heidi-第24章

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〃He　was　passing；　and　when　he　saw　me　he　stood　still　and　said；　'As　you　have　a　glass　will　you　give　me　a　drink；　to　whom　are　you　taking　the　water？'　and　when　I　said；　'To　Herr　Sesemann；'　he　laughed　very　much；　and　then　he　gave　me　that　message　for　you；　and　also　said　he　hoped　you　would　enjoy　the　water。〃

〃Oh；　and　who　was　it；　I　wonder；　who　sent　me　such　good　wishestell　me　what　he　was　like；〃　said　Herr　Sesemann。

〃He　was　kind　and　laughed；　and　he　had　a　thick　gold　chain　and　a　gold　thing　hanging　from　it　with　a　large　red　stone；　and　a　horse's　head　at　the　top　of　his　stick。〃

〃It's　the　doctormy　old　friend　the　doctor；〃　exclaimed　Clara　and　her　father　at　the　same　moment；　and　Herr　Sesemann　smiled　to　himself　at　the　thought　of　what　his　friend's　opinion　must　have　been　of　this　new　way　of　satisfying　his　thirst　for　water。

That　evening　when　Herr　Sesemann　and　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　were　alone；　settling　the　household　affairs；　he　informed　her　that　he　intended　to　keep　Heidi；　he　found　the　child　in　a　perfectly　right　state　of　mind；　and　his　daughter　liked　her　as　a　companion。　〃I　desire；　therefore；〃　he　continued；　laying　stress　upon　his　words；　〃that　the　child　shall　be　in　every　way　kindly　treated；　and　that　her　peculiarities　shall　not　be　looked　upon　as　crimes。　If　you　find　her　too　much　for　you　alone；　I　can　hold　out　a　prospect　of　help；　for　I　am　shortly　expecting　my　mother　here　on　a　long　visit；　and　she；　as　you　know；　can　get　on　with　anybody；　whatever　they　may　be　like。〃

〃O　yes；　I　know；〃　replied　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　but　there　was　no　tone　of　relief　in　her　voice　as　she　thought　of　the　coming　help。

Herr　Sesemann　was　only　home　for　a　short　time；　he　left　for　Paris　again　before　the　fortnight　was　over；　comforting　Clara；　who　could　not　bear　that　he　should　go　from　her　again　so　soon；　with　the　prospect　of　her　grandmother's　arrival；　which　was　to　take　place　in　a　few　days'　time。　Herr　Sesemann　had　indeed　only　just　gone　when　a　letter　came　from　Frau　Sesemann；　announcing　her　arrival　on　the　following　day；　and　stating　the　hour　when　she　might　be　expected；　in　order　that　a　carriage　should　be　sent　to　meet　her　at　the　station。　Clara　was　overjoyed；　and　talked　so　much　about　her　grandmother　that　evening；　that　Heidi　began　also　to　call　her　〃grandmamma；〃　which　brought　down　on　her　a　look　of　displeasure　from　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　this；　however；　had　no　particular

effect　on　Heidi；　for　she　was　accustomed　now　to　being　continually　in　that　lady's　black　books。　But　as　she　was　going　to　her　room　that　night；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　waylaid　her；　and　drawing　her　into　her　own；　gave　her　strict　injunctions　as　to　how　she　was　to　address　Frau　Sesemann　when　she　arrived；　on　no　account　was　she　to　call　her　〃grandmamma；〃　but　always　to　say　〃madam〃　to　her。　〃Do　you　understand？〃　said　the　lady；　as　she　saw　a　perplexed　expression　on　Heidi's　face。　The　latter　had　not　understood；　but　seeing　the　severe　expression　of　the　lady's　face　she　did　not　ask　for　more　explanation。



CHAPTER　X。　ANOTHER　GRANDMOTHER

There　was　much　expectation　and　preparation　about　the　house　on　the　following　evening；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that　the　lady　who　was　coming　was　one　whose　opinion　was　highly　thought　of；　and　for　whom　everybody　had　a　great　respect。　Tinette　had　a　new　white　cap　on　her　head；　and　Sebastian　collected　all　the　footstools　he　could　find　and　placed　them　in　convenient　spots；　so　that　the　lady　might　find　one　ready　to　her　feet　whenever　she　chose　to　sit。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　went　about　surveying　everything；　very　upright　and　dignified；　as　if　to　show　that　though　a　rival　power　was　expected；　her　own　authority　was　not　going　to　be　extinguished。

And　now　the　carriage　came　driving　up　to　the　door；　and　Tinette　and　Sebastian　ran　down　the　steps；　followed　with　a　slower　and　more　stately　step　by　the　lady；　who　advanced　to　greet　the　guest。　Heidi　had　been　sent　up　to　her　room　and　ordered　to　remain　there　until　called　down；　as　the　grandmother　would　certainly　like　to　see　Clara　alone　first。　Heidi　sat　herself　down　in　a　corner　and　repeated　her　instructions　over　to　herself。　She　had　not　to　wait　long　before　Tinette　put　her　head　in　and　said　abruptly；　〃Go　downstairs　into　the　study。〃

Heidi　had　not　dared　to　ask　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　again　how　she　was　to　address　the　grandmother：　she　thought　the　lady　had　perhaps　made　a　mistake；　for　she　had　never　heard　any　one　called　by　other　than　their　right　name。　As　she　opened　the　study　door　she　heard　a　kind　voice　say；　〃Ah；　here　comes　the　child！　Come　along　in　and　let　me　have　a　good　look　at　you。〃

Heidi　walked　up　to　her　and　said　very　distinctly　in　her　clear　voice；　〃Good…evening；〃　and　then　wishing　to　follow　her　instructions　called　her　what　would　be　in　English　〃Mrs。　Madam。〃

〃Well！〃　said　the　grandmother；　laughing；　〃is　that　how　they　address　people　in　your　home　on　the　mountain？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Heidi　gravely；　〃I　never　knew　any　one　with　that　name　before。〃

〃Nor　I　either；〃　laughed　the　grandmother　again　as　she　patted　Heidi's　cheek。　〃Never　mind！　when　I　am　with　the　children　I　am　always　grandmamma；　you　won't　forget　that　name；　will　you？〃

〃No；　no；〃　Heidi　assured　her；　〃I　often　used　to　say　it　at　home。〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　the　grandmother；　with　a　cheerful　little　nod　of　the　head。　Then　she　looked　more　closely　at　Heidi；　giving　another　nod　from　time　to　time；　and　the　child　looked　back　at　her　with　steady；　serious　eyes；　for　there　was　something　kind　and　warm…hearted　about　this　new…comer　that　pleased　Heidi；　and　indeed　everything　to　do　with　the　grandmother　attracted　her；　so　that　she　could　not　turn　her　eyes　away。　She　had　such　beautiful　white　hair；　and　two　long　lace　ends　hung　down　from　the　cap　on　her　head　and　waved　gently　about　her　face　every　time　she　moved；　as　if　a　soft　breeze　were　blowing　round　her；　which　gave　Heidi　a　peculiar　feeling　of　pleasure。

〃And　what　is　your　name；　child？〃　the　grandmother　now　asked。

〃I　am　always　called　Heidi；　but　as　I　am　now　to　be　called　Adelaide；　I　will　try　and　take　care〃　Heidi　stopped　short；　for　she　felt　a　little　guilty；　she　had　not　yet　grown　accustomed　to　this　name；　she　continued　not　to　respond　when　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　suddenly　addressed　her　by　it；　and　the　lady　was　at　this　moment　entering　the　room。

〃Frau　Sesemann　will　no　doubt　agree　with　me；〃　she　interrupted；　〃that　it　was　necessary　to　choose　a　name　that　could　be　pronounced　easily；　if　only　for　the　sake　of　the　servants。〃

〃My　worthy　Rottenmeier；〃　replied　Frau　Sesemann；　〃if　a　person　is　called　'Heidi'　and　has　grown　accustomed　to　that　name；　I　call　her　by　the　same；　and　so　let　it　be。〃

Fraulein　Rottenmeier　was　always　very　much　annoyed　that　the　old　lady　continually　addressed　her　by　her　surname　only；　but　it　was　no　use　minding；　for　the　grandmother　always　went　her　own　way；　and　so　there　was　no　help　for　it。　Moreover　the　grandmother　was　a　keen　old　lady；　and　had　all　her　five　wits　about　her；　and　she　knew　what　was　going　on　in　the　house　as　soon　as　she　entered　it。

When　on　the　following　day　Clara　lay　down　as　usual　on　her　couch　after　dinner；　the　grandmother　sat　down　beside　her　for　a　few　minutes　and　closed　her　eyes；　then　she　got　up　again　as　lively　as　ever；　and　trotted　off　into　the　dining…room。　No　one　was　there。　〃She　is　asleep；　I　suppose；〃　she　said　to　herself；　and　then　going　up　to　Fraulein　Rottenmeier's　room　she　gave　a　loud　knock　at　the　door。　She　waited　a　few　minutes　and　then　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　opened　the　door　and　drew　back　in　surprise　at　this　unexpected　visit。

〃Where　is　the　child；　and　what　is　she　doing　all　this　time？　That　is　what　I　came　to　ask；〃　said　Frau　Sesemann。

〃She　is　sitting　in　her　room；　where　she　could　well　employ　herself　if　she　had　the　least　idea　of　making　herself　useful；　but　you　have　no　idea；　Frau　Sesemann；　of　the　out…of…the…way　things　this　child　imagines　and　does；　things　which　I　could　hardly　repeat　in　good　society。〃

〃I　should　do　the　same　if　I　had　to　sit　in　there　like　that　child；　I　can　tell　you；　I　doubt　if　you　would　then　like　to　repeat　what　I　did；　in　good　society！　Go　and　fetch　the　child　and　bring　her　to　my　room；　I　have　some　pretty　books　with　me　that　I　should　like　to　give　her。〃

〃That　is　just　the　misfortune；〃　said　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　with　a　despairing　gesture；　〃what　use　are　books　to　her？　She　has　not　been　able　to　learn　her　A　B　C　even；　all　the　long　time　she　has　been　here；　it　is　quite　impossible　to　get　the　least　idea　of　it　into　her　head；　and　that　the　tutor　himself　will　te