heidi-第50节

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〃Grandfather；〃　said　Heidi；　who　had　been　watching　him　with　astonished　eyes；　〃why　does　Peter　always　behave　now　like　the　Great　Turk　when　he　thinks　somebody　is　after　him　with　a　stick；　he　turns　and　shakes　his　head　and　goes　off　with　a　bound　just　like　that？〃

〃Perhaps　Peter　fancies　he　sees　the　stick　which　he　so　well　deserves　coming　after　him；〃　answered　grandfather。

Peter　ran　up　the　first　slope　without　a　pause；　when　he　was　well　out　of　sight；　however；　he　stood　still　and　looked　suspiciously　about　him。　Suddenly　he　gave　a　jump　and　looked　behind　him　with　a　terrified　expression；　as　if　some　one　had　caught　hold　of　him　by　the　nape　of　the　neck；　for　Peter　expected　every　minute　that　the　police…constable　from　Frankfurt　would　leap　out　upon　him　from　behind　some　bush　or　hedge。　The　longer　his　suspense　lasted；　the　more　frightened　and　miserable　he　became；　he　did　not　know　a　moment's　peace。

Heidi　now　set　about　tidying　the　hut；　as　grandmamma　must　find　everything　clean　and　in　good　order　when　she　arrived。

Clara　looked　on　amused　and　interested　to　watch　the　busy　Heidi　at　her　work。

So　the　morning　soon　went　by；　and　grandmamma　might　now　be　expected　at　any　minute。　The　children　dressed　themselves　and　went　and　sat　together　outside　on　the　seat　ready　to　receive　her。

Grandfather　joined　them；　that　they　might　see　the　splendid　bunch　of　blue　gentians　which　he　had　been　up　the　mountain　to　gather；　and　the　children　exclaimed　with　delight　at　the　beauty　of　the　flowers　as　they　shone　in　the　morning　sun。　The　grandfather　then　carried　them　indoors。　Heidi　jumped　up　from　time　to　time　to　see　if　there　was　any　sign　of　grandmamma's　approach。

At　last　she　saw　the　procession　winding　up　the　mountain　just　in　the　order　she　had　expected。　First　there　was　the　guide；　then　the　white　horse　with　grandmamma　mounted　upon　it；　and　last　of　all　the　porter　with　a　heavy　bundle　on　his　back；　for　grandmamma　would　not　think　of　going　up　the　mountain　without　a　full　supply　of　wraps　and　rugs。

Nearer　and　nearer　wound　the　procession；　at　last　it　reached　the　top　and　grandmamma　was　there　looking　down　on　the　children　from　her　horse。　She　no　sooner　saw　them；　however；　sitting　side　by　side；　than　she　began　quickly　dismounting；　as　she　cried　out　in　a　shocked　tone　of　voice；　〃Why　is　this？　why　are　you　not　lying　in　your　chair；　Clara？　What　are　you　all　thinking　about？〃　But　even　before　she　had　got　close　to　them　she　threw　up　her　hands　in　astonishment；　exclaiming　further；　〃Is　it　really　you；　dear　child？　Why；　your　cheeks　have　grown　quite　round　and　rosy！　I　should　hardly　have　known　you　again！〃　And　she　was　hastening　forward　to　embrace　her；　when　Heidi　slipped　down　from　the　seat；　and　Clara　leaning　on　her　shoulder；　the　two　children　began　walking　along　quite　coolly　and　naturally。　Then　indeed　grandmamma　was　surprised；　or　rather　alarmed；　for　she　thought　at　first　that　it　must　be　some　unheard…of　proceeding　of　Heidi's　devising。

But　noClara　was　actually　walking　steadily　and　uprightly　beside　Heidiand　now　the　two　children　turned　and　came　towards　her　with　beaming　faces　and　rosy　cheeks。　Laughing　and　crying　she　ran　to　them　and　embraced　first　Clara　and　then　Heidi；　and　then　Clara　again；　unable　to　speak　for　joy。　All　at　once　she　caught　sight　of　Uncle　standing　by　the　seat　and　looking　on　smiling　at　the　meeting。　She　took　Clara's　arm　in　hers；　and　with　continual　expressions　of　delight　at　the　fact　that　the　child　could　now　really　walk　about　with　her；　she　went　up　to　the　old　man；　and　then　letting　go　Clara's　arm　she　seized　his　hands。

〃My　dear　Uncle！　my　dear　Uncle！　how　much　we　have　to　thank　you　for！　It　is　all　your　doing！　it　is　your　caring　and　nursing〃

〃And　God's　good　sun　and　mountain　air；〃　he　interrupted　her；　smiling。

〃Yes；　and　don't　forget　the　beautiful　milk　I　have；〃　put　in　Clara。　〃Grandmamma；　you　can't　think　what　a　quantity　of　goat's　milk　I　drink；　and　how　nice　it　is！〃

〃I　can　see　that　by　your　cheeks；　child；〃　answered　grandmamma。　〃I　really　should　not　have　known　you；　you　have　grown　quite　strong　and　plump；　and　taller　too；　I　never　hoped　or　expected　to　see　you　look　like　that。　I　cannot　take　my　eyes　off　you；　for　I　can　hardly　yet　believe　it。　But　now　I　must　telegraph　without　delay　to　my　son　in　Paris；　and　tell　him　he　must　come　here　at　once。　I　shall　not　say　why；　it　will　be　the　greatest　happiness　he　has　ever　known。　My　dear　Uncle；　how　can　I　send　a　telegram；　have　you　dismissed　the　men　yet？〃

〃They　have　gone；〃　he　answered；　〃but　if　you　are　in　a　hurry　I　will　fetch　Peter；　and　he　can　take　it　for　you。〃

Grandmamma　thanked　him；　for　she　was　anxious　that　the　good　news　should　not　be　kept　from　her　son　a　day　longer　than　was　possible。

So　Uncle　went　aside　a　little　way　and　blew　such　a　resounding　whistle　through　his　fingers　that　he　awoke　a　responsive　echo　among　the　rocks　far　overhead。　He　had　not　to　wait　many　minutes　before　Peter　came　running　down　in　answer；　for　he　knew　the　sound　of　Uncle's　whistle。　Peter　arrived；　looking　as　white　as　a　ghost；　for　he　quite　thought　Uncle　was　sending　for　him　to　give　him　up。　But　as　it　was　he　only　had　a　written　paper　given　him　with　instructions　to　take　it　down　at　once　to　the　post…office　at　Dorfli；　Uncle　would　settle　for　the　payment　later；　as　it　was　not　safe　to　give　Peter　too　much　to　look　after。

Peter　went　off　with　the　paper　in　his　hand；　feeling　some　relief　of　mind　for　the　present；　for　as　Uncle　had　not　whistled　for　him　in　order　to　give　him　up　it　was　evident　that　no　policeman　had　yet　arrived。

So　now　they　could　all　sit　down　in　peace　to　their　dinner　round　the　table　in　front　of　the　hut；　and　grandmamma　was　given　a　detailed　account　of　all　that　had　taken　place。　How　grandfather　had　made　Clara　try　first　to　stand　and　then　to　move　her　feet　a　little　every　day；　and　how　they　had　settled　for　the　day's　excursion　up　the　mountain　and　the　chair　had　been　blown　away。　How　Clara's　desire　to　see　the　flowers　had　induced　her　to　take　the　first　walk；　and　so　by　degrees　one　thing　had　led　to　another。　The　recital　took　some　time；　for　grandmamma　continually　interrupted　it　with　fresh　exclamations　of　surprise　and　thankfulness：　〃It　hardly　seems　possible！　I　can　scarcely　believe　it　is　not　all　a　dream！　Are　we　really　awake；　and　are　all　sitting　here　by　the　mountain　hut；　and　is　that　round…faced；　healthy…looking　child　my　poor　little；　white；　sickly　Clara？〃

And　Clara　and　Heidi　could　not　get　over　their　delight　at　the　success　of　the　surprise　they　had　so　carefully　arranged　for　grandmamma　and　at　the　latter's　continued　astonishment。

Meanwhile　Herr　Sesemann；　who　had　finished　his　business　in　Paris；　had　also　been　preparing　a　surprise。　Without　saying　a　word　to　his　mother　he　got　into　the　train　one　sunny　morning　and　travelled　that　day　to　Basle；　the　next　morning　he　continued　his　journey；　for　a　great　longing　had　seized　him　to　see　his　little　daughter　from　whom　he　had　been　separated　the　whole　summer。　He　arrived　at　Ragatz　a　few　hours　after　his　mother　had　left。　When　he　heard　that　she　had　that　very　day　started　for　the　mountain；　he　immediately　hired　a　carriage　and　drove　off　to　Mayenfeld；　here　he　found　that　he　could　if　he　liked　drive　on　as　far　as　Dorfli；　which　he　did；　as　he　thought　the　walk　up　from　that　place　would　be　as　long　as　he　cared　for。

Herr　Sesemann　found　he　was　right；　for　the　climb　up　the　mountain；　as　it　was；　proved　long　and　fatiguing　to　him。　He　went　on　and　on；　but　still　no　hut　came　in　sight；　and　yet　he　knew　there　was　one　where　Peter　lived　half　way　up；　for　the　path　had　been　described　to　him　over　and　over　again。

There　were　traces　of　climbers　to　be　seen　on　all　sides；　the　narrow　footpaths　seemed　to　run　in　every　direction；　and　Herr　Sesemann　began　to　wonder　if　he　was　on　the　right　one；　and　whether　the　hut　lay　perhaps　on　the　other　side　of　the　mountain。　He　looked　round　to　see　if　any　one　was　in　sight　of　whom　he　could　ask　the　way；　but　far　and　wide　there　was　not　a　soul　to　be　seen　or　a　sound　to　be　heard。　Only　at　moments　the　mountain　wind　whistled　through　the　air；　and　the　insects　hummed　in　the　sunshine　or　a　happy　bird　sang　out　from　the　branches　of　a　solitary　larch　tree。　Herr　Sesemann　stood　still　for　a　while　to　let　the　cool　Alpine　wind　blow　on　his　hot　face。　But　now　some　one　came　running　down　the　mountain…sideit　was　Peter　with　the　telegram　in　his　hand。　He　ran　straight　down　the　steep　slope；　not　following　the　path　on　which　Herr　Sesemann　was　standing。　As　soon　as　the　latter　caught　sight　of　him　he　beckoned　to　him　to　come。　Peter　advanced　towards　him　slowly　and　timidly；　with　a　sort　of　sidelong　movement；　as　if　he　could　only　move　one　leg　properly　and　had　to　drag　the　other　after　him。　〃Hurry　up；　lad；〃　called　Herr　Sesemann；　and　when　Peter　was　near　enough；　〃Tell　me；〃　he　said；　〃is　this　the　way　to　the　hut　where　the　old　man　and　the　child　Heidi　live；　and　where　the　visitors　from　Frankfurt　are　staying？〃

A　low　sound　of　fear　was　the　only　answer　he　received；　as　Peter　turned　to　run　away　in　such　precipitous　haste　that　he　fell　head　over　heels　several　times；　and　went　rolling　and　bumping　down　the　slope　in　involuntary　bounds；　just　in　the　same　way　as　the　chair；　only　that　Peter　fortunately　did　not　fall　to　pieces　as　that　had　done。　Only　the　telegram　came　to　grief；　and　that　was　torn　into　fragments　and　flew　away。

〃How　extraordinarily　timid　these　mountain　dwellers　are！〃　thought　Herr　Sesemann　to　himself；　for　he　quite　believed　that　it　was　the　sight　of　a　stranger　that　had　made　such　an　impression　on　this　unsophisticated　child　o