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第6节

heidi-第6节

小说: heidi 字数: 每页4000字

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 the two dear goats。 Heidi jumped quickly out of bed and a very few minutes sufficed her to put on the clothes which she had taken off the night before; for there were not many of them。 Then she climbed down the ladder and ran outside the hut。 There stood Peter already with his flock of goats; and the grandfather was just bringing his two out of the shed to join the others。 Heidi ran forward to wish good…morning to him and the goats。

〃Do you want to go with them on to the mountain?〃 asked her grandfather。 Nothing could have pleased Heidi better; and she jumped for joy in answer。

〃But you must first wash and make yourself tidy。 The sun that shines so brightly overhead will else laugh at you for being dirty; see; I have put everything ready for you;〃 and her grandfather pointed as he spoke to a large tub full of water; which stood in the sun before the door。 Heidi ran to it and began splashing and rubbing; till she quite glistened with cleanliness。 The grandfather meanwhile went inside the hut; calling to Peter to follow him and bring in his wallet。 Peter obeyed with astonishment; and laid down the little bag which held his meagre dinner。

〃Open it;〃 said the old man; and inside it he put a large piece of bread and an equally large piece of cheese; which made Peter open his eyes; for each was twice the size of the two portions which he had for his own dinner。

〃There; now there is only the little bowl to add;〃 continued the grandfather; 〃for the child cannot drink her milk as you do from the goat; she is not accustomed to that。 You must milk two bowlfuls for her when she has her dinner; for she is going with you and will remain with you till you return this evening; but take care she does not fall over any of the rocks; do you hear?〃

Heidi now came running in。 〃Will the sun laugh at me now; grandfather?〃 she asked anxiously。 Her grandfather had left a coarse towel hanging up for her near the tub; and with this she had so thoroughly scrubbed her face; arms; and neck; for fear of the sun; that as she stood there she was as red all over as a lobster。 He gave a little laugh。

〃No; there is nothing for him to laugh at now;〃 he assured her。 〃But I tell you whatwhen you come home this evening; you will have to get right into the tub; like a fish; for if you run about like the goats you will get your feet dirty。 Now you can be off。〃

She started joyfully for the mountain。 During the night the wind had blown away all the clouds; the dark blue sky was spreading overhead; and in its midst was the bright sun shining down on the green slopes of the mountain; where the flowers opened their little blue and yellow cups; and looked up to him smiling。 Heidi went running hither and thither and shouting with delight; for here were whole patches of delicate red primroses; and there the blue gleam of the lovely gentian; while above them all laughed and nodded the tender…leaved golden cistus。 Enchanted with all this waving field of brightly…colored flowers; Heidi forgot even Peter and the goats。 She ran on in front and then off to the side; tempted first one way and then the other; as she caught sight of some bright spot of glowing red or yellow。 And all the while she was plucking whole handfuls of the flowers which she put into her little apron; for she wanted to take them all home and stick them in the hay; so that she might make her bedroom look just like the meadows outside。 Peter had therefore to be on the alert; and his round eyes; which did not move very quickly; had more work than they could well manage; for the goats were as lively as Heidi; they ran in all directions; and Peter had to follow whistling and calling and swinging his stick to get all the runaways together again。

〃Where have you got to now; Heidi?〃 he called out somewhat crossly。

〃Here;〃 called back a voice from somewhere。 Peter could see no one; for Heidi was seated on the ground at the foot of a small hill thickly overgrown with sweet smelling prunella; the whole air seemed filled with its fragrance; and Heidi thought she had never smelt anything so delicious。 She sat surrounded by the flowers; drawing in deep breaths of the scented air。

〃Come along here!〃 called Peter again。 〃You are not to fall over the rocks; your grandfather gave orders that you were not to do so。〃

〃Where are the rocks?〃 asked Heidi; answering him back。 But she did not move from her seat; for the scent of the flowers seemed sweeter to her with every breath of wind that wafted it towards her。

〃Up above; right up above。 We have a long way to go yet; so come along! And on the topmost peak of all the old bird of; prey sits and croaks。〃

That did it。 Heidi immediately sprang to her feet and ran up to Peter with her apron full of flowers。

〃You have got enough now;〃 said the boy as they began climbing up again together。 〃You will stay here forever if you go on picking; and if you gather all the flowers now there will be none for to…morrow。〃

This last argument seemed a convincing one to Heidi; and moreover her apron was already so full that there was hardly room for another flower; and it would never do to leave nothing to pick for another day。 So she now kept with Peter; and the goats also became more orderly in their behavior; for they were beginning to smell the plants they loved that grew on the higher slopes and clambered up now without pause in their anxiety to reach them。 The spot where Peter generally halted for his goats to pasture and where he took up his quarters for the day lay at the foot of the high rocks; which were covered for some distance up by bushes and fir trees; beyond which rose their bare and rugged summits。 On one side of the mountain the rock was split into deep clefts; and the grandfather had reason to warn Peter of danger。 Having climbed as far as the halting…place; Peter unslung his wallet and put it carefully in a little hollow of the ground; for he knew what the wind was like up there and did not want to see his precious belongings sent rolling down the mountain by a sudden gust。 Then be threw himself at full length on the warm ground; for he was tired after all his exertions。

Heidi meanwhile had unfastened her apron and rolling it carefully round the flowers laid it beside Peter's wallet inside the hollow; she then sat down beside his outstretched figure and looked about her。 The valley lay far below bathed in the morning sun。 In front of her rose a broad snow…field; high against the dark…blue sky; while to the left was a huge pile of rocks on either side of which a bare lofty peak; that seemed to pierce the blue; looked frowningly down upon; her。 The child sat without moving; her eyes taking in the whole scene; and all around was a great stillness; only broken by soft; light puffs of wind that swayed the light bells of the blue flowers; and the shining gold heads of the cistus; and set them nodding merrily on their slender stems。 Peter had fallen asleep after his fatigue and the goats were climbing about among the bushes overhead。 Heidi had never felt so happy in her life before。 She drank in the golden sunlight; the fresh air; the sweet smell of the flowers; and wished for nothing better than to remain there forever。 So the time went on; while to Heidi; who had so often looked up from the valley at the mountains above; these seemed now to have faces; and to be looking down at her like old friends。 Suddenly she heard a loud harsh cry overhead and lifting her eyes she saw a bird; larger than any she had ever seen before; with great; spreading wings; wheeling round and round in wide circles; and uttering a piercing; croaking kind of sound above her。

〃Peter; Peter; wake up!〃 called out Heidi。 〃See; the great bird is therelook; look!〃

Peter got up on hearing her call; and together they sat and watched the bird; which rose higher and higher in the blue air till it disappeared behind the grey mountain…tops。

〃Where has it gone to?〃 asked Heidi; who had followed the bird's movements with intense interest。

〃Home to its nest;〃 said Peter。

〃Is his home right up there? Oh; how nice to be up so high! why does he make that noise?〃

〃Because he can't help it;〃 explained Peter。

〃Let us climb up there and see where his nest is;〃 proposed Heidi。

〃Oh! oh! oh!〃 exclaimed Peter; his disapproval of Heidi's suggestion becoming more marked with each ejaculation; 〃why even the goats cannot climb as high as that; besides didn't Uncle say that you were not to fall over the rocks?〃

Peter now began suddenly whistling and calling in such a loud manner that Heidi could not think what was happening; but the goats evidently understood his voice; for one after the other they came springing down the rocks until they were all assembled on the green plateau; some continuing to nibble at the juicy stems; others skipping about here and there or pushing at each other with their horns for pastime。

Heidi jumped up and ran in and out among them; for it was new to her to see the goats playing together like this and her delight was beyond words as she joined in their frolics; she made personal acquaintance with them all in turn; for they were like separate individuals to her; each single goat having a particular way of behavior of its own。 Meanwhile Peter had taken th

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