heidi-第22章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃What　are　you　talking　about！　Going　home！　You　want　to　go　home？〃　exclaimed　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　her　anger　rising。　〃To　run　away　like　that！　What　would　Herr　Sesemann　say　if　he　knew！　Take　care　that　he　never　hears　of　this！　And　what　is　the　matter　with　his　house；　I　should　like　to　know！　Have　you　not　been　better　treated　than　you　deserved？　Have　you　wanted　for　a　thing？　Have　you　ever　in　your　life　before　had　such　a　house　to　live　in；　such　a　table；　or　so　many　to　wait　upon　you？　Have　you？

〃No；〃　replied　Heidi。

〃I　should　think　not　indeed！〃　continued　the　exasperated　lady。　〃You　have　everything　you　can　possibly　want　here；　and　you　are　an　ungrateful　little　thing；　it's　because　you　are　too　well　off　and　comfortable　that　you　have　nothing　to　do　but　think　what　naughty　thing　you　can　do　next！〃

Then　Heidi's　feelings　got　the　better　of　her；　and　she　poured　forth　her　trouble。　〃Indeed　I　only　want　to　go　home；　for　if　I　stay　so　long　away　Snowflake　will　begin　crying　again；　and　grandmother　is　waiting　for　me；　and　Greenfinch　will　get　beaten；　because　I　am　not　there　to　give　Peter　any　cheese；　and　I　can　never　see　how　the　sun　says　good…night　to　the　mountains；　and　if　the　great　bird　were　to　fly　over　Frankfurt　he　would　croak　louder　than　ever　about　people　huddling　all　together　and　teaching　each　other　bad　things；　and　not　going　to　live　up　on　the　rocks；　where　it　is　so　much　better。〃

〃Heaven　have　mercy　on　us；　the　child　is　out　of　her　mind！〃　cried　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　and　she　turned　in　terror　and　went　quickly　up　the　steps；　running　violently　against　Sebastian　in　her　hurry。　〃Go　and　bring　that　unhappy　little　creature　in　at　once；〃　she　ordered　him；　putting　her　hand　to　her　forehead　which　she　had　bumped　against　his。

Sebastian　did　as　he　was　told；　rubbing　his　own　head　as　he　went；　for　he　had　received　a　still　harder　blow。

Heidi　had　not　moved；　she　stood　with　her　eyes　aflame　and　trembling　all　over　with　inward　agitation。

〃What；　got　into　trouble　again？〃　said　Sebastian　in　a　cheerful　voice；　but　when　he　looked　more　closely　at　Heidi　and　saw　that　she　did　not　move；　he　put　his　hand　kindly　on　her　shoulder；　and　said；　trying　to　comfort　her；　〃There；　there；　don't　take　it　to　heart　so　much；　keep　up　your　spirits；　that　is　the　great　thing！　She　has　nearly　made　a　hole　in　my　head；　but　don't　you　let　her　bully　you。〃　Then　seeing　that　Heidi　still　did　not　stir；　〃We　must　go；　she　ordered　me　to　take　you　in。〃

Heidi　now　began　mounting　the　stairs；　but　with　a　slow；　crawling　step；　very　unlike　her　usual　manner。　Sebastian　felt　quite　sad　as　he　watched　her；　and　as　he　followed　her　up　he　kept　trying　to　encourage　her。　〃Don't　you　give　in！　don't　let　her　make　you　unhappy！　You　keep　up　your　courage！　Why　we've　got　such　a　sensible　little　miss　that　she　has　never　cried　once　since　she　was　here；　many　at　that　age　cry　a　good　dozen　times　a　day。　The　kittens　are　enjoying　themselves　very　much　up　in　their　home；　they　jump　about　all　over　the　place　and　behave　as　if　they　were　little　mad　things。

Later　we　will　go　up　and　see　them；　when　Fraulein　is　out　of　the　way；　shall　we？〃

Heidi　gave　a　little　nod　of　assent；　but　in　such　a　joyless　manner　that　it　went　to　Sebastian's　heart；　and　he　followed　her　with　sympathetic　eyes　as　she　crept　away　to　her　room。

At　supper　that　evening　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　did　not　speak；　but　she　cast　watchful　looks　towards　Heidi　as　if　expecting　her　at　any　minute　to　break　out　in　some　extraordinary　way；　but　Heidi　sat　without　moving　or　eating；　all　that　she　did　was　to　hastily　hide　her　roll　in　her　pocket。

When　the　tutor　arrived　next　morning；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　drew　him　privately　aside；　and　confided　her　fear　to　him　that　the　change　of　air　and　the　new　mode　of　life　and　unaccustomed　surroundings　had　turned　Heidi's　head；　then　she　told　him　of　the　incident　of　the　day　before；　and　of　Heidi's　strange　speech。　But　the　tutor　assured　her　she　need　not　be　in　alarm；　he　had　already　become　aware　that　the　child　was　somewhat　eccentric；　but　otherwise　quite　right　in　her　mind；　and　he　was　sure　that；　with　careful　treatment　and　education；　the　right　balance　would　be　restored；　and　it　was　this　he　was　striving　after。　He　was　the　more　convinced　of　this　by　what　he　now　heard；　and　by　the　fact　that　he　had　so　far　failed　to　teach　her　the　alphabet；　Heidi　seeming　unable　to　understand　the　letters。

Fraulein　Rottenmeier　was　considerably　relieved　by　his　words；　and　released　the　tutor　to　his　work。　In　the　course　of　the　afternoon　the　remembrance　of　Heidi's　appearance　the　day　before；　as　she　was　starting　out　on　her　travels；　suddenly　returned　to　the　lady；　and　she　made　up　her　mind　that　she　would　supplement　the　child's　clothing　with　various　garments　from　Clara's　wardrobe；　so　as　to　give　her　a　decent　appearance　when　Herr　Sesemann　returned。　She　confided　her　intention　to　Clara；　who　was　quite　willing　to　make　over　any　number　of　dresses　and　hats　to　Heidi；　so　the　lady　went　upstairs　to　overhaul　the　child's　belongings　and　see　what　was　to　be　kept　and　what　thrown　away。　She　returned；　however；　in　the　course　of　a　few　minutes　with　an　expression　of　horror　upon　her　face。

〃What　is　this；　Adelaide；　that　I　find　in　your　wardrobe！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃I　never　heard　of　any　one　doing　such　a　thing　before！　In　a　cupboard　meant　for　clothes；　Adelaide；　what　do　I　see　at　the　bottom　but　a　heap　of　rolls！　Will　you　believe　it；　Clara；　bread　in　a　wardrobe！　a　whole　pile　of　bread！　Tinette；〃　she　called　to　that　young　woman；　who　was　in　the　dining…room；〃　go　upstairs　and　take　away　all　those　rolls　out　of　Adelaide's　cupboard　and　the　old　straw　hat　on　the　table。〃

〃No！　no！〃　screamed　Heidi。　〃I　must　keep　the　hat；　and　the　rolls　are　for　grandmother；〃　and　she　was　rushing　to　stop　Tinette　when　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　took　hold　of　her。　〃You　will　stop　here；　and　all　that　bread　and　rubbish　shall　be　taken　to　the　place　they　belong　to；〃　she　said　in　a　determined　tone　as　she　kept　her　hand　on　the　child　to　prevent　her　running　forward。

Then　Heidi　in　despair　flung　herself　down　on　Clara's　couch　and　broke　into　a　wild　fit　of　weeping；　her　crying　becoming　louder　and　more　full　of　distress；　every　minute；　while　she　kept　on　sobbing　out　at　intervals；　〃Now　grandmother's'　bread　is　all　gone！　They　were　all　for　grandmother；　and　now　they　are　taken　away；　and　grandmother　won't　have　one；〃　and　she　wept　as　if　her　heart　would　break。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　ran　out　of　the　room。　Clara　was　distressed　and　alarmed　at　the　child's　crying。　〃Heidi；　Heidi；〃　she　said　imploringly；　〃pray　do　not　cry　so！　listen　to　me；　don't　be　so　unhappy；　look　now；　I　promise　you　that　you　shall　have　just　as　many　rolls；　or　more；　all　fresh　and　new　to　take　to　grandmother　when　you　go　home；　yours　would　have　been　hard　and　stale　by　then。　Come；　Heidi；　do　not　cry　any　more！〃

Heidi　could　not　get　over　her　sobs　for　a　long　time；　she　would　never　have　been　able　to　leave　off　crying　at　all　if　it　had　not　been　for　Clara's　promise；　which　comforted　her。　But　to　make　sure　that　she　could　depend　upon　it　she　kept　on　saying　to　Clara；　her　voice　broken　with　her　gradually　subsiding　sobs；　〃Will　you　give　me　as　many；　quite　as　many；　as　I　had；　for　grandmother？〃　And　Clara　assured　her　each　time　that　she　would　give　her　as　many；　〃or　more；〃　she　added；　〃only　be　happy　again。〃

Heidi　appeared　at　supper　with　her　eyes　red　with　weeping；　and　when　she　saw　her　roll　she　could　not　suppress　a　sob。　But　she　made　an　effort　to　control　herself；　for　she　knew　she　must　sit　quietly　at　table。　Whenever　Sebastian　could　catch　her　eye　this　evening　he　made　all　sorts　of　strange　signs；　pointing　to　his　own　head　and　then　to　hers；　and　giving　little　nods　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Don't　you　be　unhappy！　I　have　got　it　all　safe　for　you。〃

When　Heidi　was　going　to　get　into　bed　that　night　she　found　her　old　straw　hat　lying　under　the　counterpane。　She　snatched　it　up　with　delight；　made　it　more　out　of　shape　still　in　her　joy；　and　then；　after　wrapping　a　handkerchief　round　it；　she　stuck　it　in　a　corner　of　the　cupboard　as　far　back　as　she　could。

It　was　Sebastian　who　had　hidden　it　there　for　her；　he　had　been　in　the　dining…room　when　Tinette　was　called；　and　had　heard　all　that　went　on　with　the　child　and　the　latter's　loud　weeping。　So　he　followed　Tinette；　and　when　she　came　out　of　Heidi's　room　carrying　the　rolls　and　the　hat；　he　caught　up　the　hat　and　said；　〃I　will　see　to　this　old　thing。〃　He　was　genuinely　glad　to　have　been　able　to　save　it　for　Heidi；　and　that　was　the　meaning　of　his　encouraging　signs