heidi-第18节

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t　any　one　knowing　a　word　about　it；　and　then　to　go　wandering　about　till　this　hour；　I　never　heard　of　such　behavior　before。〃

〃Miau！〃　came　the　answer　back。

This　was　too　much　for　the　lady's　temper；　with　raised　voice　she　exclaimed；　〃You　dare；　Adelheid；　after　your　bad　behavior；　to　answer　me　as　if　it　were　a　joke？〃

〃I　did　not〃　began　Heidi〃Miau！　miau！〃

Sebastian　almost　dropped　his　dish　and　rushed　out　of　the　room。

〃That　will　do；〃　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　tried　to　say；　but　her　voice　was　almost　stifled　with　anger。　〃Get　up　and　leave　the　room。〃

Heidi　stood　up　frightened；　and　again　made　an　attempt　to　explain。　〃I　really　did　not〃　〃Miau！　miau！　miau！〃

〃But；　Heidi；〃　now　put　in　Clara；　〃when　you　see　that　it　makes　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　angry；　why　do　you　keep　on　saying　miau？〃

〃It　isn't　I；　it's　the　kittens；〃　Heidi　was　at　last　given　time　to　say。

〃How！　what！　kittens！〃　shrieked　Fraulein　Rottenmeier。　〃Sebastian！　Tinette！　Find　the　horrid　little　things！　take　them　away！〃　And　she　rose　and　fled　into　the　study　and　locked　the　door；　so　as　to　make　sure　that　she　was　safe　from　the　kittens；　which　to　her　were　the　most　horrible　things　in　creation。

Sebastian　was　obliged　to　wait　a　few　minutes　outside　the　door　to　get　over　his　laughter　before　he　went　into　the　room　again。　He　had；　while　serving　Heidi；　caught　sight　of　a　little　kitten's　head　peeping　out　of　her　pocket；　and　guessing　the　scene　that　would　follow；　had　been　so　overcome　with　amusement　at　the　first　miaus　that　he　had　hardly　been　able　to　finish　handing　the　dishes。　The　lady's　distressed　cries　for　help　had　ceased　before　he　had　sufficiently　regained　his　composure　to　go　back　into　the　dining…room。　It　was　all　peace　and　quietness　there　now；　Clara　had　the　kittens　on　her　lap；　and　Heidi　was　kneeling　beside　her；　both　laughing　and　playing　with　the　tiny；　graceful　little　animals。

〃Sebastian；〃　exclaimed　Clara　as　he　came　in；　〃you　must　help　us；　you　must　find　a　bed　for　the　kittens　where　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　will　not　spy　them　out；　for　she　is　so　afraid　of　them　that　she　will　send　them　away　at　once；　but　we　want　to　keep　them；　and　have　them　out　whenever　we　are　alone。　Where　can　you　put　them？〃

〃I　will　see　to　that；〃　answered　Sebastian　willingly。　〃I　will　make　a　bed　in　a　basket　and　put　it　in　some　place　where　the　lady　is　not　likely　to　go；　you　leave　it　to　me。〃　He　set　about　the　work　at　once；　sniggling　to　himself　the　while；　for　he　guessed　there　would　be　a　further　rumpus　about　this　some　day；　and　Sebastian　was　not　without　a　certain　pleasure　in　the　thought　of　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　being　a　little　disturbed。

Not　until　some　time　had　elapsed；　and　it　was　nearing　the　hour　for　going　to　bed；　did　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　venture　to　open　the　door　a　crack　and　call　through；　〃Have　you　taken　those　dreadful　little　animals　away；　Sebastian？〃

He　assured　her　twice　that　he　had　done　so；　he　had　been　hanging　about　the　room　in　anticipation　of　this　question；　and　now　quickly　and　quietly　caught　up　the　kittens　from　Clara's　lap　and　disappeared　with　them。

The　castigatory　sermon　which　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　had　held　in　reserve　for　Heidi　was　put　off　till　the　following　day；　as　she　felt　too　exhausted　now　after　all　the　emotions　she　had　gone　through　of　irritation；　anger；　and　fright；　of　which　Heidi　had　unconsciously　been　the　cause。　She　retired　without　speaking；　Clara　and　Heidi　following；　happy　in　their　minds　at　knowing　that　the　kittens　were　lying　in　a　comfortable　bed。



CHAPTER　VIII。　THERE　IS　GREAT　COMMOTION　IN　THE　LARGE　HOUSE

Sebastian　had　just　shown　the　tutor　into　the　study　on　the　following　morning　when　there　came　another　and　very　loud　ring　at　the　bell；　which　Sebastian　ran　quickly　to　answer。　〃Only　Herr　Sesemann　rings　like　that；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃he　must　have　returned　home　unexpectedly。〃　He　pulled　open　the　door；　and　there　in　front　of　him　he　saw　a　ragged　little　boy　carrying　a　hand…organ　on　his　back。

〃What's　the　meaning　of　this？〃　said　Sebastian　angrily。　〃I'll　teach　you　to　ring　bells　like　that！　What　do　you　want　here？〃

〃I　want　to　see　Clara；〃　the　boy　answered。

〃You　dirty；　good…for…nothing　little　rascal；　can't　you　be　polite　enough　to　say　'Miss　Clara'？　What　do　you　want　with　her？〃　continued　Sebastian　roughly。　She　owes　me　fourpence；〃　explained　the　boy。

〃You　must　be　out　of　your　mind！　And　how　do　you　know　that　any　young　lady　of　that　name　lives　here？〃

〃She　owes　me　twopence　for　showing　her　the　way　there；　and　twopence　for　showing　her　the　way　back。〃

〃See　what　a　pack　of　lies　you　are　telling！　The　young　lady　never　goes　out；　cannot　even　walk；　be　off　and　get　back　to　where　you　came　from；　before　I　have　to　help　you　along。〃

But　the　boy　was　not　to　be　frightened　away；　he　remained　standing；　and　said　in　a　determined　voice；　〃But　I　saw　her　in　the　street；　and　can　describe　her　to　you；　she　has　short；　curly　black　hair；　and　black　eyes；　and　wears　a　brown　dress；　and　does　not　talk　quite　like　we　do。〃

〃Oho！〃　thought　Sebastian；　laughing　to　himself；　〃the　little　miss　has　evidently　been　up　to　more　mischief。〃　Then；　drawing　the　boy　inside　he　said　aloud；　〃I　understand　now；　come　with　me　and　wait　outside　the　door　till　I　tell　you　to　go　in。　Be　sure　you　begin　playing　your；　organ　the　instant　you　get　inside　the　room；　the　lady　is　very　fond　of　music。〃

Sebastian　knocked　at　the　study　door；　and　a　voice　said；　〃Come　in。〃

〃There　is　a　boy　outside　who　says　he　must　speak　to　Miss　Clara　herself；〃　Sebastian　announced。

Clara　was　delighted　at　such　an　extraordinary　and　unexpected　message。

〃Let　him　come　in　at　once；〃　replied　Clara；　〃he　must　come　in；　must　he　not；〃　she　added；　turning　to　her　tutor；　〃if　he　wishes　so　particularly　to　see　me？〃

The　boy　was　already　inside　the　room；　and　according　to　Sebastian's　directions　immediately　began　to　play　his　organ。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　wishing　to　escape　the　A　B　C；　had　retired　with　her　work　to　the　dining…room。　All　at　once　she　stopped　and　listened。　Did　those　sounds　come　up　from　the　street？　And　yet　they　seemed　so　near！　But　how　could　there　be　an　organ　playing　in　the　study？　And　yetit　surely　was　so。　She　rushed　to　the　other　end　of　the　long　dining…room　and　tore　open　the　door。　She　could　hardly　believe　her　eyes。　There；　in　the　middle　of　the　study；　stood　a　ragged　boy　turning　away　at　his　organ　in　the　most　energetic　manner。　The　tutor　appeared　to　be　making　efforts　to　speak；　but　his　voice　could　not　be　heard。　Both　children　were　listening　delightedly　to　the　music。

〃Leave　off！　leave　off　at　once！〃　screamed　Fraulein　Rottenmeier。　But　her　voice　was　drowned　by　the　music。　She　was　making　a　dash　for　the　boy；　when　she　saw　something　on　the　ground　crawling　towards　her　feeta　dreadful　dark　objecta　tortoise。　At　this　sight　she　jumped　higher　than　she　had　for　many　long　years　before；　shrieking　with　all　her　might；　〃Sebastian！　Sebastian！〃

The　organ…player　suddenly　stopped；　for　this　time　her　voice　had　risen　louder　than　the　music。　Sebastian　was　standing　outside　bent　double　with　laughter；　for　he　had　been　peeping　to　see　what　was　going　on。　By　the　time　he　entered　the　room　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　had　sunk　into　a　chair。

〃Take　them　all　out；　boy　and　animal！　Get　them　away　at　once！〃　she　commanded　him。

Sebastian　pulled　the　boy　away；　the　latter　having　quickly　caught　up　the　tortoise；　and　when　he　had　got　him　outside　he　put　something　into　his　hand。　〃There　is　the　fourpence　from　Miss　Clara；　and　another　fourpence　for　the　music。　You　did　it　all　quite　right！〃　and　with　that　he　shut　the　front　door　upon　him。

Quietness　reigned　again　in　the　study；　and　lessons　began　once　more；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　now　took　up　her　station　in　the　study　in　order　by　her　presence　to　prevent　any　further　dreadful　goings…on。

But　soon　another　knock　came　to　the　door；　and　Sebastian　again　stepped　in；　this　time　to　say　that　some　one　had　brought　a　large　basket　with　orders　that　it　was　to　be　given　at　once　to　Miss　Clara。

〃For　me？〃　said　Clara　in　astonishment；　her　curiosity　very　much　excited；　〃bring　it　in　at　once　that　I　may　see　what　it　is　like。〃

Sebastian　carried　in　a　large　covered　basket　and　retired。

〃I　think　the　lessons　had　better　be　finished　first　before　the　basket　is　unpacked；〃　said　Fraulein　Rottenmeier。

Clara　could　not　conceive　what　was　in　it；　and　cast　longing　glances　towards　it。　In　the　middle　of　one　of　her　declensions　she　suddenly　broke　off　and　said　to　the　tutor；　〃Mayn't　I　just　give　one　peep　inside　to　see　what　is　in　it　before　I　go　on？〃

〃On　some　considerations　I　am　for　it；　on　others　against　it；〃　he　began　in　answer；　〃for　it；　on　the　ground　that　if　your　whole　attention　is　directed　to　the　basket〃　but　the　speech　remained　unfinished。　The　cover　of　the　basket　was　loose；　and　at　this　moment　one；　two；　three；　and　then　two　more；　and　again　more　kittens　came　suddenly　tumbling　on　to　the　floor　and　racing　about　the　room　in　every　direction；　and　with　such　indescribable　rapidity　that　it　seemed　as　if　the　whole　room　was　full　of　them。　They　jumped　over　the　tutor's　boots；　bit　at　his　trousers；　climbed　up　Fraulein　Rottenmeier's　dress；　rolled　about　her　feet；　sprang　up　on　to　Clara's　couch；　scratching；　scrambling；　and　mewing：　it　was　a　sad　scene　of　confusion。　Clara；　meanwhile；　pleased　with　their　gambols；　kept　on　exclaiming；　〃Oh；　the　dear　little　things！　how　pretty　they　are！　Look；　Heidi；　at　this　one；　look；　look；　at　that　one　over　there！〃　And　Heidi　in　her　delight　kept　running　after　them　first　into　one　corner　and　then　into　the　other。　The　tutor　stood　up　by　the　tabl