heidi-第51章

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ther。〃

The　latter　at　that　moment　appeared　coming　from　the　goat　shed　and　bringing　two　small　foaming　bowls　of　snow…white　milkone　for　Clara　and　one　for　Heidi。

〃That　will　do　the　little　daughter　good；〃　he　said；　nodding　to　Clara；　〃it　is　from　Little　Swan　and　will　make　her　strong。　To　your　health；　child！　drink　it　up。〃

Clara　had　never　tasted　goat's　milk　before；　she　hesitated　and　smelt　it　before　putting　it　to　her　lips；　but　seeing　how　Heidi　drank　hers　up　without　hesitating；　and　how　much　she　seemed　to　like　it；　Clara　did　the　same；　and　drank　till　there　was　not　a　drop　left；　for　she　too　found　it　delicious；　tasting　just　as　if　sugar　and　cinnamon　had　been　mixed　with　it。

〃To…morrow　we　will　drink　two；〃　said　the　grandfather；　who　had　looked　on　with　satisfaction　at　seeing　her　follow　Heidi's　example。

Peter　now　arrived　with　the　goats；　and　while　Heidi　was　receiving　her　usual　crowded　morning　greetings；　Uncle　drew　Peter　aside　to　speak　to　him；　for　the　goats；　bleated　so　loudly　and　continuously　in　their　wish　to　express　their　joy　and　affection　that　no　one　could　be　heard　near　them。

〃Attend　to　what　I　have　to　say；〃　he　said。　〃From　to…day　be　sure　you　let　Little　Swan　go　where　she　likes。　She　has　an　instinct　where　to　find　the　best　food　for　herself；　and　so　if　she　wants　to　climb　higher；　you　follow　her；　and　it　will　do　the　others　no　harm　if　they　go　too；　on　no　account　bring　her　back。　A　little　more　climbing　won't　hurt　you；　and　in　this　matter　she　probably　knows　better　than　you　what　is　good　for　her；　I　want　her　to　give　as　fine　milk　as　possible。　Why　are　you　looking　over　there　as　if　you　wanted　to　eat　somebody？　Nobody　will　interfere　with　you。　So　now　be　off　and　remember　what　I　say。〃

Peter　was　accustomed　to　give　immediate　obedience　to　Uncle；　and　he　marched　off　with　his　goats；　but　with　a　turn　of　the　head　and　roll　of　the　eye　that　showed　he　had　some　thought　in　reserve。　The　goats　carried　Heidi　along　with　them　a　little　way；　which　was　what　Peter　wanted。　〃You　will　have　to　come　with　them；〃　he　called　to　her；　〃for　I　shall　be　obliged　to　follow　Little　Swan。〃

〃I　cannot；〃　Heidi　called　back　from　the　midst　of　her　friends；　〃and　I　shall　not　be　able　to　come　for　a　long；　long　timenot　as　long　as　Clara　is　with　me。　Grandfather；　however；　has　promised　to　go　up　the　mountain　with　both　of　us　one　day。〃

Heidi　had　now　extricated　herself　from　the　goats　and　she　ran　back　to　Clara。　Peter　doubled　his　fists　and　made　threatening　gestures　towards　the　invalid　on　her　couch；　and　then　climbed　up　some　distance　without　pause　until　he　was　out　of　sight；　for　he　was　afraid　Uncle　might　have　seen　him；　and　he　did　not　care　to　know　what　Uncle　might　have　thought　of　the　fists。

Clara　and　Heidi　had　made　so　many　plans　for　themselves　that　they　hardly　knew　where　to　begin。　Heidi　suggested　that　they　should　first　write　to　grandmamma；　to　whom　they　had　promised　to　send　word　every　day；　for　grandmamma　had　not　felt　sure　whether　it　would　in　the　long　run　suit　Clara's　health　to　remain　up　the　mountain；　or　if　she　would　continue　to　enjoy　herself　there。　With　daily　news　of　her　granddaughter　she　could　stay　on　without　anxiety　at　Ragatz；　and　be　ready　to　go　to　Clara　at　a　moment's　notice。

〃Must　we　go　indoors　to　write？〃　asked　Clara；　who　agreed　to　Heidi's　proposal　but　did　not　want　to　move　from　where　she　was；　as　it　was　so　much　nicer　outside。　Heidi　was　prepared　to　arrange　everything。　She　ran　in　and　brought　out　her　school…book　and　writing　things　and　her　own　little　stool。　She　put　her　reading　book　and　copy　book　on　Clara's　knees；　to　make　a　desk　for　her　to　write　upon；　and　she　herself　took　her　seat　on　the　stool　and　sat　to　the　bench；　and　then　they　both　began　writing　to　grandmamma。　But　Clara　paused　after　every　sentence　to　look　about　her；　it　was　too　beautiful　for　much　letter　writing。　The　breeze　had　sunk　a　little；　and　now　only　gently　fanned　her　face　and　whispered　lightly　through　the　fir　trees。　Little　winged　insects　hummed　and　danced　around　her　in　the　clear　air；　and　a　great　stillness　lay　over　the　far；　wide；　sunny　pasture　lands。　Lofty　and　silent　rose　the　high　mountain　peaks　above　her；　and　below　lay　the　whole　broad　valley　full　of　quiet　peace。　Only　now　and　again　the　call　of　some　shepherd…boy　rang　out　through　the　air；　and　echo　answered　softly　from　the　rocks。　The　morning　passed；　the　children　hardly　knew　how；　and　now　grandfather　came　with　the　mid…day　bowls　of　steaming　milk；　for　the　little　daughter；　he　said；　was　to　remain　out　as　long　as　there　was　a　gleam　of　sun　in　the　sky。　The　mid…day　meal　was　set　out　and　eaten　as　yesterday　in　the　open　air。　Then　Heidi　pushed　Clara's　chair　under　the　fir　trees；　for　they　had　agreed　to　spend　the　afternoon　under　their　shade　and　there　tell　each　other　all　that　had　happened　since　Heidi　left　Frankfurt。　If　everything　had　gone　on　there　as　usual　in　a　general　way；　there　were　still　all　kinds　of　particular　things　to　tell　Heidi　about　the　various　people　who　composed　the　Sesemann　household；　and　who　were　all　so　well　known　to　Heidi。

So　they　sat　and　chatted　under　the　trees；　and　the　more　lively　grew　their　conversation；　the　more　loudly　sang　the　birds　overhead；　as　if　wishing　to　take　part　in　the　children's　gossip；　which　evidently　pleased　them。　So　the　hours　flew　by　and　all　at　once；　as　it　seemed；　the　evening　had　come　with　the　returning　Peter；　who　still　scowled　and　looked　angry。

〃Good…night；　Peter；〃　called　out　Heidi；　as　she　saw　he　had　no　intention　of　stopping　to　speak。

〃Good…night；　Peter；〃　called　out　Clara　in　a　friendly　voice。　Peter　took　no　notice　and　went　surlily　on　with　his　goats；

As　Clara　saw　the　grandfather　leading　away　Little　Swan　to　milk　her；　she　was　suddenly　taken　with　a　longing　for　another　bowlful　of　the　fragrant　milk；　and　waited　impatiently　for　it。

〃Isn't　it　curious；　Heidi；〃　she　said；　astonished　at　herself；　〃as　long　as　I　can　remember　I　have　only　eaten　because　I　was　obliged　to；　and　everything　used　to　seem　to　taste　of　cod　liver　oil；　and　I　was　always　wishing　there　was　no　need　to　eat　or　drink；　and　now　I　am　longing　for　grandfather　to　bring　me　the　milk。〃

〃Yes；　I　know　what　it　feels　like；〃　replied　Heidi；　who　remembered　the　many　days　in　Frankfurt　when　all　her　food　used　to　seem　to　stick　in　her　throat。　Clara；　however；　could　not　understand　it；　the　fact　was　that　she　had　never　in　her　life　before　spent　a　whole　day　in　the　open　air；　much　less　in　such　high；　life…giving　mountain　air。　When　grandfather　at　last　brought　her　the　evening　milk；　she　drank　it　up　so　quickly　that　she　had　emptied　her　bowl　before　Heidi；　and　then　she　asked　for　a　little　more。　The　grandfather　went　inside　with　both　the　children's　bowls；　and　when　he　brought　them　out　again　full　he　had　something　else　to　add　to　their　supper。　He　had　walked　over　that　afternoon　to　a　herdsman's　house　where　the　sweetly…tasting　butter　was　made；　and　had　brought　home　a　large　pat；　some　of　which　he　had　now　spread　thickly　on　two　good　slices　of　bread。　He　stood　and　watched　with　pleasure　while　Clara　and　Heidi　ate　their　appetising　meal　with　childish　hunger　and　enjoyment。

That　night；　when　Clara　lay　down　in　her　bed　and　prepared　to　watch　the　stars；　her　eyes　would　not　keep　open；　and　she　fell　asleep　as　soon　as　Heidi　and　slept　soundly　all　nighta　thing　she　never　remembered　having　done　before。　The　following　day　and　the　day　after　passed　in　the　same　pleasant　fashion；　and　the　third　day　there　came　a　surprise　for　the　children。　Two　stout　porters　came　up　the　mountain；　each　carrying　a　bed　on　his　shoulders　with　bedding　of　all　kinds　and　two　beautiful　new　white　coverlids。　The　men　also　had　a　letter　with　them　from　grandmamma；　in　which　she　said　that　these　were　for　Clara　and　Heidi；　and　that　Heidi　in　future　was　always　to　sleep　in　a　proper　bed；　and　when　she　went　down　to　Dorfli　in　the　winter　she　was　to　take　one　with　her　and　leave　the　other　at　the　hut；　so　that　Clara　might　always　know　there　was　a　bed　ready　for　her　when　she　paid　a　visit　to　the　mountain。　She　went　on　to　thank　the　children　for　their　long　letters　and　encouraged　them　to　continue　writing　daily；　so　that　she　might　be　able　to　picture　all　they　were　doing。

So　the　grandfather　went　up　and　threw　back　the　hay　from　Heidi's　bed　on　to　the　great　heap；　and　then　with　his　help　the　beds　were　transported　to　the　loft。　He　put　them　close　to　one　another　so　that　the　children　might　still　be　able　to　see　out　of　the　window；　for　he　knew　what　pleasure　they　had　in　the　light　from　the　sun　and　stars。

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