heidi-第26章

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　and　to　let　her　go　home　to　her　grandfather。

It　was　about　a　week　after　this　that　the　tutor　asked　Frau　Sesemann's　permission　for　an　interview　with　her；　as　he　wished　to　inform　her　of　a　remarkable　thing　that　had　come　to　pass。　So　she　invited　him　to　her　room；　and　as　he　entered　she　held　out　her　hand　in　greeting；　and　pushing　a　chair　towards　him；　〃I　am　pleased　to　see　you；〃　she　said；　〃pray　sit　down　and　tell　me　what　brings　you　here；　nothing　bad；　no　complaints；　I　hope？〃

〃Quite　the　reverse；〃　began　the　tutor。　〃Something　has　happened　that　I　had　given　up　hoping　for；　and　which　no　one；　knowing　what　has　gone　before；　could　have　guessed；　for；　according　to　all　expectations；　that　which　has　taken　place　could　only　be　looked　upon　as　a　miracle；　and　yet　it　really　has　come　to　pass　and　in　the　most　extraordinary　manner；　quite　contrary　to　all　that　one　could　anticipate〃

〃Has　the　child　Heidi　really　learnt　to　read　at　last？〃　put　in　Frau　Sesemann。

The　tutor　looked　at　the　lady　in　speechless　astonishment。　At　last　he　spoke　again。　〃It　is　indeed　truly　marvellous；　not　only　because　she　never　seemed　able　to　learn　her　A　B　C　even　after　all　my　full　explanations；　and　after　spending　unusual　pains　upon　her；　but　because　now　she　has　learnt　it　so　rapidly；　just　after　I　had　made　up　my　mind　to　make　no　further　attempts　at　the　impossible　but　to　put　the　letters　as　they　were　before　her　without　any　dissertation　on　their　origin　and　meaning；　and　now　she　has　as　you　might　say　learnt　her　letters　over　night；　and　started　at　once　to　read　correctly；　quite　unlike　most　beginners。　And　it　is　almost　as　astonishing　to　me　that　you　should　have　guessed　such　an　unlikely　thing。〃

〃Many　unlikely　things　happen　in　life；〃　said　Frau　Sesemann　with　a　pleased　smile。　〃Two　things　coming　together　may　produce　a　happy　result；　as　for　instance；　a　fresh　zeal　for　learning　and　a　new　method　of　teaching；　and　neither　does　any　harm。　We　can　but　rejoice　that　the　child　has　made　such　a　good　start　and　hope　for　her　future　progress。〃

After　parting　with　the　tutor　she　went　down　to　the　study　to　make　sure　of　the　good　news。　There　sure　enough　was　Heidi；　sitting　beside　Clara　and　reading　aloud　to　her；　evidently　herself　very　much　surprised；　and　growing　more　and　more　delighted　with　the　new　world　that　was　now　open　to　her　as　the　black　letters　grew　alive　and　turned　into　men　and　things　and　exciting　stories。　That　same　evening　Heidi　found　the　large　book　with　the　beautiful　pictures　lying　on　her　plate　when　she　took　her　place　at　table；　and　when　she　looked　questioningly　at　the　grandmother；　the　latter　nodded　kindly　to　her　and　said；　〃Yes；　it's　yours　now。〃

〃Mine；　to　keep　always？　even　when　I　go　home？〃　said；　Heidi；　blushing　with　pleasure。

〃Yes；　of　course；　yours　for　ever；〃　the　grandmother　assured　her。　〃To…morrow　we　will　begin　to　read　it。〃

〃But　you　are　not　going　home　yet；　Heidi；　not　for　years；〃　put　in　Clara。　〃When　grandmother　goes　away；　I　shall　want　you　to　stay　on　with　me。〃

When；　Heidi　went　to　her　room　that　night　she　had　another　look　at　her　book　before　going　to　bed；　and　from　that　day　forth　her　chief　pleasure　was　to　read　the　tales　which　belonged　to　the　beautiful　pictures　over　and　over　again。　If　the　grandmother　said；　as　they　were　sitting　together　in　the　evening；　〃Now　Heidi　will　read　aloud　to　us；〃　Heidi　was　delighted；　for　reading　was　no　trouble　to　her　now；　and　when　she　read　the　tales　aloud　the　scenes　seemed　to　grow　more　beautiful　and　distinct；　and　then　grandmother　would　explain　and　tell　her　more　about　them　still。

Still　the　picture　she　liked　best　was　the　one　of　the　shepherd　leaning　on　his　staff　with　his　flock　around　him　in　the　midst　of　the　green　pasture；　　for　he　was　now　at　home　and　happy；　following　his　father's　sheep　and　goats。　Then　came　the　picture　where　he　was　seen　far　away　from　his　father's　house；　obliged　to　look　after　the　swine；　and　he　had　grown　pale　and　thin　from　the　husks　which　were　all　he　had　to　eat。　Even　the　sun　seemed　here　to　be　less　bright　and　everything　looked　grey　and　misty。　But　there　was　the　third　picture　still　to　this　tale：　here　was　the　old　father　with　outstretched　arms　running　to　meet　and　embrace　his　returning　and　repentant　son；　who　was　advancing　timidly；　worn　out　and　emaciated　And　clad　in　a　ragged　coat。　That　was　Heidi's　favorite　tale；　which　she　read　over　and　over　again；　aloud　and　to　herself；　and　she　was　never　tired　of　hearing　the　grandmother　explain　it　to　her　and　Clara。　But　there　were　other　tales　in　the　book　besides；　and　what　with　reading　and　looking　at　the　pictures　the　days　passed　quickly　away；　and　the　time　drew　near　for　the　grandmother　to　return　home。



CHAPTER　XI。　HEIDI　GAINS　IN　ONE　WAY　AND　LOSES　IN　ANOTHER

Every　afternoon　during　her　visit　the　grandmother　went　and　sat　down　for　a　few　minutes　beside　Clara　after　dinner；　when　the　latter　was　resting；　and　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　probably　for　the　same　reason；　had　disappeared　inside　her　room；　but　five　minutes　sufficed　her；　and　then　she　was　up　again；　and　Heidi　was　sent　for　to　her　room；　and　there　she　would　talk　to　the　child　and　employ　and　amuse　her　in　all　sorts　of　ways。　The　grandmother　had　a　lot　of　pretty　dolls；　and　she　showed　Heidi　how　to　make　dresses　and　pinafores　for　them；　so　that　Heidi　learnt　how　to　sew　and　to　make　all　sorts　of　beautiful　clothes　for　the　little　people　out　of　a　wonderful　collection　of　pieces　that　grandmother　had　by　her　of　every　describable　and　lovely　color。　And　then　grandmother　liked　to　hear　her　read　aloud；　and　the　oftener　Heidi　read　her　tales　the　fonder　she　grew　of　them。　She　entered　into　the　lives　of　all　the　people　she　read　about　so　that　they　became　like　dear　friends　to　her；　and　it　delighted　her　more　and　more　to　be　with　them。　But　still　Heidi　never　looked　really　happy；　and　her　bright　eyes　were　no　longer　to　be　seen。　It　was　the　last　week　of　the　grandmother's　visit。　She　called　Heidi　into　her　room　as　usual　one　day　after　dinner；　and　the　child　came　with　her　book　under　her　arm。　The　grandmother　called　her　to　come　close；　and　then　laying　the　book　aside；　said；　〃Now；　child；　tell　me　why　you　are　not　happy？　Have　you　still　the　same　trouble　at　heart？〃

Heidi　nodded　in　reply。

〃Have　you　told　God　about　it？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　do　you　pray　every　day　that　He　will　make　things　right　and　that　you　may　be　happy　again？〃

〃No；　I　have　left　off　praying。〃

〃Do　not　tell　me　that；　Heidi！　Why　have　you　left　off　praying？〃

〃It　is　of　no　use；　God　does　not　listen；〃　Heidi　went　on　in　an　agitated　voice；　〃and　I　can　understand　that　when　there　are　so　many；　many　people　in　Frankfurt　praying　to　Him　every　evening　that　He　cannot　attend　to　them　all；　and　He　certainly　has　not　heard　what　I　said　to　Him。〃

〃And　why　are　you　so　sure　of　that；　Heidi？〃

〃Because　I　have　prayed　for　the　same　thing　every　day　for　weeks；　and　yet　God　has　not　done　what　I　asked。〃

〃You　are　wrong；　Heidi；　you　must　not　think　of　Him　like　that。　God　is　a　good　father　to　us　all；　and　knows　better　than　we　do　what　is　good　for　us。　If　we　ask　Him　for　something　that　is　not　good　for　us；　He　does　not　give　it；　but　something　better　still；　if　only　we　will　continue　to　pray　earnestly　and　do　not　run　away　and　lose　our　trust　in　Him。　God　did　not　think　what　you　have　been　praying　for　was　good　for　you　just　now；　but　be　sure　He　heard　you；　for　He　can　hear　and　see　every　one　at　the　same　time；　because　He　is　a　God　and　not　a　human　being　like　you　and　me。　And　because　He　thought　it　was　better　for　you　not　to　have　at　once　what　you　wanted；　He　said　to　Himself：　Yes；　Heidi　shall　have　what　she　asks　for；　but　not　until　the　right　time　comes；　so　that　she　may　be　quite　happy。　If　I　do　what　she　wants　now；　and　then　one　day　she　sees　that　it　would　have　been　better　for　her　not　to　have　had　her　own　way；　she　will　cry　and　say；　'If　only　God　had　not　given　me　what　I　asked　for！　it　is　not　so　good　as　I　expected！'　And　while　God　is　watching　over　you；　and　looking　to　see　if　you　will　trust　Him　and　go　on　praying　to　Him　every　day；　and　turn　to　Him　for　everything　you　want；　you　run　away　and　leave　off　saying　your　prayers；　and　forget　all　about　Him。　And　when　God　no　longer　hears　the　voice　of　one　He　knew　among　those　who　pray　to　Him；　He　lets　that　person　go　his　own　way；　that　he　may　learn　how　foolish　he　is。　And　then　this　one　gets　into　trouble；　and　cries；　'Save　me；　God；　for　there　is　none　other　to　help　me；'　and　God　says；　'Why　did　you　go　from　Me；　I　could　not　help　you　when　you　ran　away。'　And　you　would　not　like　to　grieve　G