　she　thinks。　To…day　she　is　for　the　first　time　in　a　gentleman's　house　and　she　does　not　know　good　manners；　but　she　is　docile　and　very　willing　to　learn；　if　the　lady　will　kindly　make　excuses　for　her。　She　was　christened　Adelaide；　after　her　mother；　my　sister；　who　is　now　dead。〃

〃Well；　that's　a　name　that　one　can　pronounce；〃　remarked　Fraulein　Rottenmeier。　〃But　I　must　tell　you；　Dete；　that　I　am　astonished　to　see　so　young　a　child。　I　told　you　that　I　wanted　a　companion　of　the　same　age　as　the　young　lady　of　the　house；　one　who　could　share　her　lessons；　and　all　her　other　occupations。　Fraulein　Clara　is　now　over　twelve；　what　age　is　this　child？〃

〃If　the　lady　will　allow　me；〃　began　Dete　again；　in　her　usual　fluent　manner；　〃I　myself　had　lost　count　of　her　exact　age；　she　is　certainly　a　little　younger；　but　not　much；　I　cannot　say　precisely；　but　I　think　she　is　ten；　or　thereabouts。〃

〃Grandfather　told　me　I　was　eight；〃　put　in　Heidi。　Dete　gave　her　another　poke；　but　as　the　child　had　not　the　least　idea　why　she　did　so　she　was　not　at　all　confused。

〃Whatonly　eight！〃　cried　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　angrily。　〃Four　years　too　young！　Of　what　use　is　such　a　child！　And　what　have　you　learnt？　What　books　did　you　have　to　learn　from？〃

〃None；〃　said　Heidi。

〃How？　what？　How　then　did　you　learn　to　read？〃　continued　the　lady。

〃I　have　never　learnt　to　read；　or　Peter　either；〃　Heidi　informed　her。

〃Mercy　upon　us！　you　do　not　know　how　to　read！　Is　it　really　so？〃　exclaimed　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　greatly　horrified。　〃Is　it　possiblenot　able　to　read？　What　have　you　learnt　then？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Heidi　with　unflinching　truthfulness。

〃Young　woman；〃　said　the　lady　to　Dete；　after　having　paused　for　a　minute　or　two　to　recover　from　her　shock；　〃this　is　not　at　all　the　sort　of　companion　you　led　me　to　suppose；　how　could　you　think　of　bringing　me　a　child　like　this？〃

But　Dete　was　not　to　be　put　down　so　easily；　and　answered　warmly；　〃If　the　lady　will　allow　me；　the　child　is　exactly　what　I　thought　she　required；　the　lady　described　what　she　wished　for；　a　child　unlike　all　other　children；　and　I　could　find　no　other　to　suit；　for　the　greater　number　I　know　are　not　peculiar；　but　one　very　much　the　same　as　the　other；　and　I　thought　this　child　seemed　as　if　made　for　the　place。　But　I　must　go　now；　for　my　mistress　will　be　waiting　for　me；　if　the　lady　will　permit　I　will　come　again　soon　and　see　how　she　is　getting　on。〃　And　with　a　bow　Dete　quickly　left　the　room　and　ran　downstairs。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　stood　for　a　moment　taken　aback　and　then　ran　after　Dete。　If　the　child　was　to　stop　she　had　many　things　yet　to　say　and　ask　about　her；　and　there　the　child　was；　and　what　was　more；　Dete；　as　she　plainly　saw；　meant　to　leave　her　there。

Heidi　remained　by　the　door　where　she　had　been　standing　since　she　first　came　in。　Clara　had　looked　on　during　the　interview　without　speaking；　now　she　beckoned　to　Heidi　and　said；　〃Come　here！〃

Heidi　went　up　to　her。

〃Would　you　rather　be　called　Heidi　or　Adelaide？　asked　Clara。

〃I　am　never　called　anything　but　Heidi；〃　was　the　child's　prompt　answer。

〃Then　I　shall　always　call　you　by　that　name；〃　said　Clara；　〃it　suits　you。　I　have　never　heard　it　before；　but　neither　have　I　ever　seen　a　child　like　you　before。　Have　you　always　had　that　short　curly　hair？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　so；〃　said　Heidi。

〃Are　you　pleased　to　come　to　Frankfurt？　went　on　Clara。

〃No；　but　I　shall　go　home　to…morrow　and　take　grandmother　a　white　loaf；〃　explained　Heidi。

〃Well；　you　are　a　funny　child！〃　exclaimed　Clara。　〃You　were　expressly　sent　for　to　come　here　and　to　remain　with　me　and　share　my　lessons；　there　will　be　some　fun　about　them　now　as　you　cannot　read；　something　new　to　do；　for　often　they　are　dreadfully　dull；　and　I　think　the　morning　will　never　pass　away。　You　know　my　tutor　comes　every　morning　at　about　ten　o'clock；　and　then　we　go　on　with　lessons　till　two；　and　it　does　seem　such　a　long　time。　Sometimes　he　takes　up　the　book　and　holds　it　close　up　to　his　face；　as　if　he　was　very　short…sighted；　but　I　know　it's　only　because　he　wants　so　dreadfully　to　gape；　and　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　takes　her　large　handkerchief　out　also　now　and　then　and　covers　her　face　with　it；　as　if　she　was　moved　by　what　we　had　been　reading；　but　that　is　only　because　she　is　longing　to　gape　too。　And　I　myself　often　want　to　gape；　but　I　am　obliged　to　stop　myself；　for　if　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　sees　me　gaping　she　runs　off　at　once　and　fetches　the　cod…liver　oil　and　says　I　must　have　a　dose；　as　I　am　getting　weak　again；　and　the　cod…liver　oil　is　horrible；　so　I　do　my　best　not　to　gape。　But　now　it　will　be　much　more　amusing；　for　I　shall　be　able　to　lie　and　listen　while　you　learn　to　read。〃

Heidi　shook　her　head　doubtfully　when　she　heard　of　learning　to　read。

〃Oh；　nonsense；　Heidi；　of　course　you　must　learn　to　read；　everybody　must；　and　my　tutor　is　very　kind；　and　never　cross；　and　he　will　explain　everything　to　you。　But　mind；　when　he　explains　anything　to　you；　you　won't　be　able　to　understand；　but　don't　ask　any　questions；　or　else　he　will　go　on　explaining　and　you　will　understand　less　than　ever。　Later　when　you　have　learnt　more　and　know　about　things　yourself；　then　you　will　begin　to　understand　what　he　meant。〃

Fraulein　Rottenmeier　now　came　back　into　the　room；　she　had　not　been　able　to　overtake　Dete；　and　was　evidently　very　much　put　out；　for　she　had　wanted　to　go　into　more　details　concerning　the　child；　and　to　convince　Dete　how　misleading　she　had　been；　and　how　unfit　Heidi　was　as　a　companion　for　Clara；　she　really　did　not　know　what　to　be　about；　or　how　to　undo　the　mischief；　and　it　made　her　all　the　more　angry　that　she　herself　was　responsible　for　it；　having　consented　to　Heidi　being　fetched。　She　ran　backwards　and　forwards　in　a　state　of　agitation　between　the　study　and　the　dining…room；　and　then　began　scolding　Sebastian；　who　was　standing　looking　at　the　table　he　had　just　finished　laying　to　see　that　nothing　was　missing。

〃You　can　finish　your　thoughts　to…morrow　morning；　make　haste；　or　we　shall　get　no　dinner　to…day　at　all。〃

Then　hurrying　out　she　called　Tinette；　but　in　such　an　ill…tempered　voice　that　the　maid　came　tripping　forward　with　even　more　mincing　steps　than　usual；　but　she　looked　so　pert　that　even　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　did　not　venture　to　scold　her；　which　only　made　her　suppressed　anger　the　greater。

〃See　that　the　room　is　prepared　for　the　little　girl　who　has　just　arrived；〃　said　the　lady；　with　a　violent　effort　at　self…control。　〃Everything　is　ready；　it　only　wants　dusting。〃

〃It's　worth　my　troubling　about；〃　said　Tinette　mockingly　as　she　turned　away。

Meanwhile　Sebastian　had　flung　open　the　folding　doors　leading　into　the　dining…room　with　rather　more　noise　than　he　need；　for　he　was　feeling　furious；　although　he　did　not　dare　answer　back　wh