heidi-第8节

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And　thus　imperceptibly　the　day　had　crept　on　to　its　close；　and　now　the　sun　was　on　the　point　of　sinking　out　of　sight　behind　the　high　mountains。　Heidi　was　again　sitting　on　the　ground；　silently　gazing　at　the　blue　bell…shaped　flowers；　as　they　glistened　in　the　evening　sun；　for　a　golden　light　lay　on　the　grass　and　flowers；　and　the　rocks　above　were　beginning　to　shine　and　glow。　All　at　once　she　sprang　to　her　feet；　〃Peter！　Peter！　everything　is　on　fire！　All　the　rocks　are　burning；　and　the　great　snow　mountain　and　the　sky！　O　look；　look！　the　high　rock　up　there　is　red　with　flame！　O　the　beautiful；　fiery　snow！　Stand　up；　Peter！　See；　the　fire　has　reached　the　great　bird's　nest！　look　at　the　rocks！　look　at　the　fir　trees！　Everything；　everything　is　on　fire！〃

〃It　is　always　like　that；〃　said　Peter　composedly；　continuing　to　peel　his　stick；　〃but　it　is　not　really　fire。〃

〃What　is　it　then？〃　cried　Heidi；　as　she　ran　backwards　and　forwards　to　look　first　one　side　and　then　the　other；　for　she　felt　she　could　not　have　enough　of　such　a　beautiful　sight。　〃What　is　it；　Peter；　what　is　it？〃　she　repeated。

〃It　gets　like　that　of　itself；〃　explained　Peter。

〃Look；　look！〃　cried　Heidi　in　fresh　excitement；　〃now　they　have　turned　all　rose　color！　Look　at　that　one　covered　with　snow；　and　that　with　the　high；　pointed　rocks！　What　do　you　call　them？〃

〃Mountains　have　not　any　names；〃　he　answered。

〃O　how　beautiful；　look　at　the　crimson　snow！　And　up　there　on　the　rocks　there　are　ever　so　many　roses！　Oh！　now　they　are　turning　grey！　Oh！　oh！　now　all　the　color　has　died　away！　it's　all　gone；　Peter。〃　And　Heidi　sat　down　on　the　ground　looking　as　full　of　distress　as　if　everything　had　really　come　to　an　end。

〃It　will　come　again　to…morrow；〃　said　Peter。　〃Get　up；　we　must　go　home　now。〃　He　whistled　to　his　goats　and　together　they　all　started　on　their　homeward　way。

〃Is　it　like　that　every　day；　shall　we　see　it　every　day　when　we　bring　the　goats　up　here？〃　asked　Heidi；　as　she　clambered　down　the　mountain　at　Peter's　side；　she　waited　eagerly　for　his　answer；　hoping　that　he　would　tell　her　it　was　so。

〃It　is　like　that　most　days；〃　he　replied。

〃But　will　it　be　like　that　to…morrow　for　certain？　Heidi　persisted。

〃Yes；　yes；　to…morrow　for　certain；〃　Peter　assured　her　in　answer。

Heidi　now　felt　quite　happy　again；　and　her　little　brain　was　so　full　of　new　impressions　and　new　thoughts　that　she　did　not　speak　any　more　until　they　had　reached　the　hut。　The　grandfather　was　sitting　under　the　fir　trees；　where　he　had　also　put　up　a　seat；　waiting　as　usual　for　his　goats　which　returned　down　the　mountain　on　this　side。

Heidi　ran　up　to　him　followed　by　the　white　and　brown　goats；　for　they　knew　their　own　master　and　stall。　Peter　called　out　after　her；　〃Come　with　me　again　to…morrow！　Good…night！〃　For　he　was　anxious　for　more　than　one　reason　that　Heidi　should　go　with　him　the　next　day。

Heidi　ran　back　quickly　and　gave　Peter　her　hand；　promising　to　go　with　him；　and　then　making　her　way　through　the　goats　she　once　more　clasped　Snowflake　round　the　neck；　saying　in　a　gentle　soothing　voice；　〃Sleep　well；　Snowflake；　and　remember　that　I　shall　be　with　you　again　to…morrow；　so　you　must　not　bleat　so　sadly　any　more。〃　Snowflake　gave　her　a　friendly　and　grateful　look；　and　then　went　leaping　joyfully　after　the　other　goats。

Heidi　returned　to　the　fir…trees。　〃O　grandfather；〃　she　cried；　even　before　she　had　come　up　to　him；　〃it　was　so　beautiful。　The　fire；　and　the　roses　on　the　rocks；　and　the　blue　and　yellow　flowers；　and　look　what　I　have　brought　you！〃　And　opening　the　apron　that　held　her　flowers　she　shook　them　all　out　at　her　grandfather's　feet。　But　the　poor　flowers；　how　changed　they　were！　Heidi　hardly　knew　them　again。　They　looked　like　dry　bits　of　hay；　not　a　single　little　flower　cup　stood　open。　〃O　grandfather；　what　is　the　matter　with　them？〃　exclaimed　Heidi　in　shocked　surprise；　〃they　were　not　like　that　this　morning；　why　do　they　look　so　now？〃

〃They　like　to　stand　out　there　in　the　sun　and　not　to　be　shut　up　in　an　apron；〃　said　her　grandfather。

〃Then　I　will　never　gather　any　more。　But；　grandfather；　why　did　the　great　bird　go　on　croaking　so？　she　continued　in　an　eager　tone　of　inquiry。

〃Go　along　now　and　get　into　your　bath　while　I　go　and　get　some　milk；　when　we　are　together　at　supper　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it。〃

Heidi　obeyed；　and　when　later　she　was　sitting　on　her　high　stool　before　her　milk　bowl　with　her　grandfather　beside　her；　she　repeated　her　question；　〃Why　does　the　great　bird　go　on　croaking　and　screaming　down　at　us；　grandfather？〃

〃He　is　mocking　at　the　people　who　live　down　below　in　the　villages；　because　they　all　go　huddling　and　gossiping　together；　and　encourage　one　another　in　evil　talking　and　deeds。　He　calls　out；　'If　you　would　separate　and　each　go　your　own　way　and　come　up　here　and　live　on　a　height　as　I　do；　it　would　be　better　for　you！'　〃　There　was　almost　a　wildness　in　the　old　man's　voice　as　he　spoke；　so　that　Heidi　seemed　to　hear　the　croaking　of　the　bird　again　even　more　distinctly。

〃Why　haven't　the　mountains　any　names？〃　Heidi　went　on。

〃They　have　names；〃　answered　her　grandfather；　〃and　if　you　can　describe　one　of　them　to　me　that　I　know　I　will　tell　you　what　it　is　called。〃

Heidi　then　described　to　him　the　rocky　mountain　with　the　two　high　peaks　so　exactly　that　the　grandfather　was　delighted。　〃Just　so；　I　know　it；〃　and　he　told　her　its　name。　〃Did　you　see　any　other？〃

Then　Heidi　told　him　of　the　mountain　with　the　great　snow…field；　and　how　it　had　been　on　fire；　and　had；　turned　rosy…red　and　then　all　of　a　sudden　had　grown　quite　pale　again　and　all　the　color　had　disappeared。

〃I　know　that　one　too；〃　he　said；　giving　her　its　name。　〃So　you　enjoyed　being　out　with　the　goats？〃

Then　Heidi　went　on　to　give　him　an　account　of　the　whole　day；　and　of　how　delightful　it　had　all　been；　and　particularly　described　the　fire　that　had　burst　out　everywhere　in　the　evening。　And　then　nothing　would　do　but　her　grandfather　must　tell　how　it　came；　for　Peter　knew　nothing　about　it。

The　grandfather　explained　to　her　that　it　was　the　sun　that　did　it。　〃When　he　says　good…night　to　the　mountains　he　throws　his　most　beautiful　colors　over　them；　so　that　they　may　not　forget　him　before　he　comes　again　the　next　day。〃

Heidi　was　delighted　with　this　explanation；　and　could　hardly　bear　to　wait　for　another　day　to　come　that　she　might　once　more　climb　up　with　the　goats　and　see　how　the　sun　bid　good…night　to　the　mountains。　But　she　had　to　go　to　bed　first；　and　all　night　she　slept　soundly　on　her　bed　of　hay；　dreaming　of　nothing　but　of　shining　mountains　with　red　roses　all　over　them；　among　which　happy　little　Snowflake　went　leaping　in　and　out。



CHAPTER　IV。　THE　VISIT　TO　GRANDMOTHER

The　next　morning　the　sun　came　out　early　as　bright　as　ever；　and　then　Peter　appeared　with　the　goats；　and　again　the　two　children　climbed　up　together　to　the　high　meadows；　and　so　it　went　on　day　after　day　till　Heidi；　passing　her　life　thus　among　the　grass　and　flowers；　was　burnt　brown　with　the　sun；　and　grew　so　strong　and　healthy　that　nothing　ever　ailed　her。　She　was　happy　too；　and　lived　from　day　to　day　as　free　and　lighthearted　as　the　little　birds　that　make　their　home　among　the　green　forest　trees。　Then　the　autumn　came；　and　the　wind　blew　louder　and　stronger；　and　the　grandfather　would　say　sometimes；　〃To…day　you　must　stay　at　home；　Heidi；　a　sudden　gust　of　the　wind　would　blow　a　little　thing　like　you　over　the　rocks　into　the　valley　below　in　a　moment。〃

Whenever　Peter　heard　that　he　must　go　alone　he　looked　very　unhappy；　for　he　saw　nothing　but　mishaps　of　all　kinds　ahead；　and　did　not　know　how　he　should　bear　the　long　dull　day　without　Heidi。　Then；　too；　there　was　the　good　meal　he　would　miss；　and　besides　that　the　goats　on　these　days　were　so　naughty　and　obstinate　that　he　had　twice　the　usual　trouble　with　them；　for　they　had　grown　so　accustomed　to　Heidi's　presence　that　they　would　run　in　every　direction　and　refuse　to　go　on　unless　she　was　with　them。　Heidi　was　never　unhappy；　for　wherever　she　was　she　found　something　to　interest　or　amuse　her。　She　liked　best；　it　is　true；　to　go　out　with　Peter　up　to　the　flowers　and　the　great　bird；　where　there　was　so　much　to　be　seen；　and　so　many　experiences　to　go　through　among　the　goats　with　their　different　characters；　but　she　also　found　her　grandfather's　hammering　and　sawing　and　carpentering　very　entertaining；　and　if　it　should　chance　to　be　the　day　when　the　large　round　goat's…milk　cheese　was　made　she　enjoyed　beyond　measure　looking　on　at　this　wonderful　performance；　and　watching　her　grandfather；　as　with　sleeves　rolled　back；　he　stirred　the　great　cauldron　with　his　bare　arms。　The　thing　which　attracted　her　most；　however；　was　the　waving　and　roaring　of　the　three　old　fir　trees　on　these　windy　days。　She　would　run　away　repeatedly　from　whatever　she　might　be　doing；　to　listen　to　them；　for　nothing　seemed　so　strange　and　wonderful　to　her　as　the　deep　mysterious　sound　in　the　tops　of　the　trees。　She　would　stand　underneath　them　and　look　up；　unable　to　tear　herself　away；　looking　and　listening　while　they　bowed　and　swayed　and　roared　as　the　mighty　wind　rushed　through　them。　There　was　no　longer　now　the　warm　bright　sun　that　had　shone　all　through　the　summer；　so　Heidi　went　to　the　cupboard　and　got　out　her　shoes　and　stockings　and　dress；　for　it　was　growing　colder　every　day；　and　when　Heidi　stood　under　the　fir　trees　the　wind　blew　through　her　as　if　she　was　a　thin　little　leaf；　but　still　sh