heidi-第20节

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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　evening　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　did　not　speak；　but　she　cast　watchful　looks　towards　Heidi　as　if　expecting　her　at　any　minute　to　break　out　in　some　extraordinary　way；　but　Heidi　sat　without　moving　or　eating；　all　that　she　did　was　to　hastily　hide　her　roll　in　her　pocket。

When　the　tutor　arrived　next　morning；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　drew　him　privately　aside；　and　confided　her　fear　to　him　that　the　change　of　air　and　the　new　mode　of　life　and　unaccustomed　surroundings　had　turned　Heidi's　head；　then　she　told　him　of　the　incident　of　the　day　before；　and　of　Heidi's　strange　speech。　But　the　tutor　assured　her　she　need　not　be　in　alarm；　he　had　already　become　aware　that　the　child　was　somewhat　eccentric；　but　otherwise　quite　right　in　her　mind；　and　he　was　sure　that；　with　careful　treatment　and　education；　the　right　balance　would　be　restored；　and　it　was　this　he　was　striving　after。　He　was　the　more　convinced　of　this　by　what　he　now　heard；　and　by　the　fact　that　he　had　so　far　failed　to　teach　her　the　alphabet；　Heidi　seeming　unable　to　understand　the　letters。

Fraulein　Rottenmeier　was　considerably　relieved　by　his　words；　and　released　the　tutor　to　his　work。　In　the　course　of　the　afternoon　the　remembrance　of　Heidi's　appearance　the　day　before；　as　she　was　starting　out　on　her　travels；　suddenly　returned　to　the　lady；　and　she　made　up　her　mind　that　she　would　supplement　the　child's　clothing　with　various　garments　from　Clara's　wardrobe；　so　as　to　give　her　a　decent　appearance　when　Herr　Sesemann　returned。　She　confided　her　intention　to　Clara；　who　was　quite　willing　to　make　over　any　number　of　dresses　and　hats　to　Heidi；　so　the　lady　went　upstairs　to　overhaul　the　child's　belongings　and　see　what　was　to　be　kept　and　what　thrown　away。　She　returned；　however；　in　the　course　of　a　few　minutes　with　an　expression　of　horror　upon　her　face。

〃What　is　this；　Adelaide；　that　I　find　in　your　wardrobe！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃I　never　heard　of　any　one　doing　such　a　thing　before！　In　a　cupboard　meant　for　clothes；　Adelaide；　what　do　I　see　at　the　bottom　but　a　heap　of　rolls！　Will　you　believe　it；　Clara；　bread　in　a　wardrobe！　a　whole　pile　of　bread！　Tinette；〃　she　called　to　that　young　woman；　who　was　in　the　dining…room；〃　go　upstairs　and　take　away　all　those　rolls　out　of　Adelaide's　cupboard　and　the　old　straw　hat　on　the　table。〃

〃No！　no！〃　screamed　Heidi。　〃I　must　keep　the　hat；　and　the　rolls　are　for　grandmother；〃　and　she　was　rushing　to　stop　Tinette　when　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　took　hold　of　her。　〃You　will　stop　here；　and　all　that　bread　and　rubbish　shall　be　taken　to　the　place　they　belong　to；〃　she　said　in　a　determined　tone　as　she　kept　her　hand　on　the　child　to　prevent　her　running　forward。

Then　Heidi　in　despair　flung　herself　down　on　Clara's　couch　and　broke　into　a　wild　fit　of　weeping；　her　crying　becoming　louder　and　more　full　of　distress；　every　minute；　while　she　kept　on　sobbing　out　at　intervals；　〃Now　grandmother's'　bread　is　all　gone！　They　were　all　for　grandmother；　and　now　they　are　taken　away；　and　grandmother　won't　have　one；〃　and　she　wept　as　if　her　heart　would　break。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　ran　out　of　the　room。　Clara　was　distressed　and　alarmed　at　the　child's　crying。　〃Heidi；　Heidi；〃　she　said　imploringly；　〃pray　do　not　cry　so！　listen　to　me；　don't　be　so　unhappy；　look　now；　I　promise　you　that　you　shall　have　just　as　many　rolls；　or　more；　all　fresh　and　new　to　take　to　grandmother　when　you　go　home；　yours　would　have　been　hard　and　stale　by　then。　Come；　Heidi；　do　not　cry　any　more！〃

Heidi　could　not　get　over　her　sobs　for　a　long　time；　she　would　never　have　been　able　to　leave　off　crying　at　all　if　it　had　not　been　for　Clara's　promise；　which　comforted　her。　But　to　make　sure　that　she　could　depend　upon　it　she　kept　on　saying　to　Clara；　her　voice　broken　with　her　gradually　subsiding　sobs；　〃Will　you　give　me　as　many；　quite　as　many；　as　I　had；　for　grandmother？〃　And　Clara　assured　her　each　time　that　she　would　give　her　as　many；　〃or　more；〃　she　added；　〃only　be　happy　again。〃

Heidi　appeared　at　supper　with　her　eyes　red　with　weeping；　and　when　she　saw　her　roll　she　could　not　suppress　a　sob。　But　she　made　an　effort　to　control　herself；　for　she　knew　she　must　sit　quietly　at　table。　Whenever　Sebastian　could　catch　her　eye　this　evening　he　made　all　sorts　of　strange　signs；　pointing　to　his　own　head　and　then　to　hers；　and　giving　little　nods　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Don't　you　be　unhappy！　I　have　got　it　all　safe　for　you。〃

When　Heidi　was　going　to　get　into　bed　that　night　she　found　her　old　straw　hat　lying　under　the　counterpane。　She　snatched　it　up　with　delight；　made　it　more　out　of　shape　still　in　her　joy；　and　then；　after　wrapping　a　handkerchief　round　it；　she　stuck　it　in　a　corner　of　the　cupboard　as　far　back　as　she　could。

It　was　Sebastian　who　had　hidden　it　there　for　her；　he　had　been　in　the　dining…room　when　Tinette　was　called；　and　had　heard　all　that　went　on　with　the　child　and　the　latter's　loud　weeping。　So　he　followed　Tinette；　and　when　she　came　out　of　Heidi's　room　carrying　the　rolls　and　the　hat；　he　caught　up　the　hat　and　said；　〃I　will　see　to　this　old　thing。〃　He　was　genuinely　glad　to　have　been　able　to　save　it　for　Heidi；　and　that　was　the　meaning　of　his　encouraging　signs　to　her　at　supper。



CHAPTER　IX。　HERR　SESEMANN　HEARS　OF　THINGS　WHICH　ARE　NEW　TO　HIM

A　few　days　after　these　events　there　was　great　commotion　and　much　running　up　and　down　stairs　in　Herr　Sesemann's　house。　The　master　had　just　returned；　and　Sebastian　and　Tinette　were　busy　carrying　up　one　package　after　another　from　the　carriage；　for　Herr　Sesemann　always　brought　back　a　lot　of　pretty　things　for　his　home。　He　himself　had　not　waited　to　do　anything　before　going　in　to　see　his　daughter。　Heidi　was　sitting　beside　her；　for　it　was　late　afternoon；　when　the　two　were　always　together。　Father　and　daughter　greeted　each　other　with　warm　affection；　for　they　were　deeply　attached　to　one　another。　Then　he　held　out　his　hand　to　Heidi；　who　had　stolen　away　into　the　corner；　and　said　kindly　to　her；　〃And　this　is　our　little　Swiss　girl；　come　and　shake　hands　with　me！　That's　right！　Now；　tell　me；　are　Clara　and　you　good　friends　with　one　another；　or　do　you　get　angry　and　quarrel；　and　then　cry　and　make　it　up；　and　then　start　quarreling　again　on　the　next　occasion？〃

〃No；　Clara　is　always　kind　to　me；〃　answered　Heidi。

〃And　Heidi；〃　put　in　Clara　quickly；　〃has　not　once　tried　to　quarrel。〃

〃That's　all　right；　I　am　glad　to　hear　it；〃　said　her　father；　as　he　rose　from　his　chair。　〃But　you　must　excuse　me；　Clara；　for　I　want　my　dinner；　I　have　had　nothing　to　eat　all　day。　Afterwards　I　will　show　you　all　the　things　I　have　brought　home　with　me。〃

He　found　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　in　the　dining…room　superintending　the　preparation　for　his　meal；　and　when　he　had　taken　his　place　she　sat　down　opposite　to　him；　looking　the　every　embodiment　of　bad　news；　so　that　he　turned　to　her　and　said；　〃What　am　I　to　expect；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier？　You　greet　me　with　an　expression　of　countenance　that　quite　frightens　me。　What　is　the　matter？　Clara　seems　cheerful　enough。〃

〃Herr　Sesemann；〃　began　the　lady　in　a　solemn　voice；　〃it　is　a　matter　which　concerns　Clara；　we　have　been　frightfully　imposed　upon。〃

〃Indeed；　in　what　way？〃　asked　Herr　Sesemann　as　he　went　on　calmly　drinking　his　wine。

〃We　had　decided；　as　you　remember；　to　get　a　companion　for　Clara；　and　as　I　knew　how　anxious　you　were　to　have　only　those　who　were　well…behaved　and　nicely　brought　up　about　her；　I　thought　I　would　look　for　a　little　Swiss　girl；　as　I　hoped　to　find　such　a　one　as　I　have　often　read　about；　who；　born　as　it　were　of　the　mountain　air；　lives　and　moves　without　touching　the　earth。〃

〃Still　I　think　even　a　Swiss　child　would　have　to　touch　the　earth　if　she　wanted　to　go　anywhere；〃　remarked　Herr　Sesemann；　〃otherwise　they　would　have　been　given　wings　instead　of　feet。〃

〃Ah；　Herr　Sesemann；　you　know　what　I　mean；〃　continued　Fraulein　Rottenmeier。　〃I　mean　one　so　at　home　among　the　living　creatures　of　the　high；　pure　mountain　regions；　that　she　would　be　like　some　idealistic　being　from　another　world　among　us。〃

〃And　what　could　Clara　do　with　such　an　idealistic　being　as　you　describe；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier。〃

〃I　am　not　joking；　Herr　Sesemann；　the　matter　is　a　more　serious　one　than　you　think；　I　have　been　shockingly；　disgracefully　imposed　upon。〃

〃But　how？　what　is　there　shocking　and　disgraceful？　I　see　nothing　shocking　in　the　child；〃　remarked　Herr　Sesemann　quietly。

〃If　you　only　knew　of　one　thing　she　has　done；　if　you　only　knew　of　the　kind　of　people　and　animals　she　has　brought　into　the　house　during　your　absence！　The　tutor　can　tell　you　more　about　that。〃

〃Animals？　what　am　I　to　understand　by　animals；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier？〃

〃It　is　past　understanding；　the　whole　behavior　of　the　child　would　be　past　understanding；　if　it　were　not　that　at　times　she　is　evidently　not　in　her　right　mind。〃

Herr　Sesemann　had　attached　very　little　importance　to　what　was　told　him　up　till　nowbut　not　in　her　right　mind！　that　was　more　serious　and　might　be　prejudicial　to　his　own　child。　Herr　Sesemann　looked　very　narrowly　at　the　lady　opposite　to　assure　himself　that　the　mental　aberration　was　not　on　her　side。　At　that　moment　the　door　opened　and　the　tutor　was　announced。

〃Ah！　here　is　some　one；〃　exclaimed　Herr　Sesemann；　〃who　will　help　to　clea