heidi-第33章

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　was　the　reason　she　had　so　anxiously　preserved　her　old　hat；　for　she　had　never　ceased　to　think　about　going　home　to　her　grandfather。　But　Brigitta　told　her　not　to　be　so　foolish　as　to　give　it　away；　she　would　not　think　of　taking　such　a　beautiful　hat；　if　Heidi　did　not　want　to　wear　it　she　might　sell　it　to　the　schoolmaster's　daughter　in　Dorfli　and　get　a　good　deal　of　money　for　it。　But　Heidi　stuck　to　her　intention　and　hid　the　hat　quietly　in　a　corner　behind　the　grandmother's　chair。　Then　she　took　off　her　pretty　dress　and　put　her　red　shawl　on　over　her　under…petticoat；　which　left　her　arms　bare；　and　now　she　clasped　the　old　woman's　hand。　〃I　must　go　home　to　grandfather；〃　she　said；　〃but　to…morrow　I　shall　come　again。　Good…night；　grandmother。〃

〃Yes；　come　again；　be　sure　you　come　again　tomorrow；〃　begged　the　grandmother；　as　she　pressed　Heidi's　hands　in　hers；　unwilling　to　let　her　go。

〃Why　have　you　taken　off　that　pretty　dress？〃　asked　Brigitta。

〃Because　I　would　rather　go　home　to　grandfather　as　I　am　or　else　perhaps　he　would　not　know　me；　you　hardly　did　at　first。〃

Brigitta　went　with　her　to　the　door；　and　there　said　in　rather　a　mysterious　voice；　〃You　might　have　kept　on　your　dress；　he　would　have　known　you　all　right；　but　you　must　be　careful；　for　Peter　tells　me　that　Alm…Uncle　is　always　now　in　a　bad　temper　and　never　speaks。〃

Heidi　bid　her　good…night　and　continued　her　way　up　the　mountain；　her　basket　on　her　arm。　All　around　her　the　steep　green　slopes　shone　bright　in　the　evening　sun；　and　soon　the　great　gleaming　snow…field　up　above　came　in　sight。　Heidi　was　obliged　to　keep　on　pausing　to　look　behind　her；　for　the　higher　peaks　were　behind　her　as　she　climbed。　Suddenly　a　warm　red　glow　fell　on　the　grass　at　her　feet；　she　looked　back　againshe　had　not　remembered　how　splendid　it　was；　nor　seen　anything　to　compare　to　it　in　her　dreamsfor　there　the　two　high　mountain　peeks　rose　into　the　air　like　two　great　flames；　the　whole　snow…field　had　turned　crimson；　and　rosy…colored　clouds　floated　in　the　sky　above。　The　grass　upon　the　mountain　sides　had　turned　to　gold；　the　rocks　were　all　aglow；　and　the　whole　valley　was　bathed　in　golden　mist。　And　as　Heidi　stood　gazing　around　her　at　all　this　splendor　the　tears　ran　down　her　cheeks　for　very　delight　and　happiness；　and　impulsively　she　put　her　hands　together；　and　lifting　her　eyes　to　heaven；　thanked　God　aloud　for　having　brought　her　home；　thanked　Him　that　everything　was　as　beautiful　as　ever；　more　beautiful　even　than　she　had　thought；　and　that　it　was　all　hers　again　once　more。〃　And　she　was　so　overflowing　with　joy　and　thankfulness　that　she　could　not　find　words　to　thank　Him　enough。　Not　until　the　glory　began　to　fade　could　she　tear　herself　away。　Then　she　ran　on　so　quickly　that　in　a　very　little　while　she　caught　sight　of　the　tops　of　the　fir　trees　above　the　hut　roof；　then　the　roof　itself；　and　at　last　the　whole　hut；　and　there　was　grandfather　sitting　as　in　old　days　smoking　his　pipe；　and　she　could　see　the　fir　trees　waving　in　the　wind。　Quicker　and　quicker　went　her　little　feet；　and　before　Alm…Uncle　had　time　to　see　who　was　coming；　Heidi　had　rushed　up　to　him；　thrown　down　her　basket　and　flung　her　arms　round　his　neck；　unable　in　the　excitement　of　seeing　him　again　to　say　more　than　〃Grandfather！　grandfather！　grandfather！〃　over　and　over　again。

And　the　old　man　himself　said　nothing。　For　the　first　time　for　many　years　his　eyes　were　wet；　and　he　had　to　pass　his　hand　across　them。　Then　he　unloosed　Heidi's　arms；　put　her　on　his　knee；　and　after　looking　at　her　for　a　moment；　〃So　you　have　come　back　to　me；　Heidi；〃　he　said；　〃how　is　that？　You　don't　look　much　of　a　grand　lady。　Did　they　send　you　away？〃

〃Oh；　no；　grandfather；〃　said　Heidi　eagerly；　〃you　must　not　think　that；　they　were　all　so　kindClara；　and　grandmamma；　and　Herr　Sesemann。　But　you　see；　grandfather；　I　did　not　know　how　to　bear　myself　till　I　got　home　again　to　you。　I　used　to　think　I　should　die；　for　I　felt　as　if　I　could　not　breathe；　but　I　never　said　anything　because　it　would　have　been　ungrateful。　And　then　suddenly　one　morning　quite　early　Herr　Sesemann　said　to　mebut　I　think　it　was　partly　the　doctor's　doingbut　perhaps　it's　all　in　the　letter〃　and　Heidi　jumped　down　and　fetched　the　roll　and　the　letter　and　handed　them　both　to　her　grandfather。

〃That　belongs　to　you；〃　said　the　latter；　laying　the　roll　down　on　the　bench　beside　him。　Then　he　opened　the　letter；　read　it　through　and　without　a　word　put　it　in　his　pocket。

〃Do　you　think　you　can　still　drink　milk　with　me；　Heidi？〃　he　asked；　taking　the　child　by　the　hand　to　go　into　the　hut。　〃But　bring　your　money　with　you；　you　can　buy　a　bed　and　bedclothes　and　dresses　for　a　couple　of　years　with　it。〃

〃I　am　sure　I　do　not　want　it；〃　replied　Heidi。　〃I　have　got　a　bed　already；　and　Clara　has　put　such　a　lot　of　clothes　in　my　box　that　I　shall　never　want　any　more。〃

〃Take　it　and　put　it　in　the　cupboard；　you　will　want　it　some　day　I　have　no　doubt。〃

Heidi　obeyed　and　skipped　happily　after　her　grandfather　into　the　house；　she　ran　into　all　the　corners；　delighted　to　see　everything　again；　and　then　went　up　the　ladderbut　there　she　came　to　a　pause　and　called　down　in　a　tone　of　surprise　and　distress；　〃Oh；　grandfather；　my　bed's　gone。〃

〃We　can　soon　make　it　up　again；〃　he　answered　her　from　below。　〃I　did　not　know　that　you　were　coming　back；　come　along　now　and　have　your　milk。〃

Heidi　came　down；　sat　herself　on　her　high　stool　in　the　old　place；　and　then　taking　up　her　bowl　drank　her　milk　eagerly；　as　if　she　had　never　come　across　anything　so　delicious；　and　as　she　put　down　her　bowl；　she　exclaimed；　〃Our　milk　tastes　nicer　than　anything　else　in　the　world；　grandfather。〃

A　shrill　whistle　was　heard　outside。　Heidi　darted　out　like　a　flash　of　lightning。　There　were　the　goats　leaping　and　springing　among　the　rocks；　with　Peter　in　their　midst。　When　he　caught　sight　of　Heidi　he　stood　still　with　astonishment　and　gazed　speechlessly　at　her。　Heidi　called　out；　〃Good…evening；　Peter；〃　and　then　ran　in　among　the　goats。　〃Little　Swan！　Little　Bear！　do　you　know　me　again？〃　And　the　animals　evidently　recognized　her　voice　at　once；　for　they　began　rubbing　their　heads　against　her　and　bleating　loudly　as　if　for　joy；　and　as　she　called　the　other　goats　by　name　one　after　the　other；　they　all　came　scampering　towards　her　helter…skelter　and　crowding　round　her。　The　impatient　Greenfinch　sprang　into　the　air　and　over　two　of　her　companions　in　order　to　get　nearer；　and　even　the　shy　little　Snowflake　butted　the　Great　Turk　out　of　her　way　in　quite　a　determined　manner；　which　left　him　standing　taken　aback　by　her　boldness；　and　lifting　his　beard　in　the　air　as　much　as　to　say；　You　see　who　I　am。

Heidi　was　out　of　her　mind　with　delight　at　being　among　all　her　old　friends　again；　she　flung　her　arms　round　the　pretty　little　Snowflake；　stroked　the　obstreperous　Greenfinch；　while　she　herself　was　thrust　at　from　all　sides　by　the　affectionate　and　confiding　goats；　and　so　at　last　she　got　near　to　where　Peter　was　still　standing；　not　having　yet　got　over　his　surprise。

〃Come　down；　Peter；〃　cried　Heidi；　〃and　say　good…evening　to　me。〃

〃So　you　are　back　again？〃　he　found　words　to　say　at　last；　and　now　ran　down　and　took　Heidi's　hand　which　she　was　holding　out　in　greeting；　and　immediately　put　the　same　question　to　her　which　he　had　been　in　the　habit　of　doing　in　the　old　days　when　they　returned　home　in　the　evening；　〃Will　you　come　out　with　me　again　to…morrow？〃

〃Not　to…morrow；　but　the　day　after　perhaps；　for　to…morrow　I　must　go　down　to　grandmother。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　are　back；〃　said　Peter；　while　his　whole　face　beamed　with　pleasure；　and　then　he　prepared　to　go　on　with　his　goats；　but　he　never　had　had　so　much　trouble　with　them　before；　for　when　at　last；　by　coaxing　and　threats；　he　had　got　them　all　together；　and　Heidi　had　gone　off　with　an　arm　over　either　head　of　her　grandfather's　two；　the　whole　flock　suddenly　turned　and　ran　after　her。　Heidi　had　to　go　inside　the　stall　with　her　two　and　shut　the　door；　or　Peter　would　never　have　got　home　that　night。　When　Heidi　went　indoors　after　this　she　found　her　bed　already　made　up　for　her；　the　hay　had　been　piled　high　for　it　and　smelt　deliciously；　for　it　had　only　just　been　got　in；　and　the　grandfather　had　carefully　spread　and　tucked　in　the　clean　sheets。　It　was　with　a　happy　heart　that　Heidi　lay　down　in　it　that　night；　and　her　sleep　was　sounder　than　it　had　been　for　a　whole　year　past。　The　grand