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第29章

heidi-第29章

小说: heidi 字数: 每页4000字

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 Sesemann; what is going on in the house points to some terrible thing that has taken place in the past and been concealed。〃

〃Well; I know nothing about that;〃 said the master of the house; 〃but I must beg you not to bring suspicion on my worthy ancestors。 And now will you kindly call Sebastian into the dining…room; as I wish to speak to him alone。〃

Herr Sesemann had been quite aware that Sebastian and Fraulein Rottenmeier were not on the best of terms; and he had his ideas about this scare。

〃Come here; lad;〃 he said as Sebastian appeared; 〃and tell me franklyhave you been playing at ghosts to amuse yourself at Fraulein Rottenmeier's expense?〃

〃No; on my honor; sir; pray; do not think it; I am very uncomfortable about the matter myself;〃 answered Sebastian with unmistakable truthfulness。

〃Well; if that is so; I will show you and John to…morrow morning how ghosts look in the daylight。 You ought to be ashamed of yourself; Sebastian; a great strong lad like you; to run away from a ghost! But now go and take a message to my old friend the doctor; give him my kind regards; and ask him if he will come to me to…night at nine o'clock without fail; I have come by express from Paris to consult him。 I shall want him to spend the night here; so bad a case is it; so he will arrange accordingly。 You understand?〃

〃Yes; sir;〃 replied Sebastian; 〃I will see to the matter as you wish。〃 Then Herr Sesemann returned to Clara; and begged her to have no more fear; as he would soon find out all about the ghost and put an end to it。

Punctually at nine o'clock; after the children had gone to bed and Fraulein Rottenmeier had retired; the doctor arrived。 He was a grey…haired man with a fresh face; and two bright; kindly eyes。 He looked anxious as he walked in; but; on catching sight of his patient; burst out laughing and clapped him on the shoulder。 〃Well;〃 he said; 〃you look pretty bad for a person that I am to sit up with all night。〃

〃Patience; friend;〃 answered Herr Sesemann; 〃the one you have to sit up for will look a good deal worse when we have once caught him。〃

〃So there is a sick person in the house; and one that has first to be caught?〃

〃Much worse than that; doctor! a ghost in the house! My house is haunted!〃

The doctor laughed aloud。

〃That's a nice way of showing sympathy; doctor!〃 continued Herr; Sesemann。 〃It's a pity my friend Rottenmeier cannot hear you。 She is firmly convinced that some old member of the family is wandering about the house doing penance for some awful crime he committed。〃

〃How did she become acquainted with him?〃 asked the doctor; still very much amused。

So Herr Sesemann recounted to him how the front door was nightly opened by somebody; according to the testimony of the combined household; and he had therefore provided two loaded revolvers; so as to be prepared for anything that happened; for either the whole thing was a joke got up by some friend of the servants; just to alarm the household while he was awayand in that case a pistol fired into the air would procure him a wholesome frightor else it was a thief; who; by leading everybody at first to think there was a ghost; made it safe for himself when he came later to steal; as no one would venture to run out if they heard him; and in that case too a good weapon would not be amiss。

The two took up their quarters for the night in the same room in which Sebastian and John had kept watch。 A bottle of wine was placed on the table; for a little refreshment would be welcome from time to time if the night was to be passed sitting up。 Beside it lay the two revolvers; and two good…sized candles had also been lighted; for Herr Sesemann was determined not to wait for ghosts in any half light。

The door was shut close to prevent the light being seen in the hall outside; which might frighten away the ghost。 And now the two gentlemen sat comfortably back in the arm…chairs and began talking of all sorts of things; now and then pausing to take a good draught of wine; and so twelve o'clock struck before they were aware。

〃The ghost has got scent of us and is keeping away to…night;〃 said the doctor。

〃Wait a bit; it does not generally appear before one o'clock;〃 answered his friend。

They started talking again。 One o'clock struck。 There was not a sound about the house; nor in the street outside。 Suddenly the doctor lifted his finger。

〃Hush! Sesemann; don't you hear something?〃

They both listened; and they distinctly heard the bar softly pushed aside and then the key turned in the lock and the door opened。 Herr Sesemann put out his hand for his revolver。

〃You are not afraid; are you?〃 said the doctor as he stood up。

〃It is better to take precautions;〃 whispered Herr Sesemann; and seizing one of the lights in his other hand; he followed the doctor; who; armed in like manner with a light and a revolver; went softly on in front。 They stepped into the hall。 The moonlight was shining in through the open door and fell on a white figure standing motionless in the doorway。

〃Who is there?〃 thundered the doctor in a voice that echoed through the hall; as the two men advanced with lights and weapons towards the figure。

It turned and gave a low cry。 There in her little white nightgown stood Heidi; with bare feet; staring with wild eyes at the lights and the revolvers; and trembling from head to foot like a leaf in the wind。 The two men looked as one another in surprise。

〃Why; I believe it is your little water…carrier; Sesemann;〃 said the doctor。

〃Child; what does this mean?〃 said Herr Sesemann。 〃What did you want? why did you come down here?〃

White with terror; and hardly able to make her voice heard; Heidi answered; 〃I don't know。〃

But now the doctor stepped forward。 〃This is a matter for me to see to; Sesemann; go back to your chair。 I must take the child upstairs to her bed。〃

And with that he put down his revolver and gently taking the child by the hand led her upstairs。 〃Don't be frightened;〃 he said as they went up side by side; 〃it's nothing to be frightened about; it's all right; only just go quietly。〃

On reaching Heidi's room the doctor put the candle down on the table; and taking Heidi up in his arms laid her on the bed and carefully covered her over。 Then he sat down beside her and waited until Heidi had grown quieter and no longer trembled so violently。 He took her hand and said in a kind; soothing voice; 〃There; now you feel better; and now tell me where you were wanting to go to?〃

〃I did not want to go anywhere;〃 said Heidi。 〃I did not know I went downstairs; but all at once I was there。〃

〃I see; and had you been dreaming; so that you seemed to see and hear something very distinctly?〃

〃Yes; I dream every night; and always about the same things。 I think I am back with the grandfather and I hear the sound in the fir trees outside; and I see the stars shining so brightly; and then I open the door quickly and run out; and it is all so beautiful! But when I wake I am still in Frankfurt。〃 And Heidi struggled as she spoke to keep back the sobs which seemed to choke her。

〃And have you no pain anywhere? no pain in your head or back?〃

〃No; only a feeling as if there were a great stone weighing on me here。〃

〃As if you had eaten something that would not go down。〃

〃No; not like that; something heavy as if I wanted to cry very much。〃

〃I see; and then do you have a good cry?〃

〃Oh; no; I mustn't; Fraulein Rottenmeier forbade me to cry。〃

〃So you swallow it all down; I suppose? Are you happy here in Frankfurt?〃

〃Yes;〃 was the low answer; but it sounded more like 〃No。〃

〃And where did you live with your grandfather?〃

〃Up on the mountain。〃

〃That wasn't very amusing; rather dull at times; eh?〃

〃No; no; it was beautiful; beautiful!〃 Heidi could go no further; the remembrance of the past; the excitement she had just gone through; the long suppressed weeping; were too much for the child's strength; the tears began to fall fast; and she broke into violent weeping。

The doctor stood up and laid her head kindly down on the pillow。 〃There; there; go on crying; it will do you good; and then go to sleep; it will be all right to…morrow。〃

Then he left the room and went downstairs to Herr Ses

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