heidi-第3节

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eter　had　any　opportunity　of　seeing　his　young　friends；　since　the　rest　of　his　time　was　spent　alone　with　the　goats。　He　had　a　mother　and　a　blind　grandmother　at　home；　it　is　true；　but　he　was　always　obliged　to　start　off　very　early　in　the　morning；　and　only　got　home　late　in　the　evening　from　Dorfli；　for　he　always　stayed　as　long　as　he　could　talking　and　playing　with　the　other　children；　and　so　he　had　just　time　enough　at　home；　and　that　was　all；　to　swallow　down　his　bread　and　milk　in　the　morning；　and　again　in　the　evening　to　get　through　a　similar　meal；　lie　down　in　bed　and　go　to　sleep。　His　father；　who　had　been　known　also　as　the　goatherd；　having　earned　his　living　as　such　when　younger；　had　been　accidentally　killed　while　cutting　wood　some　years　before。　His　mother；　whose　real　name　was　Brigitta；　was　always　called　the　goatherd's　wife；　for　the　sake　of　old　association；　while　the　blind　grandmother　was　just　〃grandmother〃　to　all　the　old　and　young　in　the　neighborhood。

Dete　had　been　standing　for　a　good　ten　minutes　looking　about　her　in　every　direction　for　some　sign　of　the　children　and　the　goats。　Not　a　glimpse　of　them；　however；　was　to　be　seen；　so　she　climbed　to　a　higher　spot；　whence　she　could　get　a　fuller　view　of　the　mountain　as　it　sloped　beneath　her　to　the　valley；　while；　with　ever…increasing　anxiety　on　her　face　and　in　her　movements；　she　continued　to　scan　the　surrounding　slopes。　Meanwhile　the　children　were　climbing　up　by　a　far　and　roundabout　way；　for　Peter　knew　many　spots　where　all　kinds　of　good　food；　in　the　shape　of　shrubs　and　plants；　grew　for　his　goats；　and　he　was　in　the　habit　of　leading　his　flock　aside　from　the　beaten　track。　The　child；　exhausted　with　the　heat　and　weight　of　her　thick　armor　of　clothes；　panted　and　struggled　after　him　at　first　with　some　difficulty。　She　said　nothing；　but　her　little　eyes　kept　watching　first　Peter；　as　he　sprang　nimbly　hither　and　thither　on　his　bare　feet；　clad　only　in　his　short　light　breeches；　and　then　the　slim…legged　goats　that　went　leaping　over　rocks　and　shrubs　and　up　the　steep　ascents　with　even　greater　ease。　All　at　once　she　sat　herself　down　on　the　ground；　and　as　fast　as　her　little　fingers　could　move；　began　pulling　off　her　shoes　and　stockings。　This　done　she　rose；　unwound　the　hot　red　shawl　and　threw　it　away；　and　then　proceeded　to　undo　her　frock。　It　was　off　in　a　second；　but　there　was　still　another　to　unfasten；　for　Dete　had　put　the　Sunday　frock　on　over　the　everyday　one；　to　save　the　trouble　of　carrying　it。　Quick　as　lightning　the　everyday　frock　followed　the　other；　and　now　the　child　stood　up；　clad　only　in　her　light　short…sleeved　under　garment；　stretching　out　her　little　bare　arms　with　glee。　She　put　all　her　clothes　together　in　a　tidy　little　heap；　and　then　went　jumping　and　climbing　up　after　Peter　and　the　goats　as　nimbly　as　any　one　of　the　party。　Peter　had　taken　no　heed　of　what　the　child　was　about　when　she　stayed　behind；　but　when　she　ran　up　to　him　in　her　new　attire；　his　face　broke　into　a　grin；　which　grew　broader　still　as　he　looked　back　and　saw　the　small　heap　of　clothes　lying　on　the　ground；　until　his　mouth　stretched　almost　from　ear　to　ear；　he　said　nothing；　however。　The　child；　able　now　to　move　at　her　ease；　began　to　enter　into　conversation　with　Peter；　who　had　many　questions　to　answer；　for　his　companion　wanted　to　know　how　many　goats　he　had；　where　he　was　going　to　with　them；　and　what　he　had　to　do　when　he　arrived　there。　At　last；　after　some　time；　they　and　the　goats　approached　the　hut　and　came　within　view　of　Cousin　　Dete。　Hardly　had　the　latter　caught　sight　of　the　little　company　climbing　up　towards　her　when　she　shrieked　out：　〃Heidi；　what　have　you　been　doing！　What　a　sight　you　have　made　of　yourself！　And　where　are　your　two　frocks　and　the　red　wrapper？　And　the　new　shoes　I　bought；　and　the　new　stockings　I　knitted　for　youeverything　gone！　not　a　thing　left！　What　can　you　have　been　thinking　of；　Heidi；　where　are　all　your　clothes？〃

The　child　quietly　pointed　to　a　spot　below　on　the　mountain　side　and　answered；　〃Down　there。〃　Dete　followed　the　direction　of　her　finger；　she　could　just　distinguish　something　lying　on　the　ground；　with　a　spot　of　red　on　the　top　of　it　which　she　had　no　doubt　was　the　woollen　wrapper。

〃You　good…for…nothing　little　thing！〃　exclaimed　Dete　angrily；　〃what　could　have　put　it　into　your　head　to　do　like　that？　What　made　you　undress　yourself？　What　do　you　mean　by　it？〃

〃I　don't　want　any　clothes；〃　said　the　child；　not　showing　any　sign　of　repentance　for　her　past　deed。

〃You　wretched；　thoughtless　child！　have　you　no　sense　in　you　at　all？〃　continued　Dete；　scolding　and　lamenting。　〃Who　is　going　all　that　way　down　to　fetch　them；　it's　a　good　half…hour's　walk！　Peter；　you　go　off　and　fetch　them　for　me　as　quickly　as　you　can；　and　don't　stand　there　gaping　at　me；　as　if　you　were　rooted　to　the　ground！〃

〃I　am　already　past　my　time；〃　answered　Peter　slowly；　without　moving　from　the　spot　where　he　had　been　standing　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　listening　to　Dete's　outburst　of　dismay　and　anger。

〃Well；　you　won't　get　far　if　you　only　keep　on　standing　there　with　your　eyes　staring　out　of　your　head；〃　was　Dete's　cross　reply；　〃but　see；　you　shall　have　something　nice；〃　and　she　held　out　a　bright　new　piece　of　money　to　him　that　sparkled　in　the　sun。　Peter　was　immediately　up　and　off　down　the　steep　mountain　side；　taking　the　shortest　cut；　and　in　an　incredibly　short　space　of　time　had　reached　the　little　heap　of　clothes；　which　he　gathered　up　under　his　arm；　and　was　back　again　so　quickly　that　even　Dete　was　obliged　to　give　him　a　word　of　praise　as　she　handed　him　the　promised　money。　Peter　promptly　thrust　it　into　his　pocket　and　his　face　beamed　with　delight；　for　it　was　not　often　that　he　was　the　happy　possessor　of　such　riches。

You　can　carry　the　things　up　for　me　as　far　as　Uncle's；　as　you　are　going　the　same　way；〃　went　on　Dete；　who　was　preparing　to　continue　her　climb　up　the　mountain　side；　which　rose　in　a　steep　ascent　immediately　behind　the　goatherd's　hut。　Peter　willingly　undertook　to　do　this；　and　followed　after　her　on　his　bare　feet；　with　his　left　arm　round　the　bundle　and　the　right　swinging　his　goatherd's　stick；　while　Heidi　and　the　goats　went　skipping　and　jumping　joyfully　beside　him。　After　a　climb　of　more　than　three…quarters　of　an　hour　they　reached　the　top　of　the　Alm　mountain。　Uncle's　hut　stood　on　a　projection　of　the　rock；　exposed　indeed　to　the　winds；　but　where　every　ray　of　sun　could　rest　upon　it；　and　a　full　view　could　be　had　of　the　valley　beneath。　Behind　the　hut　stood　three　old　fir　trees；　with　long；　thick；　unlopped　branches。　Beyond　these　rose　a　further　wall　of　mountain；　the　lower　heights　still　overgrown　with　beautiful　grass　and　plants；　above　which　were　stonier　slopes；　covered　only　with　scrub；　that　led　gradually　up　to　the　steep；　bare　rocky　summits。

Against　the　hut；　on　the　side　looking　towards　the　valley；　Uncle　had　put　up　a　seat。　Here　he　was　sitting；　his　pipe　in　his　mouth　and　his　hands　on　his　knees；　quietly　looking　out；　when　the　children；　the　goats　and　Cousin　Dete　suddenly　clambered　into　view。　Heidi　was　at　the　top　first。　She　went　straight　up　to　the　old　man；　put　out　her　hand；　and　said；　〃Good…evening；　Grandfather。〃

〃So；　so；　what　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　he　asked　gruffly；　as　he　gave　the　child　an　abrupt　shake　of　the　hand；　and　gazed　long　and　scrutinisingly　at　her　from　under　his　bushy　eyebrows。　Heidi　stared　steadily　back　at　him　in　return　with　unflinching　gaze；　for　the　grandfather；　with　his　long　beard　and　thick　grey　eyebrows　that　grew　together　over　his　nose　and　looked　just　like　a　bush；　was　such　a　remarkable　appearance；　that　Heidi　was　unable　to　take　her　eyes　off　him。　Meanwhile　Dete　had　come　up；　with　Peter　after　her；　and　the　latter　now　stood　still　a　while　to　watch　what　was　going　on。

〃I　wish　you　good…day；　Uncle；〃　said　Dete；　as　she　walked　towards　him；　〃and　I　have　brought　you　Tobias　and　Adelaide's　child。　You　will　hardly　recognise　her；　as　you　have　never　seen　her　since　she　was　a　year　old。〃

〃And　what　has　the　child　to　do　with　me　up　here？〃　asked　the　old　man　curtly。　〃You　there；〃　he　then　called　out　to　Peter；　〃be　off　with　your　goats；　you　are　none　too　early　as　it　is；　and　take　mine　with　you。〃

Peter　obeyed　on　the　instant　and　quickly　disappeared；　for　the　old　man　had　given　him　a　look　that　made　him　feel　that　he　did　not　want　to　stay　any　longer。

〃The　child　is　here　to　remain　with　you；〃　Dete　made　answer。　〃I　have；　I　think；　done　my　duty　by　her　for　these　four　years；　and　now　it　is　time　for　you　to　do　yours。〃

〃That's　it；　is　it？〃　said　the　old　man；　as　he　looked　at　her　with　a　flash　in　his　eye。　〃And　when　the　child　begins　to　fret　and　whine　after　you；　as　is　the　way　with　these　unreasonable　little　beings；　what　am　I　to　do　with　her　then？〃

〃That's　your　affair；〃　retorted　Dete。　〃I　know　I　had　to　put　up　with　her　without　complaint　when　she　was　left　on　my　hands　as　an　infant；　and　with　enough　to　do　as　it　was　for　my　mother　and　self。　Now　I　have　to　go　and　look　after　my　own　earnings；　and　you　are　the　next　of　kin　to　the　child。　If　you　cannot　arrange　to　keep　her；　do　with　her　as　you　like。　You　will　be　answerable　for　the　result　if　harm　happens　to　her；　though　you　have　hardly　need；　I　should　think；　to　add　to　the　burden　already　on　your　conscience。〃

Now　Dete　was　not　quite　easy　in　her　own　conscience　about　what　she　was　doing；　and　consequently　was　feeling　hot　and　irritable；　and　said　more　than　she　had　intended。　As　she　uttered　her　last　words；　Uncle　rose　fr