heidi-第43章

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；　knew　how　to　mend　matters。　As　soon　as　he　made　up　his　mind　to　spend　the　winter　in　Dorfli；　he　rented　the　old　place　and　worked　during　the　autumn　to　get　it　sound　and　tight。　In　the　middle　of　October　he　and　Heidi　took　up　their　residence　there。

On　approaching　the　house　from　the　back　one　came　first　into　an　open　space　with　a　wall　on　either　side；　of　which　one　was　half　in　ruins。　Above　this　rose　the　arch　of　an　old　window　thickly　overgrown　with　ivy；　which　spread　over　the　remains　of　a　domed　roof　that　had　evidently　been　part　of　a　chapel。　A　large　hall　came　next；　which　lay　open；　without　doors；　to　the　square　outside。　Here　also　walls　and　roof　only　partially　remained；　and　indeed　what　was　left　of　the　roof　looked　as　if　it　might　fall　at　any　minute　had　it　not　been　for　two　stout　pillars　that　supported　it。　Alm…Uncle　had　here　put　up　a　wooden　partition　and　covered　the　floor　with　straw；　for　this　was　to　be　the　goats'　house。　Endless　passages　led　from　this；　through　the　rents　of　which　the　sky　as　well　as　the　fields　and　the　road　outside　could　be　seen　at　intervals；　but　at　last　one　came　to　a　stout　oak　door　that　led　into　a　room　that　still　stood　intact。　Here　the　walls　and　the　dark　wainscoting　remained　as　good　as　ever；　and　in　the　corner　was　an　immense　stove　reaching　nearly　to　the　ceiling；　on　the　white　tiles　of　which　were　painted　large　pictures　in　blue。　These　represented　old　castles　surrounded　with　trees；　and　huntsmen　riding　out　with　their　hounds；　or　else　a　quiet　lake　scene；　with　broad　oak　trees　and　a　man　fishing。　A　seat　ran　all　round　the　stove　so　that　one　could　sit　at　one's　ease　and　study　the　pictures。　These　attracted　Heidi's　attention　at　once；　and　she　had　no　sooner　arrived　with　her　grandfather　than　she　ran　and　seated　herself　and　began　to　examine　them。　But　when　she　had　gradually　worked　herself　round　to　the　back；　something　else　diverted　her　attention。　In　the　large　space　between　the　stove　and　the　wall　four　planks　had　been　put　together　as　if　to　make　a　large　receptacle　for　apples；　there　were　no　apples；　however；　inside；　but　something　Heidi　had　no　difficulty　in　recognising；　for　it　was　her　very　own　bed；　with　its　hay　mattress　and　sheets；　and　sack　for　a　coverlid；　just　as　she　had　it　up　at　the　hut。　Heidi　clapped　her　hands　for　joy　and　exclaimed；　〃O　grandfather；　this　is　my　room；　how　nice！　But　where　are　you　going　to　sleep？〃

〃Your　room　must　be　near　the　stove　or　you　will　freeze；〃　he　replied；　〃but　you　can　come　and　see　mine　too。〃

Heidi　got　down　and　skipped　across　the　large　room　after　her　grandfather；　who　opened　a　door　at　the　farther　end　leading　into　a　smaller　one　which　was　to　be　his　bedroom。　Then　came　another　door。　Heidi　pushed　it　open　and　stood　amazed；　for　here　was　an　immense　room　like　a　kitchen；　larger　than　anything　of　the　kind　that　Heidi　had　seen　before。　There　was　still　plenty　of　work　for　the　grandfather　before　this　room　could　be　finished；　for　there　were　holes　and　cracks　in　the　walls　through　which　the　wind　whistled；　and　yet　he　had　already　nailed　up　so　many　new　planks　that　it　looked　as　if　a　lot　of　small　cupboards　had　been　set　up　round　the　room。　He　had；　however；　made　the　large　old　door　safe　with　many　screws　and　nails；　as　a　protection　against　the　outside　air；　and　this　was　very　necessary；　for　just　beyond　was　a　mass　of　ruined　buildings　overgrown　with　tall　weeds；　which　made　a　dwelling…place　for　endless　beetles　and　lizards。

Heidi　was　very　delighted　with　her　new　home；　and　by　the　morning　after　their　arrival　she　knew　every　nook　and　corner　so　thoroughly　that　she　could　take　Peter　over　it　and　show　him　all　that　was　to　be　seen；　indeed　she　would　not　let　him　go　till　he　had　examined　every　single　wonderful　thing　contained　in　it。

Heidi　slept　soundly　in　her　corner　by　the　stove；　but　every　morning　when　she　first　awoke　she　still　thought　she　was　on　the　mountain；　and　that　she　must　run　outside　at　once　to　see　if　the　fir　trees　were　so　quiet　because　their　branches　were　weighed　down　with　the　thick　snow。　She　had　to　look　about　her　for　some　minutes　before　she　felt　quite　sure　where　she　was；　and　a　certain　sensation　of　trouble　and　oppression　would　come　over　her　as　she　grew　aware　that　she　was　not　at　home　in　the　hut。　But　then　she　would　hear　her　grandfather's　voice　outside；　attending　to　the　goats；　and　these　would　give　one　or　two　loud　bleats；　as　if　calling　to　her　to　make　haste　and　go　to　them；　and　then　Heidi　was　happy　again；　for　she　knew　she　was　still　at　home；　and　she　would　jump　gladly　out　of　bed　and　run　out　to　the　animals　as　quickly　as　she　could。　On　the　fourth　morning；　as　soon　as　she　saw　her　grandfather；　she　said；　〃I　must　go　up　to　see　grandmother　to…day；　she　ought　not　to　be　alone　so　long。〃

But　the　grandfather　would　not　agree　to　this。　〃Neither　to…day　nor　to…morrow　can　you　go；〃　he　said；　〃the　mountain　is　covered　fathom…deep　in　snow；　and　the　snow　is　still　falling；　the　sturdy　Peter　can　hardly　get　along。　A　little　creature　like　you　would　soon　be　smothered　by　it；　and　we　should　not　be　able　to　find　you　again。　Wait　a　bit　till　it　freezes；　then　you　will　be　able　to　walk　over　the　hard　snow。〃

Heidi　did　not　like　the　thought　of　having　to　wait；　but　the　days　were　so　busy　that　she　hardly　knew　how　they　went　by。

Heidi　now　went　to　school　in　Dorfli　every　morning　and　afternoon；　and　eagerly　set　to　work　to　learn　all　that　was　taught　her。　She　hardly　ever　saw　Peter　there；　for　as　a　rule　he　was　absent。　The　teacher　was　an　easy…going　man　who　merely　remarked　now　and　then；　〃Peter　is　not　turning　up　to…day　again；　it　seems；　but　there　is　a　lot　of　snow　up　on　the　mountain　and　I　daresay　he　cannot　get　along。〃　Peter；　however；　always　seemed　able　to　make　his　way　through　the　snow　in　the　evening　when　school　was　over；　and　he　then　generally　paid　Heidi　a　visit。

At　last；　after　some　days；　the　sun　again　appeared　and　shone　brightly　over　the　white　ground；　but　he　went　to　bed　again　behind　the　mountains　at　a　very　early　hour；　as　if　he　did　not　find　such　pleasure　in　looking　down　on　the　earth　as　when　everything　was　green　and　flowery。　But　then　the　moon　came　out　clear　and　large　and　lit　up　the　great　white　snowfield　all　through　the　night；　and　the　next　morning　the　whole　mountain　glistened　and　sparkled　like　a　huge　crystal。　When　Peter　got　out　of　his　window　as　usual；　he　was　taken　by　surprise；　for　instead　of　sinking　into　the　soft　snow　he　fell　on　the　hard　ground　and　went　sliding　some　way　down　the　mountain　side　like　a　sleigh　before　he　could　stop　himself。　He　picked　himself　up　and　tested　the　hardness　of　the　ground　by　stamping　on　it　and　trying　with　all　his　might　to　dig　his　heels　into　it；　but　even　then　he　could　not　break　off　a　single　little　splinter　of　ice；　the　Alm　was　frozen　hard　as　iron。　This　was　just　what　Peter　had　been　hoping　for；　as　he　knew　now　that　Heidi　would　be　able　to　come　up　to　them。　He　quickly　got　back　into　the　house；　swallowed　the　milk　which　his　mother　had　put　ready　for　him；　thrust　a　piece　of　bread　in　his　pocket；　and　said；　〃I　must　be　off　to　school。〃　〃That's　right；　go　and　learn　all　you　can；〃　said　the　grandmother　encouragingly。　Peter　crept　through　the　window　againthe　door　was　quite　blocked　by　the　frozen　snow　outsidepulling　his　little　sleigh　after　him；　and　in　another　minute　was　shooting　down　the　mountain。

He　went　like　lightning；　and　when　he　reached　Dorfli；　which　stood　on　the　direct　road　to　Mayenfeld；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　go　on　further；　for　he　was　sure　he　could　not　stop　his　rapid　descent　without　hurting　himself　and　the　sleigh　too。　So　down　he　still　went　till　he　reached　the　level　ground；　where　the　sleigh　came　to　a　pause　of　its　own　accord。　Then　he　got　out　and　looked　round。　The　impetus　with　which　he　had　made　his　journey　down　had　carried　him　some　little　way　beyond　Mayenfeld。　He　bethought　himself　that　it　was　too　late　to　get　to　school　now；　as　lessons　would　already　have　begun；　and　it　would　take　him　a　good　hour　to　walk　back　to　Dorfli。　So　he　might　take　his　time　about　returning；　which　he　did；　and　reached　Dorfli　just　as　Heidi　had　got　home　from　school　and　was　sitting　at　dinner　with　her　grandfather。　Peter　walked　in；　and　as　on　this　occasion　he　had　something　particular　to　communicate；　he　began　without　a　pause；　exclaiming　as　he　stood　still　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　〃She's　got　it　now。〃

〃Got　it？　what？〃　asked　the　Uncle。　〃Your　words　sound　quite　warlike；　general。〃

〃The　frost；〃　explained　Peter。

〃Oh！　then　now　I　can　go　and　see　grandmother！〃　said　Heidi　joyfully；　for　she　had　understo