heidi-第14章

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s　of　things　that　do　not　belong　to　a　dress。

The　grandfather　looked　her　up　and　down　without　uttering　a　word。　But　Dete　was　prepared　with　an　exceedingly　amiable　speech　and　began　at　once　to　praise　the　looks　of　the　child。　She　was　looking　so　well　she　should　hardly　have　known　her　again；　and　it　was　evident　that　she　had　been　happy　and　well…cared　for　with　her　grandfather；　but　she　had　never　lost　sight　of　the　idea　of　taking　the　child　back　again；　for　she　well　understood　that　the　little　one　must　be　much　in　his　way；　but　she　had　not　been　able　to　do　it　at　first。　Day　and　night；　however；　she　had　thought　over　the　means　of　placing　the　child　somewhere；　and　that　was　why　she　had　come　to…day；　for　she　had　just　heard　of　something　that　would　be　a　lucky　chance　for　Heidi　beyond　her　most　ambitious　hopes。　Some　immensely　wealthy　relatives　of　the　people　she　was　serving；　who　had　the　most　splendid　house　almost　in　Frankfurt；　had　an　only　daughter；　young　and　an　invalid；　who　was　always　obliged　to　go　about　in　a　wheeled　chair；　she　was　therefore　very　much　alone　and　had　no　one　to　share　her　lessons；　and　so　the　little　girl　felt　dull。　Her　father　had　spoken　to　Dete's　mistress　about　finding　a　companion　for　her；　and　her　mistress　was　anxious　to　help　in　the　matter；　as　she　felt　so　sympathetic　about　it。　The　lady…housekeeper　had　described　the　sort　of　child　they　wanted；　simple…minded　and　unspoilt；　and　not　like　most　of　the　children　that　one　saw　now…a…days。　Dete　had　thought　at　once　of　Heidi　and　had　gone　off　without　delay　to　see　the　lady…housekeeper；　and　after　Dete　had　given　her　a　description　of　Heidi；　she　had　immediately　agreed　to　take　her。　And　no　one　could　tell　what　good　fortune　there　might　not　be　in　store　for　Heidi；　for　if　she　was　once　with　these　people　and　they　took　a　fancy　to　her；　and　anything　happened　to　their　own　daughterone　could　never　tell；　the　child　was　so　weaklyand　they　did　not　feel　they　could　live　without　a　child；　why　then　the　most　unheard　of　luck

〃Have　you　nearly　finished　what　you　had　to　say？　broke　in　Alm…Uncle；　who　had　allowed　her　to　talk　on　uninterruptedly　so　far。

〃Ugh！〃　exclaimed　Dete；　throwing　up　her　head　in　disgust；　〃one　would　think　I　had　been　talking　to　you　about　the　most　ordinary　matter；　why　there　is　not　one　person　in　all　Prattigau　who　would　not　thank　God　if　I　were　to　bring　them　such　a　piece　of　news　as　I　am　bringing　you。〃

〃You　may　take　your　news　to　anybody　you　like；　I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃

But　now　Dete　leaped　up　from　her　seat　like　a　rocket　and　cried；　〃If　that　is　all　you　have　to　say　about　it；　why　then　I　will　give　you　a　bit　of　my　mind。　The　child　is　now　eight　years　old　and　knows　nothing；　and　you　will　not　let　her　learn。　You　will　not　send　her　to　church　or　school；　as　I　was　told　down　in　Dorfli；　and　she　is　my　own　sister's　child。　I　am　responsible　for　what　happens　to　her；　and　when　there　is　such　a　good　opening　for　a　child；　as　this　which　offers　for　Heidi；　only　a　person　who　cares　for　nobody　and　never　wishes　good　to　any　one　would　think　of　not　jumping　at　it。　But　I　am　not　going　to　give　in；　and　that　I　tell　you；　I　have　everybody　in　Dorfli　on　my　side；　there　is　not　one　person　there　who　will　not　take　my　part　against　you；　and　I　advise　you　to　think　well　before　bringing　it　into　court；　if　that　is　your　intention；　there　are　certain　things　which　might　be　brought　up　against　you　which　you　would　not　care　to　hear；　for　when　one　has　to　do　with　law…courts　there　is　a　great　deal　raked　up　that　had　been　forgotten。〃

〃Be　silent！〃　thundered　the　Uncle；　and　his　eyes　flashed　with　anger。　〃Go　and　be　done　with　you！　and　never　let　me　see　you　again　with　your　hat　and　feather；　and　such　words　on　your　tongue　as　you　come　with　today！〃　And　with　that　he　strode　out　of　the　hut。

〃You　have　made　grandfather　angry；〃　said　Heidi；　and　her　dark　eyes　had　anything　but　a　friendly　expression　in　them　as　she　looked　at　Dete。

〃He　will　soon　be　all　right　again；　come　now；〃　said　Dete　hurriedly；　〃and　show　me　where　your　clothes　are。〃

〃I　am　not　coming；〃　said　Heidi。

〃Nonsense；〃　continued　Dete；　then　altering　her　tone　to　one　half…coaxing；　half…cross；　〃Come；　come；　you　do　not　understand　any　better　than　your　grandfather；　you　will　have　all　sorts　of　good　things　that　you　never　dreamed　of。〃　Then　she　went　to　the　cupboard　and　taking　out　Heidi's　things　rolled　them　up　in　a　bundle。　〃Come　along　now；　there's　your　hat；　it　is　very　shabby　but　will　do　for　the　present；　put　it　on　and　let　us　make　haste　off。〃

〃I　am　not　coming；〃　repeated　Heidi。

〃Don't　be　so　stupid　and　obstinate；　like　a　goat；　I　suppose　it's　from　the　goats　you　have　learnt　to　be　so。　Listen　to　me：　you　saw　your　grandfather　was　angry　and　heard　what　he　said；　that　he　did　not　wish　to　see　us　ever　again；　he　wants　you　now　to　go　away　with　me　and　you　must　not　make　him　angrier　still。　You　can't　think　how　nice　it　is　at　Frankfurt；　and　what　a　lot　of　things　you　will　see；　and　if　you　do　not　like　it　you　can　come　back　again；　your　grandfather　will　be　in　a　good　temper　again　by　that　time。〃

〃Can　I　return　at　once　and　be　back　home　again　here　this　evening？〃　asked　Heidi。

〃What　are　you　talking　about；　come　along　now！　I　tell　you　that　you　can　come　back　here　when　you　like。　To…day　we　shall　go　as　far　as　Mayenfeld；　and　early　to…morrow　we　shall　start　in　the　train；　and　that　will　bring　you　home　again　in　no　time　when　you　wish　it；　for　it　goes　as　fast　as　the　wind。〃

Dete　had　now　got　the　bundle　under　her　arm　and　the　child　by　the　hand；　and　so　they　went　down　the　mountain　together。

As　it　was　still　too　early　in　the　year　to　take　his　goats　out；　Peter　continued　to　go　to　school　at　Dorfli；　but　now　and　again　he　stole　a　holiday；　for　he　could　see　no　use　in　learning　to　read；　while　to　wander　about　a　bit　and　look　for　stout　sticks　which　might　be　wanted　some　day　he　thought　a　far　better　employment。　As　Dete　and　Heidi　neared　the　grandmother's　hut　they　met　Peter　coming　round　the　corner；　he　had　evidently　been　well　rewarded　that　day　for　his　labors；　for　he　was　carrying　an　immense　bundle　of　long　thick　hazel　sticks　on　his　shoulders。　He　stood　still　and　stared　at　the　two　approaching　figures；　as　they　came　up　to　him；　he　exclaimed；　〃Where　are　you　going；　Heidi？〃

〃I　am　only　just　going　over　to　Frankfurt　for　a　little　visit　with　Dete；〃　she　replied；　〃but　I　must　first　run　in　to　grandmother；　she　will　be　expecting　me。〃

〃No；　no；　you　must　not　stop　to　talk；　it　is　already　too　late；〃　said　Dete；　holding　Heidi；　who　was　struggling　to　get　away；　fast　by　the　hand。　〃You　can　go　in　when　you　come　back；　you　must　come　along　now；〃　and　she　pulled　the　child　on　with　her；　fearing　that　if　she　let　her　go　in　Heidi　might　take　it　into　her　head　again　that　she　did　not　wish　to　come；　and　that　the　grandmother　might　stand　by　her。　Peter　ran　into　the　hut　and　banged　against　the　table　with　his　bundle　of　sticks　with　such　violence　that　everything　in　the　room　shook；　and　his　grandmother　leaped　up　with　a　cry　of　alarm　from　her　spinning…wheel。　Peter　had　felt　that　he　must　give　vent　to　his　feelings　somehow。

〃What　is　the　matter？　What　is　the　matter？〃　cried　the　frightened　old　woman；　while　his　mother；　who　had　also　started　up　from　her　seat　at　the　shock；　said　in　her　usual　patient　manner；　〃What　is　it；　Peter？　why　do　you　behave　so　roughly？〃

〃Because　she　is　taking　Heidi　away；〃　explained　Peter。

〃Who？　who？　where　to；　Peter；　where　to？〃　asked　the　grandmother；　growing　still　more　agitated；　but　even　as　she　spoke　she　guessed　what　had　happened；　for　Brigitta　had　told　her　shortly　before　that　she　had　seen　Dete　going　up　to　Alm…Uncle。　The　old　woman　rose　hastily　and　with　trembling　hands　opened　the　window　and　called　out　beseechingly；　〃Dete；　Dete；　do　not　take　the　child　away　from　us！　do　not　take　her　away！〃

The　two　who　were　hastening　down　the　mountain　heard　her　voice；　and　Dete　evidently　caught　the　words；　for　she　grasped　Heidi's　hand　more　firmly。　Heidi　struggled　to　get　free；　crying；　〃Grandmother　is　calling；　I　must　go　to　her。〃

But　Dete　had　no　intention　of　letting　the　child　go；　and　quieted　her　as　best　she　could；　they　must　make　haste　now；　she　said；　or　they　would　be　too　late　and　not　able　to　go　on　the　next　day　to　Frankfurt；　and　there　the　child　would　see　how　delightful　it　was；　and　Dete　was　sure　would　not　wish　to　go　back　when　she　was　once　there。　But　if　Heidi　wanted　to　return　home　she　could　do　so　at　once；　and　then　she　could　take　something　she　liked　back　to　grandmother。　This　was　a　new　idea　to　Heidi；　and　it