heidi-第29节

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oking　as　if　he　would　like　to　kill　everybody　he　met；　and　if　the　child　had　anywhere　else　to　go　to　she　certainly　would　not　run　back　to　the　old　dragon's　den。　But　here　the　miller　interrupted　them；　saying　he　knew　more　about　it　than　they　did；　and　began　telling　them　how　a　kind　gentleman　had　brought　her　to　Mayenfeld　and　seen　her　off；　and　had　given　him　his　fare　without　any　bargaining；　and　extra　money　for　himself；　what　was　more；　the　child　had　assured　him　that　she　had　had　everything　she　wanted　where　she　had　been；　and　that　it　was　her　own　wish　to　return　to　her　grandfather。　This　information　caused　great　surprise　and　was　soon　repeated　all　over　Dorfli；　and　that　evening　there　was　not　a　house　in　the　place　in　which　the　astounding　news　was　not　discussed；　of　how　Heidi　had　of　her　own　accord　given　up　a　luxurious　home　to　return　to　her　grandfather。

Heidi　climbed　up　the　steep　path　from　Dorfli　as　quickly　as　she　could；　she　was　obliged；　however；　to　pause　now　and　again　to　take　breath；　for　the　basket　she　carried　was　rather　heavy；　and　the　way　got　steeper　as　she　drew　nearer　the　top。　One　thought　alone　filled　Heidi's　mind；　〃Would　she　find　the　grandmother　sitting　in　her　usual　corner　by　the　spinning…wheel；　was　she　still　alive？〃　At　last　Heidi　caught　sight　of　the　grandmother's　house　in　the　hollow　of　the　mountain　and　her　heart　began　to　beat；　she　ran　faster　and　faster　and　her　heart　beat　louder　and　louderand　now　she　had　reached　the　house；　but　she　trembled　so　she　could　hardly　open　the　doorand　then　she　was　standing　inside；　unable　in　her　breathlessness　to　utter　a　sound。

〃Ah；　my　God！〃　cried　a　voice　from　the　corner；　〃that　was　how　Heidi　used　to　run　in；　if　only　I　could　have　her　with　me　once　again！　Who　is　there？〃

〃It's　I；　I；　grandmother；〃　cried　Heidi　as　she　ran　and　flung　herself　on　her　knees　beside　the　old　woman；　and　seizing　her　hands；　clung　to　her；　unable　to　speak　for　joy。　And　the　grandmother　herself　could　not　say　a　word　for　some　time；　so　unexpected　was　this　happiness；　but　at　last　she　put　out　her　hand　and　stroked　Heidi's　curly　hair；　and　said；　〃Yes；　yes；　that　is　her　hair；　and　her　voice；　thank　God　that　He　has　granted　my　prayer！〃　And　tears　of　joy　fell　from　the　blind　eyes　on　to　Heidi's　hand。　〃Is　it　really　you；　Heidi；　have　you　really　come　back　to　me？〃

〃Yes；　grandmother；　I　am　really　here；〃　answered　Heidi　in　a　reassuring　voice。　〃Do　not　cry；　for　I　have　really　come　back　and　I　am　never　going　away　again；　and　I　shall　come　every　day　to　see　you；　and　you　won't　have　any　more　hard　bread　to　eat　for　some　days；　for　look；　look！〃

And　Heidi　took　the　rolls　from　the　basket　and　piled　the　whole　twelve　up　on　grandmother's　lap。

〃Ah；　child！　child！　what　a　blessing　you　bring　with　you！〃　the　old　woman　exclaimed；　as　she　felt　and　seemed　never　to　come　to　the　end　of　the　rolls。　〃But　you　yourself　are　the　greatest　blessing；　Heidi；〃　and　again　she　touched　the　child's　hair　and　passed　her　hand　over　her　hot　cheeks；　and　said；　〃Say　something；　child；　that　I　may　hear　your　voice。〃

Then　Heidi　told　her　how　unhappy　she　had　been；　thinking　that　the　grandmother　might　die　while　she　was　away　and　would　never　have　her　white　rolls；　and　that　then　she　would　never；　never　see　her　again。

Peter's　mother　now　came　in　and　stood　for　a　moment　overcome　with　astonishment。　〃Why；　it's　Heidi；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃and　yet　can　it　be？〃

Heidi　stood　up；　and　Brigitta　now　could　not　say　enough　in　her　admiration　of　the　child's　dress　and　appearance；　she　walked　round　her；　exclaiming　all　the　while；　〃Grandmother；　if　you　could　only　see　her；　and　see　what　a　pretty　frock　she　has　on；　you　would　hardly　know　her　again。　And　the　hat　with　the　feather　in　it　is　yours　too；　I　suppose？　Put　it　on　that　I　may　see　how　you　look　in　it？〃

〃No；　I　would　rather　not；〃　replied　Heidi　firmly。　〃You　can　have　it　if　you　like；　I　do　not　want　it；　I　have　my　own　still。〃　And　Heidi　so　saying　undid　her　red　bundle　and　took　out　her　own　old　hat；　which　had　become　a　little　more　battered　still　during　the　journey。　But　this　was　no　trouble　to　Heidi；　she　had　not　forgotten　how　her　grandfather　had　called　out　to　Dete　that　he　never　wished　to　see　her　and　her　hat　and　feathers　again；　and　this　was　the　reason　she　had　so　anxiously　preserved　her　old　hat；　for　she　had　never　ceased　to　think　about　going　home　to　her　grandfather。　But　Brigitta　told　her　not　to　be　so　foolish　as　to　give　it　away；　she　would　not　think　of　taking　such　a　beautiful　hat；　if　Heidi　did　not　want　to　wear　it　she　might　sell　it　to　the　schoolmaster's　daughter　in　Dorfli　and　get　a　good　deal　of　money　for　it。　But　Heidi　stuck　to　her　intention　and　hid　the　hat　quietly　in　a　corner　behind　the　grandmother's　chair。　Then　she　took　off　her　pretty　dress　and　put　her　red　shawl　on　over　her　under…petticoat；　which　left　her　arms　bare；　and　now　she　clasped　the　old　woman's　hand。　〃I　must　go　home　to　grandfather；〃　she　said；　〃but　to…morrow　I　shall　come　again。　Good…night；　grandmother。〃

〃Yes；　come　again；　be　sure　you　come　again　tomorrow；〃　begged　the　grandmother；　as　she　pressed　Heidi's　hands　in　hers；　unwilling　to　let　her　go。

〃Why　have　you　taken　off　that　pretty　dress？〃　asked　Brigitta。

〃Because　I　would　rather　go　home　to　grandfather　as　I　am　or　else　perhaps　he　would　not　know　me；　you　hardly　did　at　first。〃

Brigitta　went　with　her　to　the　door；　and　there　said　in　rather　a　mysterious　voice；　〃You　might　have　kept　on　your　dress；　he　would　have　known　you　all　right；　but　you　must　be　careful；　for　Peter　tells　me　that　Alm…Uncle　is　always　now　in　a　bad　temper　and　never　speaks。〃

Heidi　bid　her　good…night　and　continued　her　way　up　the　mountain；　her　basket　on　her　arm。　All　around　her　the　steep　green　slopes　shone　bright　in　the　evening　sun；　and　soon　the　great　gleaming　snow…field　up　above　came　in　sight。　Heidi　was　obliged　to　keep　on　pausing　to　look　behind　her；　for　the　higher　peaks　were　behind　her　as　she　climbed。　Suddenly　a　warm　red　glow　fell　on　the　grass　at　her　feet；　she　looked　back　againshe　had　not　remembered　how　splendid　it　was；　nor　seen　anything　to　compare　to　it　in　her　dreamsfor　there　the　two　high　mountain　peeks　rose　into　the　air　like　two　great　flames；　the　whole　snow…field　had　turned　crimson；　and　rosy…colored　clouds　floated　in　the　sky　above。　The　grass　upon　the　mountain　sides　had　turned　to　gold；　the　rocks　were　all　aglow；　and　the　whole　valley　was　bathed　in　golden　mist。　And　as　Heidi　stood　gazing　around　her　at　all　this　splendor　the　tears　ran　down　her　cheeks　for　very　delight　and　happiness；　and　impulsively　she　put　her　hands　together；　and　lifting　her　eyes　to　heaven；　thanked　God　aloud　for　having　brought　her　home；　thanked　Him　that　everything　was　as　beautiful　as　ever；　more　beautiful　even　than　she　had　thought；　and　that　it　was　all　hers　again　once　more。〃　And　she　was　so　overflowing　with　joy　and　thankfulness　that　she　could　not　find　words　to　thank　Him　enough。　Not　until　the　glory　began　to　fade　could　she　tear　herself　away。　Then　she　ran　on　so　quickly　that　in　a　very　little　while　she　caught　sight　of　the　tops　of　the　fir　trees　above　the　hut　roof；　then　the　roof　itself；　and　at　last　the　whole　hut；　and　there　was　grandfather　sitting　as　in　old　days　smoking　his　pipe；　and　she　could　see　the　fir　trees　waving　in　the　wind。　Quicker　and　quicker　went　her　little　feet；　and　before　Alm…Uncle　had　time　to　see　who　was　coming；　Heidi　had　rushed　up　to　him；　thrown　down　her　basket　and　flung　her　arms　round　his　neck；　unable　in　the　excitement　of　seeing　him　again　to　say　more　than　〃Grandfather！　grandfather！　grandfather！〃　over　and　over　again。

And　the　old　man　himself　said　nothing。　For　the　first　time　for　many　years　his　eyes　were　wet；　and　he　had　to　pass　his　hand　across　them。　Then　he　unloosed　Heidi's　arms；　put　her　on　his　knee；　and　after　looking　at　her　for　a　moment；　〃So　you　have　come　back　to　me；　Heidi；〃　he　said；　〃how　is　that？　You　don't　look　much　of　a　grand　lady。　Did　they　send　you　away？〃

〃Oh；　no；　grandfather；〃　said　Heidi　eagerly；　〃you　must　not　think　that；　they　were　all　so　kindClara；　and　grandmamma；　and　Herr　Sesemann。　But　you　see；　grandfather；　I　did　not　know　how　to　bear　myself　till　I　got　home　again　to　you。　I　used　to　think　I　should　die；　for　I　felt　as　if　I　could　not　breathe；　but　I　never　said　anything　because　it　would　have　been　ungrateful。　And　then　suddenly　one　morning　quite　early　Herr　Sesemann　said　to　mebut　I　think　it　was　partly　the　doctor's　doingbut　perhaps　it's　all　in　the　letter〃　and　Heidi　jumped　down　and　fetched　the　roll　and　the　letter　and　handed　them　both　to　her　grandfather。

〃That　belongs　to　you；〃　said　the　latter；　laying　the　roll　down　on　the　bench　beside　him。　Then　he　opened　the　letter；　read　it　through　and　without　a　word　put　it　in　his　pocket。

〃Do　you　think　you　can　still　drink　milk　with　me；　Heidi？〃　he　asked；　taking　the　child　by　the　hand　to　go　into　the　hut。　〃But　bring　your　money　with　you；　you　can　buy　a　bed　and　bedclothes　and　dresses　for　a　couple　of　years　with　it。〃

〃I　am　sure　I　do　not　want　it；〃　replied　Heidi。　〃I　have　got　a　bed　already；　and　Clara　has　put　such　a　lot　of　clothes　in　my　box　that　I　shall　never　want　any　more。〃

〃Take　it　and　put　it　in　the　cupboard；　you　will　want　it　some　day　I　have　no　doubt。〃

Heidi　obeyed　and　skipped　happily　after　her　grandfather　into　the　house；　she　ran　into　all　the　corners；　delighted　to　see　everything　again；　and　then　went　up　the　ladderbut　there　she　came　to　a　pause　and　called　down　in　a　tone　of　surprise　and　distress；　〃Oh；　grandfather；　my　bed's　gone。〃

〃We　can　soon　make　it　up　again；〃　he　answered　her　from　below。　〃I　did　not