heidi-第4节

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hot　and　irritable；　and　said　more　than　she　had　intended。　As　she　uttered　her　last　words；　Uncle　rose　from　his　seat。　He　looked　at　her　in　a　way　that　made　her　draw　back　a　step　or　two；　then　flinging　out　his　arm；　he　said　to　her　in　a　commanding　voice：　〃Be　off　with　you　this　instant；　and　get　back　as　quickly　as　you　can　to　the　place　whence　you　came；　and　do　not　let　me　see　your　face　again　in　a　hurry。〃

Dete　did　not　wait　to　be　told　twice。　〃Good…bye　to　you　then；　and　to　you　too；　Heidi；〃　she　called；　as　she　turned　quickly　away　and　started　to　descend　the　mountain　at　a　running　pace；　which　she　did　not　slacken　till　she　found　herself　safely　again　at　Dorfli；　for　some　inward　agitation　drove　her　forwards　as　if　a　steam…engine　was　at　work　inside　her。　Again　questions　came　raining　down　upon　her　from　all　sides；　for　every　one　knew　Dete；　as　well　as　all　particulars　of　the　birth　and　former　history　of　the　child；　and　all　wondered　what　she　had　done　with　it。　From　every　door　and　window　came　voices　calling：　〃Where　is　the　child？〃　〃Where　have　you　left　the　child；　Dete？　and　more　and　more　reluctantly　Dete　made　answer；　Up　there　with　Alm…Uncle！〃　〃With　Alm…Uncle；　have　I　not　told　you　so　already？〃

Then　the　women　began　to　hurl　reproaches　at　her；　first　one　cried　out；　〃How　could　you　do　such　a　thing！〃　then　another；　〃To　think　of　leaving　a　helpless　little　thing　up　there；〃while　again　and　again　came　the　words；　〃The　poor　mite！　the　poor　mite！〃　pursuing　her　as　she　went　along。　Unable　at　last　to　bear　it　any　longer　Dete　ran　forward　as　fast　as　she　could　until　she　was　beyond　reach　of　their　voices。　She　was　far　from　happy　at　the　thought　of　what　she　had　done；　for　the　child　had　been　left　in　her　care　by　her　dying　mother。　She　quieted　herself；　however；　with　the　idea　that　she　would　be　better　able　to　do　something　for　the　child　if　she　was　earning　plenty　of　money；　and　it　was　a　relief　to　her　to　think　that　she　would　soon　be　far　away　from　all　these　people　who　were　making　such　a　fuss　about　the　matter；　and　she　rejoiced　further　still　that　she　was　at　liberty　now　to　take　such　a　good　place。



CHAPTER　II。　AT　HOME　WITH　GRANDFATHER

As　soon　as　Dete　had　disappeared　the　old　man　went　back　to　his　bench；　and　there　he　remained　seated；　staring　on　the　ground　without　uttering　a　sound；　while　thick　curls　of　smoke　floated　upward　from　his　pipe。　Heidi；　meanwhile；　was　enjoying　herself　in　her　new　surroundings；　she　looked　about　till　she　found　a　shed；　built　against　the　hut；　where　the　goats　were　kept；　she　peeped　in；　and　saw　it　was　empty。　She　continued　her　search　and　presently　came　to　the　fir　trees　behind　the　hut。　A　strong　breeze　was　blowing　through　them；　and　there　was　a　rushing　and　roaring　in　their　topmost　branches；　Heidi　stood　still　and　listened。　The　sound　growing　fainter；　she　went　on　again；　to　the　farther　corner　of　the　hut；　and　so　round　to　where　her　grandfather　was　sitting。　Seeing　that　he　was　in　exactly　the　same　position　as　when　she　left　him；　she　went　and　placed　herself　in　front　of　the　old　man；　and　putting　her　hands　behind　her　back；　stood　and　gazed　at　him。　Her　grandfather　looked　up；　and　as　she　continued　standing　there　without　moving；　〃What　is　it　you　want？〃　he　asked。

〃I　want　to　see　what　you　have　inside　the　house；〃　said　Heidi。

〃Come　then！〃　and　the　grandfather　rose　and　went　before　her　towards　the　hut。

〃Bring　your　bundle　of　clothes　in　with　you；〃　he　bid　her　as　she　was　following。

〃I　shan't　want　them　any　more；〃　was　her　prompt　answer。

The　old　man　turned　and　looked　searchingly　at　the　child；　whose　dark　eyes　were　sparkling　in　delighted　anticipation　of　what　she　was　going　to　see　inside。　〃She　is　certainly　not　wanting　in　intelligence；〃　he　murmured　to　himself。　〃And　why　shall　you　not　want　them　any　more？〃　he　asked　aloud。

〃Because　I　want　to　go　about　like　the　goats　with　their　thin　light　legs。〃

〃Well；　you　can　do　so　if　you　like；〃　said　her　grandfather；　〃but　bring　the　things　in；　we　must　put　them　in　the　cupboard。〃

Heidi　did　as　she　was　told。　The　old　man　now　opened　the　door　and　Heidi　stepped　inside　after　him；　she　found　herself　in　a　good…sized　room；　which　covered　the　whole　ground　floor　of　the　hut。　A　table　and　a　chair　were　the　only　furniture；　in　one　corner　stood　the　grandfather's　bed；　in　another　was　the　hearth　with　a　large　kettle　hanging　above　it；　and　on　the　further　side　was　a　large　door　in　the　wallthis　was　the　cupboard。　The　grandfather　opened　it；　inside　were　his　clothes；　some　hanging　up；　others；　a　couple　of　shirts；　and　some　socks　and　handkerchiefs；　lying　on　a　shelf；　on　a　second　shelf　were　some　plates　and　cups　and　glasses；　and　on　a　higher　one　still；　a　round　loaf；　smoked　meat；　and　cheese；　for　everything　that　Alm…Uncle　needed　for　his　food　and　clothing　was　kept　in　this　cupboard。　Heidi；　as　soon　as　it　was　opened；　ran　quickly　forward　and　thrust　in　her　bundle　of　clothes；　as　far　back　behind　her　grandfather's　things　as　possible；　so　that　they　might　not　easily　be　found　again。　She　then　looked　carefully　round　the　room；　and　asked；　〃Where　am　I　to　sleep；　grandfather？〃

〃Wherever　you　like；〃　he　answered。

Heidi　was　delighted；　and　began　at　once　to　examine　all　the　nooks　and　corners　to　find　out　where　it　would　be　pleasantest　to　sleep。　In　the　corner　near　her　grandfather's　bed　she　saw　a　short　ladder　against　the　wall；　up　she　climbed　and　found　herself　in　the　hayloft。　There　lay　a　large　heap　of　fresh　sweet…smelling　hay；　while　through　a　round　window　in　the　wall　she　could　see　right　down　the　valley。

〃I　shall　sleep　up　here；　grandfather；〃　she　called　down　to　him；　〃It's　lovely；　up　here。　Come　up　and　see　how　lovely　it　is！〃

〃Oh；　I　know　all　about　it；〃　he　called　up　in　answer。

〃I　am　getting　the　bed　ready　now；〃　she　called　down　again；　as　she　went　busily　to　and　fro　at　her　work；　〃but　I　shall　want　you　to　bring　me　up　a　sheet；　you　can't　have　a　bed　without　a　sheet；　you　want　it　to　lie　upon。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　the　grandfather；　and　presently　he　went　to　the　cupboard；　and　after　rummaging　about　inside　for　a　few　minutes　he　drew　out　a　long；　coarse　piece　of　stuff；　which　was　all　he　had　to　do　duty　for　a　sheet。　He　carried　it　up　to　the　loft；　where　he　found　Heidi　had　already　made　quite　a　nice　bed。　She　had　put　an　extra　heap　of　hay　at　one　end　for　a　pillow；　and　had　so　arranged　it　that；　when　in　bed；　she　would　be　able　to　see　comfortably　out　through　the　round　window。

〃That　is　capital；〃　said　her　grandfather；　〃now　we　must　put　on　the　sheet；　but　wait　a　moment　first；〃　and　he　went　and　fetched　another　large　bundle　of　hay　to　make　the　bed　thicker；　so　that　the　child　should　not　feel　the　hard　floor　under　her〃there；　now　bring　it　here。〃　Heidi　had　got　hold　of　the　sheet；　but　it　was　almost　too　heavy　for　her　to　carry；　this　was　a　good　thing；　however；　as　the　close　thick　stuff　would　prevent　the　sharp　stalks　of　the　hay　running　through　and　pricking　her。　The　two　together　now　spread　the　sheet　over　the　bed；　and　where　it　was　too　long　or　too　broad；　Heidi　quickly　tucked　it　in　under　the　hay。　It　looked　now　as　tidy　and　comfortable　a　bed　as　you　could　wish　for；　and　Heidi　stood　gazing　thoughtfully　at　her　handiwork。

〃We　have　forgotten　something　now；　grandfather；〃　she　said　after　a　short　silence。

〃What's　that？〃　he　asked。

A　coverlid；　when　you　get　into　bed；　you　have　to　creep　in　between　the　sheets　and　the　coverlid。〃

〃Oh；　that's　the　way；　is　it？　But　suppose　I　have　not　got　a　coverlid？〃　said　the　old　man。

〃Well；　never　mind；　grandfather；〃　said　Heidi　in　a　consoling　tone　of　voice；　〃I　can　take　some　more　hay　to　put　over　me；〃　and　she　was　turning　quickly　to　fetch　another　armful　from　the　heap；　when　her　grandfather　stopped　her。　〃Wait　a　moment；〃　he　said；　and　he　climbed　down　the　ladder　again　and　went　towards　his　bed。　He　returned　to　the　loft　with　a　large；　thick　sack；　made　of　flax；　which　he　threw　down；　exclaiming；　There；　that　is　better　than　hay；　is　it　not？〃

Heidi　began　tugging　away　at　the　sack　with　all　her　little　might；　in　her　efforts　to　get　it　smooth　and　straight；　but　her　small　hands　were　not　fitted　for　so　heavy　a　job。　Her　grandfather　came　to　her　assistance；　and　when　they　had　got　it　tidily　spread　over　the　bed；　it　all　looked　so　nice　and　warm　and　comfortable　that　Heidi　stood　gazing　at　it　in　delight。　〃That　is　a　splendid　coverlid；〃　she　said；　〃and　the　bed　looks　lovely　altogether！　I　wish　it　was　night；　so　that　I　might　get　inside　it　at　once。〃

〃I　think　we　might　have　something　to　eat　first；〃　said　the　grandfather；　〃what　do　you　think？〃

Heidi　in　the　excitement　of　bed…making　had　forgotten　everything　else；　but　now　when　she　began　to　think　about　food　she　felt　terribly　hungry；　for　she　had　had　nothing　to　eat　since　the　piece　of　bread　and　little　cup　of　thin　coffee　that　had　been　her　breakfast　early　that　morning　before　starting　on　her　long；　hot　journey。　So　she　answered　without　hesitation；　〃Yes；　I　think　so　too。〃

〃Let　us　go　down　then；　as　we　both　think　alike；〃　said　the　old　man；　and　he　followed　the　child　down　the　ladder。　Then　he　went　up　to　the　hearth；　pushed　the　big　kettle　aside；　and　drew　forward　the　little　one　that　was　hanging　on　the　chain；　and　seating　himself　on　the　round…topped；　three…legged　stool　before　the　fire；　blew　it　up　into　a　clear　bright　flame。　The　kettle　soon　began　to　boil；　and　meanwhile　the　old　man　held　a　large　piece　of　cheese　on　a　long　iron　fork　over　the　fire；　turning　it　round　and　round　till　it　was　toasted　a　nice　golden　yellow　color　on　each　side。　Heidi　watched　all　that　was　going　on　with　eager　curiosity。　Suddenly　some　new　idea　seeme