heidi-第19节

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ept　running　after　them　first　into　one　corner　and　then　into　the　other。　The　tutor　stood　up　by　the　table　not　knowing　what　to　do；　lifting　first　his　right　foot　and　then　his　left　to　get　it　away　from　the　scrambling；　scratching　kittens。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　was　unable　at　first　to　speak　at　all；　so　overcome　was　she　with　horror；　and　she　did　not　dare　rise　from　her　chair　for　fear　that　all　the　dreadful　little　animals　should　jump　upon　her　at　once。　At　last　she　found　voice　to　call　loudly；　Tinette！　Tinette！　Sebastian！　Sebastian！〃

They　came　in　answer　to　her　summons　and　gathered　up　the　kittens；　by　degrees　they　got　them　all　inside　the　basket　again　and　then　carried　them　off　to　put　with　the　other　two。

To…day　again　there　had　been　no　opportunity　for　gaping。　Late　that　evening；　when　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　had　somewhat　recovered　from　the　excitement　of　the　morning；　she　sent　for　the　two　servants；　and　examined　their　closely　concerning　the　events　of　the　morning。　And　then　it　came　out　that　Heidi　was　at　the　bottom　of　them；　everything　being　the　result　of　her　excursion　of　the　day　before。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　sat　pale　with　indignation　and　did　not　know　at　first　how　to　express　her　anger。　Then　she　made　a　sign　to　Tinette　and　Sebastian　to　withdraw；　and　turning　to　Heidi；　who　was　standing　by　Clara's　couch；　quite　unable　to　understand　of　what　sin　she　had　been　guilty；　began　in　a　severe　voice；

〃Adelaide；　I　know　of　only　one　punishment　which　will　perhaps　make　you　alive　to　your　ill　conduct；　for　you　are　an　utter　little　barbarian；　but　we　will　see　if　we　cannot　tame　you　so　that　you　shall　not　be　guilty　of　such　deeds　again；　by　putting　you　in　a　dark　cellar　with　the　rats　and　black　beetles。〃

Heidi　listened　in　silence　and　surprise　to　her　sentence；　for　she　had　never　seen　a　cellar　such　as　was　now　described；　the　place　known　at　her　grandfather's　as　the　cellar；　where　the　fresh　made　cheeses　and　the　new　milk　were　kept；　was　a　pleasant　and　inviting　place；　neither　did　she　know　at　all　what　rats　and　black　beetles　were　like。

But　now　Clara　interrupted　in　great　distress。　〃No；　no；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　you　must　wait　till　papa　comes；　he　has　written　to　say　that　he　will　soon　be　home；　and　then　I　will　tell　him　everything；　and　he　will　say　what　is　to　be　done　with　Heidi。〃

Fraulein　Rottenmeier　could　not　do　anything　against　this　superior　authority；　especially　as　the　father　was　really　expected　very　shortly。　She　rose　and　said　with　some　displeasure；　〃As　you　will；　Clara；　but　I　too　shall　have　something　to　say　to　Herr　Sesemann。〃　And　with　that　she　left　the　room。

Two　days　now　went　by　without　further　disturbance。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　however；　could　not　recover　her　equanimity；　she　was　perpetually　reminded　by　Heidi's　presence　of　the　deception　that　had　been　played　upon　her；　and　it　seemed　to　her　that　ever　since　the　child　had　come　into　the　house　everything　had　been　topsy…turvy；　and　she　could　not　bring　things　into　proper　order　again。　Clara　had　grown　much　more　cheerful；　she　no　longer　found　time　hang　heavy　during　the　lesson　hours；　for　Heidi　was　continually　making　a　diversion　of　some　kind　or　other。　She　jumbled　all　her　letters　up　together　and　seemed　quite　unable　to　learn　them；　and　when　the　tutor　tried　to　draw　her　attention　to　their　different　shapes；　and　to　help　her　by　showing　her　that　this　was　like　a　little　horn；　or　that　like　a　bird's　bill；　she　would　suddenly　exclaim　in　a　joyful　voice；　〃That　is　a　goat！〃　〃That　is　a　bird　of　prey！〃　For　the　tutor's　descriptions　suggested　all　kinds　of　pictures　to　her　mind；　but　left　her　still　incapable　of　the　alphabet。　In　the　later　afternoons　Heidi　always　sat　with　Clara；　and　then　she　would　give　the　latter　many　and　long　descriptions　of　the　mountain　and　of　her　life　upon　it；　and　the　burning　longing　to　return　would　become　so　overpowering　that　she　always　finished　with　the　words；　〃Now　I　must　go　home！　to…morrow　I　must　really　go！〃　But　Clara　would　try　to　quiet　her；　and　tell　Heidi　that　she　must　wait　till　her　father　returned；　and　then　they　would　see　what　was　to　be　done。　And　if　Heidi　gave　in　each　time　and　seemed　quickly　to　regain　her　good　spirits；　it　was　because　of　a　secret　delight　she　had　in　the　thought　that　every　day　added　two　more　white　rolls　to　the　number　she　was　collecting　for　grandmother；　for　she　always　pocketed　the　roll　placed　beside　her　plate　at　dinner　and　supper；　feeling　that　she　could　not　bear　to　eat　them；　knowing　that　grandmother　had　no　white　bread　and　could　hardly　eat　the　black　bread　which　was　so　hard。　After　dinner　Heidi　had　to　sit　alone　in　her　room　for　a　couple　of　hours；　for　she　understood　now　that　she　might　not　run　about　outside　at　Frankfurt　as　she　did　on　the　mountain；　and　so　she　did　not　attempt　it。　Any　conversation　with　Sebastian　in　the　dining…room　was　also　forbidden　her；　and　as　to　Tinette；　she　kept　out　of　her　way；　and　never　thought　of　speaking　to　her；　for　Heidi　was　quite　aware　that　the　maid　looked　scornfully　at　her　and　always　spoke　to　her　in　a　mocking　voice。　So　Heidi　had　plenty　of　time　from　day　to　day　to　sit　and　picture　how　everything　at　home　was　now　turning　green；　and　how　the　yellow　flowers　were　shining　in　the　sun；　and　how　all　around　lay　bright　in　the　warm　sunshine；　the　snow　and　the　rocks；　and　the　whole　wide　valley；　and　Heidi　at　times　could　hardly　contain　herself　for　the　longing　to　be　back　home　again。　And　Dete　had　told　her　that　she　could　go　home　whenever　she　liked。　So　it　came　about　one　day　that　Heidi　felt　she　could　not　bear　it　any　longer；　and　in　haste　she　tied　all　the　rolls　up　in　her　red　shawl；　put　on　her　straw　hat；　and　went　downstairs。　But　just　as　she　reached　the　hall…door　she　met　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　herself；　just　returning　from　a　walk；　which　put　a　stop　to　Heidi's　journey。

Fraulein　Rottenmeier　stood　still　a　moment；　looking　at　her　from　top　to　toe　in　blank　astonishment；　her　eye　resting　particularly　on　the　red　bundle。　Then　she　broke　out；

〃What　have　you　dressed　yourself　like　that　for？　What　do　you　mean　by　this？　Have　I　not　strictly　forbidden　you　to　go　running　about　in　the　streets？　And　here　you　are　ready　to　start　off　again；　and　going　out　looking　like　a　beggar。〃

〃I　was　not　going　to　run　about；　I　was　going　home；〃　said　Heidi；　frightened。

〃What　are　you　talking　about！　Going　home！　You　want　to　go　home？〃　exclaimed　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　her　anger　rising。　〃To　run　away　like　that！　What　would　Herr　Sesemann　say　if　he　knew！　Take　care　that　he　never　hears　of　this！　And　what　is　the　matter　with　his　house；　I　should　like　to　know！　Have　you　not　been　better　treated　than　you　deserved？　Have　you　wanted　for　a　thing？　Have　you　ever　in　your　life　before　had　such　a　house　to　live　in；　such　a　table；　or　so　many　to　wait　upon　you？　Have　you？

〃No；〃　replied　Heidi。

〃I　should　think　not　indeed！〃　continued　the　exasperated　lady。　〃You　have　everything　you　can　possibly　want　here；　and　you　are　an　ungrateful　little　thing；　it's　because　you　are　too　well　off　and　comfortable　that　you　have　nothing　to　do　but　think　what　naughty　thing　you　can　do　next！〃

Then　Heidi's　feelings　got　the　better　of　her；　and　she　poured　forth　her　trouble。　〃Indeed　I　only　want　to　go　home；　for　if　I　stay　so　long　away　Snowflake　will　begin　crying　again；　and　grandmother　is　waiting　for　me；　and　Greenfinch　will　get　beaten；　because　I　am　not　there　to　give　Peter　any　cheese；　and　I　can　never　see　how　the　sun　says　good…night　to　the　mountains；　and　if　the　great　bird　were　to　fly　over　Frankfurt　he　would　croak　louder　than　ever　about　people　huddling　all　together　and　teaching　each　other　bad　things；　and　not　going　to　live　up　on　the　rocks；　where　it　is　so　much　better。〃

〃Heaven　have　mercy　on　us；　the　child　is　out　of　her　mind！〃　cried　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　and　she　turned　in　terror　and　went　quickly　up　the　steps；　running　violently　against　Sebastian　in　her　hurry。　〃Go　and　bring　that　unhappy　little　creature　in　at　once；〃　she　ordered　him；　putting　her　hand　to　her　forehead　which　she　had　bumped　against　his。

Sebastian　did　as　he　was　told；　rubbing　his　own　head　as　he　went；　for　he　had　received　a　still　harder　blow。

Heidi　had　not　moved；　she　stood　with　her　eyes　aflame　and　trembling　all　over　with　inward　agitation。

〃What；　got　into　trouble　again？〃　said　Sebastian　in　a　cheerful　voice；　but　when　he　looked　more　closely　at　Heidi　and　saw　that　she　did　not　move；　he　put　his　hand　kindly　on　her　shoulder；　and　said；　trying　to　comfort　her；　〃There；　there；　don't　take　it　to　heart　so　much；　keep　up　your　spirits；　that　is　the　great　thing！　She　has　nearly　made　a　hole　in　my　head；　but　don't　you　let　her　bully　you。〃　Then　seeing　that　Heidi　still　did　not　stir；　〃We　must　go；　she　ordered　me　to　take　you　in。〃

Heidi　now　began　mounting　the　stairs；　but　with　a　slow；　crawling　step；　very　unlike　her　usual　manner。　Sebastian　felt　quite　sad　as　he　watched　her；　and　as　he　followed　her　up　he　kept　trying　to　encourage　her。　〃Don't　you　give　in！　don't　let　her　make　you　unhappy！　You　keep　up　your　courage！　Why　we've　got　such　a　sensible　little　miss　that　she　has　never　cried　once　since　she　was　here；　many　at　that　age　cry　a　good　dozen　times　a　day。　The　kittens　are　enjoying　themselves　very　much　up　in　their　home；　they　jump　about　all　over　the　place　and　behave　as　if　they　were　little　mad　things。

Later　we　will　go　up　and　see　them；　when　Fraulein　is　out　of　the　way；　shall　we？〃

Heidi　gave　a　little　nod　of　assent；　but　in　such　a　joyless　manner　that　it　went　to　Sebastian's　heart；　and　he　followed　her　with　sympathetic　eyes　as　she　crept　away　to　her　room。

At　supper　that　eve