heidi-第28节

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ket　with　the　rolls。　Then　she　opened　her　wardrobe　to　look　for　another　treasure；　which　perhaps　no　one　would　have　thought　of　packingand　she　was　rightthe　old　red　shawl　had　been　left　behind；　Fraulein。　Rottenmeier　not　considering　it　worth　putting　in　with　the　other　things。　Heidi　wrapped　it　round　something　else　which　she　laid　on　the　top　of　the　basket；　so　that　the　red　package　was　quite　conspicuous。　Then　she　put　on　her　pretty　hat　and　left　the　room。　The　children　could　not　spend　much　time　over　their　farewells；　for　Herr　Sesemann　was　waiting　to　put　Heidi　in　the　carriage。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　was　waiting　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　to　say　good…bye　to　her。　When　she　caught　sight　of　the　strange　little　red　bundle；　she　took　it　out　of　the　basket　and　threw　it　on　the　ground。　〃No；　no；　Adelaide；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃you　cannot　leave　the　house　with　that　thing。　What　can　you　possibly　want　with　it！〃　And　then　she　said　good…bye　to　the　child。　Heidi　did　not　dare　take　up　her　little　bundle；　but　she　gave　the　master　of　the　house　an　imploring　look；　as　if　her　greatest　treasure　had　been　taken　from　her。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Herr　Sesemann　in　a　very　decided　voice；　〃the　child　shall　take　home　with　her　whatever　she　likes；　kittens　and　tortoises；　if　it　pleases　her；　we　need　not　put　ourselves　out　about　that；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier。〃

Heidi　quickly　picked　up　her　bundle；　with　a　look　of　joy　and　gratitude。　As　she　stood　by　the　carriage　door；　Herr　Sesemann　gave　her　his　hand　and　said　he　hoped　she　would　remember　him　and　Clara。　He　wished　her　a　happy　journey；　and　Heidi　thanked　him　for　all　his　kindness；　and　added；　〃And　please　say　good…bye　to　the　doctor　for　me　and　give　him　many；　many　thanks。〃　For　she　had　not　forgotten　that　he　had　said　to　her　the　night　before；　'It　will　be　all　right　to…morrow；'　and　she　rightly　divined　that　he　had　helped　to　make　it　so　for　her。　Heidi　was　now　lifted　into　the　carriage；　and　then　the　basket　and　the　provisions　were　put　in；　and　finally　Sebastian　took　his　place。　Then　Herr　Sesemann　called　out　once　more；　〃A　pleasant　journey　to　you；〃　and　the　carriage　rolled　away。

Heidi　was　soon　sitting　in　the　railway　carriage；　holding　her　basket　tightly　on　her　lap；　she　would　not　let　it　out　of　her　hands　for　a　moment；　for　it　contained　the　delicious　rolls　for　grandmother；　so　she　must　keep　it　carefully；　and　even　peep　inside　it　from　time　to　time　to　enjoy　the　sight　of　them。　For　many　hours　she　sat　as　still　as　a　mouse；　only　now　was　she　beginning　to　realize　that　she　was　going　home　to　the　grandfather；　the　mountain；　the　grandmother；　and　Peter；　and　pictures　of　all　she　was　going　to　see　again　rose　one　by　one　before　her　eyes；　she　thought　of　how　everything　would　look　at　home；　but　this　brought　other　thoughts　to　her　mind；　and　all　of　a　sudden　she　said　anxiously；　〃Sebastian；　are　you　sure　that　grandmother　on　the　mountain　is　not　dead？〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Sebastian；　wishing　to　soothe　her；　〃we　will　hope　not；　she　is　sure　to　be　alive　still。〃

Then　Heidi　fell　back　on　her　own　thoughts　again。　Now　and　then　she　looked　inside　the　basket；　for　the　thing　she　looked　forward　to　most　was　laying　all　the　rolls　out　on　grandmother's　table。　After　a　long　silence　she　spoke　again；　〃If　only　we　could　know　for　certain　that　grandmother　is　alive！〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Sebastian；　half　asleep；　〃she　is　sure　to　be　alive；　there　is　no　reason　why　she　should　be　dead。〃

After　a　while　sleep　fell　on　Heidi　too；　and　after　her　disturbed　night　and　early　rising　she　slept　so　soundly　that　she　did　not　wake　till　Sebastian　shook　her　by　the　arm　and　called　to　her；　〃Wake　up；　wake　up！　we　shall　have　to　get　out　directly；　we　are　just　in　Basle！〃

There　was　a　further　railway　journey　of　many　hours　the　next　day。　Heidi　again　sat　with　her　basket　on　her　knee；　for　she　would　not　have　given　it　up　to　Sebastian　on　any　consideration；　to…day　she　never　even　opened　her　mouth；　for　her　excitement；　which　increased　with　every　mile　of　the　journey；　kept　her　speechless。　All　of　a　sudden；　before　Heidi　expected　it；　a　voice　called　out；　〃Mayenfeld。〃　She　and　Sebastian　both　jumped　up；　the　latter　also　taken　by　surprise。　In　another　minute　they　were　both　standing　on　the　platform　with　Heidi's　trunk；　and　the　train　was　steaming　away　down　the　valley。　Sebastian　looked　after　it　regretfully；　for　he　preferred　the　easier　mode　of　travelling　to　a　wearisome　climb　on　foot；　especially　as　there　was　danger　no　doubt　as　well　as　fatigue　in　a　country　like　this；　where；　according　to　Sebastian's　idea；　everything　and　everybody　were　half　savage。　He　therefore　looked　cautiously　to　either　side　to　see　who　was　a　likely　person　to　ask　the　safest　way　to　Dorfli。

Just　outside　the　station　he　saw　a　shabby…looking　little　cart　and　horse　which　a　broad…shouldered　man　was　loading　with　heavy　sacks　that　had　been　brought　by　the　train；　so　he　went　up　to　him　and　asked　which　was　the　safest　way　to　get　to　Dorfli。

〃All　the　roads　about　here　are　safe；〃　was　the　curt　reply。

So　Sebastian　altered　his　question　and　asked　which　was　the　best　way　to　avoid　falling　over　the　precipice；　and　also　how　a　box　could　be　conveyed　to　Dorfli。　The　man　looked　at　the　box；　weighing　it　with　his　eye；　and　then　volunteered　if　it　was　not　too　heavy　to　take　it　on　his　own　cart；　as　he　was　driving　to　Dorfli。　After　some　little　interchange　of　words　it　was　finally　agreed　that　the　man　should　take　both　the　child　and　the　box　to　Dorfli；　and　there　find　some　one　who　could　be　sent　on　with　Heidi　up　the　mountain。

〃I　can　go　by　myself；　I　know　the　way　well　from　Dorfli；〃　put　in　Heidi；　who　had　been　listening　attentively　to　the　conversation。　Sebastian　was　greatly　relieved　at　not　having　to　do　any　mountain　climbing。　He　drew　Heidi　aside　and　gave　her　a　thick　rolled　parcel；　and　a　letter　for　her　grandfather；　the　parcel；　he　told　her；　was　a　present　from　Herr　Sesemann；　and　she　must　put　it　at　the　bottom　of　her　basket　under　the　rolls　and　be　very　careful　not　to　lose　it；　as　Herr　Sesemann　would　be　very　vexed　if　she　did；　and　never　be　the　same　to　her　again；　so　little　miss　was　to　think　well　of　what　he　said。

〃I　shall　be　sure　not　to　lose　it；〃　said　Heidi　confidently；　and　she　at　once　put　the　roll　and　the　letter　at　the　bottom　of　her　basket。　The　trunk　meanwhile　had　been　hoisted　into　the　cart；　and　now　Sebastian　lifted　Heidi　and　her　basket　on　to　the　high　seat　and　shook　hands　with　her；　he　then　made　signs　to　her　to　keep　her　eye　on　the　basket；　for　the　driver　was　standing　near　and　Sebastian　thought　it　better　to　be　careful；　especially　as　he　knew　that　he　ought　himself　to　have　seen　the　child　safely　to　her　journey's　end。　The　driver　now　swung　himself　up　beside　Heidi；　and　the　cart　rolled　away　in　the　direction　of　the　mountains；　while　Sebastian；　glad　of　having　no　tiring　and　dangerous　journey　on　foot　before　him；　sat　down　in　the　station　and　awaited　the　return　train。

The　driver　of　the　car　was　the　miller　at　Dorfli　and　was　taking　home　his　sacks　of　flour。　He　had　never　seen　Heidi；　but　like　everybody　in　Dorfli　knew　all　about　her。　He　had　known　her　parents；　and　felt　sure　at　once　that　this　was　the　child　of　whom　he　had　heard　so　much。　He　began　to　wonder　why　she　had　come　back；　and　as　they　drove　along　he　entered　into　conversation　with　her。　〃You　are　the　child　who　lived　with　your　grandfather；　Alm…Uncle；　are　you　not？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Didn't　they　treat　you　well　down　there　that　you　have　come　back　so　soon？〃

〃Yes；　it　was　not　that；　everything　in　Frankfurt　is　as　nice　as　it　could　be。〃

〃Then　why　are　you　running　home　again？〃

〃Only　because　Herr　Sesemann　gave　me　leave；　or　else　I　should　not　have　come。〃

〃If　they　were　willing　to　let　you　stay；　why　did　you　not　remain　where　you　were　better　off　than　at　home？〃

〃Because　I　would　a　thousand　times　rather　be　with　grandfather　on　the　mountain　than　anywhere　else　in　the　world。〃

〃You　will　think　differently　perhaps　when　you　get　back　there；〃　grumbled　the　miller；　and　then　to　himself；　〃It's　strange　of　her；　for　she　must　know　what　it's　like。〃

He　began　whistling　and　said　no　more；　while　Heidi　looked　around　her　and　began　to　tremble　with　excitement；　for　she　knew　every　tree　along　the　way；　and　there　overhead　were　the　high　jagged　peaks　of　the　mountain　looking　down　on　her　like　old　friends。　And　Heidi　nodded　back　to　them；　and　grew　every　moment　more　wild　with　her　joy　and　longing；　feeling　as　if　she　must　jump　down　from　the　cart　and　run　with　all　her　might　till　she　reached　the　top。　But　she　sat　quite　still　and　did　not　move；　although　inwardly　in　such　agitation。　The　clock　was　striking　five　as　they　drove　into　Dorfli。　A　crowd　of　women　and　children　immediately　surrounded　the　cart；　for　the　box　and　the　child　arriving　with　the　miller　had　excited　the　curiosity　of　everybody　in　the　neighborhood；　inquisitive　to　know　whence　they　came　and　whither　they　were　going　and　to　whom　they　belonged。　As　the　miller　lifted　Heidi　down；　she　said　hastily；　〃Thank　you；　grandfather　will　send　for　the　trunk；〃　and　was　just　going　to　run　off；　when　first　one　and　then　another　of　the　bystanders　caught　hold　of　her；　each　one　having　a　different　question　to　put　to　her。　But　Heidi　pushed　her　way　through　them　with　such　an　expression　of　distress　on　her　face　that　they　were　forced　to　let　her　go。　〃You　see；〃　they　said　to　one　another；　〃how　frightened　she　is；　and　no　wonder；〃　and　then　they　went　on　to　talk　of　Alm…Uncle；　how　much　worse　he　had　grown　that　last　year；　never　speaking　a　word　and　looking　as　if　he　would　like　to　kill　everybody　he　met；　and　if　the　child　had　anywhere　else　to　go　to　she