heidi-第16章

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d　you　that　I　wanted　a　companion　of　the　same　age　as　the　young　lady　of　the　house；　one　who　could　share　her　lessons；　and　all　her　other　occupations。　Fraulein　Clara　is　now　over　twelve；　what　age　is　this　child？〃

〃If　the　lady　will　allow　me；〃　began　Dete　again；　in　her　usual　fluent　manner；　〃I　myself　had　lost　count　of　her　exact　age；　she　is　certainly　a　little　younger；　but　not　much；　I　cannot　say　precisely；　but　I　think　she　is　ten；　or　thereabouts。〃

〃Grandfather　told　me　I　was　eight；〃　put　in　Heidi。　Dete　gave　her　another　poke；　but　as　the　child　had　not　the　least　idea　why　she　did　so　she　was　not　at　all　confused。

〃Whatonly　eight！〃　cried　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　angrily。　〃Four　years　too　young！　Of　what　use　is　such　a　child！　And　what　have　you　learnt？　What　books　did　you　have　to　learn　from？〃

〃None；〃　said　Heidi。

〃How？　what？　How　then　did　you　learn　to　read？〃　continued　the　lady。

〃I　have　never　learnt　to　read；　or　Peter　either；〃　Heidi　informed　her。

〃Mercy　upon　us！　you　do　not　know　how　to　read！　Is　it　really　so？〃　exclaimed　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　greatly　horrified。　〃Is　it　possiblenot　able　to　read？　What　have　you　learnt　then？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Heidi　with　unflinching　truthfulness。

〃Young　woman；〃　said　the　lady　to　Dete；　after　having　paused　for　a　minute　or　two　to　recover　from　her　shock；　〃this　is　not　at　all　the　sort　of　companion　you　led　me　to　suppose；　how　could　you　think　of　bringing　me　a　child　like　this？〃

But　Dete　was　not　to　be　put　down　so　easily；　and　answered　warmly；　〃If　the　lady　will　allow　me；　the　child　is　exactly　what　I　thought　she　required；　the　lady　described　what　she　wished　for；　a　child　unlike　all　other　children；　and　I　could　find　no　other　to　suit；　for　the　greater　number　I　know　are　not　peculiar；　but　one　very　much　the　same　as　the　other；　and　I　thought　this　child　seemed　as　if　made　for　the　place。　But　I　must　go　now；　for　my　mistress　will　be　waiting　for　me；　if　the　lady　will　permit　I　will　come　again　soon　and　see　how　she　is　getting　on。〃　And　with　a　bow　Dete　quickly　left　the　room　and　ran　downstairs。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　stood　for　a　moment　taken　aback　and　then　ran　after　Dete。　If　the　child　was　to　stop　she　had　many　things　yet　to　say　and　ask　about　her；　and　there　the　child　was；　and　what　was　more；　Dete；　as　she　plainly　saw；　meant　to　leave　her　there。

Heidi　remained　by　the　door　where　she　had　been　standing　since　she　first　came　in。　Clara　had　looked　on　during　the　interview　without　speaking；　now　she　beckoned　to　Heidi　and　said；　〃Come　here！〃

Heidi　went　up　to　her。

〃Would　you　rather　be　called　Heidi　or　Adelaide？　asked　Clara。

〃I　am　never　called　anything　but　Heidi；〃　was　the　child's　prompt　answer。

〃Then　I　shall　always　call　you　by　that　name；〃　said　Clara；　〃it　suits　you。　I　have　never　heard　it　before；　but　neither　have　I　ever　seen　a　child　like　you　before。　Have　you　always　had　that　short　curly　hair？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　so；〃　said　Heidi。

〃Are　you　pleased　to　come　to　Frankfurt？　went　on　Clara。

〃No；　but　I　shall　go　home　to…morrow　and　take　grandmother　a　white　loaf；〃　explained　Heidi。

〃Well；　you　are　a　funny　child！〃　exclaimed　Clara。　〃You　were　expressly　sent　for　to　come　here　and　to　remain　with　me　and　share　my　lessons；　there　will　be　some　fun　about　them　now　as　you　cannot　read；　something　new　to　do；　for　often　they　are　dreadfully　dull；　and　I　think　the　morning　will　never　pass　away。　You　know　my　tutor　comes　every　morning　at　about　ten　o'clock；　and　then　we　go　on　with　lessons　till　two；　and　it　does　seem　such　a　long　time。　Sometimes　he　takes　up　the　book　and　holds　it　close　up　to　his　face；　as　if　he　was　very　short…sighted；　but　I　know　it's　only　because　he　wants　so　dreadfully　to　gape；　and　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　takes　her　large　handkerchief　out　also　now　and　then　and　covers　her　face　with　it；　as　if　she　was　moved　by　what　we　had　been　reading；　but　that　is　only　because　she　is　longing　to　gape　too。　And　I　myself　often　want　to　gape；　but　I　am　obliged　to　stop　myself；　for　if　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　sees　me　gaping　she　runs　off　at　once　and　fetches　the　cod…liver　oil　and　says　I　must　have　a　dose；　as　I　am　getting　weak　again；　and　the　cod…liver　oil　is　horrible；　so　I　do　my　best　not　to　gape。　But　now　it　will　be　much　more　amusing；　for　I　shall　be　able　to　lie　and　listen　while　you　learn　to　read。〃

Heidi　shook　her　head　doubtfully　when　she　heard　of　learning　to　read。

〃Oh；　nonsense；　Heidi；　of　course　you　must　learn　to　read；　everybody　must；　and　my　tutor　is　very　kind；　and　never　cross；　and　he　will　explain　everything　to　you。　But　mind；　when　he　explains　anything　to　you；　you　won't　be　able　to　understand；　but　don't　ask　any　questions；　or　else　he　will　go　on　explaining　and　you　will　understand　less　than　ever。　Later　when　you　have　learnt　more　and　know　about　things　yourself；　then　you　will　begin　to　understand　what　he　meant。〃

Fraulein　Rottenmeier　now　came　back　into　the　room；　she　had　not　been　able　to　overtake　Dete；　and　was　evidently　very　much　put　out；　for　she　had　wanted　to　go　into　more　details　concerning　the　child；　and　to　convince　Dete　how　misleading　she　had　been；　and　how　unfit　Heidi　was　as　a　companion　for　Clara；　she　really　did　not　know　what　to　be　about；　or　how　to　undo　the　mischief；　and　it　made　her　all　the　more　angry　that　she　herself　was　responsible　for　it；　having　consented　to　Heidi　being　fetched。　She　ran　backwards　and　forwards　in　a　state　of　agitation　between　the　study　and　the　dining…room；　and　then　began　scolding　Sebastian；　who　was　standing　looking　at　the　table　he　had　just　finished　laying　to　see　that　nothing　was　missing。

〃You　can　finish　your　thoughts　to…morrow　morning；　make　haste；　or　we　shall　get　no　dinner　to…day　at　all。〃

Then　hurrying　out　she　called　Tinette；　but　in　such　an　ill…tempered　voice　that　the　maid　came　tripping　forward　with　even　more　mincing　steps　than　usual；　but　she　looked　so　pert　that　even　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　did　not　venture　to　scold　her；　which　only　made　her　suppressed　anger　the　greater。

〃See　that　the　room　is　prepared　for　the　little　girl　who　has　just　arrived；〃　said　the　lady；　with　a　violent　effort　at　self…control。　〃Everything　is　ready；　it　only　wants　dusting。〃

〃It's　worth　my　troubling　about；〃　said　Tinette　mockingly　as　she　turned　away。

Meanwhile　Sebastian　had　flung　open　the　folding　doors　leading　into　the　dining…room　with　rather　more　noise　than　he　need；　for　he　was　feeling　furious；　although　he　did　not　dare　answer　back　when　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　spoke　to　him；　he　then　went　up　to　Clara's　chair　to　wheel　her　into　the　next　room。　As　he　was　arranging　the　handle　at　the　back　preparatory　to　doing　so；　Heidi　went　near　and　stood　staring　at　him。　Seeing　her　eyes　fixed　upon　him；　he　suddenly　growled　out；　〃Well；　what　is　there　in　me　to　stare　at　like　that？〃　which　he　would　certainly　not　have　done　if　he　had　been　aware　that　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　was　just　then　entering　the　room。　〃You　look　so　like　Peter；〃　answered　Heidi。　The　lady…housekeeper　clasped　her　hands　in　horror。　〃Is　it　possible！〃　she　stammered　half…aloud；　〃she　is　now　addressing　the　servant　as　if　he　were　a　friend！　I　never　could　have　imagined　such　a　child！〃

Sebastian　wheeled　the　couch　into　the　dining…room　and　helped　Clara　on　to　her　chair。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　took　the　seat　beside　her　and　made　a　sign　to　Heidi　to　take　the　one　opposite。　They　were　the　only　three　at　table；　and　as　they　sat　far　apart　there　was　plenty　of　room　for　Sebastian　to　hand　his　dishes。　Beside　Heidi's　plate　lay　a　nice　white　roll；　and　her　eyes　lighted　up　with　pleasure　as　she　saw　it。　The　resemblance　which　Heidi　had　noticed　had　evidently　awakened　in　her　a　feeling　of　confidence　towards　Sebastian；　for　she　sat　as　still　as　a　mouse　and　without　moving　until　he　came　up　to　her　side　and　handed　her　the　dish　of　fish；　then　she　looked　at　the　roll　and　asked；　〃Can　I　have　it？〃　Sebastian　nodded；　throwing　a　side　glance　at　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　to　see　what　effect　this　request　would　have　upon　her。　Heidi　immediately　seized　the　roll　and　put　it　in　her　pocket。　Sebastian's　face　became　convulsed；　he　was　overcome　with　inward　laughter　but　knew　his　place　too　well　to　laugh　aloud。　Mute　and　motionless　he　still　remained　standing　beside　Heidi；　it　was　not　his　duty　to　speak；　nor　to　move　away　until　she　had　helped　herself。　Heidi　looked　wonderingly　at　him　for　a　minute　or　two；　and　then　said；　〃Am　I　to　eat　some　of　that　too？〃　Sebastian　nodded　again。　〃Give　me　some　then；〃　she　said；　looking　calmly　at　her　plate。　At　this　Sebastian's　command　of　his　countenance　became　doubtful；　and　the