heidi-第26节

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o　and　take　a　message　to　my　old　friend　the　doctor；　give　him　my　kind　regards；　and　ask　him　if　he　will　come　to　me　to…night　at　nine　o'clock　without　fail；　I　have　come　by　express　from　Paris　to　consult　him。　I　shall　want　him　to　spend　the　night　here；　so　bad　a　case　is　it；　so　he　will　arrange　accordingly。　You　understand？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Sebastian；　〃I　will　see　to　the　matter　as　you　wish。〃　Then　Herr　Sesemann　returned　to　Clara；　and　begged　her　to　have　no　more　fear；　as　he　would　soon　find　out　all　about　the　ghost　and　put　an　end　to　it。

Punctually　at　nine　o'clock；　after　the　children　had　gone　to　bed　and　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　had　retired；　the　doctor　arrived。　He　was　a　grey…haired　man　with　a　fresh　face；　and　two　bright；　kindly　eyes。　He　looked　anxious　as　he　walked　in；　but；　on　catching　sight　of　his　patient；　burst　out　laughing　and　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃you　look　pretty　bad　for　a　person　that　I　am　to　sit　up　with　all　night。〃

〃Patience；　friend；〃　answered　Herr　Sesemann；　〃the　one　you　have　to　sit　up　for　will　look　a　good　deal　worse　when　we　have　once　caught　him。〃

〃So　there　is　a　sick　person　in　the　house；　and　one　that　has　first　to　be　caught？〃

〃Much　worse　than　that；　doctor！　a　ghost　in　the　house！　My　house　is　haunted！〃

The　doctor　laughed　aloud。

〃That's　a　nice　way　of　showing　sympathy；　doctor！〃　continued　Herr；　Sesemann。　〃It's　a　pity　my　friend　Rottenmeier　cannot　hear　you。　She　is　firmly　convinced　that　some　old　member　of　the　family　is　wandering　about　the　house　doing　penance　for　some　awful　crime　he　committed。〃

〃How　did　she　become　acquainted　with　him？〃　asked　the　doctor；　still　very　much　amused。

So　Herr　Sesemann　recounted　to　him　how　the　front　door　was　nightly　opened　by　somebody；　according　to　the　testimony　of　the　combined　household；　and　he　had　therefore　provided　two　loaded　revolvers；　so　as　to　be　prepared　for　anything　that　happened；　for　either　the　whole　thing　was　a　joke　got　up　by　some　friend　of　the　servants；　just　to　alarm　the　household　while　he　was　awayand　in　that　case　a　pistol　fired　into　the　air　would　procure　him　a　wholesome　frightor　else　it　was　a　thief；　who；　by　leading　everybody　at　first　to　think　there　was　a　ghost；　made　it　safe　for　himself　when　he　came　later　to　steal；　as　no　one　would　venture　to　run　out　if　they　heard　him；　and　in　that　case　too　a　good　weapon　would　not　be　amiss。

The　two　took　up　their　quarters　for　the　night　in　the　same　room　in　which　Sebastian　and　John　had　kept　watch。　A　bottle　of　wine　was　placed　on　the　table；　for　a　little　refreshment　would　be　welcome　from　time　to　time　if　the　night　was　to　be　passed　sitting　up。　Beside　it　lay　the　two　revolvers；　and　two　good…sized　candles　had　also　been　lighted；　for　Herr　Sesemann　was　determined　not　to　wait　for　ghosts　in　any　half　light。

The　door　was　shut　close　to　prevent　the　light　being　seen　in　the　hall　outside；　which　might　frighten　away　the　ghost。　And　now　the　two　gentlemen　sat　comfortably　back　in　the　arm…chairs　and　began　talking　of　all　sorts　of　things；　now　and　then　pausing　to　take　a　good　draught　of　wine；　and　so　twelve　o'clock　struck　before　they　were　aware。

〃The　ghost　has　got　scent　of　us　and　is　keeping　away　to…night；〃　said　the　doctor。

〃Wait　a　bit；　it　does　not　generally　appear　before　one　o'clock；〃　answered　his　friend。

They　started　talking　again。　One　o'clock　struck。　There　was　not　a　sound　about　the　house；　nor　in　the　street　outside。　Suddenly　the　doctor　lifted　his　finger。

〃Hush！　Sesemann；　don't　you　hear　something？〃

They　both　listened；　and　they　distinctly　heard　the　bar　softly　pushed　aside　and　then　the　key　turned　in　the　lock　and　the　door　opened。　Herr　Sesemann　put　out　his　hand　for　his　revolver。

〃You　are　not　afraid；　are　you？〃　said　the　doctor　as　he　stood　up。

〃It　is　better　to　take　precautions；〃　whispered　Herr　Sesemann；　and　seizing　one　of　the　lights　in　his　other　hand；　he　followed　the　doctor；　who；　armed　in　like　manner　with　a　light　and　a　revolver；　went　softly　on　in　front。　They　stepped　into　the　hall。　The　moonlight　was　shining　in　through　the　open　door　and　fell　on　a　white　figure　standing　motionless　in　the　doorway。

〃Who　is　there？〃　thundered　the　doctor　in　a　voice　that　echoed　through　the　hall；　as　the　two　men　advanced　with　lights　and　weapons　towards　the　figure。

It　turned　and　gave　a　low　cry。　There　in　her　little　white　nightgown　stood　Heidi；　with　bare　feet；　staring　with　wild　eyes　at　the　lights　and　the　revolvers；　and　trembling　from　head　to　foot　like　a　leaf　in　the　wind。　The　two　men　looked　as　one　another　in　surprise。

〃Why；　I　believe　it　is　your　little　water…carrier；　Sesemann；〃　said　the　doctor。

〃Child；　what　does　this　mean？〃　said　Herr　Sesemann。　〃What　did　you　want？　why　did　you　come　down　here？〃

White　with　terror；　and　hardly　able　to　make　her　voice　heard；　Heidi　answered；　〃I　don't　know。〃

But　now　the　doctor　stepped　forward。　〃This　is　a　matter　for　me　to　see　to；　Sesemann；　go　back　to　your　chair。　I　must　take　the　child　upstairs　to　her　bed。〃

And　with　that　he　put　down　his　revolver　and　gently　taking　the　child　by　the　hand　led　her　upstairs。　〃Don't　be　frightened；〃　he　said　as　they　went　up　side　by　side；　〃it's　nothing　to　be　frightened　about；　it's　all　right；　only　just　go　quietly。〃

On　reaching　Heidi's　room　the　doctor　put　the　candle　down　on　the　table；　and　taking　Heidi　up　in　his　arms　laid　her　on　the　bed　and　carefully　covered　her　over。　Then　he　sat　down　beside　her　and　waited　until　Heidi　had　grown　quieter　and　no　longer　trembled　so　violently。　He　took　her　hand　and　said　in　a　kind；　soothing　voice；　〃There；　now　you　feel　better；　and　now　tell　me　where　you　were　wanting　to　go　to？〃

〃I　did　not　want　to　go　anywhere；〃　said　Heidi。　〃I　did　not　know　I　went　downstairs；　but　all　at　once　I　was　there。〃

〃I　see；　and　had　you　been　dreaming；　so　that　you　seemed　to　see　and　hear　something　very　distinctly？〃

〃Yes；　I　dream　every　night；　and　always　about　the　same　things。　I　think　I　am　back　with　the　grandfather　and　I　hear　the　sound　in　the　fir　trees　outside；　and　I　see　the　stars　shining　so　brightly；　and　then　I　open　the　door　quickly　and　run　out；　and　it　is　all　so　beautiful！　But　when　I　wake　I　am　still　in　Frankfurt。〃　And　Heidi　struggled　as　she　spoke　to　keep　back　the　sobs　which　seemed　to　choke　her。

〃And　have　you　no　pain　anywhere？　no　pain　in　your　head　or　back？〃

〃No；　only　a　feeling　as　if　there　were　a　great　stone　weighing　on　me　here。〃

〃As　if　you　had　eaten　something　that　would　not　go　down。〃

〃No；　not　like　that；　something　heavy　as　if　I　wanted　to　cry　very　much。〃

〃I　see；　and　then　do　you　have　a　good　cry？〃

〃Oh；　no；　I　mustn't；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　forbade　me　to　cry。〃

〃So　you　swallow　it　all　down；　I　suppose？　Are　you　happy　here　in　Frankfurt？〃

〃Yes；〃　was　the　low　answer；　but　it　sounded　more　like　〃No。〃

〃And　where　did　you　live　with　your　grandfather？〃

〃Up　on　the　mountain。〃

〃That　wasn't　very　amusing；　rather　dull　at　times；　eh？〃

〃No；　no；　it　was　beautiful；　beautiful！〃　Heidi　could　go　no　further；　the　remembrance　of　the　past；　the　excitement　she　had　just　gone　through；　the　long　suppressed　weeping；　were　too　much　for　the　child's　strength；　the　tears　began　to　fall　fast；　and　she　broke　into　violent　weeping。

The　doctor　stood　up　and　laid　her　head　kindly　down　on　the　pillow。　〃There；　there；　go　on　crying；　it　will　do　you　good；　and　then　go　to　sleep；　it　will　be　all　right　to…morrow。〃

Then　he　left　the　room　and　went　downstairs　to　Herr　Sesemann；　when　he　was　once　more　sitting　in　the　armchair　opposite　his　friend；　〃Sesemann；〃　he　said；　〃let　me　first　tell　you　that　your　little　charge　is　a　sleep…walker；　she　is　the　ghost　who　has　nightly　opened　the　front　door　and　put　your　household　into　this　fever　of　alarm。　Secondly；　the　child　is　consumed　with　homesickness；　to　such　an　extent　that　she　is　nearly　a　skeleton　already；　and　soon　will　be　quite　one；　something　must　be　done　at　once。　For　the　first　trouble；　due　to　her　over…excited　nerves；　there　is　but　one　remedy；　to　send　her　back　to　her　native　mountain　air；　and　for　the　second　trouble　there　is　also　but　one　cure；　and　that　the　same。　So　to…morrow　the　child　must　start　for　home；　there　you　have　my　prescription。〃

Herr　Sesemann　had　arisen　and　now　paced　up　and　down　the　room　in　the　greatest　state　of　concern。

〃What！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃the　child　a　sleep…walker　and　ill！　Home…sick；　and　grown　emaciated　in　my　house！　All　this　has　taken　place　in　my　house　and　no　one　seen　or　known　anything　about　it！　And　you　mean；　doctor；　that　the　child　who　came　here　happy　and　healthy；　I　am　to　send　back　to　her　grandfather　a　miserable　little　skeleton？　I　can't　do　it；　you　cannot　dream　of　my　doing　such　a　thing！　Take　the　child　in　hand；　do　with　her　what　you　will；　and　make　her　whole　and　sound；　and　then　she　shall　go　home；　but　you　must　do　something　first。〃

〃Sesemann；〃　replied　the　doctor；　〃consider　what　you　are　doing！　This　illness　of　the　child's　is　not　one　to　be　cured　with　pills　and　powders。　The　child　has　not　a　tough　constitution；　but　if　you　send　her　back　at　once　she　may　recover　in　the　mountain　air；　if　not　you　would　rather　she　went　back　ill　than　not　at　all？〃

Herr　Sesemann　stood　still；　the　doctor's　words　were　a　shock　to　him。

〃If　you　put　it　so；　doctor；　there　is　assuredly　only　one　wayand　the　thing　must　be　seen　to　at　once。〃　And　then　he　and　the　doctor　walked　up　and　down　for　a　while　arranging　what　to　do；　after　which　the　doctor　said　good…bye；　for　some　time　had　passed　since　they　first　sat　down　together；　and　as　the　master　himself　opened　the　hall　door　this　time　the