heidi-第39节

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　he　was　taken　by　surprise；　for　instead　of　sinking　into　the　soft　snow　he　fell　on　the　hard　ground　and　went　sliding　some　way　down　the　mountain　side　like　a　sleigh　before　he　could　stop　himself。　He　picked　himself　up　and　tested　the　hardness　of　the　ground　by　stamping　on　it　and　trying　with　all　his　might　to　dig　his　heels　into　it；　but　even　then　he　could　not　break　off　a　single　little　splinter　of　ice；　the　Alm　was　frozen　hard　as　iron。　This　was　just　what　Peter　had　been　hoping　for；　as　he　knew　now　that　Heidi　would　be　able　to　come　up　to　them。　He　quickly　got　back　into　the　house；　swallowed　the　milk　which　his　mother　had　put　ready　for　him；　thrust　a　piece　of　bread　in　his　pocket；　and　said；　〃I　must　be　off　to　school。〃　〃That's　right；　go　and　learn　all　you　can；〃　said　the　grandmother　encouragingly。　Peter　crept　through　the　window　againthe　door　was　quite　blocked　by　the　frozen　snow　outsidepulling　his　little　sleigh　after　him；　and　in　another　minute　was　shooting　down　the　mountain。

He　went　like　lightning；　and　when　he　reached　Dorfli；　which　stood　on　the　direct　road　to　Mayenfeld；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　go　on　further；　for　he　was　sure　he　could　not　stop　his　rapid　descent　without　hurting　himself　and　the　sleigh　too。　So　down　he　still　went　till　he　reached　the　level　ground；　where　the　sleigh　came　to　a　pause　of　its　own　accord。　Then　he　got　out　and　looked　round。　The　impetus　with　which　he　had　made　his　journey　down　had　carried　him　some　little　way　beyond　Mayenfeld。　He　bethought　himself　that　it　was　too　late　to　get　to　school　now；　as　lessons　would　already　have　begun；　and　it　would　take　him　a　good　hour　to　walk　back　to　Dorfli。　So　he　might　take　his　time　about　returning；　which　he　did；　and　reached　Dorfli　just　as　Heidi　had　got　home　from　school　and　was　sitting　at　dinner　with　her　grandfather。　Peter　walked　in；　and　as　on　this　occasion　he　had　something　particular　to　communicate；　he　began　without　a　pause；　exclaiming　as　he　stood　still　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　〃She's　got　it　now。〃

〃Got　it？　what？〃　asked　the　Uncle。　〃Your　words　sound　quite　warlike；　general。〃

〃The　frost；〃　explained　Peter。

〃Oh！　then　now　I　can　go　and　see　grandmother！〃　said　Heidi　joyfully；　for　she　had　understood　Peter's　words　at　once。　〃But　why　were　you　not　at　school　then？　You　could　have　come　down　in　the　sleigh；〃　she　added　reproachfully；　for　it　did　not　agree　with　Heidi's　ideas　of　good　behavior　to　stay　away　when　it　was　possible　to　be　there。

〃It　carried　me　on　too　far　and　I　was　too　late；〃　Peter　replied。

〃I　call　that　being　a　deserter；〃　said　the　Uncle；　〃and　deserters　get　their　ears　pulled；　as　you　know。〃

Peter　gave　a　tug　to　his　cap　in　alarm；　for　there　was　no　one　of　whom　he　stood　in　so　much　awe　as　Alm…Uncle。

〃And　an　army　leader　like　yourself　ought　to　be　doubly　ashamed　of　running　away；〃　continued　Alm…Uncle。　〃What　would　you　think　of　your　goats　if　one　went　off　this　way　and　another　that；　and　refused　to　follow　and　do　what　was　good　for　them？　What　would　you　do　then？〃

〃I　should　beat　them；〃　said　Peter　promptly。

〃And　if　a　boy　behaved　like　these　unruly　goats；　and　he　got　a　beating　for　it；　what　would　you　say　then？〃

〃Serve　him　right；〃　was　the　answer。

〃Good；　then　understand　this：　next　time　you　let　your　sleigh　carry　you　past　the　school　when　you　ought　to　be　inside　at　your　lessons；　come　on　to　me　afterwards　and　receive　what　you　deserve。〃

Peter　now　understood　the　drift　of　the　old　man's　questions　and　that　he　was　the　boy　who　behaved　like　the　unruly　goats；　and　he　looked　somewhat　fearfully　towards　the　corner　to　see　if　anything　happened　to　be　there　such　as　he　used　himself　on　such　occasions　for　the　punishment　of　his　animals。

But　now　the　grandfather　suddenly　said　in　a　cheerful　voice；　〃Come　and　sit　down　and　have　something；　and　afterwards　Heidi　shall　go　with　you。　Bring　her　back　this　evening　and　you　will　find　supper　waiting　for　you　here。〃

This　unexpected　turn　of　conversation　set　Peter　grinning　all　over　with　delight。　He　obeyed　without　hesitation　and　took　his　seat　beside　Heidi。　But　the　child　could　not　eat　any　more　in　her　excitement　at　the　thought　of　going　to　see　grandmother。　She　pushed　the　potatoes　and　toasted　cheese　which　still　stood　on　her　plate　towards　him　while　Uncle　was　filling　his　plate　from　the　other　side；　so　that　he　had　quite　a　pile　of　food　in　front　of　him；　but　he　attacked　it　without　any　lack　of　courage。　Heidi　ran　to　the　cupboard　and　brought　out　the　warm　cloak　Clara　had　sent　her；　with　this　on　and　the　hood　drawn　over　her　head；　she　was　all　ready　for　her　journey。　She　stood　waiting　beside　Peter；　and　as　soon　as　his　last　mouthful　had　disappeared　she　said；　〃Come　along　now。〃　As　the　two　walked　together　Heidi　had　much　to　tell　Peter　of　her　two　goats　that　had　been　so　unhappy　the　first　day　in　their　new　stall　that　they　would　not　eat　anything；　but　stood　hanging　their　heads；　not　even　rousing　themselves　to　bleat。　And　when　she　asked　her　grandfather　the　reason　of　this；　he　told　her　it　was　with　them　as　with　her　in　Frankfurt；　for　it　was　the　first　time　in　their　lives　they　had　come　down　from　the　mountain。　〃And　you　don't　know　what　that　is；　Peter；　unless　you　have　felt　it　yourself；〃　added　Heidi。

The　children　had　nearly　reached　their　destination　before　Peter　opened　his　mouth；　he　appeared　to　be　so　sunk　in　thought　that　he　hardly　heard　what　was　said　to　him。　As　they　neared　home；　however；　he　stood　still　and　said　in　a　somewhat　sullen　voice；　〃I　had　rather　go　to　school　even　than　get　what　Uncle　threatened。〃

Heidi　was　of　the　same　mind；　and　encouraged　him　in　his　good　intention。　They　found　Brigitta　sitting　alone　knitting；　for　the　grandmother　was　not　very　well　and　had　to　stay　the　day　in　bed　on　account　of　the　cold。　Heidi　had　never　before　missed　the　old　figure　in　her　place　in　the　corner；　and　she　ran　quickly　into　the　next　room。　There　lay　grandmother　on　her　little　poorly　covered　bed；　wrapped　up　in　her　warm　grey　shawl。

〃Thank　God；〃　she　exclaimed　as　Heidi　came　running　in；　the　poor　old　woman　had　had　a　secret　fear　at　heart　all　through　the　autumn；　especially　if　Heidi　was　absent　for　any　length　of　time；　for　Peter　had　told　her　of　a　strange　gentleman　who　had　come　from　Frankfurt；　and　who　had　gone　out　with　them　and　always　talked　to　Heidi；　and　she　had　felt　sure　he　had　come　to　take　her　away　again。　Even　when　she　heard　he　had　gone　off　alone；　she　still　had　an　idea　that　a　messenger　would　be　sent　over　from　Frankfurt　to　fetch　the　child。　Heidi　went　up　to　the　side　of　the　bed　and　said；　〃Are　you　very　ill；　grandmother？〃

〃No；　no；　child；〃　answered　the　old　woman　reassuringly；　passing　her　hand　lovingly　over　the　child's　head；　〃It's　only　the　frost　that　has　got　into　my　bones　a　bit。〃

〃Shall　you　be　quite　well　then　directly　it　turns　warm　again？〃

〃Yes；　God　willing；　or　even　before　that；　for　I　want　to　get　back　to　my　spinning；　I　thought　perhaps　I　should　do　a　little　to…day；　but　to…morrow　I　am　sure　to　be　all　right　again。〃　The　old　woman　had　detected　that　Heidi　was　frightened　and　was　anxious　to　set　her　mind　at　ease。

Her　words　comforted　Heidi；　who　had　in　truth　been　greatly　distressed；　for　she　had　never　before　seen　the　grandmother　ill　in　bed。　She　now　looked　at　the　old　woman　seriously　for　a　minute　or　two；　and　then　said；　〃In　Frankfurt　everybody　puts　on　a　shawl　to　go　out　walking；　did　you　think　it　was　to　be　worn　in　bed；　grandmother？〃

〃I　put　it　on；　dear　child；　to　keep　myself　from　freezing；　and　I　am　so　pleased　with　it；　for　my　bedclothes　are　not　very　thick；〃　she　answered。

〃But；　grandmother；〃　continued　Heidi；　〃your　bed　is　not　right；　because　it　goes　downhill　at　your　head　instead　of　uphill。〃

〃I　know　it；　child；　I　can　feel　it；〃　and　the　grandmother　put　up　her　hand　to　the　thin　flat　pillow；　which　was　little　more　than　a　board　under　her　head；　to　make　herself　more　comfortable；　〃the　pillow　was　never　very　thick；　and　I　have　lain　on　it　now　for　so　many　years　that　it　has　grown　quite　flat。〃

〃Oh；　if　only　I　had　asked　Clara　to　let　me　take　away　my　Frankfurt　bed；〃　said　Heidi。　〃I　had　three　large　pillows；　one　above　the　other；　so　that　I　could　hardly　sleep；　and　I　used　to　slip　down　to　try　and　find　a　flat　place；　and　then　I　had　to　pull　myself　up　again；　because　it　was　proper　to　sleep　there　like　that。　Could　you　sleep　like　that；　grandmother？〃

〃Oh；　yes！　the　pillows　keep　one　warm；　and　it　is　easier　to　breathe　when　the　head　is　high；〃　answered　the　grandmother；　wearily　raising　her　head　as　she　spoke　as　if　trying　to　find　a　higher　resting…place。　〃But　we　will　not　talk　about　that；　for　I　have　so　much　that　other　old　sick　people　are　without　for　which　I　thank　God；　there　is　the　nice　bread　I　get　every　day；　and　this　warm　wrap；　and　your　visits；　Heidi。　Will　you　read　me　something　to…day？〃

Heidi　ran　into　the　next　room　to　fetch　the　hymn　book。　Then　she　picked　out　the　favorite　hymns　one　after　another；　for　she　knew　them　all　by　heart　now；　as　pleased　as　the　grandmother　to　hear　them　again　after　so　many　days。　The　grandmother　lay　with　folded　hands；　while　a　smile　of　peace　stole　over　the　worn；　troubled　face；　like　one　to　whom　good　news　has　been　brought。

Suddenly　Heidi　paused。　〃Grandmother；　are　you　feeling　quite　well　again　already？〃

〃Yes；　child；　I　have　grown　better　while　listening　to　you；　read　it　to　the　end。〃

The　child　read　on；　and　when　she　came　to　the　last　words：

　As　the　eyes　grow　dim；　and　darkness　　Closes　round；　the　soul　grows　clearer；　　Sees　the　goal　to　which　it　travels；　　Gladly　feels　its　home　is　nearer。〃

the　grandmother　repeated　them　once　or