heidi-第19章

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　she　imagined　she　had　only　to　run　over　the　road　to　reach　it。　But　now；　although　she　ran　along　the　whole　length　of　the　street；　she　still　did　not　get　any　nearer　to　it；　and　indeed　soon　lost　sight　of　it　altogether；　she　turned　down　another　street；　and　went　on　and　on；　but　still　no　tower。　She　passed　a　great　many　people；　but　they　all　seemed　in　such　a　hurry　that　Heidi　thought　they　had　not　time　to　tell　her　which　way　to　go。　Then　suddenly　at　one　of　the　street　corners　she　saw　a　boy　standing；　carrying　a　hand…organ　on　his　back　and　a　funny…looking　animal　on　his　arm。　Heidi　ran　up　to　him　and　said；　Where　is　the　tower　with　the　gold　ball　on　the　top？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　was　the　answer。

〃Who　can　I　ask　to　show　me？〃　she　asked　again。

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Do　you　know　any　other　church　with　a　high　tower？〃

〃Yes；　I　know　one。〃

〃Come　then　and　show　it　me。〃

〃Show　me　first　what　you　will　give　me　for　it；〃　and　the　boy　held　out　his　hand　as　he　spoke。　Heidi　searched　about　in　her　pockets　and　presently　drew　out　a　card　on　which　was　painted　a　garland　of　beautiful　red　roses；　she　looked　at　it　first　for　a　moment　or　two；　for　she　felt　rather　sorry　to　part　with　it；　Clara　had　only　that　morning　made　her　a　present　of　itbut　then；　to　look　down　into　the　valley　and　see　all　the　lovely　green　slopes！　〃There；〃　said　Heidi；　holding　out　the　card；　〃would　you　like　to　have　that？〃

The　boy　drew　back　his　hand　and　shook　his　head。

〃What　would　you　like　then？〃　asked　Heidi；　not　sorry　to　put　the　card　back　in　her　pocket。

〃Money。〃

〃I　have　none；　but　Clara　has；　I　am　sure　she　will　give　me　some；　how　much　do　you　want？〃

〃Twopence。〃

〃Come　along　then。〃

They　started　off　together　along　the　street；　and　on　the　way　Heidi　asked　her　companion　what　he　was　carrying　on　his　back；　it　was　a　hand…organ；　he　told　her；　which　played　beautiful　music　when　he　turned　the　handle。　All　at　once　they　found　themselves　in　front　of　an　old　church　with　a　high　tower；　the　boy　stood　still；　and　said；　〃There　it　is。〃

〃But　how　shall　I　get　inside？〃　asked　Heidi；　looking　at　the　fast　closed　doors。

〃I　don't　know；〃　was　the　answer。

〃Do　you　think　that　I　can　ring　as　they　do　for　Sebastian？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

Heidi　had　by　this　time　caught　sight　of　a　bell　in　the　wall　which　she　now　pulled　with　all　her　might。　〃If　I　go　up　you　must　stay　down　here；　for　I　do　not　know　the　way　back；　and　you　will　have　to　show　me。〃

〃What　will　you　give　me　then　for　that？〃

〃What　do　you　want　me　to　give　you？〃

〃Another　twopence。〃

They　heard　the　key　turning　inside；　and　then　some　one　pulled　open　the　heavy　creaking　door；　an　old　man　came　out　and　at　first　looked　with　surprise　and　then　in　anger　at　the　children；　as　he　began　scolding　them：　〃What　do　you　mean　by　ringing　me　down　like　this？　Can't　you　read　what　is　written　over　the　bell；　'For　those　who　wish　to　go　up　the　tower'？〃

The　boy　said　nothing　but　pointed　his　finger　at　Heidi。　The　latter　answered；　〃But　I　do　want　to　go　up　the　tower。〃

〃What　do　you　want　up　there？〃　said　the　old　man。　Has　somebody　sent　you？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Heidi；　〃I　only　wanted　to　go　up　that　I　might　look　down。〃

〃Get　along　home　with　you　and　don't　try　this　trick　on　me　again；　or　you　may　not　come　off　so　easily　a　second　time；〃　and　with　that　he　turned　and　was　about　to　shut　the　door。　But　Heidi　took　hold　of　his　coat　and　said　beseechingly；　〃Let　me　go　up；　just　once。〃

He　looked　around；　and　his　mood　changed　as　he　saw　her　pleading　eyes；　he　took　hold　of　her　hand　and　said　kindly；　〃Well；　if　you　really　wish　it　so　much；　I　will　take　you。〃

The　boy　sat　down　on　the　church　steps　to　show　that　he　was　content　to　wait　where　he　was。

Hand　in　hand　with　the　old　man　Heidi　went　up　the　many　steps　of　the　tower；　they　became　smaller　and　smaller　as　they　neared　the　top；　and　at　last　came　one　very　narrow　one；　and　there　they　were　at　the　end　of　their　climb。　The　old　man　lifted　Heidi　up　that　she　might　look　out　of　the　open　window。

〃There；　now　you　can　look　down；〃　he　said。

Heidi　saw　beneath　her　a　sea　of　roofs；　towers；　and　chimney…pots；　she　quickly　drew　back　her　head　and　said　in　a　sad；　disappointed　voice；　〃It　is　not　at　all　what　I　thought。〃

〃You　see　now；　a　child　like　you　does　not　understand　anything　about　a　view！　Come　along　down　and　don't　go　ringing　at　my　bell　again！〃

He　lifted　her　down　and　went　on　before　her　down　the　narrow　stairway。　To　the　left　of　the　turn　where　it　grew　wider　stood　the　door　of　the　tower…keeper's　room；　and　the　landing　ran　out　beside　it　to　the　edge　of　the　steep　slanting　roof。　At　the　far　end　of　this　was　a　large　basket；　in　front　of　which　sat　a　big　grey　cat；　that　snarled　as　it　saw　them；　for　she　wished　to　warn　the　passers…by　that　they　were　not　to　meddle　with　her　family。　Heidi　stood　still　and　looked　at　her　in　astonishment；　for　she　had　never　seen　such　a　monster　cat　before；　there　were　whole　armies　of　mice；　however；　in　the　old　tower；　so　the　cat　had　no　difficulty　in　catching　half　a　dozen　for　her　dinner　every　day。　The　old　man　seeing　Heidi　so　struck　with　admiration　said；　〃She　will　not　hurt　you　while　I　am　near；　come；　you　can　have　a　peep　at　the　kittens。〃

Heidi　went　up　to　the　basket　and　broke　out　into　expressions　of　delight。

〃Oh；　the　sweet　little　things！　the　darling　kittens；〃　she　kept　on　saying；　as　she　jumped　from　side　to　side　of　the　basket　so　as；　not　to　lose　any　of　the　droll　gambols　of　the　seven　or　eight　little　kittens　that　were　scrambling　and　rolling　and　falling　over　one　another。

〃Would　you　like　to　have　one？〃　said　the　old　man；　who　enjoyed　watching　the　child's　pleasure。

〃For　myself　to　keep？〃　said　Heidi　excitedly；　who　could　hardly　believe　such　happiness　was　to　be　hers。

〃Yes；　of　course；　more　than　one　if　you　likein　short；　you　can　take　away　the　whole　lot　if　you　have　room　for　them；〃　for　the　old　man　was　only　too　glad　to　think　he　could　get　rid　of　his　kittens　without　more　trouble。

Heidi　could　hardly　contain　herself　for　joy。　There　would　be　plenty　of　room　for　them　in　the　large　house；　and　then　how　astonished　and　delighted　Clara　would　be　when　she　saw　the　sweet　little　kittens。

〃But　how　can　I　take　them　with　me？〃　asked　Heidi；　and　was　going　quickly　to　see　how　many　she　could　carry　away　in　her　hands；　when　the　old　cat　sprang　at　her　so　fiercely　that　she　shrank　back　in　fear。

〃I　will　take　them　for　you　if　you　will　tell　me　where；〃　said　the　old　man；　stroking　the　cat　to　quiet　her；　for　she　was　an　old　friend　of　his　that　had　lived　with　him　in　the　tower　for　many　years。

〃To　Herr　Sesemann's；　the　big　house　where　there　is　a　gold　dog's　head　on　the　door；　with　a　ring　in　its　mouth；〃　explained　Heidi。

Such　full　directions　as　these　were　not　really　needed　by　the　old　man；　who　had　had　charge　of　the　tower　for　many　a　long　year　and　knew　every　house　far　and　near；　and　moreover　Sebastian　was　an　acquaintance　of　his。

〃I　know　the　house；〃　he　said；　〃but　when　shall　I　bring　them；　and　who　shall　I　ask　for？you　are　not　one　of　the　family；　I　am　sure。〃

〃No；　but　Clara　will　be　so　delighted　when　I　take　her　the　kittens。〃

The　old　man　wished　now　to　go　downstairs；　but　Heidi　did　not　know　how　to　tear　herself　away　from　the　amusing　spectacle。

〃If　I　could　just　take　one　or　two　away　with　me！　one　for　myself　and　one　for　Clara；　may　I？〃

〃Well；　wait　a　moment；〃　said　the　man；　and　he　drew　the　cat　cautiously　away　into　his　room；　and　leaving　her　by　a　bowl　of　food　came　out　again　and　shut　the　door。　〃Now　take　two　of　them。〃

Heidi's　eyes　shone　with　delight。　She　picked　up　a　white　kitten　and　another　striped　white　and　yellow；　and　put　one　in　the　right；　the　other　in　the　left　pocket。　Then　she　went　downstairs。　The　boy　was　still　sitting　outside　on　the　steps；　and　as　the　old　man　shut　the　door　of　the　church　behind　them；　she　said；　〃Which　is　our　way　to　Herr　Sesemann's　house？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　was　the　answer。

Heidi　began　a　description　of　the　front　door　and　the　steps　and　the　windows；　but　the　boy　only　shook　his　head；　and　was　not　any　the　wiser。

〃Well；　look　here；〃　continued　Heidi；　〃from　one　window　you　can　see　a　very；　very　large　grey　house；　and　the　roof　runs　like　this〃　and　Heidi　drew　a　zigzag　line　in　the　air　with　her　forefinger。

With　this　the　boy　jumped　up；　he　was　evidently　in　the　habit　of　guiding　himself　by　similar　landmarks。　He　ran　straight　off　with　Heidi　after　him；　and　in　a　very　short　time　they　had　reached　the　door　with　the　large　dog's　head　for　the　knocker。　Heidi　rang　the　bell。　Sebastian　opened　it　quickly；