heidi-第21节

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〃Ah！　here　is　some　one；〃　exclaimed　Herr　Sesemann；　〃who　will　help　to　clear　up　matters　for　me。　Take　a　seat；〃　he　continued；　as　he　held　out　his　hand　to　the　tutor。　〃You　will　drink　a　cup　of　coffee　with　meno　ceremony；　I　pray！　And　now　tell　me；　what　is　the　matter　with　this　child　that　has　come　to　be　a　companion　to　my　daughter？　What　is　this　strange　thing　I　hear　about　her　bringing　animals　into　the　house；　and　is　she　in　her　right　senses？〃

The　tutor　felt　he　must　begin　with　expressing　his　pleasure　at　Herr　Sesemann's　return；　and　with　explaining　that　he　had　come　in　on　purpose　to　give　him　welcome；　but　Herr　Sesemann　begged　him　to　explain　without　delay　the　meaning　of　all　he　had　heard　about　Heidi。　The　tutor　started　in　his　usual　style。　〃If　I　must　give　my　opinion　about　this　little　girl；　I　should　like　first　to　state　that；　if　on　one　side；　there　is　a　lack　of　development　which　has　been　caused　by　the　more　or　less　careless　way　in　which　she　has　been　brought　up；　or　rather；　by　the　neglect　of　her　education；　when　young；　and　by　the　solitary　life　she　has　led　on　the　mountain；　which　is　not　wholly　to　be　condemned；　on　the　contrary；　such　a　life　has　undoubtedly　some　advantages　in　it；　if　not　allowed　to　overstep　a　certain　limit　of　time〃

〃My　good　friend；〃　interrupted　Herr　Sesemann；　〃you　are　giving　yourself　more　trouble　than　you　need。　I　only　want　to　know　if　the　child　has　caused　you　alarm　by　any　animals　she　has　brought　into　the　house；　and　what　your　opinion　is　altogether　as　to　her　being　a　fit　companion　or　not　for　my　daughter？〃

〃I　should　not　like　in　any　way　to　prejudice　you　against　her；〃　began　the　tutor　once　more；　〃for　if　on　the　one　hand　there　is　a　certain　inexperience　of　the　ways　of　society；　owing　to　the　uncivilised　life　she　led　up　to　the　time　of　her　removal　to　Frankfurt；　on　the　other　hand　she　is　endowed　with　certain　good　qualities；　and；　taken　on　the　whole〃

〃Excuse　me；　my　dear　sir；　do　not　disturb　yourself；　but　I　mustI　think　my　daughter　will　be　wanting　me；〃　and　with　that　Herr　Sesemann　quickly　left　the　room　and　took　care　not　to　return。　He　sat　himself　down　beside　his　daughter　in　the　study；　and　then　turning　to　Heidi；　who　had　risen；　〃Little　one；　will　you　fetch　me；〃　he　began；　and　then　paused；　for　he　could　not　think　what　to　ask　for；　but　he　wanted　to　get　the　child　out　of　the　room　for　a　little　while；　〃fetch　me　fetch　me　a　glass　of　water。〃

〃Fresh　water？〃　asked　Heidi。

〃YesYesas　fresh　as　you　can　get　it；〃　he　answered。　Heidi　disappeared　on　the　spot。

〃And　now；　my　dear　little　Clara；〃　he　said；　drawing　his　chair　nearer　and　laying　her　hand　in　his；　〃answer　my　questions　clearly　and　intelligibly：　what　kind　of　animals　has　your　little　companion　brought　into　the　house；　and　why　does　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　think　that　she　is　not　always　in　her　right　mind？〃

Clara　had　no　difficulty　in　answering。　The　alarmed　lady　had　spoken　to　her　also　about　Heidi's　wild　manner　of　talking；　but　Clara　had　not　been　able　to　put　a　meaning　to　it。　She　told　her　father　everything　about　the　tortoise　and　the　kittens；　and　explained　to　him　what　Heidi　had　said　the　day　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　had　been　put　in　such　a　fright。　Herr　Sesemann　laughed　heartily　at　her　recital。　〃So　you　do　not　want　me　to　send　the　child　home　again；〃　he　asked；　you　are　not　tired　of　having　her　here？〃

〃Oh；　no；　no；〃　Clara　exclaimed；　〃please　do　not　send　her　away。　Time　has　passed　much　more　quickly　since　Heidi　was　here；　for　something　fresh　happens　every　day；　and　it　used　to　be　so　dull；　and　she　has　always　so　much　to　tell　me。〃

〃That's　all　right　thenand　here　comes　your　little　friend。　Have　you　brought　me　some　nice　fresh　water？〃　he　asked　as　Heidi　handed　him　a　glass。

〃Yes；　fresh　from　the　pump；〃　answered　Heidi。

〃You　did　not　go　yourself　to　the　pump？〃　said　Clara。

〃Yes　I　did；　it　is　quite　fresh。　I　had　to　go　a　long　way；　for　there　were　such　a　lot　of　people　at　the　first　pump；　so　I　went　further　down　the　street；　but　there　were　just　as　many　at　the　second　pump；　but　I　was　able　to　get　some　water　at　the　one　in　the　next　street；　and　the　gentleman　with　the　white　hair　asked　me　to　give　his　kind　regards　to　Herr　Sesemann。〃

〃You　have　had　quite　a　successful　expedition；〃　said　Herr　Sesemann　laughing；　〃and　who　was　the　gentleman？〃

〃He　was　passing；　and　when　he　saw　me　he　stood　still　and　said；　'As　you　have　a　glass　will　you　give　me　a　drink；　to　whom　are　you　taking　the　water？'　and　when　I　said；　'To　Herr　Sesemann；'　he　laughed　very　much；　and　then　he　gave　me　that　message　for　you；　and　also　said　he　hoped　you　would　enjoy　the　water。〃

〃Oh；　and　who　was　it；　I　wonder；　who　sent　me　such　good　wishestell　me　what　he　was　like；〃　said　Herr　Sesemann。

〃He　was　kind　and　laughed；　and　he　had　a　thick　gold　chain　and　a　gold　thing　hanging　from　it　with　a　large　red　stone；　and　a　horse's　head　at　the　top　of　his　stick。〃

〃It's　the　doctormy　old　friend　the　doctor；〃　exclaimed　Clara　and　her　father　at　the　same　moment；　and　Herr　Sesemann　smiled　to　himself　at　the　thought　of　what　his　friend's　opinion　must　have　been　of　this　new　way　of　satisfying　his　thirst　for　water。

That　evening　when　Herr　Sesemann　and　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　were　alone；　settling　the　household　affairs；　he　informed　her　that　he　intended　to　keep　Heidi；　he　found　the　child　in　a　perfectly　right　state　of　mind；　and　his　daughter　liked　her　as　a　companion。　〃I　desire；　therefore；〃　he　continued；　laying　stress　upon　his　words；　〃that　the　child　shall　be　in　every　way　kindly　treated；　and　that　her　peculiarities　shall　not　be　looked　upon　as　crimes。　If　you　find　her　too　much　for　you　alone；　I　can　hold　out　a　prospect　of　help；　for　I　am　shortly　expecting　my　mother　here　on　a　long　visit；　and　she；　as　you　know；　can　get　on　with　anybody；　whatever　they　may　be　like。〃

〃O　yes；　I　know；〃　replied　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　but　there　was　no　tone　of　relief　in　her　voice　as　she　thought　of　the　coming　help。

Herr　Sesemann　was　only　home　for　a　short　time；　he　left　for　Paris　again　before　the　fortnight　was　over；　comforting　Clara；　who　could　not　bear　that　he　should　go　from　her　again　so　soon；　with　the　prospect　of　her　grandmother's　arrival；　which　was　to　take　place　in　a　few　days'　time。　Herr　Sesemann　had　indeed　only　just　gone　when　a　letter　came　from　Frau　Sesemann；　announcing　her　arrival　on　the　following　day；　and　stating　the　hour　when　she　might　be　expected；　in　order　that　a　carriage　should　be　sent　to　meet　her　at　the　station。　Clara　was　overjoyed；　and　talked　so　much　about　her　grandmother　that　evening；　that　Heidi　began　also　to　call　her　〃grandmamma；〃　which　brought　down　on　her　a　look　of　displeasure　from　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　this；　however；　had　no　particular

effect　on　Heidi；　for　she　was　accustomed　now　to　being　continually　in　that　lady's　black　books。　But　as　she　was　going　to　her　room　that　night；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　waylaid　her；　and　drawing　her　into　her　own；　gave　her　strict　injunctions　as　to　how　she　was　to　address　Frau　Sesemann　when　she　arrived；　on　no　account　was　she　to　call　her　〃grandmamma；〃　but　always　to　say　〃madam〃　to　her。　〃Do　you　understand？〃　said　the　lady；　as　she　saw　a　perplexed　expression　on　Heidi's　face。　The　latter　had　not　understood；　but　seeing　the　severe　expression　of　the　lady's　face　she　did　not　ask　for　more　explanation。



CHAPTER　X。　ANOTHER　GRANDMOTHER

There　was　much　expectation　and　preparation　about　the　house　on　the　following　evening；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that　the　lady　who　was　coming　was　one　whose　opinion　was　highly　thought　of；　and　for　whom　everybody　had　a　great　respect。　Tinette　had　a　new　white　cap　on　her　head；　and　Sebastian　collected　all　the　footstools　he　could　find　and　placed　them　in　convenient　spots；　so　that　the　lady　might　find　one　ready　to　her　feet　whenever　she　chose　to　sit。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　went　about　surveying　everything；　very　upright　and　dignified；　as　if　to　show　that　though　a　rival　power　was　expected；　her　own　authority　was　not　going　to　be　extinguished。

And　now　the　carriage　came　driving　up　to　the　door；　and　Tinette　and　Sebastian　ran　down　the　steps；　followed　with　a　slower　and　more　stately　step　by　the　lady；　who　advanced　to　greet　the　guest。　Heidi　had　been　sent　up　to　her　room　and　ordered　to　remain　there　until　called　down；　as　the　grandmother　would　certainly　like　to　see　Clara　alone　first。　Heidi　sat　herself　down　in　a　corner　and　repeated　her　instructions　over　to　herself。　She　had　not　to　wait　long　before　Tinette　put　her　head　in　and　said　abruptly；　〃Go　downstairs　into　the　study。〃

Heidi　had　not　dared　to　ask　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　again　how　she　was　to　address　the　grandmother：　she　thought　the　lady　had　perhaps　made　a　mistake；　for　she　had　never　heard　any　one　called　by　other　than　their　right　name。　As　she　opened　the　study　door　she　heard　a　kind　voice　say；　〃Ah；　here　comes　the　child！　Come　along　in　and　let　me　have　a　good　look　at　you。〃

Heidi　walked　up　to　her　and　said　very　distinctly　in　her　clear　voice；　〃Good…evening；〃　and　then　wishing　to　follow　her　instructions　called　her　what　would　be　in　English　〃Mrs。　Madam。〃

〃Well！〃　said　the　grandmother；　laughing；　〃is　that　how　they　address　people　in　your　home　on　the　mountain？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Heidi　gravely；　〃I　never　knew　any　one　with　that　name　before。〃

〃Nor　I　either；〃　laughed　the　grandmother　again　as　she　patted　Heidi's　cheek。　〃Never　mind！　when　I　am　with　the　children　I　am　always　grandmamma；　you　won't　forget　that　name；　will　you？〃

〃No；　no；〃　Heidi　assured　her；　〃I　often　used　to　say　it　at　home。〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　the　grandmother；　with　a　cheerful　little　nod　of　the