heidi-第46节

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them。　So　the　hours　flew　by　and　all　at　once；　as　it　seemed；　the　evening　had　come　with　the　returning　Peter；　who　still　scowled　and　looked　angry。

〃Good…night；　Peter；〃　called　out　Heidi；　as　she　saw　he　had　no　intention　of　stopping　to　speak。

〃Good…night；　Peter；〃　called　out　Clara　in　a　friendly　voice。　Peter　took　no　notice　and　went　surlily　on　with　his　goats；

As　Clara　saw　the　grandfather　leading　away　Little　Swan　to　milk　her；　she　was　suddenly　taken　with　a　longing　for　another　bowlful　of　the　fragrant　milk；　and　waited　impatiently　for　it。

〃Isn't　it　curious；　Heidi；〃　she　said；　astonished　at　herself；　〃as　long　as　I　can　remember　I　have　only　eaten　because　I　was　obliged　to；　and　everything　used　to　seem　to　taste　of　cod　liver　oil；　and　I　was　always　wishing　there　was　no　need　to　eat　or　drink；　and　now　I　am　longing　for　grandfather　to　bring　me　the　milk。〃

〃Yes；　I　know　what　it　feels　like；〃　replied　Heidi；　who　remembered　the　many　days　in　Frankfurt　when　all　her　food　used　to　seem　to　stick　in　her　throat。　Clara；　however；　could　not　understand　it；　the　fact　was　that　she　had　never　in　her　life　before　spent　a　whole　day　in　the　open　air；　much　less　in　such　high；　life…giving　mountain　air。　When　grandfather　at　last　brought　her　the　evening　milk；　she　drank　it　up　so　quickly　that　she　had　emptied　her　bowl　before　Heidi；　and　then　she　asked　for　a　little　more。　The　grandfather　went　inside　with　both　the　children's　bowls；　and　when　he　brought　them　out　again　full　he　had　something　else　to　add　to　their　supper。　He　had　walked　over　that　afternoon　to　a　herdsman's　house　where　the　sweetly…tasting　butter　was　made；　and　had　brought　home　a　large　pat；　some　of　which　he　had　now　spread　thickly　on　two　good　slices　of　bread。　He　stood　and　watched　with　pleasure　while　Clara　and　Heidi　ate　their　appetising　meal　with　childish　hunger　and　enjoyment。

That　night；　when　Clara　lay　down　in　her　bed　and　prepared　to　watch　the　stars；　her　eyes　would　not　keep　open；　and　she　fell　asleep　as　soon　as　Heidi　and　slept　soundly　all　nighta　thing　she　never　remembered　having　done　before。　The　following　day　and　the　day　after　passed　in　the　same　pleasant　fashion；　and　the　third　day　there　came　a　surprise　for　the　children。　Two　stout　porters　came　up　the　mountain；　each　carrying　a　bed　on　his　shoulders　with　bedding　of　all　kinds　and　two　beautiful　new　white　coverlids。　The　men　also　had　a　letter　with　them　from　grandmamma；　in　which　she　said　that　these　were　for　Clara　and　Heidi；　and　that　Heidi　in　future　was　always　to　sleep　in　a　proper　bed；　and　when　she　went　down　to　Dorfli　in　the　winter　she　was　to　take　one　with　her　and　leave　the　other　at　the　hut；　so　that　Clara　might　always　know　there　was　a　bed　ready　for　her　when　she　paid　a　visit　to　the　mountain。　She　went　on　to　thank　the　children　for　their　long　letters　and　encouraged　them　to　continue　writing　daily；　so　that　she　might　be　able　to　picture　all　they　were　doing。

So　the　grandfather　went　up　and　threw　back　the　hay　from　Heidi's　bed　on　to　the　great　heap；　and　then　with　his　help　the　beds　were　transported　to　the　loft。　He　put　them　close　to　one　another　so　that　the　children　might　still　be　able　to　see　out　of　the　window；　for　he　knew　what　pleasure　they　had　in　the　light　from　the　sun　and　stars。

Meanwhile　grandmamma　down　at　Ragatz　was　rejoicing　at　the　excellent　news　of　the　invalid　which　reached　her　daily　from　the　mountain。　Clara　found　the　life　more　charming　each　day　and　could　not　say　enough　of　the　kindness　and　care　which　the　grandfather　lavished　upon　her；　nor　of　Heidi's　lively　and　amusing　companionship；　for　the　latter　was　more　entertaining　even　than　when　in　Frankfurt　with　her；　and　Clara's　first　thought　when　she　woke　each　morning　was；　〃Oh；　how　glad　I　am　to　be　here　still。〃

Having　such　fresh　assurances　each　day　that　all　was　going　well　with　Clara；　grandmamma　thought　she　might　put　off　her　visit　to　the　children　a　little　longer；　for　the　steep　ride　up　and　down　was　somewhat　of　a　fatigue　to　her。

The　grandfather　seemed　to　feel　an　especial　sympathy　for　this　little　invalid　charge；　for　he　tried　to　think　of　something　fresh　every　day　to　help　forward　her　recovery。　He　climbed　up　the　mountain　every　afternoon；　higher　and　higher　each　day；　and　came　home　in　the　evening　with　a　large　bunch　of　leaves　which　scented　the　air　with　a　mingled　fragrance　as　of　carnations　and　thyme；　even　from　afar。　He　hung　it　up　in　the　goat　shed；　and　the　goats　on　their　return　were　wild　to　get　at　it；　for　they　recognised　the　smell。　But　Uncle　did　not　go　climbing　after　rare　plants　to　give　the　goats　the　pleasure　of　eating　them　without　any　trouble　of　finding　them；　what　he　gathered　was　for　Little　Swan　alone；　that　she　might　give　extra　fine　milk；　and　the　effect　of　the　extra　feeding　was　shown　in　the　way　she　flung　her　head　in　the　air　with　ever…increasing　frolicsomeness；　and　in　the　bright　glow　of　her　eye。

Clara　had　now　been　on　the　mountain　for　three　weeks。　For　some　days　past　the　grandfather；　each　morning　after　carrying　her　down；　had　said；　〃Won't　the　little　daughter　try　if　she　can　stand　for　a　minute　or　two？〃　And　Clara　had　made　the　effort　in　order　to　please　him；　but　had　clung　to　him　as　soon　as　her　feet　touched　the　ground；　exclaiming　that　it　hurt　her　so。　He　let　her　try　a　little　longer；　however；　each　day。

It　was　many　years　since　they　had　had　such　a　splendid　summer　among　the　mountains。　Day　after　day　there　were　the　same　cloudless　sky　and　brilliant　sun；　the　flowers　opened　wide　their　fragrant　blossoms；　and　everywhere　the　eye　was　greeted　with　a　glow　of　color；　and　when　the　evening　came　the　crimson　light　fell　on　mountain　peaks　and　on　the　great　snow…field；　till　at　last　the　sun　sank　in　a　sea　of　golden　flame。

And　Heidi　never　tired　of　telling　Clara　of　all　this；　for　only　higher　up　could　the　full　glory　of　the　colors　be　rightly　seen；　and　more　particularly　did　she　dwell　on　the　beauty　of　the　spot　on　the　higher　slope　of　the　mountain；　where　the　bright　golden　rock…roses　grew　in　masses；　and　the　blue　flowers　were　in　such　numbers　that　the　very　grass　seemed　to　have　turned　blue；　while　near　these　were　whole　bushes　of　the　brown　blossoms；　with　their　delicious　scent；　so　that　you　never　wanted　to　move　again　when　you　once　sat　down　among　them。

She　had　just　been　expatiating　on　the　flowers　as　she　sat　with　Clara　under　the　fir　trees　one　evening；　and　had　been　telling　her　again　of　the　wonderful　light　from　the　evening　sun；　when　such　an　irrepressible　longing　came　over　her　to　see　it　all　once　more　that　the　jumped　up　and　ran　to　her　grandfather；　who　was　in　the　shed；　calling　out　almost　before　she　was　inside；

〃Grandfather；　will　you　take　us　out　with　the　goats　to…morrow？　Oh；　it　is　so　lovely　up　there　now！〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　answered；　〃but　if　I　do；　the　little　daughter　must　do　something　to　please　me：　she　must　try　her　best　again　this　evening　to　stand　on　her　feet。〃

Heidi　ran　back　with　the　good　news　to　Clara；　and　the　latter　promised　to　try　her　very　best　as　the　grandfather　wished；　for　she　looked　forward　immensely　to　the　next　day's　excursion。　Heidi　was　so　pleased　and　excited　that　she　called　out　to　Peter　as　soon　as　she　caught　sight　of　him　that　evening；

〃Peter；　Peter；　we　are　all　coming　out　with　you　to…morrow　and　are　going　to　stay　up　there　the　whole　day。〃

Peter；　cross　as　a　bear；　grumbled　some　reply；　and　lifted　his　stick　to　give　Greenfinch　a　blow　for　no　reason　in　particular；　but　Greenfinch　saw　the　movement；　and　with　a　leap　over　Snowflake's　back　she　got　out　of　the　way；　and　the　stick　only　hit　the　air。

Clara　and　Heidi　got　into　their　two　fine　beds　that　night　full　of　delightful　anticipation　of　the　morrow；　they　were　so　full　of　their　plans　that　they　agreed　to　keep　awake　all　night　and　talk　over　them　until　they　might　venture　to　get　up。　But　their　heads　had　no　sooner　touched　their　soft　pillows　than　the　conversation　suddenly　ceased；　and　Clara　fell　into　a　dream　of　an　immense　field；　which　looked　the　color　of　the　sky；　so　thickly　inlaid　was　it　with　blue　bell…shaped　flowers；　and　Heidi　heard　the　great　bird　of　prey　calling　to　her　from　the　heights　above；　〃Come！　come！　come！〃



CHAPTER　XXII。　SOMETHING　UNEXPECTED　HAPPENS

Uncle　went　out　early　the　next　morning　to　see　what　kind　of　a　day　it　was　going　to　be。　There　was　a　reddish　gold　light　over　the　higher　peaks；　a　light　breeze　springing　up　and　the　branches　of　the　fir　trees　moved　gently　to　and　fro　the　sun　was　on　its　way。

The　old　man　stood　and　watched　the　green　slopes　under　the　higher　peaks　gradually　growing　brighter　with　the　coming　day　and　the　dark　shadows　lifting　from　the　valley；　until　at　first　a　rosy　light　filled　its　hollows；　and　then　the　morning　gold　flooded　every　height　and　depththe　sun　had　risen。

Uncle　wheeled　the　chair　out　of　the　shed　ready　for　the　coming　journey；　and　then　went　in　to　call　the　children　and　tell　them　what　a　lovely　sunrise　it　was。

Peter　came　up　at　this　moment。　The　goats　did　not　gather　round　him　so　trustfully　as　usual；　but　seemed　to　avoid　him　timidly；　for　Peter　had　reached　a　high　pitch　of　anger　and　bitterness；　and　was　laying　about　him　with　his　stick　very　unnecessarily；　and　where　it　fell　the　blow　was　no　light　one。　For　weeks　now　he　had　not　had　Heidi　all　to　himself　as　formerly。　When　he　came　up　in　the　morning　the　invalid　child　was　always　already　in　her　chair　and　Heidi　fully　occupied　with　her。　And　it　was　the　same　thing　over　again　when　he　came　down　in　the　evening。　She　had　not　come　out　with　the　goats　once　this　summer；　and　now　to…day　she　was　only　coming　in　company　with