heidi-第3章

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ng；　Dete；〃　said　Barbel；　in　a　voice　full　of　reproach。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　retorted　Dete。　〃I　have　done　my　duty　by　the　child；　and　what　would　you　have　me　do　with　it　now？　I　cannot　certainly　take　a　child　of　five　years　old　with　me　to　Frankfurt。　But　where　are　you　going　to　yourself；　Barbel；　we　are　now　half　way　up　the　Alm？

〃We　have　just　reached　the　place　I　wanted；〃　answered　Barbel。　〃I　had　something　to　say　to　the　goatherd's　wife；　who　does　some　spinning　for　me　in　the　winter。　So　good…bye；　Dete；　and　good　luck　to　you！〃

Dete　shook　hands　with　her　friend　and　remained　standing　while　Barbel　went　towards　a　small；　dark　brown　hut；　which　stood　a　few　steps　away　from　the　path　in　a　hollow　that　afforded　it　some　protection　from　the　mountain　wind。　The　hut　was　situated　half　way　up　the　Alm；　reckoning　from　Dorfli；　and　it　was　well　that　it　was　provided　with　some　shelter；　for　it　was　so　broken…down　and　dilapidated　that　even　then　it　must　have　been　very　unsafe　as　a　habitation；　for　when　the　stormy　south　wind　came　sweeping　over　the　mountain；　everything　inside　it；　doors　and　windows；　shook　and　rattled；　and　all　the　rotten　old　beams　creaked　and　trembled。　On　such　days　as　this；　had　the　goatherd's　dwelling　been　standing　above　on　the　exposed　mountain　side；　it　could　not　have　escaped　being　blown　straight　down　into　the　valley　without　a　moment's　warning。

Here　lived　Peter；　the　eleven…year…old　boy；　who　every　morning　went　down　to　Dorfli　to　fetch　his　goats　and　drive　them　up　on　to　the　mountain；　where　they　were　free　to　browse　till　evening　on　the　delicious　mountain　plants。

Then　Peter；　with　his　light…footed　animals；　would　go　running　and　leaping　down　the　mountain　again　till　he　reached　Dorfli；　and　there　he　would　give　a　shrill　whistle　through　his　fingers；　whereupon　all　the　owners　of　the　goats　would　come　out　to　fetch　home　the　animals　that　belonged　to　them。　It　was　generally　the　small　boys　and　girls　who　ran　in　answer　to　Peter's　whistle；　for　they　were　none　of　them　afraid　of　the　gentle　goats；　and　this　was　the　only　hour　of　the　day　through　all　the　summer　months　that　Peter　had　any　opportunity　of　seeing　his　young　friends；　since　the　rest　of　his　time　was　spent　alone　with　the　goats。　He　had　a　mother　and　a　blind　grandmother　at　home；　it　is　true；　but　he　was　always　obliged　to　start　off　very　early　in　the　morning；　and　only　got　home　late　in　the　evening　from　Dorfli；　for　he　always　stayed　as　long　as　he　could　talking　and　playing　with　the　other　children；　and　so　he　had　just　time　enough　at　home；　and　that　was　all；　to　swallow　down　his　bread　and　milk　in　the　morning；　and　again　in　the　evening　to　get　through　a　similar　meal；　lie　down　in　bed　and　go　to　sleep。　His　father；　who　had　been　known　also　as　the　goatherd；　having　earned　his　living　as　such　when　younger；　had　been　accidentally　killed　while　cutting　wood　some　years　before。　His　mother；　whose　real　name　was　Brigitta；　was　always　called　the　goatherd's　wife；　for　the　sake　of　old　association；　while　the　blind　grandmother　was　just　〃grandmother〃　to　all　the　old　and　young　in　the　neighborhood。

Dete　had　been　standing　for　a　good　ten　minutes　looking　about　her　in　every　direction　for　some　sign　of　the　children　and　the　goats。　Not　a　glimpse　of　them；　however；　was　to　be　seen；　so　she　climbed　to　a　higher　spot；　whence　she　could　get　a　fuller　view　of　the　mountain　as　it　sloped　beneath　her　to　the　valley；　while；　with　ever…increasing　anxiety　on　her　face　and　in　her　movements；　she　continued　to　scan　the　surrounding　slopes。　Meanwhile　the　children　were　climbing　up　by　a　far　and　roundabout　way；　for　Peter　knew　many　spots　where　all　kinds　of　good　food；　in　the　shape　of　shrubs　and　plants；　grew　for　his　goats；　and　he　was　in　the　habit　of　leading　his　flock　aside　from　the　beaten　track。　The　child；　exhausted　with　the　heat　and　weight　of　her　thick　armor　of　clothes；　panted　and　struggled　after　him　at　first　with　some　difficulty。　She　said　nothing；　but　her　little　eyes　kept　watching　first　Peter；　as　he　sprang　nimbly　hither　and　thither　on　his　bare　feet；　clad　only　in　his　short　light　breeches；　and　then　the　slim…legged　goats　that　went　leaping　over　rocks　and　shrubs　and　up　the　steep　ascents　with　even　greater　ease。　All　at　once　she　sat　herself　down　on　the　ground；　and　as　fast　as　her　little　fingers　could　move；　began　pulling　off　her　shoes　and　stockings。　This　done　she　rose；　unwound　the　hot　red　shawl　and　threw　it　away；　and　then　proceeded　to　undo　her　frock。　It　was　off　in　a　second；　but　there　was　still　another　to　unfasten；　for　Dete　had　put　the　Sunday　frock　on　over　the　everyday　one；　to　save　the　trouble　of　carrying　it。　Quick　as　lightning　the　everyday　frock　followed　the　other；　and　now　the　child　stood　up；　clad　only　in　her　light　short…sleeved　under　garment；　stretching　out　her　little　bare　arms　with　glee。　She　put　all　her　clothes　together　in　a　tidy　little　heap；　and　then　went　jumping　and　climbing　up　after　Peter　and　the　goats　as　nimbly　as　any　one　of　the　party。　Peter　had　taken　no　heed　of　what　the　child　was　about　when　she　stayed　behind；　but　when　she　ran　up　to　him　in　her　new　attire；　his　face　broke　into　a　grin；　which　grew　broader　still　as　he　looked　back　and　saw　the　small　heap　of　clothes　lying　on　the　ground；　until　his　mouth　stretched　almost　from　ear　to　ear；　he　said　nothing；　however。　The　child；　able　now　to　move　at　her　ease；　began　to　enter　into　conversation　with　Peter；　who　had　many　questions　to　answer；　for　his　companion　wanted　to　know　how　many　goats　he　had；　where　he　was　going　to　with　them；　and　what　he　had　to　do　when　he　arrived　there。　At　last；　after　some　time；　they　and　the　goats　approached　the　hut　and　came　within　view　of　Cousin　　Dete。　Hardly　had　the　latter　caught　sight　of　the　little　company　climbing　up　towards　her　when　she　shrieked　out：　〃Heidi；　what　have　you　been　doing！　What　a　sight　you　have　made　of　yourself！　And　where　are　your　two　frocks　and　the　red　wrapper？　And　the　new　shoes　I　bought；　and　the　new　stockings　I　knitted　for　youeverything　gone！　not　a　thing　left！　What　can　you　have　been　thinking　of；　Heidi；　where　are　all　your　clothes？〃

The　child　quietly　pointed　to　a　spot　below　on　the　mountain　side　and　answered；　〃Down　there。〃　Dete　followed　the　direction　of　her　finger；　she　could　just　distinguish　something　lying　on　the　ground；　with　a　spot　of　red　on　the　top　of　it　which　she　had　no　doubt　was　the　woollen　wrapper。

〃You　good…for…nothing　little　thing！〃　exclaimed　Dete　angrily；　〃what　could　have　put　it　into　your　head　to　do　like　that？　What　made　you　undress　yourself？　What　do　you　mean　by　it？〃

〃I　don't　want　any　clothes；〃　said　the　child；　not　showing　any　sign　of　repentance　for　her　past　deed。

〃You　wretched；　thoughtless　child！　have　you　no　sense　in　you　at　all？〃　continued　Dete；　scolding　and　lamenting。　〃Who　is　going　all　that　way　down　to　fetch　them；　it's　a　good　half…hour's　walk！　Peter；　you　go　off　and　fetch　them　for　me　as　quickly　as　you　can；　and　don't　stand　there　gaping　at　me；　as　if　you　were　rooted　to　the　ground！〃

〃I　am　already　past　my　time；〃　answered　Peter　slowly；　without　moving　from　the　spot　where　he　had　been　standing　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　listening　to　Dete's　outburst　of　dismay　and　anger。

〃Well；　you　won't　get　far　if　you　only　keep　on　standing　there　with　your　eyes　staring　out　of　your　head；〃　was　Dete's　cross　reply；　〃but　see；　you　shall　have　something　nice；〃　and　she　held　out　a　bright　new　piece　of　money　to　him　that　sparkled　in　the　sun。　Peter　was　immediately　up　and　off　down　the　steep　mountain　side；　taking　the　shortest　cut；　and　in　an　incredibly　short　space　of　time　had　reached　the　little　heap　of　clothes；　which　he　gathered　up　under　his　arm；　and　was　back　again　so　quickly　that　even　Dete　was　obliged　to　give　him　a　word　of　praise　as　she　handed　him　the　promised　money。　Peter　promptly　thrust　it　into　his　pocket　and　his　face　beamed　with　delight；　for　it　was　not　often　that　he　was　the　happy　possessor　of　such　riches。

You　can　carry　the　things　up　for　me　as　far　as　Uncle's；　as　you　are　going　the　same　way；〃　went　on　Dete；　who　was　preparing　to　continue　her　climb　up　the　mountain　side；　which　rose　in　a　steep　ascent　immediately　behind　the　goatherd's　hut。　Peter　willingly　undertook　to　do　this；　and　followed　after　her　on　his　bare　feet；　with　his　left　arm　round　the　bundle　and　the　right　swinging　his　goatherd's　stick；　while　Heidi　and　the　goats　went　skipping　and　jumping　joyfully　beside　him。　After　a　climb　of　more　than　three…quarters　of　an　hour　they　reached　the　top　of　the　Alm　mountain。　Uncle's　hut　stood