heidi-第32章

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cart；　as　he　was　driving　to　Dorfli。　After　some　little　interchange　of　words　it　was　finally　agreed　that　the　man　should　take　both　the　child　and　the　box　to　Dorfli；　and　there　find　some　one　who　could　be　sent　on　with　Heidi　up　the　mountain。

〃I　can　go　by　myself；　I　know　the　way　well　from　Dorfli；〃　put　in　Heidi；　who　had　been　listening　attentively　to　the　conversation。　Sebastian　was　greatly　relieved　at　not　having　to　do　any　mountain　climbing。　He　drew　Heidi　aside　and　gave　her　a　thick　rolled　parcel；　and　a　letter　for　her　grandfather；　the　parcel；　he　told　her；　was　a　present　from　Herr　Sesemann；　and　she　must　put　it　at　the　bottom　of　her　basket　under　the　rolls　and　be　very　careful　not　to　lose　it；　as　Herr　Sesemann　would　be　very　vexed　if　she　did；　and　never　be　the　same　to　her　again；　so　little　miss　was　to　think　well　of　what　he　said。

〃I　shall　be　sure　not　to　lose　it；〃　said　Heidi　confidently；　and　she　at　once　put　the　roll　and　the　letter　at　the　bottom　of　her　basket。　The　trunk　meanwhile　had　been　hoisted　into　the　cart；　and　now　Sebastian　lifted　Heidi　and　her　basket　on　to　the　high　seat　and　shook　hands　with　her；　he　then　made　signs　to　her　to　keep　her　eye　on　the　basket；　for　the　driver　was　standing　near　and　Sebastian　thought　it　better　to　be　careful；　especially　as　he　knew　that　he　ought　himself　to　have　seen　the　child　safely　to　her　journey's　end。　The　driver　now　swung　himself　up　beside　Heidi；　and　the　cart　rolled　away　in　the　direction　of　the　mountains；　while　Sebastian；　glad　of　having　no　tiring　and　dangerous　journey　on　foot　before　him；　sat　down　in　the　station　and　awaited　the　return　train。

The　driver　of　the　car　was　the　miller　at　Dorfli　and　was　taking　home　his　sacks　of　flour。　He　had　never　seen　Heidi；　but　like　everybody　in　Dorfli　knew　all　about　her。　He　had　known　her　parents；　and　felt　sure　at　once　that　this　was　the　child　of　whom　he　had　heard　so　much。　He　began　to　wonder　why　she　had　come　back；　and　as　they　drove　along　he　entered　into　conversation　with　her。　〃You　are　the　child　who　lived　with　your　grandfather；　Alm…Uncle；　are　you　not？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Didn't　they　treat　you　well　down　there　that　you　have　come　back　so　soon？〃

〃Yes；　it　was　not　that；　everything　in　Frankfurt　is　as　nice　as　it　could　be。〃

〃Then　why　are　you　running　home　again？〃

〃Only　because　Herr　Sesemann　gave　me　leave；　or　else　I　should　not　have　come。〃

〃If　they　were　willing　to　let　you　stay；　why　did　you　not　remain　where　you　were　better　off　than　at　home？〃

〃Because　I　would　a　thousand　times　rather　be　with　grandfather　on　the　mountain　than　anywhere　else　in　the　world。〃

〃You　will　think　differently　perhaps　when　you　get　back　there；〃　grumbled　the　miller；　and　then　to　himself；　〃It's　strange　of　her；　for　she　must　know　what　it's　like。〃

He　began　whistling　and　said　no　more；　while　Heidi　looked　around　her　and　began　to　tremble　with　excitement；　for　she　knew　every　tree　along　the　way；　and　there　overhead　were　the　high　jagged　peaks　of　the　mountain　looking　down　on　her　like　old　friends。　And　Heidi　nodded　back　to　them；　and　grew　every　moment　more　wild　with　her　joy　and　longing；　feeling　as　if　she　must　jump　down　from　the　cart　and　run　with　all　her　might　till　she　reached　the　top。　But　she　sat　quite　still　and　did　not　move；　although　inwardly　in　such　agitation。　The　clock　was　striking　five　as　they　drove　into　Dorfli。　A　crowd　of　women　and　children　immediately　surrounded　the　cart；　for　the　box　and　the　child　arriving　with　the　miller　had　excited　the　curiosity　of　everybody　in　the　neighborhood；　inquisitive　to　know　whence　they　came　and　whither　they　were　going　and　to　whom　they　belonged。　As　the　miller　lifted　Heidi　down；　she　said　hastily；　〃Thank　you；　grandfather　will　send　for　the　trunk；〃　and　was　just　going　to　run　off；　when　first　one　and　then　another　of　the　bystanders　caught　hold　of　her；　each　one　having　a　different　question　to　put　to　her。　But　Heidi　pushed　her　way　through　them　with　such　an　expression　of　distress　on　her　face　that　they　were　forced　to　let　her　go。　〃You　see；〃　they　said　to　one　another；　〃how　frightened　she　is；　and　no　wonder；〃　and　then　they　went　on　to　talk　of　Alm…Uncle；　how　much　worse　he　had　grown　that　last　year；　never　speaking　a　word　and　looking　as　if　he　would　like　to　kill　everybody　he　met；　and　if　the　child　had　anywhere　else　to　go　to　she　certainly　would　not　run　back　to　the　old　dragon's　den。　But　here　the　miller　interrupted　them；　saying　he　knew　more　about　it　than　they　did；　and　began　telling　them　how　a　kind　gentleman　had　brought　her　to　Mayenfeld　and　seen　her　off；　and　had　given　him　his　fare　without　any　bargaining；　and　extra　money　for　himself；　what　was　more；　the　child　had　assured　him　that　she　had　had　everything　she　wanted　where　she　had　been；　and　that　it　was　her　own　wish　to　return　to　her　grandfather。　This　information　caused　great　surprise　and　was　soon　repeated　all　over　Dorfli；　and　that　evening　there　was　not　a　house　in　the　place　in　which　the　astounding　news　was　not　discussed；　of　how　Heidi　had　of　her　own　accord　given　up　a　luxurious　home　to　return　to　her　grandfather。

Heidi　climbed　up　the　steep　path　from　Dorfli　as　quickly　as　she　could；　she　was　obliged；　however；　to　pause　now　and　again　to　take　breath；　for　the　basket　she　carried　was　rather　heavy；　and　the　way　got　steeper　as　she　drew　nearer　the　top。　One　thought　alone　filled　Heidi's　mind；　〃Would　she　find　the　grandmother　sitting　in　her　usual　corner　by　the　spinning…wheel；　was　she　still　alive？〃　At　last　Heidi　caught　sight　of　the　grandmother's　house　in　the　hollow　of　the　mountain　and　her　heart　began　to　beat；　she　ran　faster　and　faster　and　her　heart　beat　louder　and　louderand　now　she　had　reached　the　house；　but　she　trembled　so　she　could　hardly　open　the　doorand　then　she　was　standing　inside；　unable　in　her　breathlessness　to　utter　a　sound。

〃Ah；　my　God！〃　cried　a　voice　from　the　corner；　〃that　was　how　Heidi　used　to　run　in；　if　only　I　could　have　her　with　me　once　again！　Who　is　there？〃

〃It's　I；　I；　grandmother；〃　cried　Heidi　as　she　ran　and　flung　herself　on　her　knees　beside　the　old　woman；　and　seizing　her　hands；　clung　to　her；　unable　to　speak　for　joy。　And　the　grandmother　herself　could　not　say　a　word　for　some　time；　so　unexpected　was　this　happiness；　but　at　last　she　put　out　her　hand　and　stroked　Heidi's　curly　hair；　and　said；　〃Yes；　yes；　that　is　her　hair；　and　her　voice；　thank　God　that　He　has　granted　my　prayer！〃　And　tears　of　joy　fell　from　the　blind　eyes　on　to　Heidi's　hand。　〃Is　it　really　you；　Heidi；　have　you　really　come　back　to　me？〃

〃Yes；　grandmother；　I　am　really　here；〃　answered　Heidi　in　a　reassuring　voice。　〃Do　not　cry；　for　I　have　really　come　back　and　I　am　never　going　away　again；　and　I　shall　come　every　day　to　see　you；　and　you　won't　have　any　more　hard　bread　to　eat　for　some　days；　for　look；　look！〃

And　Heidi　took　the　rolls　from　the　basket　and　piled　the　whole　twelve　up　on　grandmother's　lap。

〃Ah；　child！　child！　what　a　blessing　you　bring　with　you！〃　the　old　woman　exclaimed；　as　she　felt　and　seemed　never　to　come　to　the　end　of　the　rolls。　〃But　you　yourself　are　the　greatest　blessing；　Heidi；〃　and　again　she　touched　the　child's　hair　and　passed　her　hand　over　her　hot　cheeks；　and　said；　〃Say　something；　child；　that　I　may　hear　your　voice。〃

Then　Heidi　told　her　how　unhappy　she　had　been；　thinking　that　the　grandmother　might　die　while　she　was　away　and　would　never　have　her　white　rolls；　and　that　then　she　would　never；　never　see　her　again。

Peter's　mother　now　came　in　and　stood　for　a　moment　overcome　with　astonishment。　〃Why；　it's　Heidi；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃and　yet　can　it　be？〃

Heidi　stood　up；　and　Brigitta　now　could　not　say　enough　in　her　admiration　of　the　child's　dress　and　appearance；　she　walked　round　her；　exclaiming　all　the　while；　〃Grandmother；　if　you　could　only　see　her；　and　see　what　a　pretty　frock　she　has　on；　you　would　hardly　know　her　again。　And　the　hat　with　the　feather　in　it　is　yours　too；　I　suppose？　Put　it　on　that　I　may　see　how　you　look　in　it？〃

〃No；　I　would　rather　not；〃　replied　Heidi　firmly。　〃You　can　have　it　if　you　like；　I　do　not　want　it；　I　have　my　own　still。〃　And　Heidi　so　saying　undid　her　red　bundle　and　took　out　her　own　old　hat；　which　had　become　a　little　more　battered　still　during　the　journey。　But　this　was　no　trouble　to　Heidi；　she　had　not　forgotten　how　her　grandfather　had　called　out　to　Dete　that　he　never　wished　to　see　her　and　her　hat　and　feathers　again；　and　this　was　the　reason　she　had　so　anxiously　preserved　her　old　hat；　for　she　had　never　ceased　to　think　about