heidi-第23章

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　Heidi；　and　that　was　the　meaning　of　his　encouraging　signs　to　her　at　supper。



CHAPTER　IX。　HERR　SESEMANN　HEARS　OF　THINGS　WHICH　ARE　NEW　TO　HIM

A　few　days　after　these　events　there　was　great　commotion　and　much　running　up　and　down　stairs　in　Herr　Sesemann's　house。　The　master　had　just　returned；　and　Sebastian　and　Tinette　were　busy　carrying　up　one　package　after　another　from　the　carriage；　for　Herr　Sesemann　always　brought　back　a　lot　of　pretty　things　for　his　home。　He　himself　had　not　waited　to　do　anything　before　going　in　to　see　his　daughter。　Heidi　was　sitting　beside　her；　for　it　was　late　afternoon；　when　the　two　were　always　together。　Father　and　daughter　greeted　each　other　with　warm　affection；　for　they　were　deeply　attached　to　one　another。　Then　he　held　out　his　hand　to　Heidi；　who　had　stolen　away　into　the　corner；　and　said　kindly　to　her；　〃And　this　is　our　little　Swiss　girl；　come　and　shake　hands　with　me！　That's　right！　Now；　tell　me；　are　Clara　and　you　good　friends　with　one　another；　or　do　you　get　angry　and　quarrel；　and　then　cry　and　make　it　up；　and　then　start　quarreling　again　on　the　next　occasion？〃

〃No；　Clara　is　always　kind　to　me；〃　answered　Heidi。

〃And　Heidi；〃　put　in　Clara　quickly；　〃has　not　once　tried　to　quarrel。〃

〃That's　all　right；　I　am　glad　to　hear　it；〃　said　her　father；　as　he　rose　from　his　chair。　〃But　you　must　excuse　me；　Clara；　for　I　want　my　dinner；　I　have　had　nothing　to　eat　all　day。　Afterwards　I　will　show　you　all　the　things　I　have　brought　home　with　me。〃

He　found　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　in　the　dining…room　superintending　the　preparation　for　his　meal；　and　when　he　had　taken　his　place　she　sat　down　opposite　to　him；　looking　the　every　embodiment　of　bad　news；　so　that　he　turned　to　her　and　said；　〃What　am　I　to　expect；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier？　You　greet　me　with　an　expression　of　countenance　that　quite　frightens　me。　What　is　the　matter？　Clara　seems　cheerful　enough。〃

〃Herr　Sesemann；〃　began　the　lady　in　a　solemn　voice；　〃it　is　a　matter　which　concerns　Clara；　we　have　been　frightfully　imposed　upon。〃

〃Indeed；　in　what　way？〃　asked　Herr　Sesemann　as　he　went　on　calmly　drinking　his　wine。

〃We　had　decided；　as　you　remember；　to　get　a　companion　for　Clara；　and　as　I　knew　how　anxious　you　were　to　have　only　those　who　were　well…behaved　and　nicely　brought　up　about　her；　I　thought　I　would　look　for　a　little　Swiss　girl；　as　I　hoped　to　find　such　a　one　as　I　have　often　read　about；　who；　born　as　it　were　of　the　mountain　air；　lives　and　moves　without　touching　the　earth。〃

〃Still　I　think　even　a　Swiss　child　would　have　to　touch　the　earth　if　she　wanted　to　go　anywhere；〃　remarked　Herr　Sesemann；　〃otherwise　they　would　have　been　given　wings　instead　of　feet。〃

〃Ah；　Herr　Sesemann；　you　know　what　I　mean；〃　continued　Fraulein　Rottenmeier。　〃I　mean　one　so　at　home　among　the　living　creatures　of　the　high；　pure　mountain　regions；　that　she　would　be　like　some　idealistic　being　from　another　world　among　us。〃

〃And　what　could　Clara　do　with　such　an　idealistic　being　as　you　describe；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier。〃

〃I　am　not　joking；　Herr　Sesemann；　the　matter　is　a　more　serious　one　than　you　think；　I　have　been　shockingly；　disgracefully　imposed　upon。〃

〃But　how？　what　is　there　shocking　and　disgraceful？　I　see　nothing　shocking　in　the　child；〃　remarked　Herr　Sesemann　quietly。

〃If　you　only　knew　of　one　thing　she　has　done；　if　you　only　knew　of　the　kind　of　people　and　animals　she　has　brought　into　the　house　during　your　absence！　The　tutor　can　tell　you　more　about　that。〃

〃Animals？　what　am　I　to　understand　by　animals；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier？〃

〃It　is　past　understanding；　the　whole　behavior　of　the　child　would　be　past　understanding；　if　it　were　not　that　at　times　she　is　evidently　not　in　her　right　mind。〃

Herr　Sesemann　had　attached　very　little　importance　to　what　was　told　him　up　till　nowbut　not　in　her　right　mind！　that　was　more　serious　and　might　be　prejudicial　to　his　own　child。　Herr　Sesemann　looked　very　narrowly　at　the　lady　opposite　to　assure　himself　that　the　mental　aberration　was　not　on　her　side。　At　that　moment　the　door　opened　and　the　tutor　was　announced。

〃Ah！　here　is　some　one；〃　exclaimed　Herr　Sesemann；　〃who　will　help　to　clear　up　matters　for　me。　Take　a　seat；〃　he　continued；　as　he　held　out　his　hand　to　the　tutor。　〃You　will　drink　a　cup　of　coffee　with　meno　ceremony；　I　pray！　And　now　tell　me；　what　is　the　matter　with　this　child　that　has　come　to　be　a　companion　to　my　daughter？　What　is　this　strange　thing　I　hear　about　her　bringing　animals　into　the　house；　and　is　she　in　her　right　senses？〃

The　tutor　felt　he　must　begin　with　expressing　his　pleasure　at　Herr　Sesemann's　return；　and　with　explaining　that　he　had　come　in　on　purpose　to　give　him　welcome；　but　Herr　Sesemann　begged　him　to　explain　without　delay　the　meaning　of　all　he　had　heard　about　Heidi。　The　tutor　started　in　his　usual　style。　〃If　I　must　give　my　opinion　about　this　little　girl；　I　should　like　first　to　state　that；　if　on　one　side；　there　is　a　lack　of　development　which　has　been　caused　by　the　more　or　less　careless　way　in　which　she　has　been　brought　up；　or　rather；　by　the　neglect　of　her　education；　when　young；　and　by　the　solitary　life　she　has　led　on　the　mountain；　which　is　not　wholly　to　be　condemned；　on　the　contrary；　such　a　life　has　undoubtedly　some　advantages　in　it；　if　not　allowed　to　overstep　a　certain　limit　of　time〃

〃My　good　friend；〃　interrupted　Herr　Sesemann；　〃you　are　giving　yourself　more　trouble　than　you　need。　I　only　want　to　know　if　the　child　has　caused　you　alarm　by　any　animals　she　has　brought　into　the　house；　and　what　your　opinion　is　altogether　as　to　her　being　a　fit　companion　or　not　for　my　daughter？〃

〃I　should　not　like　in　any　way　to　prejudice　you　against　her；〃　began　the　tutor　once　more；　〃for　if　on　the　one　hand　there　is　a　certain　inexperience　of　the　ways　of　society；　owing　to　the　uncivilised　life　she　led　up　to　the　time　of　her　removal　to　Frankfurt；　on　the　other　hand　she　is　endowed　with　certain　good　qualities；　and；　taken　on　the　whole〃

〃Excuse　me；　my　dear　sir；　do　not　disturb　yourself；　but　I　mustI　think　my　daughter　will　be　wanting　me；〃　and　with　that　Herr　Sesemann　quickly　left　the　room　and　took　care　not　to　return。　He　sat　himself　down　beside　his　daughter　in　the　study；　and　then　turning　to　Heidi；　who　had　risen；　〃Little　one；　will　you　fetch　me；〃　he　began；　and　then　paused；　for　he　could　not　think　what　to　ask　for；　but　he　wanted　to　get　the　child　out　of　the　room　for　a　little　while；　〃fetch　me　fetch　me　a　glass　of　water。〃

〃Fresh　water？〃　asked　Heidi。

〃YesYesas　fresh　as　you　can　get　it；〃　he　answered。　Heidi　disappeared　on　the　spot。

〃And　now；　my　dear　little　Clara；〃　he　said；　drawing　his　chair　nearer　and　laying　her　hand　in　his；　〃answer　my　questions　clearly　and　intelligibly：　what　kind　of　animals　has　your　little　companion　brought　into　the　house；　and　why　does　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　think　that　she　is　not　always　in　her　right　mind？〃

Clara　had　no　difficulty　in　answering。　The　alarmed　lady　had　spoken　to　her　also　about　Heidi's　wild　manner　of　talking；　but　Clara　had　not　been　able　to　put　a　meaning　to　it。　She　told　her　father　everything　about　the　tortoise　and　the　kittens；　and　explained　to　him　what　Heidi　had　said　the　day　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　had　been　put　in　such　a　fright。　Herr　Sesemann　laughed　heartily　at　her　recital。　〃So　you　do　not　want　me　to　send　the　child　home　again；〃　he　asked；　you　are　not　tired　of　having　her　here？〃

〃Oh；　no；　no；〃　Clara　exclaimed；　〃please　do　not　send　her　away。　Time　has　passed　much　more　quickly　since　Heidi　was　here；　for　something　fresh　happens　every　day；　and　it　used　to　be　so　dull；　and　she　has　always　so　much　to　tell　me。〃

〃That's　all　right　thenand　here　comes　your　little　friend。　Have　you　brought　me　some　nice　fresh　water？〃　he　asked　as　Heidi　handed　him　a　glass。

〃Yes；　fresh　from　the　pump；〃　answered　Heidi。

〃You　did　not　go　yourself　to　the　pump？〃　said　Clara。

〃Yes　I　did；　it　is　quite　fresh。　I　had　to　go　a　long　way；　for　there　were　such　a　lot　of　people　at　the　first　pump；　so　I　went　further　down　the　street；　but　there　were　just　as　many　at　the　second　pump；　but　I　was　able　to　get　some　water　at　the　one　in　the　next　street；　and　the　gentleman　with　the　white　hair　asked　me　to　give　his　kind　regards　to　Herr　Sesemann。〃

〃You　have　had　quite　a　successful　expedition；〃　said　Herr　Sesemann　laughing；　〃and　who　was　the　gentleman？〃

〃He　was　passing；　and　when　he　saw　me　he　stood　still　and　said；　'As　you　have　a　glass　will　you　give　m