heidi-第35节

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　hut　and　on　all　the　mountains　and　far　away　along　the　valley；　and　the　grass　slope　looked　so　golden　and　inviting　that　she　was　obliged　to　sit　down　for　a　few　minutes　and　look　about　her。　Then　she　suddenly　remembered　that　her　stool　was　left　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　floor　and　that　the　table　had　not　been　rubbed；　and　she　jumped　up　and　ran　inside　again。　But　it　was　not　long　before　the　fir　trees　began　their　old　song；　Heidi　felt　it　in　all　her　limbs；　and　again　the　desire　to　run　outside　was　irresistible；　and　she　was　off　to　play　and　leap　to　the　tune　of　the　waving　branches。　The　grandfather；　who　was　busy　in　his　work…shed；　stepped　out　from　time　to　time　smiling　to　watch　her　at　her　gambols。　He　had　just　gone　back　to　his　work　on　one　of　these　occasions　when　Heidi　called　out；　〃Grandfather！　grandfather！　Come；　come！〃

He　stepped　quickly　out；　almost　afraid　something　had　happened　to　the　child；　but　he　saw　her　running　towards　where　the　mountain　path　descended；　crying；　〃They　are　coming！　they　are　coming！　and　the　doctor　is　in　front　of　them！〃

Heidi　rushed　forward　to　welcome　her　old　friend；　who　held　out　his　hands　in　greeting　to　her。　When　she　came　up　to　him　she　clung　to　his　outstretched　arm；　and　exclaimed　in　the　joy　of　her　heart；　〃Good…morning；　doctor；　and　thank　you　ever　so　many　times。〃

〃God　bless　you；　child！　what　have　you　got　to　thank　me　for？〃　asked　the　doctor；　smiling。

〃For　being　at　home　again　with　grandfather；〃　the　child　explained。

The　doctor's　face　brightened　as　if　a　sudden　ray　of　sunshine　had　passed　across　it；　he　had　not　expected　such　a　reception　as　this。　Lost　in　the　sense　of　his　loneliness　he　had　climbed　the　mountain　without　heeding　how　beautiful　it　was　on　every　side；　and　how　more　and　more　beautiful　it　became　the　higher　he　got。　He　had　quite　thought　that　Heidi　would　have　forgotten　him；　she　had　seen　so　little　of　him；　and　he　had　felt　rather　like　one　bearing　a　message　of　disappointment；　anticipating　no　great　show　of　favor；　coming　as　he　did　without　the　expected　friends。　But　instead；　here　was　Heidi；　her　eyes　dancing　for　joy；　and　full　of　gratitude　and　affection；　clinging　to　the　arm　of　her　kind　friend。

He　took　her　by　the　hand　with　fatherly　tenderness。

〃Take　me　now　to　your　grandfather；　Heidi；　and　show　me　where　you　live。〃

But　Heidi　still　remained　standing；　looking　down　the　path　with　a　questioning　gaze。　〃Where　are　Clara　and　grandmother？〃　she　asked。

〃Ah；　now　I　have　to　tell　you　something　which　you　will　be　as　sorry　about　as　I　am；〃　answered　the　doctor。　〃You　see；　Heidi；　I　have　come　alone。　Clara　was　very　ill　and　could　not　travel；　and　so　the　grandmother　stayed　behind　too。　But　next　spring；　when　the　days　grow　warm　and　long　again；　they　are　coming　here　for　certain。〃

Heidi　was　greatly　concerned；　she　could　not　at　first　bring　herself　to　believe　that　what　she　had　for　so　long　been　picturing　to　herself　was　not　going　to　happen　after　all。　She　stood　motionless　for　a　second　or　two；　overcome　by　the　unexpected　disappointment。　The　doctor　said　nothing　further；　all　around　lay　the　silence；　only　the　sighing　of　the　fir　trees　could　be　heard　from　where　they　stood。　Then　Heidi　suddenly　remembered　why　she　had　run　down　there；　and　that　the　doctor　had　really　come。　She　lifted　her　eyes　and　saw　the　sad　expression　in　his　as　he　looked　down　at　her；　she　had　never　seen　him　with　that　look　on　his　face　when　she　was　in　Frankfurt。　It　went　to　Heidi's　heart；　she　could　not　bear　to　see　anybody　unhappy；　especially　her　dear　doctor。　No　doubt　it　was　because　Clara　and　grandmother　could　not　come；　and　so　she　began　to　think　how　best　she　might　console　him。

〃Oh；　it　won't　be　very　long　to　wait　for　spring；　and　then　they　will　be　sure　to　come；〃　she　said　in　a　reassuring　voice。　〃Time　passes　very　quickly　with　us；　and　then　they　will　be　able　to　stay　longer　when　they　are　here；　and　Clara　will　be　pleased　at　that。　Now　let　us　go　and　find　grandfather。〃

Hand　in　hand　with　her　friend　she　climbed　up　to　the　hut。　She　was　so　anxious　to　make　the　doctor　happy　again　that　she　began　once　more　assuring　him　that　the　winter　passed　so　quickly　on　the　mountain　that　it　was　hardly　to　be　taken　account　of；　and　that　summer　would　be　back　again　before　they　knew　it；　and　she　became　so　convinced　of　the　truth　of　her　own　words　that　she　called　out　quite　cheerfully　to　her　grandfather　as　they　approached；　〃They　have　not　come　to…day；　but　they　will　be　here　in　a　very　short　time。〃

The　doctor　was　no　stranger　to　the　grandfather；　for　the　child　had　talked　to　him　so　much　about　her　friend。　The　old　man　held　out　his　hand　to　his　guest　in　friendly　greeting。　Then　the　two　men　sat　down　in　front　of　the　hut；　and　Heidi　had　her　little　place　too；　for　the　doctor　beckoned　her　to　come　and　sit　beside　him。　The　doctor　told　Uncle　how　Herr　Sesemann　had　insisted　on　his　taking　this　journey；　and　he　felt　himself　it　would　do　him　good　as　he　had　not　been　quite　the　thing　for　a　long　time。　Then　he　whispered　to　Heidi　that　there　was　something　being　brought　up　the　mountain　which　had　travelled　with　him　from　Frankfurt；　and　which　would　give　her　even　more　pleasure　than　seeing　the　old　doctor。　Heidi　got　into　a　great　state　of　excitement　on　hearing　this；　wondering　what　it　could　be；　The　old　man　urged　the　doctor　to　spend　as　many　of　the　beautiful　autumn　days　on　the　mountain　as　he　could；　and　at　least　to　come　up　whenever　it　was　fine；　lie　could　not　offer　him　a　lodging；　as　he　had　no　place　to　put　him；　he　advised　the　doctor；　however；　not　to　go　back　to　Ragatz；　but　to　stay　at　Dorfli；　where　there　was　a　clean　tidy　little　inn。　Then　the　doctor　could　come　up　every　morning；　which　would　do　him　no　end　of　good；　and　if　he　liked；　he；　the　grandfather；　would　act　as　his　guide　to　any　part　of　the　mountains　he　would　like　to　see。　The　doctor　was　delighted　with　this　proposal；　and　it　was　settled　that　it　should　be　as　the　grandfather　suggested。

Meanwhile　the　sun　had　been　climbing　up　the　sky；　and　it　was　now　noon。　The　wind　had　sunk　and　the　fir　trees　stood　motionless。　The　air　was　still　wonderfully　warm　and　mild　for　that　height；　while　a　delicious　freshness　was　mingled　with　the　warmth　of　the　sun。

Alm…Uncle　now　rose　and　went　indoors；　returning　in　a　few　minutes　with　a　table　which　he　placed　in　front　of　the　seat。

〃There；　Heidi；　now　run　in　and　bring　us　what　we　want　for　the　table；〃　he　said。　〃The　doctor　must　take　us　as　he　finds　us；　if　the　food　is　plain；　he　will　acknowledge　that　the　dining…room　is　pleasant。〃

〃I　should　think　so　indeed；〃　replied　the　doctor　as　he　looked　down　over　the　sun…lit　valley；　〃and　I　accept　the　kind　invitation；　everything　must　taste　good　up　here。〃

Heidi　ran　backwards　and　forwards　as　busy　as　a　bee　and　brought　out　everything　she　could　find　in　the　cupboard；　for　she　did　not　know　how　to　be　pleased　enough　that　she　could　help　to　entertain　the　doctor。　The　grandfather　meanwhile　had　been　preparing　the　meal；　and　now　appeared　with　a　steaming　jug　of　milk　and　golden…brown　toasted　cheese。　Then　he　cut　some　thin　slices　from　the　meat　he　had　cured　himself　in　the　pure　air；　and　the　doctor　enjoyed　his　dinner　better　than　he　had　for　a　whole　year　past。

〃Our　Clara　must　certainly　come　up　here；〃　he　said；　〃it　would　make　her　quite　a　different　person；　and　if　she　ate　for　any　length　of　time　as　I　have　to…day；　she　would　grow　plumper　than　any　one　has　ever　known　her　before。〃

As　he　spoke　a　man　was　seen　coming　up　the　path　carrying　a　large　package　on　his　back。　When　he　reached　the　hut　tie　threw　it　on　the　ground　and　drew　in　two　or　three　good　breaths　of　the　mountain　air。

〃Ah；　here's　what　travelled　with　me　from　Frankfurt；〃　said　the　doctor；　rising；　and　he　went　up　to　the　package　and　began　undoing　it；　Heidi　looking　on　in　great　expectation。　After　he　had　released　it　from　its　heavy　outer　covering；　〃There；　child；〃　he　said；　〃now　you　can　go　on　unpacking　your　treasures　yourself。〃

Heidi　undid　her　presents　one　by　one　until　they　were　all　displayed；　she　could　not　speak　the　while　for　wonder　and　delight。　Not　till　the　doctor　went　up　to　her　again　and　opened　the　large　box　to　show　Heidi　the　cakes　that　were　for　the　grandmother　to　eat　with　her　coffee；　did　she　at　last　give　a　cry　of　joy；　exclaiming；　〃Now　grandmother　will　have　nice　things　to　eat；〃　and　she　wanted　to　pack　everything　up　again　and　start　at　once　to　give　them　to　her。　But　the　grandfather　said　he　should　walk　down　with　the　doctor　that　evening　and　she　could　go　with　them　and　take　the　things。　Heidi　now　found　the　packet　of　tobacco　which　she　ran　and　gave　to　her　grandfather；　he　was　so　pleased　with　it　that　he　immediately　filled　his　pipe　with　some；　and　the　two　men　then　sat　down　together　again；　the　smoke　curling　up　from　their　pipes　as　they　talked　of　all　kinds　of　things；　while　Heidi　continued　to　examine　first　one　and　then　another　of　her　presents。　Suddenly　she　ran　up　to　them；　and　standing　in　front　of　the　doctor　waited　till　there　was　a　pause　in　the　conversation；　and　then　said；　〃No；　the　other　thing　has　not　given　me　more　pleasure　than　seeing　you；　doctor。〃

The　two　men　could　not　help　laughing；　and　the　doctor　answered　that　he　should　never　have　thought　it。

As　the　sun　began　to　sink　behind　the　mountains　the　doctor　rose；　thinking　it　was　time　to　return　to　Dorfli　and　seek　for　quarters。　The　grandfather　carried　the　cakes　and　the　shawl　and　the　large　sausage；　and　the　doctor　took　Heidi's　hand；　so　they　all　three　started　down　the　mountain。　Arrived　at　Peter's　home　Heidi　bid　the　others　good…bye；　she　was　to　wait　at　grandmother's　till　h