heidi-第35章

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tter；　she　said；　on　her　bed　of　hay　than　on　her　fine　pillowed　bed　in　Frankfurt。　So　at　last　he　said；　〃The　money　is　yours；　do　what　you　like　with　it；　you　can　buy　bread　for　grandmother　for　years　to　come　with　it。〃

Heidi　shouted　for　joy　at　the　thought　that　grandmother　would　never　need　any　more　to　eat　hard　black　bread；　and　〃Oh；　grandfather！〃　she　said；　〃everything　is　happier　now　than　it　has　ever　been　in　our　lives　before！〃　and　she　sang　and　skipped　along；　holding　her　grandfather's　hand　as　light…hearted　as　a　bird。　But　all　at　once　she　grew　quiet　and　said；　〃If　God　had　let　me　come　at　once；　as　I　prayed；　then　everything　would　have　been　different；　I　should　only　have　had　a　little　bread　to　bring　to　grandmother；　and　I　should　not　have　been　able　to　read；　which　is　such　a　comfort　to　her；　but　God　has　arranged　it　all　so　much　better　than　I　knew　how　to；　everything　has　happened　just　as　the　other　grandmother　said　it　would。　Oh；　how　glad　I　am　that　God　did　not　let　me　have　at　once　all　I　prayed　and　wept　for！　And　now　I　shall　always　pray　to　God　as　she　told　me；　and　always　thank　Him；　and　when　He　does　not　do　anything　I　ask　for　I　shall　think　to　myself；　It's　just　like　it　was　in　Frankfurt：　God；　I　am　sure；　is　going　to　do　something　better　still。　So　we　will　pray　every　day；　won't　we；　grandfather；　and　never　forget　Him　again；　or　else　He　may　forget　us。〃

〃And　supposing　one　does　forget　Him？〃　said　the　grandfather　in　a　low　voice。

〃Then　everything　goes　wrong；　for　God　lets　us　then　go　where　we　like；　and　when　we　get　poor　and　miserable　and　begin　to　cry　about　it　no　one　pities　us；　but　they　say；　You　ran　away　from　God；　and　so　God；　who　could　have　helped　you；　left　you　to　yourself。〃

〃That　is　true；　Heidi；　where　did　you　learn　that？〃

〃From　grandmamma；　she　explained　it　all　to　me。〃

The　grandfather　walked　on　for　a　little　while　without　speaking；　then　he　said；　as　if　following　his　own　train　of　thought：　〃And　if　it　once　is　so；　it　is　so　always；　no　one　can　go　back；　and　he　whom　God　has；　forgotten；　is　forgotten　for　ever。〃

〃Oh；　no；　grandfather；　we　can　go　back；　for　grandmamma　told　me　so；　and　so　it　was　in　the　beautiful　tale　in　my　bookbut　you　have　not　heard　that　yet；　but　we　shall　be　home　directly　now；　and　then　I　will　read　it　you；　and　you　will　see　how　beautiful　it　is。〃　And　in　her　eagerness　Heidi　struggled　faster　and　faster　up　the　steep　ascent；　and　they　were　no　sooner　at　the　top　than　she　let　go　her　grandfather's　hand　and　ran　into　the　hut。　The　grandfather　slung　the　basket　off　his　shoulders　in　which　he　had　brought　up　a　part　of　the　contents　of　the　trunk　which　was　too　heavy　to　carry　up　as　it　was。　Then　he　sat　down　on　his　seat　and　began　thinking。

Heidi　soon　came　running　out　with　her　book　under　her　arm。　〃That's　right；　grandfather；〃　she　exclaimed　as　she　saw　he　had　already　taken　his　seat；　and　in　a　second　she　was　beside　him　and　had　her　book　open　at　the　particular　tale；　for　she　had　read　it　so　often　that　the　leaves　fell　open　at　it　of　their　own　accord。　And　now　in　a　sympathetic　voice　Heidi　began　to　read　of　the　son　when　he　was　happily　at　home；　and　went　out　into　the　fields　with　his　father's　flocks；　and　was　dressed　in　a　fine　cloak；　and　stood　leaning　on　his　shepherd's　staff　watching　as　the　sun　went　down；　just　as　he　was　to　be　seen　in　the　picture。　But　then　all　at　once　he　wanted　to　have　his　own　goods　and　money　and　to　be　his　own　master；　and　so　he　asked　his　father　to　give　him　his　portion；　and　he　left　his　home　and　went　and　wasted　all　his　substance。　And　when　he　had　nothing　left　he　hired　himself　out　to　a　master　who　had　no　flocks　and　fields　like　his　father；　but　only　swine　to　keep；　and　so　he　was　obliged　to　watch　these；　and　he　only　had　rags　to　wear　and　a　few　husks　to　eat　such　as　the　swine　fed　upon。　And　then　he　thought　of　his　old　happy　life　at　home　and　of　how　kindly　his　father　had　treated　him　and　how　ungrateful　he　had　been；　and　he　wept　for　sorrow　and　longing。　And　he　thought　to　himself；　〃I　will　arise　and　go　to　my　father；　and　will　say　to　him；　'Father；　I　am　not　worthy　to　be　called　thy　son；　make　me　as　one　of　thy　hired　servants。'　〃　And　when　he　was　yet　a　great　way　off　his　father　saw　him　。　。　。　Here　Heidi　paused　in　her　reading。　〃What　do　you　think　happens　now；　grandfather？〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　think　the　father　is　still　angry　and　will　say　to　him；　'I　told　you　so！'　Well；　listen　now　to　what　comes　next。〃　His　father　saw　him；　and　had　compassion；　and　ran；　and　fell　on　his　neck　and　kissed　him。　And　the　son　said　to　him；　〃Father；　I　have　sinned　against　heaven　and　in　thy　sight；　and　am　no　more　worthy　to　be　called　thy　son。〃　But　the　father　said　to　his　servants；　〃Bring　forth　the　best　robe；　and　put　it　on　him；　and　put　a　ring　on　his　hand　and　shoes　on　his　feet：　and　bring　hither　the　fatted　calf　and　kill　it；　and　let　us　eat　and　be　merry；　for　this　my　son　was　dead　and　is　alive　again；　he　was　lost　and　is　found。　And　they　began　to　be　merry。〃

〃Isn't　that　a　beautiful　tale；　grandfather；〃　said　Heidi；　as　the　latter　continued　to　sit　without　speaking；　for　she　had　expected　him　to　express　pleasure　and　astonishment。

〃You　are　right；　Heidi；　it　is　a　beautiful　tale；〃　he　replied；　but　he　looked　so　grave　as　he　said　it　that　Heidi　grew　silent　herself　and　sat　looking　quietly　at　her　pictures。　Presently　she　pushed　her　book　gently　in　front　of　him　and　said；　〃See　how　happy　he　is　there；〃　and　she　pointed　with　her　finger　to　the　figure　of　the　returned　prodigal；　who　was　standing　by　his　father　clad　in　fresh　raiment　as　one　of　his　own　sons　again。

A　few　hours　later；　as　Heidi　lay　fast　asleep　in　her　bed；　the　grandfather　went　up　the　ladder　and　put　his　lamp　down　near　her　bed　so　that　the　light　fell　on　the　sleeping　child。　Her　hands　were　still　folded　as　if　she　had　fallen　asleep　saying　her　prayers；　an　expression　of　peace　and　trust　lay　on　the　little　face；　and　something　in　it　seemed　to　appeal　to　the　grandfather；　for　he　stood　a　long　time　gazing　down　at　her　without　speaking。　At　last　he　too　folded　his　hands；　and　with　bowed　head　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Father；　I　have　sinned　against　heaven　and　before　thee　and　am　not　worthy　to　be　called　thy　son。〃　And　two　large　tears　rolled　down　the　old　man's　cheeks。

Early　the　next　morning　he　stood　in　front　of　his　hut　and　gazed　quietly　around　him。　The　fresh　bright　morning　sun　lay　on　mountain　and　valley。　The　sound　of　a　few　early　bells　rang　up　from　the　valley；　and　the　birds　were　singing　their　morning　song　in　the　fir　trees。　He　stepped　back　into　the　hut　and　called　up；　〃Come　along；　Heidi！　the　sun　is　up！　Put　on　your　best　frock；　for　we　are　going　to　church　together！〃

Heidi　was　not　long　getting　ready；　it　was　such　an　unusual　summons　from　her　grandfather　that　she　must　make　haste。　She　put　on　her　smart　Frankfurt　dress　and　soon　went　down；　but　when　she　saw　her　grandfather　she　stood　still；　gazing　at　him　in　astonishment。　〃Why；　grandfather！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　never　saw　you　look　like　that　before！　and　the　coat　with　the　silver　buttons！　Oh；　you　do　look　nice　in　your　Sunday　coat！〃

The　old　man　smiled　and　replied；　〃And　you　too；　now　come　along！〃　He　took　Heidi's　hand　in　his　and　together　they　walked　down　the　mountain　side。　The　bells　were　ringing　in　every　direction　now；　sounding　louder　and　fuller　as　they　neared　the　valley；　and　Heidi　listened　to　them　with　delight。　〃Hark　at　them；　grandfather！　it's　like　a　great　festival！〃

The　congregation　had　already　assembled　and　the　singing　had　begun　when　Heidi　and　her　grandfather　entered　the　church　at　Dorfli　and　sat　down　at　the　back。　But　before　the　hymn　was　over　every　one　was　nudging　his　neighbor　and　whispering；　〃Do　you　see？　Alm…Uncle　is　in　church！〃

Soon　everybody　in　the　church　knew　of　Alm…Uncle's　presence；　and　the　women　kept　on　turning　round　to　look　and　quite　lost　their　place　in　the　singing。　But　everybody　became　more　attentive　when　the　sermon　began；　for　the　preacher　spoke　with　such　warmth　and　thankfulness　that　those　present　felt　the　effect　of　his　words；　as　if　some　great　joy　had　come　to　them　all。　At　the　close　of　the　service　Alm…Uncle　took　Heidi　by　the　hand；　and　on　leaving　the　church　made　his　way　towards　the　pastor's　house；　the　rest　of　the　congregation　looked　curiously　after　him；　some　even　following　to　see　whether　he　went　inside　the　pastor's　house；　which　he　did。　Then　they　collected　in　groups　and　talked　over　this　strange　event；　keeping　their　eyes　on　the　pastor's　door；　watching　to　see　whether　Alm…Uncle　came　out　looking　angry　and　quarrelsome；　or　as　if　the　interview