heidi-第41章

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mn　day。　The　great　snow…field　sparkled　in　the　bright　sunlight；　and　the　two　grey　rocky　peaks　rose　in　their　ancient　majesty　against　the　dark　blue　sky。　A　soft；　light　morning　breeze　blew　deliciously　across　the　mountain；　gently　stirring　the　bluebells　that　still　remained　of　the　summer's　wealth　of　flowers；　their　slender　heads　nodding　cheerfully　in　the　sunshine。　Overhead　the　great　bird　was　flying　round　and　round　in　wide　circles；　but　to…day　he　made　no　sound；　poised　on　his　large　wings　he　floated　contentedly　in　the　blue　ether。　Heidi　looked　about　her　first　at　one　thing　and　then　at　another。　The　waving　flowers；　the　blue　sky；　the　bright　sunshine；　the　happy　birdeverything　was　so　beautiful！　so　beautiful！　Her　eyes　were　alight　with　joy。　And　now　she　turned　to　her　friend　to　see　if　he　too　were　enjoying　the　beauty。　The　doctor　had　been　sitting　thoughtfully　gazing　around　him。　As　he　met　her　glad　bright　eyes；　〃Yes；　Heidi；〃　he　responded；　〃I　see　how　lovely　it　all　is；　but　tell　meif　one　brings　a　sad　heart　up　here；　how　may　it　be　healed　so　that　it　can　rejoice　in　all　this　beauty？〃

〃Oh；　but；〃　exclaimed　Heidi；　〃no　one　is　sad　up　here；　only　in　Frankfurt。〃

The　doctor　smiled　and　then　growing　serious　again　he　continued；　〃But　supposing　one　is　not　able　to　leave　all　the　sadness　behind　at　Frankfurt；　can　you　tell　me　anything　that　will　help　then？〃

〃When　you　do　not　know　what　more　to　do　you　must　go　and　tell　everything　to　God；〃　answered　Heidi　with　decision。

〃Ah；　that　is　a　good　thought　of　yours；　Heidi；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃But　if　it　is　God　Himself　who　has　sent　the　trouble；　what　can　we　say　to　Him　then？〃

Heidi　sat　pondering　for　a　while；　she　was　sure　in　her　heart　that　God　could　help　out　of　every　trouble。　She　thought　over　her　own　experiences　and　then　found　her　answer。

〃Then　you　must　wait；〃　she　said；　〃and　keep　on　saying　to　yourself：　God　certainly　knows　of　some　happiness　for　us　which　He　is　going　to　bring　out　of　the　trouble；　only　we　must　have　patience　and　not　run　away。　And　then　all　at　once　something　happens　and　we　see　clearly　ourselves　that　God　has　had　some　good　thought　in　His　mind　all　along；　but　because　we　cannot　see　things　beforehand；　and　only　know　how　dreadfully　miserable　we　are；　we　think　it　is　always　going　to　be　so。〃

〃That　is　a　beautiful　faith；　child；　and　be　sure　you　hold　it　fast；〃　replied　the　doctor。　Then　he　sat　on　a　while　in　silence；　looking　at　the　great　overshadowing　mountains　and　the　green；　sunlit　valley　below　before　he　spoke　again；

〃Can　you　understand；　Heidi；　that　a　man　may　sit　here　with　such　a　shadow　over　his　eyes　that　he　cannot　feel　and　enjoy　the　beauty　around　him；　while　the　heart　grows　doubly　sad　knowing　how　beautiful　it　could　be？　Can　you　understand　that？〃

A　pain　shot　through　the　child's　young　happy　heart。　The　shadow　over　the　eyes　brought　to　her　remembrance　the　grandmother；　who　would　never　again　be　able　to　see　the　sunlight　and　the　beauty　up　here。　This　was　Heidi's　great　sorrow；　which　re…awoke　each　time　she　thought　about　the　darkness。　She　did　not　speak　for　a　few　minutes；　for　her　happiness　was　interrupted　by　this　sudden　pang。　Then　in　a　grave　voice　she　said；

〃Yes；　I　can　understand　it。　And　I　know　this；　that　then　one　must　say　one　of　grandmother's　hymns；　which　bring　the　light　back　a　little；　and　often　make　it　so　bright　for　her　that　she　is　quite　happy　again。　Grandmother　herself　told　me　this。〃

〃Which　hymns　are　they；　Heidi？〃　asked　the　doctor。

〃I　only　know　the　one　about　the　sun　and　the　beautiful　garden；　and　some　of　the　verses　of　the　long　one；　which　are　favorites　with　her；　and　she　always　likes　me　to　read　them　to　her　two　or　three　times　over；〃　replied　Heidi。

〃Well；　say　the　verses　to　me　then；　I　should　like　to　hear　them　too；〃　and　the　doctor　sat　up　in　order　to　listen　better。

Heidi　put　her　hands　together　and　sat　collecting　her　thoughts　for　a　second　or　two：　〃Shall　I　begin　at　the　verse　that　grandmother　says　gives　her　a　feeling　of　hope　and　confidence？〃

The　doctor　nodded　his　assent；　and　Heidi　began；

　Let　not　your　heart　be　troubled　　Nor　fear　your　soul　dismay；　　There　is　a　wise　Defender　　And　He　will　be　your　stay。　　Where　you　have　failed；　He　conquers；　　See；　how　the　foeman　flies！　　And　all　your　tribulation　　Is　turned　to　glad　surprise。

　If　for　a　while　it　seemeth　　His　mercy　is　withdrawn；　　That　He　no　longer　careth　　For　His　wandering　child　forlorn；　　Doubt　not　His　great　compassion；　　His　love　can　never　tire；　　To　those　who　wait　in　patience　　He　gives　their　heart's　desire。


Heidi　suddenly　paused；　she　was　not　sure　if　the　doctor　was　still　listening。　He　was　sitting　motionless　with　his　hand　before　his　eyes。　She　thought　he　had　fallen　asleep；　when　he　awoke；　if　he　wanted　to　hear　more　verses；　she　would　go　on。　There　was　no　sound　anywhere。　The　doctor　sat　in　silence；　but　he　was　certainly　not　asleep。　His　thoughts　had　carried　him　back　to　a　long　past　time：　he　saw　himself　as　a　little　boy　standing　by　his　dear　mother's　chair；　she　had　her　arm　round　his　neck　and　was　saying　the　very　verses　to　him　that　Heidi　had　just　recitedwords　which　he　had　not　heard　now　for　years。　He　could　hear　his　mother's　voice　and　see　her　loving　eyes　resting　upon　him；　and　as　Heidi　ceased　the　old　dear　voice　seemed　to　be　saying　other　things　to　him；　and　the　words　he　heard　again　must　have　carried　him　far；　far　away；　for　it　was　a　long　time　before　he　stirred　or　took　his　hand　from　his　eyes。　When　at　last　he　roused　himself　he　met　Heidi's　eyes　looking　wonderingly　at　him。

〃Heidi；〃　he　said；　taking　the　child's　hand　in　his；　〃that　was　a　beautiful　hymn　of　yours；〃　and　there　was　a　happier　ring　in　his　voice　as　he　spoke。　〃We　will　come　out　here　together　another　day；　and　you　will　let　me　hear　it　again。〃

Peter　meanwhile　had　had　enough　to　do　in　giving　vent　to　his　anger。　It　was　now　some　days　since　Heidi　had　been　out　with　him；　and　when　at　last　she　did　come；　there　she　sat　the　whole　time　beside　the　old　gentleman；　and　Peter　could　not　get　a　word　with　her。　He　got　into　a　terrible　temper；　and　at　last　went　and　stood　some　way　back　behind　the　doctor；　where　the　latter　could　not　see　him；　and　doubling　his　fist　made　imaginary　hits　at　the　enemy。　Presently　he　doubled　both　fists；　and　the　longer　Heidi　stayed　beside　the　gentleman；　the　more　fiercely　did　he　threaten　with　them。

Meanwhile　the　sun　had　risen　to　the　height　which　Peter　knew　pointed　to　the　dinner　hour。　All　of　a　sudden　he　called　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　〃It's　dinner　time。〃

Heidi　was　rising　to　fetch　the　dinner　bag　so　that　the　doctor　might　eat　his　where　he　sat。　But　he　stopped　her；　telling　her　he　was　not　hungry　at　all；　and　only　cared　for　a　glass　of　milk；　as　he　wanted　to　climb　up　a　little　higher。　Then　Heidi　found　that　she　also　was　not　hungry　and　only　wanted　milk；　and　she　should　like；　she　said；　to　take　the　doctor　up　to　the　large　moss…covered　rock　where　Greenfinch　had　nearly　jumped　down　and　killed　herself。　So　she　ran　and　explained　matters　to　Peter；　telling　him　to　go　and　get　milk　for　the　two。　Peter　seemed　hardly　to　understand。　〃Who　is　going　to　eat　what　is　in　the　bag　then？〃　he　asked。

〃You　can　have　it；〃　she　answered；　〃only　first　make　haste　and　get　the　milk。〃

Peter　had　seldom　performed　any　task　more　promptly；　for　he　thought　of　the　bag　and　its　contents；　which　now　belonged　to　him。　As　soon　as　the　other　two　were　sitting　quietly　drinking　their　milk；　he　opened　it；　and　quite　trembled　for　joy　at　the　sight　of　the　meat；　and　he　was　just　putting　his　hand　in　to　draw　it　out　when　something　seemed　to　hold　him　back。　His　conscience　smote　him　at　the　remembrance　of　how　he　had　stood　with　his　doubled　fists　behind　the　doctor；　who　was　now　giving　up　to　him　his　whole　good　dinner。　He　felt　as　if　he　could　not　now　enjoy　it。　But　all　at　once　he　jumped　up　and　ran　back　to　the　spot　where　he　had　stood　before；　and　there　held　up　his　open　hands　as　a　sign　that　he　had　no　longer　any　wish　to　use　them　as　fists；　and　kept　them　up　until　he　felt　he　had　made　amends　for　his　past　conduct。　Then　he　rushed　back　and　sat　down　to　the　double　enjoyment　of　a　clear　conscience　and　an　unusually　satisfying　meal。

Heidi　and　the　doctor　climbed　and　talked　for　a　long　while；　until　the　latter　said　it　was　time　for　him　to　be　going　back；　and　no　doubt　Heidi　would　like　to　go　and　be　with　her　goats。　But　Heidi　would　not　hear　of　this；　as　then　the　doctor　would　have　to　go　the　whole　way　down　the　mountain　alone。　She　insisted　on　accompanying　him　as　far　as　the　grandfather's　hut