heidi-第53节

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my　life　and　after。　But　now　I　have　something　else　to　say。　Independent　of　her　circumstances；　the　child　is　totally　unfitted　to　live　a　life　away　from　home；　we　found　out　that　when　she　was　with　us。　But　she　has　made　friends；　and　among　them　I　know　one　who　is　at　this　moment　in　Frankfurt；　he　is　winding　up　his　affairs　there；　that　he　may　be　free　to　go　where　he　likes　and　take　his　rest。　I　am　speaking　of　my　friend；　the　doctor；　who　came　over　here　in　the　autumn　and　who；　having　well　considered　your　advice；　intends　to　settle　in　this　neighborhood；　for　he　has　never　felt　so　well　and　happy　anywhere　as　in　the　company　of　you　and　Heidi。　So　you　see　the　child　will　henceforth　have　two　protectors　near　herand　may　they　both　live　long　to　share　the　task！〃

〃God　grant　it　indeed　may　be　so！〃　added　grandmamma；　shaking　Uncle's　hand　warmly　as　she　spoke；　to　show　how　sincerely　she　echoed　her　son's　wish。　Then　putting　her　arm　round　Heidi；　who　was　standing　near；　she　drew　the　child　to　her。

〃And　I　have　a　question　to　ask　you　too；　dear　Heidi。　Tell　me　if　there　is　anything　you　particularly　wish　for。〃

〃Yes；　there　is；〃　answered　Heidi　promptly；　looking　up　delightedly　at　grandmamma。

〃Then　tell　me　at　once；　dear；　what　it　is。〃

〃I　want　to　have　the　bed　I　slept　in　at　Frankfurt　with　the　high　pillows　and　the　thick　coverlid；　and　then　grandmother　will　not　have　to　lie　with　her　head　down　hill　and　hardly　able　to　breathe；　and　she　will　be　warm　enough　under　the　coverlid　not　to　have　to　wear　her　shawl　in　bed　to　prevent　her　freezing　to　death。〃

In　her　eagerness　to　obtain　what　she　had　set　her　heart　upon　Heidi　hardly　gave　herself　time　to　get　out　all　she　had　to　say；　and　did　not　pause　for　breath　till　she　reached　the　end　of　her　sentence。

〃Dearest　child；〃　answered　grandmamma；　moved　by　Heidi's　speech；　〃what　is　this　you　tell　me　of　grandmother！　You　are　right　to　remind　me。　In　the　midst　of　our　own　happiness　we　forget　too　often　that　which　we　ought　to　remember　before　all　things。　When　God　has　shown　us　some　special　mercy　we　should　think　at　once　of　those　who　are　denied　so　many　things。　I　will　telegraph　to　Frankfurt　at　once！　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　shall　pack　up　the　bed　this　very　day；　and　it　will　be　here　in　two　days'　time。　God　willing；　grandmother　shall　soon　be　sleeping　comfortably　upon　it。〃

Heidi　skipped　round　grandmamma　in　her　glee；　and　then　stopping　all　of　a　sudden；　said　quickly；　〃I　must　make　haste　down　and　tell　grandmother；　and　she　will　be　in　trouble　too　at　my　not　having　been　to　see　her　for　such　a　long　time。〃　For　she　felt　she　could　not　wait　another　moment　before　carrying　the　good　news　down　to　grandmother；　and；　moreover；　the　recollection　came　to　her　of　the　distress　the　old　woman　was　in　when　she　last　saw　her。

〃No；　no；　Heidi；　what　can　you　be　thinking　of；〃　said　her　grandfather　reprovingly。　〃You　can't　be　running　backwards　and　forwards　like　that　when　you　have　visitors。〃

But　grandmamma　interfered　on　Heidi's　behalf。　〃The　child　is　not　so　far　wrong；　Uncle；〃　she　said；　〃and　poor　grandmother　has　too　long　been　deprived　of　Heidi　for　our　sakes。　Let　us　all　go　down　to　her　together。　I　believe　my　horse　is　waiting　for　me　and　I　can　ride　down　from　there；　and　as　soon　as　I　get　to　Dorfli　the　message　shall　be　sent　off。　What　do　you　think　of　my　plan；　son？〃

Herr　Sesemann　had　not　yet　had　time　to　speak　of　his　travelling　plans；　so　he　begged　his　mother　to　wait　a　few　moments　that　he　might　tell　her　what　he　proposed　doing。

Herr　Sesemann　had　been　arranging　that　he　and　his　mother　should　make　a　little　tour　in　Switzerland；　first　ascertaining　if　Clara　was　in　a　fit　state　to　go　some　part　of　the　way　with　them。　But　now　he　would　have　the　full　enjoyment　of　his　daughter's　company；　and　that　being　so　he　did　not　want　to　miss　any　of　these　beautiful　days　of　later　summer；　but　to　start　at　once　on　the　journey　that　he　now　looked　forward　to　with　such　additional　pleasure。　And　so　he　proposed　that　they　should　spend　the　night　in　Dorfli　and　that　next　day　he　should　come　and　fetch　Clara；　then　they　would　all　three　go　down　to　Ragatz　and　make　that　their　starting　point。

Clara　was　rather　upset　at　first　at　the　thought　of　saying　good…bye　like　this　to　the　mountain；　she　could　not　help　being　pleased；　however；　at　the　prospect　of　the　journey；　and　no　time　was　allowed　her　to　give　way　to　lamentation。

Grandmamma　had　already　taken　Heidi　by　the　hand；　preparatory　to　leading　the　way；　when　she　suddenly　turned。　〃But　what　is　to　become　of　Clara？〃　she　asked；　remembering　all　at　once　that　the　child　could　not　yet　take　so　long　a　walk。　She　gave　a　nod　of　satisfaction　as　she　saw　that　Uncle　had　already　taken　Clara　up　in　his　arms　and　was　following　her　with　sturdy　strides。　Herr　Sesemann　brought　up　the　rear；　and　so　they　all　started　down　the　mountain。

Heidi　kept　jumping　for　joy　as　she　and　grandmamma　walked　along　side　by　side；　and　grandmamma　asked　all　about　grandmother；　how　she　lived；　and　what　she　did；　especially　in　the　winter　when　it　was　so　cold。　And　Heidi　gave　her　a　minute　account　of　everything；　for　she　knew　all　that　went　on　at　grandmother's；　and　told　her　how　grandmother　sat　crouching　in　her　corner　and　trembling　with　cold。　She　was　able　to　give　her　exact　particulars　of　what　grandmother　had　and　had　not　to　eat。　Grandmamma　listened　with　interest　and　sympathy　until　they　came　to　Grandmother's。　Brigitta　was　just　hanging　out　Peter's　second　shirt　in　the　sun；　so　that　he　might　have　it　ready　to　put　on　when　he　had　worn　the　other　long　enough。　As　soon　as　she　saw　the　company　approaching　she　rushed　indoors。

〃The　whole　party　of　them　are　just　going　past；　mother；　evidently　all　returning　home　again；〃　she　informed　the　old　woman。　〃Uncle　is　with　them；　carrying　the　sick　child。〃

〃Alas；　is　it　really　to　be　so　then？〃　sighed　the　grandmother。　〃And　you　saw　Heidi　with　them？　Then　they　are　taking　her　away。　If　only　she　could　come　and　put　her　hand　in　mine　again！　If　I　could　but　hear　her　voice　once　more！〃

At　this　moment　the　door　flew　open　and　Heidi　sprang　across　to　the　corner　and　threw　her　arms　round　grandmother。

〃Grandmother！　grandmother！　my　bed　is　to　be　sent　from　Frankfurt　with　all　the　three　pillows　and　the　thick　coverlid；　grandmamma　says　it　will　be　here　in　two　days。〃　Heidi　could　not　get　out　her　words　quickly　enough；　for　she　was　impatient　to　see　grandmother's　great　joy　at　the　news。　The　latter　smiled；　but　said　a　little　sadly；

〃She　must　indeed　be　a　good　kind　lady；　and　I　ought　to　be　glad　to　think　she　is　taking　you　with　her；　but　I　shall　not　outlive　it　long。〃

〃What　is　this　I　hear？　Who　has　been　telling　my　good　grandmother　such　tales？〃　exclaimed　a　kindly　voice；　and　grandmother　felt　her　hand　taken　and　warmly　pressed；　for　grandmamma　had　followed　Heidi　in　and　heard　all　that　was　said。　〃No；　no；　there　is　no　thought　of　such　a　thing！　Heidi　is　going　to　stay　with　you　and　make　you　happy。　We　want　to　see　her　again；　but　we　shall　come　to　her。　We　hope　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　Alm　every　year；　for　we　have　good　cause　to　offer　up　especial　thanks　to　God　upon　this　spot　where　so　great　a　miracle　has　been　wrought　upon　our　child。〃

And　now　grandmother's　face　was　lighted　up　with　genuine　happiness；　and　she　pressed　Frau　Sesemann's　hand　over　and　over　again；　unable　to　speak　her　thanks；　while　two　large　tears　of　joy　rolled　down　her　aged　cheeks。　And　Heidi　saw　the　glad　change　come　over　grandmother's　face；　and　she　too　now　was　entirely　happy。

She　clung　to　the　old　woman；　saying；　〃Hasn't　it　all　come　about；　grandmother；　just　like　the　hymn　I　read　to　you　last　time？　Isn't　the　bed　from　Frankfurt　sent　to　make　you　well？〃

〃Yes；　Heidi；　and　many；　many　other　good　things　too；　which　God　has　sent　me；〃　said　the　grandmother；　deeply　moved。　〃I　did　not　think　it　possible　that　there　were　so　many　kind　people；　ready　to　trouble　themselves　about　a　poor　old　woman　and　to　do　so　much　for　her。　Nothing　strengthens　our　belief　in　a　kind　heavenly　Father　who　never　forgets　even　the　least　of　His　creatures　so　much　as　to　know　that　there　are　such　people；　full　of　goodness　and　pity　for　a　poor　useless　creature　such　as　I　am。〃

〃My　good　grandmother；〃　said　Frau　Sesemann；　interrupting　her；　〃we　are　all　equally　poor　and　helpless　in　the　eyes　of　God；　and　all　have　equal　need　that　He　should　not　forget　us。　But　now　we　must　say　good…bye；　but　only　till　we　meet　again；　for　when　we　pay　our　next　year's　visit　to　the　Alm　you　will　be　the　first　person　we　shall　come　and　see；　meanwhile　we　shall　not　forget　you。〃　And　Frau　Sesemann　took　grandmother's　hand　again　and　shook　it　in　farewell。

But　grandmother　would　not　let　her　off　even　then　without　more　words　of　gratitude；　and　without　calling　down　on　her　benefactress　and　all　belonging　to　her　every　blessing　that　God　had　to　bestow。

At　last　Herr　Sesemann　and　his　mother　were　able　to　continue　their　journey　downwards；　while　Uncle　carried　Clara　back　home；　with　Heidi　beside　him；　so　full　of　joy　of　what　was　coming　for　grandmother　that　every　step　was　a　jump。

But　there　were　many　tears　shed　the　following　morning　by　the　departing　Clara；　who　wept　to　say　good…bye　to　the　beautiful　mountain　home　where　she　had　been　happier　than　ever　in　her　life　before。　Heidi　did　her　best　to　comfort　her。　〃Summer　will　be　here　again　in　no　time；〃　she　said；　〃and　then　you　will　come　again；　and　it　will　be　nicer　still；　for　you　will　be　able　to　walk　about　from　the　beginning。　We　can　then　go　out　every　day　with　the　goats　up　to　where　the　flowers　grow；　and　enjoy　ourselves　from　the　moment　you　arrive。〃

Herr　S