heidi-第54章

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on't　you　think　I　could？〃　Clara　looked　at　her　and　shook　her　head。　〃Why；　Heidi；　what　can　you　be　thinking　of！　you　are　smaller　than　I　am。　Oh；　if　only　I　could　walk！〃

Heidi　looked　round　as　if　in　search　of　something；　some　new　idea　had　evidently　come　into　her　head。　Peter　was　sitting　up　above　looking　down　on　the　two　children。　He　had　been　sitting　and　staring　before　him　in　the　same　way　for　hours；　as　if　he　could　not　make　out　what　he　saw。　He　had　destroyed　the　chair　so　that　the　friend　might　not　be　able　to　move　anywhere　and　that　her　visit　might　come　to　an　end；　and　then　a　little　while　after　she　had　appeared　right　up　here　under　his　very　nose　with　Heidi　beside　her。　He　thought　his　eyes　must　deceive　him；　and　yet　there　she　was　and　no　mistake　about　it。

Heidi　now　looked　up　to　where　he　was　sitting　and　called　out　in　a　peremptory　voice；　〃Peter；　come　down　here！〃

〃I　don't　wish　to　come；〃　he　called　in　reply。

〃But　you　are　to；　you　must；　I　cannot　do　it　alone；　and　you　must　come　here　and　help　me；　make　haste　and　come　down；〃　she　called　again　in　an　urgent　voice；

〃I　shall　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　was　the　answer。

Heidi　ran　some　way　up　the　slope　towards　him；　and　then　pausing　called　again；　her　eyes　ablaze　with　anger；　〃If　you　don't　come　at　once；　Peter；　I　will　do　something　to　you　that　you　won't　like；　I　mean　what　I　say。〃

Peter　felt　an　inward　throe　at　these　words；　and　a　great　fear　seized　him。　He　had　done　something　wicked　which　he　wanted　no　one　to　know　about；　and　so　far　he　had　thought　himself　safe。　But　now　Heidi　spoke　exactly　as　if　she　knew　everything；　and　whatever　she　did　know　she　would　tell　her　grandfather；　and　there　was　no　one　he　feared　so　much　as　this　latter　person。　Supposing　he　were　to　suspect　what　had　happened　about　the　chair！　Peter's　anguish　of　mind　grew　more　acute。　He　stood　up　and　went　down　to　where　Heidi　was　awaiting　him。

〃I　am　coming　and　you　won't　do　what　you　said。〃

Peter　appeared　now　so　submissive　with　fear　that　Heidi　felt　quite　sorry　for　him　and　answered　assuringly；　〃No；　no；　of　course　not；　come　along　with　me；　there　is　nothing　to　be　afraid　of　in　what　I　want　you　to　do。〃

As　soon　as　they　got　to　Clara；　Heidi　gave　her　orders：　Peter　was　to　take　hold　of　her　under　the　arms　on　one　side　and　she　on　the　other；　and　together　they　were　to　lift　her　up。　This　first　movement　was　successfully　carried　through；　but　then　came　the　difficulty。　As　Clara　could　not　even　stand；　how　were　they　to　support　her　and　get　her　along？　Heidi　was　too　small　for　her　arm　to　serve　Clara　to　lean　upon。

〃You　must　put　one　arm　well　around　my　neck　so；　and　put　the　other　through　Peter's　and　lean　firmly　upon　it；　then　we　shall　be　able　to　carry　you。〃

Peter；　however；　had　never　given　his　arm　to　any　one　in　his　life。　Clara　put　hers　in　his；　but　he　kept　his　own　hanging　down　straight　beside　him　like　a　stick。

〃That's　not　the　way；　Peter；〃　said　Heidi　in　an　authoritative　voice。　〃You　must　put　your　arm　out　in　the　shape　of　a　ring；　and　Clara　must　put　hers　through　it　and　lean　her　weight　upon　you；　and　whatever　you　do；　don't　let　your　arm　give　way；　like　that。　I　am　sure　we　shall　be　able　to　manage。〃

Peter　did　as　he　was　told；　but　still　they　did　not　get　on　very　well。　Clara　was　not　such　a　light　weight；　and　the　team　did　not　match　very　well　in　size；　it　was　up　one　side　and　down　the　other；　so　that　the　supports　were　rather　wobbly。

Clara　tried　to　use　her　own　feet　a　little；　but　each　time　drew　them　quickly　back。

〃Put　your　foot　down　firmly　once；〃　suggested　Heidi；　〃I　am　sure　it　will　hurt　you　less　after　that。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃　said　Clara　hesitatingly；　but　she　followed　Heidi's　advice　and　ventured　one　firm　step　on　the　ground　and　then　another；　she　called　out　a　little　as　she　did　it；　then　she　lifted　her　foot　again　and　went　on；　〃Oh；　that　was　less　painful　already；〃　she　exclaimed　joyfully。

〃Try　again；〃　said　Heidi　encouragingly。

And　Clara　went　on　putting　one　foot　out　after　another　until　all　at　once　she　called　out；　〃I　can　do　it；　Heidi！　look！　look！　I　can　make　proper　steps！〃　And　Heidi　cried　out　with　even　greater　delight；　〃Can　you　really　make　steps；　can　you　really　walk？　really　walk　by　yourself？　Oh；　if　only　grandfather　were　here！〃　and　she　continued　gleefully　to　exclaim；　〃You　can　walk　now；　Clara；　you　can　walk！〃

Clara　still　held　on　firmly　to　her　supports；　but　with　every　step　she　felt　safer　on　her　feet；　as　all　three　became　aware；　and　Heidi　was　beside　herself　with　joy。

〃Now　we　shall　be　able　to　come　up　here　together　every　day；　and　go　just　where　we　like；　and　you　will　be　able　all　your　life　to　walk　about　as　I　do；　and　not　have　to　be　pushed　in　a　chair；　and　you　will　get　quite　strong　and　well。　It　is　the　greatest　happiness　we　could　have　had！〃

And　Clara　heartily　agreed；　for　she　could　think　of　no　greater　joy　in　the　world　than　to　be　strong　and　able　to　go　about　like　other　people；　and　no　longer　to　have　to　lie　from　day　to　day　in　her　invalid　chair。

They　had　not　far　to　go　to　reach　the　field　of　flowers；　and　could　already　catch　sight　of　the　cistus　flowers　glowing　gold　in　the　sun。　As　they　came　to　the　bushes　of　the　blue　bell　flowers；　with　sunny；　inviting　patches　of　warm　ground　between　them；　Clara　said；　〃Mightn't　we　sit　down　here　for　a　while？〃

This　was　just　what　Heidi　enjoyed；　and　so　the　children　sat　down　in　the　midst　of　the　flowers；　Clara　for　the　first　time　on　the　dry；　warm　mountain　grass；　and　she　found　it　indescribably　delightful。　Around　her　were　the　blue　flowers　softly　waving　to　and　fro；　and　beyond　the　gleaming　patches　of　the　cistus　flowers　and　the　red　centaury；　while　the　sweet　scent　of　the　brown　blossoms　and　of　the　fragrant　prunella　enveloped　her　as　she　sat。　Everything　was　so　lovely！　so　lovely！　And　Heidi；　who　was　beside　her；　thought　she　had　never　seen　it　so　perfectly　beautiful　up　here　before；　and　she　did　not　know　herself　why　she　felt　so　glad　at　heart　that　she　longed　to　shout　for　joy。　Then　she　suddenly　remembered　that　Clara　was　cured；　that　was　the　crowning　delight　of　all　that　made　life　so　delightful　in　the　midst　of　all　this　surrounding　beauty。　Clara　sat　silent；　overcome　with　the　enchantment　of　all　that　her　eye　rested　upon；　and　with　the　anticipation　of　all　the　happiness　that　was　now　before　her。　There　seemed　hardly　room　in　her　heart　for　all　her　joyful　emotions；　and　these　and　the　ecstasy　aroused　by　the　sunlight　and　the　scent　of　the　flowers；　held　her　dumb。

Peter　also　lay　among　the　flowers　without　moving　or　speaking；　for　he　was　fast　asleep。　The　breeze　came　blowing　softly　and　caressingly　from　behind　the　sheltering　rocks；　and　passed　whisperingly　through　the　bushes　overhead。　Heidi　got　up　now　and　then　to　run　about；　for　the　flowers　waving　in　the　warm　wind　seemed　to　smell　sweeter　and　to　grow　more　thickly　whichever　way　she　went；　and　she　felt　she　must　sit　down　at　each　fresh　spot　to　enjoy　the　sight　and　scent。　So　the　hours　went　by。

It　was　long　past　noon　when　a　small　troop　of　goats　advanced　solemnly　towards　the　plain　of　flowers。　it　was　not　a　feeding　place　of　theirs；　for　they　did　not　care　to　graze　on　flowers。　They　looked　like　an　embassy　arriving；　with　Greenfinch　as　their　leader。　They　had　evidently　come　in　search　of　their　companions　who　had　left　them　in　the　lurch；　and　who　had；　contrary　to　all　custom；　remained　away　so　long；　for　the　goats　could　tell　the　time　without　mistake。　As　soon　as　Greenfinch　caught　sight　of　the　three　missing　friends　amid　the　flowers　she　set　up　an　extra　loud　bleat；　whereupon　all　the　others　joined　in　a　chorus　of　bleats；　and　the　whole　company　came　trotting　towards　the　children。　Peter　woke　up；　rubbing　his　eyes；　for　he　had　been　dreaming　that　he　saw　the　chair　again　with　its　beautiful　red　padding　standing　whole　and　uninjured　before　the　grandfather's　door；　and　indeed　just　as　he　awoke　he　thought　he　was　looking　at　the　brass…headed　nails　that　studded　it　all　round；　but　it　was　only　the　bright　yellow　flowers　beside　him。　He　experienced　again　a　dreadful　fear　of　mind　that　he　had　lost　in　this　dream　of　the　uninjured　chair。　Even　though　Heidi　had　promised　not　to　do　anything；　there　still　remained　the　lively　dread　that　his　deed　might　be　found　out　in　some　other　way。　He　allowed　Heidi　to　do　what　she　liked　with　him；　for　he　was　reduced　to　such　a　state　of　low　spirits　and　meekness　that　he　was　ready　to　give　his　help　to　Clara　without　murmur　or　resistance。

When　all　three　had　got　back　to　their　old　quarters　Heidi　ran　and　brought　forward　the　bag；