heidi-第32节

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ke　a　great　festival！〃

The　congregation　had　already　assembled　and　the　singing　had　begun　when　Heidi　and　her　grandfather　entered　the　church　at　Dorfli　and　sat　down　at　the　back。　But　before　the　hymn　was　over　every　one　was　nudging　his　neighbor　and　whispering；　〃Do　you　see？　Alm…Uncle　is　in　church！〃

Soon　everybody　in　the　church　knew　of　Alm…Uncle's　presence；　and　the　women　kept　on　turning　round　to　look　and　quite　lost　their　place　in　the　singing。　But　everybody　became　more　attentive　when　the　sermon　began；　for　the　preacher　spoke　with　such　warmth　and　thankfulness　that　those　present　felt　the　effect　of　his　words；　as　if　some　great　joy　had　come　to　them　all。　At　the　close　of　the　service　Alm…Uncle　took　Heidi　by　the　hand；　and　on　leaving　the　church　made　his　way　towards　the　pastor's　house；　the　rest　of　the　congregation　looked　curiously　after　him；　some　even　following　to　see　whether　he　went　inside　the　pastor's　house；　which　he　did。　Then　they　collected　in　groups　and　talked　over　this　strange　event；　keeping　their　eyes　on　the　pastor's　door；　watching　to　see　whether　Alm…Uncle　came　out　looking　angry　and　quarrelsome；　or　as　if　the　interview　had　been　a　peaceful　one；　for　they　could　not　imagine　what　had　brought　the　old　man　down；　and　what　it　all　meant。　Some；　however；　adopted　a　new　tone　and　expressed　their　opinion　that　Alm…Uncle　was　not　so　bad　after　all　as　they　thought；　〃for　see　how　carefully　he　took　the　little　one　by　the　hand。〃　And　others　responded　and　said　they　had　always　thought　people　had　exaggerated　about　him；　that　if　he　was　so　downright　bad　he　would　be　afraid　to　go　inside　the　pastor's　house。　Then　the　miller　put　in　his　word；　〃Did　I　not　tell　you　so　from　the　first？　What　child　is　there　who　would　run　away　from　where　she　had　plenty　to　eat　and　drink　and　everything　of　the　best；　home　to　a　grandfather　who　was　cruel　and　unkind；　and　of　whom　she　was　afraid？〃

And　so　everybody　began　to　feel　quite　friendly　towards　Alm…Uncle；　and　the　women　now　came　up　and　related　all　they　had　been　told　by　Peter　and　his　grandmother；　and　finally　they　all　stood　there　like　people　waiting　for　an　old　friend　whom　they　had　long　missed　from　among　their　number。

Meanwhile　Alm…Uncle　had　gone　into　the　pastor's　house　and　knocked　at　the　study　door。　The　latter　came　out　and　greeted　him；　not　as　if　he　was　surprised　to　see　him；　but　as　if　he　had　quite　expected　to　see　him　there；　he　probably　had　caught　sight　of　the　old　man　in　church。　He　shook　hands　warmly　with　him；　and　Alm…Uncle　was　unable　at　first　to　speak；　for　he　had　not　expected　such　a　friendly　reception。　At　last　he　collected　himself　and　said；　〃I　have　come　to　ask　you；　pastor；　to　forget　the　words　I　spoke　to　you　when　you　called　on　me；　and　to　beg　you　not　to　owe　me　ill…will　for　having　been　so　obstinately　set　against　your　well…meant　advice。　You　were　right；　and　I　was　wrong；　but　I　have　now　made　up　my　mind　to　follow　your　advice　and　to　find　a　place　for　myself　at　Dorfli　for　the　winter；　for　the　child　is　not　strong　enough　to　stand　the　bitter　cold　up　on　the　mountain。　And　if　the　people　down　here　look　askance　at　me；　as　at　a　person　not　to　be　trusted；　I　know　it　is　my　own　fault；　and　you　will；　I　am　sure；　not　do　so。〃

The　pastor's　kindly　eyes　shone　with　pleasure。　He　pressed　the　old　man's　hand　in　his；　and　said　with　emotion；　〃Neighbor；　you　went　into　the　right　church　before　you　came　to　mine；　I　am　greatly　rejoiced。　You　will　not　repent　coming　to　live　with　us　again；　as　for　myself　you　will　always　be　welcome　as　a　dear　friend　and　neighbor；　and　I　look　forward　to　our　spending　many　a　pleasant　winter　evening　together；　for　I　shall　prize　your　companionship；　and　we　will　find　some；　nice　friends　too　for　the　little　one。〃　And　the　pastor　laid　his　hand　kindly　on　the　child's　curly　head　and　took　her　by　the　hand　as　he　walked　to　the　door　with　the　old　man。　He　did　not　say　good…bye　to　him　till　they　were　standing　outside；　so　that　all　the　people　standing　about　saw　him　shake　hands　as　if　parting　reluctantly　from　his　best　friend。　The　door　had　hardly　shut　behind　him　before　the　whole　congregation　now　came　forward　to　greet　Alm…Uncle；　every　one　striving　to　be　the　first　to　shake　hands　with　him；　and　so　many　were　held　out　that　Alm…Uncle　did　not　know　with　which　to　begin；　and　some　said；　〃We　are　so　pleased　to　see　you　among　us　again；〃　and　another；　〃I　have　long　been　wishing　we　could　have　a　talk　together　again；〃　and　greetings　of　all　kinds　echoed　from　every　side；　and　when　Alm…Uncle　told　them　he　was　thinking　of　returning　to　his　old　quarters　in　Dorfli　for　the　winter；　there　was　such　a　general　chorus　of　pleasure　that　any　one　would　have　thought　he　was　the　most　beloved　person　in　all　Dorfli；　and　that　they　had　hardly　known　how　to　live　without　him。　Most　of　his　friends　accompanied　him　and　Heidi　some　way　up　the　mountain；　and　each　as　they　bid　him　good…bye　made　him　promise　that　when　he　next　came　down　he　would　without　fail　come　and　call。　As　the　old　man　at　last　stood　alone　with　the　child；　watching　their　retreating　figures；　there　was　a　light　upon　his　face　as　if　reflected　from　some　inner　sunshine　of　heart。　Heidi；　looking　up　at　him　with　her　clear　steady　eyes；　said；　〃Grandfather；　you　look　nicer　and　nicer　to…day；　I　never　saw　you　quite　like　that　before。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃　he　answered　with　a　smile。　〃Well；　yes；　Heidi；　I　am　happier　to…day　than　I　deserve；　happier　than　I　had　thought　possible；　it　is　good　to　be　at　peace　with　God　and　man！　God　was　good　to　me　when　He　sent　you　to　my　hut。〃

When　they　reached　Peter's　home　the　grandfather　opened　the　door　and　walked　straight　in。　〃Good…morning；　grandmother；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　we　shall　have　to　do　some　more　patching；　up　before　the　autumn　winds　come。〃

〃Dear　God；　if　it　is　not　Uncle！〃　cried　the　grandmother　in　pleased　surprise。　〃That　I　should　live　to　see　such　a　thing！　and　now　I　can　thank　you　for　all　that　you　have　done　for　me。　May　God　reward　you！　may　God　reward　you！〃　She　stretched　out　a　trembling　hand　to　him；　and　when　the　grandfather　shook　it　warmly；　she　went　on；　still　holding　his；　〃And　I　have　something　on　my　heart　I　want　to　say；　a　prayer　to　make　to　you！　If　I　have　injured　you　in　any　way；　do　not　punish　me　by　sending　the　child　away　again　before　I　lie　under　the　grass。　Oh；　you　do　not　know　what　that　child　is　to　me！〃　and　she　clasped　the　child　to　her；　for　Heidi　had　already　taken　her　usual　stand　close　to　the　grandmother。

〃Have　no　fear；　grandmother；〃　said　Uncle　in　a　reassuring　voice；　〃I　shall　not　punish　either　you　or　myself　by　doing　so。　We　are　all　together　now；　and　pray　God　we　may　continue　so　for　long。〃

Brigitta　now　drew　the　Uncle　aside　towards　a　corner　of　the　room　and　showed　him　the　hat　with　the　feathers；　explaining　to　him　how　it　came　there；　and　adding　that　of　course　she　could　not　take　such　a　thing　from　a　child。

But　the　grandfather　looked　towards　Heidi　without　any　displeasure　of　countenance　and　said；　〃The　hat　is　hers；　and　if　she　does　not　wish　to　wear　it　any　more　she　has　a　right　to　say　so　and　to　give　it　to　you；　so　take　it；　pray。〃

Brigitta　was　highly　delighted　at　this。　〃It　is　well　worth　more　than　ten　shillings！〃　she　said　as　she　held　it　up　for　further　admiration。　〃And　what　a　blessing　Heidi　has　brought　home　with　her　from　Frankfurt！　I　have　thought　sometimes　that　it　might　be　good　to　send　Peter　there　for　a　little　while；　what　do　you　think；　Uncle？〃

A　merry　look　came　into　the　grandfather's　eye。　He　thought　it　would　do　Peter　no　harm；　but　he　had　better　wait　for　a　good　opportunity　before　starting。　At　this　moment　the　subject　of　their　conversation　himself　rushed　in；　evidently　in　a　great　hurry；　knocking　his　head　violently　against　the　door　in　his　haste；　so　that　everything　in　the　room　rattled。　Gasping　and　breathless　he　stood　still　after　this　and　held　out　a　letter。　This　was　another　great　event；　for　such　a　thing　had　never　happened　before；　the　letter　was　addressed　to　Heidi　and　had　been　delivered　at　the　post…office　in　Dorfli。　They　all　sat　down　round　the　table　to　hear　what　was　in　it；　for　Heidi　opened　it　at　once　and　read　it　without　hesitation。　The　letter　was　from　Clara。　The　latter　wrote　that　the　house　had　been　so　dull　since　Heidi　left　that　she　did　not　know　how　to　bear　herself；　and　she　had　at　last　persuaded　her　father　to　take　her　to　the　baths　at　Ragatz　in　the　coming　autumn；　grandmamma　had　arranged　to　join　them　there；　and　they　both　were　looking　forward　to　paying　her　and　her　grandfather　a　visit。　And　grandmamma　sent　a　further　message　to　Heidi　which　was　that　the　latter　had　done　quite　right　to　take　the　rolls　to　the　grandmother；　and　so　that　she　might　not　have　to　eat　them　dry；　she　was　sending　some　coffee；　which　was　already　on　its　way；　and　grandmamma　hoped　when　she　came　to　the　Alm　in　the　autumn　that　Heidi　would　take　her　to　see　her　old　friend。

There　were　exclamations　of　pleasure　and　astonishment　on　hearing　all　this　news；　and　so　much　to　talk　and　ask　about　that　even　the　grandfather　did　not　notice　how　the　time　was　passing；　there　was　general　delight　at　the　thought　of　the　coming　days；　and　even　more　at　the　meeting　which　had　taken　place　on　this　one；　and　the　grandmother　spoke　and　said；　〃The　happiest　of　all　things　is　when　an　old　friend　comes　and　greets　us　as　in　former　times；　the　heart　is　comforted　with　the　assurance　that　some　day　everything　that　we　have　loved　will　be　given　back　to　us。You　will　come　soon　again；　uncle；　and　you　child；　to…morrow？〃

The　old　man　and　Heidi　promised　her　faithfully　to　do　so；　then　it　was　time　to　break　up　the　party；　and　these