heidi-第40节

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　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　twice　to　herself；　with　a　look　of　happy　expectation　on　her　face。　And　Heidi　took　equal　pleasure　in　them；　for　the　picture　of　the　beautiful　sunny　day　of　her　return　home　rose　before　her　eyes；　and　she　exclaimed　joyfully；　〃Grandmother；　I　know　exactly　what　it　is　like　to　go　home。〃　The　old　woman　did　not　answer；　but　she　had　heard　Heidi's　words；　and　the　expression　that　had　made　the　child　think　she　was　better　remained　on　her　face。

A　little　later　Heidi　said；　〃It　is　growing　dark　and　I　must　go　home；　I　am　glad　to　think；　that　you　are　quite　well　again。〃

The　grandmother　took　the　child's　hand　in　hers　and　held　it　closely。　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃I　feel　quite　happy　again；　even　if　I　have　to　go　on　lying　here；　I　am　content。　No　one　knows　what　it　is　to　lie　here　alone　day　after　day；　in　silence　and　darkness；　without　hearing　a　voice　or　seeing　a　ray　of　light。　Sad　thoughts　come　over　me；　and　I　do　not　feel　sometimes　as　if　I　could　bear　it　any　longer　or　as　if　it　could　ever　be　light　again。　But　when　you　come　and　read　those　words　to　me；　then　I　am　comforted　and　my　heart　rejoices　once　more。〃

Then　she　let　the　child　go；　and　Heidi　ran　into　the　next　room；　and　bid　Peter　come　quickly；　for　it　had　now　grown　quite　dark。　But　when　they　got　outside　they　found　the　moon　shining　down　on　the　white　snow　and　everything　as　clear　as　in　the　daylight。　Peter　got　his　sleigh；　put　Heidi　at　the　back；　he　himself　sitting　in　front　to　guide；　and　down　the　mountain　they　shot　like　two　birds　darting　through　the　air。

When　Heidi　was　lying　that　night　on　her　high　bed　of　hay　she　thought　of　the　grandmother　on　her　low　pillow；　and　of　all　she　had　said　about　the　light　and　comfort　that　awoke　in　her　when　she　heard　the　hymns；　and　she　thought：　if　I　could　read　to　her　every　day；　then　I　should　go　on　making　her　better。　But　she　knew　that　it　would　be　a　week；　if　not　two；　before　she　would　be　able　to　go　up　the　mountain　again。　This　was　a　thought　of　great　trouble　to　Heidi；　and　she　tried　hard　to　think　of　some　way　which　would　enable　the　grandmother　to　hear　the　words　she　loved　every　day。　Suddenly　an　idea　struck　her；　and　she　was　so　delighted　with　it　that　she　could　hardly　bear　to　wait　for　morning；　so　eager　was　she　to　begin　carrying　out　her　plan。　All　at　once　she　sat　upright　in　her　bed；　for　she　had　been　so　busy　with　her　thoughts　that　she　had　forgotten　to　say　her　prayers；　and　she　never　now　finished　her　day　without　saying　them。

When　she　had　prayed　with　all　her　heart　for　herself；　her　grandfather　and　grandmother；　she　lay　back　again　on　the　warm　soft　hay　and　slept　soundly　and　peacefully　till　morning　broke。



CHAPTER　XIX。　THE　WINTER　CONTINUES

Peter　arrived　punctually　at　school　the　following　day。　He　had　brought　his　dinner　with　him；　for　all　the　children　who　lived　at　a　distance　regularly　seated　themselves　at　mid…day　on　the　tables；　and　resting　their　feet　firmly　on　the　benches；　spread　out　their　meal　on　their　knees　and　so　ate　their　dinner；　while　those　living　in　Dorfli　went　home　for　theirs。　Till　one　o'clock　they　might　all　do　as　they　liked；　and　then　school　began　again。　When　Peter　had　finished　his　lessons　on　the　days　he　attended　school；　he　went　over　to　Uncle's　to　see　Heidi。

When　he　walked　into　the　large　room　at　Uncle's　to…day；　Heidi　immediately　rushed　forward　and　took　hold　of　him；　for　it　was　for　Peter　she　had　been　waiting。　〃I've　thought　of　something；　Peter；〃　she　said　hastily。

〃What　is　it？〃　he　asked。

〃You　must　learn　to　read；〃　she　informed　him。

〃I　have　learnt；〃　was　the　answer。

〃Yes；　yes；　but　I　mean　so　that　you　can　really　make　use　of　it；〃　continued　Heidi　eagerly。

〃I　never　shall；〃　was　the　prompt　reply。

〃Nobody　believes　that　you　cannot　learn；　nor　I　either　now；〃　said　Heidi　in　a　very　decided　tone　of　voice。　〃Grandmamma　in　Frankfurt　said　long　ago　that　it　was　not　true；　and　she　told　me　not　to　believe　you。〃

Peter　looked　rather　taken　aback　at　this　piece　of　intelligence。

〃I　will　soon　teach　you　to　read；　for　I　know　how；〃　continued　Heidi。　〃You　must　learn　at　once；　and　then　you　can　read　one　or　two　hymns　every　day　to　grandmother。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　care　about　that；〃　he　grumbled　in　reply。

This　hard…hearted　way　of　refusing　to　agree　to　what　was　right　and　kind；　and　to　what　Heidi　had　so　much　at　heart；　aroused　her　anger。　With　flashing　eyes　she　stood　facing　the　boy　and　said　threateningly；　〃If　you　won't　learn　as　I　want　you　to；　I　will　tell　you　what　will　happen；　you　know　your　mother　has　often　spoken　of　sending　you　to　Frankfurt；　that　you　may　learn　a　lot　of　things；　and　I　know　where　the　boys　there　have　to　go　to　school；　Clara　pointed　out　the　great　house　to　me　when　we　were　driving　together。　And　they　don't　only　go　when　they　are　boys；　but　have　more　lessons　still　when　they　are　grown　men。　I　have　seen　them　myself；　and　you　mustn't　think　they　have　only　one　kind　teacher　like　we　have。　There　are　ever　so　many　of　them；　all　in　the　school　at　the　same　time；　and　they　are　all　dressed　in　black；　as　if　they　were　going　to　church；　and　have　black　hats　on　their　heads　as　high　as　that〃　and　Heidi　held　out　her　hand　to　show　their　height　from　the　floor。

Peter　felt　a　cold　shudder　run　down　his　back。

〃And　you　will　have　to　go　in　among　all　those　gentlemen；〃　continued　Heidi　with　increasing　animation；　〃and　when　it　comes　to　your　turn　you　won't　be　able　to　read　and　will　make　mistakes　in　your　spelling。　Then　you'll　see　how　they'll　make　fun　of　you；　even　worse　than　Tinette；　and　you　ought　to　have　seen　what　she　was　like　when　she　was　scornful。〃

〃Well；　I'll　learn　then；〃　said　Peter；　half　sorrowfully　and　half　angrily。

Heidi　was　instantly　mollified。　〃That's　right；　then　we'll　begin　at　once；〃　she　said　cheerfully；　and　went　busily　to　work　on　the　spot；　dragging　Peter　to　the　table　and　fetching　her　books。

Among　other　presents　Clara　had　sent　Heidi　a　book　which　the　latter　had　decided；　in　bed　the　night　before；　would　serve　capitally　for　teaching　Peter；　for　it　was　an　A　B　C　book　with　rhyming　lines。　And　now　the　two　sat　together　at　the　table　with　their　heads　bent　over　the　book；　for　the　lesson　had　begun。

Peter　was　made　to　spell　out　the　first　sentence　two　or　three　times　over；　for　Heidi　wished　him　to　get　it　correct　and　fluent。　At　last　she　said；　〃You　don't　seem　able　to　get　it　right；　but　I　will　read　it　aloud　to　you　once；　when　you　know　what　it　ought　to　be　you　will　find　it　easier。〃　And　she　read　out：

　　　　　　　　　　A　B　C　must　be　learnt　to…day　　　　　　　　　　　　Or　the　judge　will　call　you　up　to　pay。


〃I　shan't　go；〃　said　Peter　obstinately。

〃Go　where？〃　asked　Heidi。

〃Before　the　judge；〃　he　answered。

〃Well　then　make　haste　and　learn　these　three　letters；　then　you　won't　have　to　go。〃

Peter　went　at　his　task　again　and　repeated　the　three　letters　so　many　times　and　with　such　determination　that　she　said　at　last；

〃You　must　know　those　three　now。〃

Seeing　what　an　effect　the　first　two　lines　of　verse　had　had　upon　him；　she　thought　she　would　prepare　the　ground　a　little　for　the　following　lessons。

〃Wait；　and　I　will　read　you　some　of　the　next　sentences；〃　she　continued；　〃then　you　will　see　what　else　there　is　to　expect。〃

And　she　began　in　a　clear　slow　voice：

　　　　　　　　　　D　E　F　G　must　run　with　ease　　　　　　　　　　　　Or　something　will　follow　that　does　not　please。

　　　　　　　　　　Should　H　I　J　K　be　now　forgot　　　　　　　　　　　　Disgrace　is　yours　upon　the　spot。

　　　　　　　　　　And　then　L　M　must　follow　at　once　　　　　　　　　　　　Or　punished　you'll　be　for　a　sorry　dunce。

　　　　　　　　　　If　you　knew　what　next　awaited　you　　　　　　　　　　　　You'd　haste　to　learn　N　O　P　Q。

　　　　　　　　　　Now　R　S　T　be　quick　about　　　　　　　　　　　　Or　worse　will　follow　there's　little　doubt。


Heidi　paused；　for　Peter　was　so　quiet　that　she　looked　to　see　what　he　was　doing。　These　many　secret　threats　and　hints　of　dreadful　punishments　had　so　affected　him　that　he　sat　as　if　petrified　and　stared　at　Heidi　with　horror…stricken　eyes。　Her　kind　heart　was　moved　at　once；　and　she　said；　wishing　to　reassure　him；　〃You　need　not　be　afraid；　Peter；　come　here　to　me　every　evening；　and　if　you　learn　as　you　have　to…day　you　will　at　last　know　all　your　letters；　and　the　other　things　won't　come。　But　you　must　come　regularly；　not　now　and　then　as　you　do　to　school；　even　if　it　snows　it　won't　hurt　you。〃

Peter　promised；　for　the　trepidation　he　had　been　in　had　made　him　quite　tame　and　docile。　Lessons　being　finished　for　this　day　he　now　went　home。

Peter　obeyed　Heidi's　instructions　punctually；　and　every　evening　went　diligently　to　work　to　learn　the　following　letters；　taking　the　sentences　thoroughly　to　heart。　The　grandfather　was　frequently　in　the　room　smoking　his　pipe　comfortably　while　the　lesson　was　going　on；　and　his　face　twitched　occasionally　as　if　he　was　overtaken　with　a　sudden　fit　of　merriment。　Peter　was　often　invited　to　stay　to　supper　after　the　great　exertion　he　had　gone　through；　which　richly　compensated　him　for　the　anguish　of　mind　he　had　suffered　with　the　sentence　for　the　day。

So　the　winter　went　by；　and　Peter　really　made　progress　with　his　letters；　but　he　went　through　a　terrible　fight　each　day　with　the　sentences。

He　had　got　at　last　to　U。　Heidi　read　out：

　　　　　　　　　　And　if　you　put　the　U　for　V；　　　　　　　　　　　　You'll　go　where　you　would　not　like　to　be。


Peter　growled；　〃Yes；　but　I　shan't　go！〃　But　he　was　very　diligent　that　day；　as　if　under　the　imp