heidi-第55章

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stance。

When　all　three　had　got　back　to　their　old　quarters　Heidi　ran　and　brought　forward　the　bag；　and　proceeded　to　fulfil　her　promise；　for　her　threat　of　the　morning　had　been　concerned　with　Peter's　dinner。　She　had　seen　her　grandfather　putting　in　all　sorts　of　good　things；　and　had　been　pleased　to　think　of　Peter　having　a　large　share　of　them；　and　she　had　meant　him　to　understand　when　he　refused　at　first　to　help　her　that　he　would　get　nothing　for　his　dinner；　but　Peter's　conscience　had　put　another　interpretation　upon　her　words。　Heidi　took　the　food　out　of　the　bag　and　divided　it　into　three　portions；　and　each　was　of　such　a　goodly　size　that　she　thought　to　herself；　〃There　will　be　plenty　of　ours　left　for　him　to　have　more　still。〃

She　gave　the　other　two　their　dinners　and　sat　down　with　her　own　beside　Clara；　and　they　all　three　ate　with　a　good　appetite　after　their　great　exertions。

It　ended　as　Heidi　had　expected；　and　Peter　got　as　much　food　again　as　his　own　share　with　what　Clara　and　Heidi　had　over　from　theirs　after　they　had　both　eaten　as　much　as　they　wanted。　Peter　ate　up　every　bit　of　food　to　the　last　crumb；　but　there　was　something　wanting　to　his　usual　enjoyment　of　a　good　dinner；　for　every　mouthful　he　swallowed　seemed　to　choke　him；　and　he　felt　something　gnawing　inside　him。

They　were　so　late　at　their　dinner　that　they　had　not　long　to　wait　after　they　had　finished　before　grandfather　came　up　to　fetch　them。　Heidi　rushed　forward　to　meet　him　as　soon　as　he　appeared；　as　she　wanted　to　be　the　first　to　tell　him　the　good　news。　She　was　so　excited　that　she　could　hardly　get　her　words　out　when　she　did　get　up　to　him；　but　he　soon　understood；　and　a　look　of　extreme　pleasure　came　into　his　face。　He　hastened　up　to　where　Clara　was　sitting　and　said　with　a　cheerful　smile；　〃So　we've　made　the　effort；　have　we；　and　won　the　day！〃

Then　he　lifted　her　up；　and　putting　his　left　arm　behind　her　and　giving　her　his　right　to　lean　upon；　made　her　walk　a　little　way；　which　she　did　with　less　trembling　and　hesitation　than　before　now　that　she　had　such　a　strong　arm　round　her。

Heidi　skipped　along　beside　her　in　triumphant　glee；　and　the　grandfather　looked　too　as；　if　some　happiness　had　befallen　him。　But　now　he　took　Clara　up　in　his　arms。　〃We　must　not　overdo　it；〃　he　said；　〃and　it　is　high　time　we　went　home；〃　and　he　started　off　down　the　mountain　path；　for　he　was　anxious　to　get　her　indoors　that　she　might　rest　after　her　unusual　fatigue。

When　Peter　got　to　Dorfli　that　evening　he　found　a　large　group　of　people　collected　round　a　certain　spot；　pushing　one　another　and　looking　over　each　other's　shoulders　in　their　eagerness　to　catch　sight　of　something　lying　on　the　ground。　Peter　thought　he　should　like　to　see　too；　and　poked　and　elbowed　till　he　made　his　way　through。

There　it　lay；　the　thing　he　had　wanted　to　see。　Scattered　about　the　grass　were　the　remains　of　Clara's　chair；　part　of　the　back　and　the　middle　bit；　and　enough　of　the　red　padding　and　the　bright　nails　to　show　how　magnificent　the　chair　had　been　when　it　was　entire。

〃I　was　here　when　the　men　passed　carrying　it　up；〃　said　the　baker　who　was　standing　near　Peter。　〃I'll　bet　any　one　that　it　was　worth　twenty…five　pounds　at　least。　I　cannot　think　how　such　an　accident　could　have　happened。〃

〃Uncle　said　the　wind　might　perhaps　have　done　it；〃　remarked　one　of　the　women；　who　could　not　sufficiently　admire　the　red　upholstery。

〃It's　a　good　job　that　no　one　but　the　wind　did　it；〃　said　the　baker　again；　〃or　he　might　smart　for　it！　No　doubt　the　gentleman　in　Frankfurt　when　he　hears　what　has　happened　will　make　all　inquiries　about　it。　I　am　glad　for　myself　that　I　have　not　been　seen　up　the　mountain　for　a　good　two　years；　as　suspicion　is　likely　to　fall　on　any　one　who　was　about　up　there　at　the　time。〃

Many　more　opinions　were　passed　on　the　matter；　but　Peter　had　heard　enough。　He　crept　quietly　away　out　of　the　crowd　and　then　took　to　his　heels　and　ran　up　home　as　fast　as　he　could；　as　if　he　thought　some　one　was　after　him。　The　baker's　words　had　filled　him　with　fear　and　trembling。　He　was　sure　now　that　any　day　a　constable　might　come　over　from　Frankfurt　and　inquire　about　the　destruction　of　the　chair；　and　then　everything　would　come　out；　and　he　would　be　seized　and　carried　off　to　Frankfurt　and　there　put　in　prison。　The　whole　picture　of　what　was　coming　was　clear　before　him；　and　his　hair　stood　on　end　with　terror。

He　reached　home　in　this　disturbed　state　of　mind。　He　would　not　open　his　mouth　in　reply　to　anything　that　was　said　to　him；　he　would　not　eat　his　potatoes；　all　he　did　was　to　creep　off　to　bed　as　quickly　as　possible　and　hide　under　the　bedclothes　and　groan。

〃Peter　has　been　eating　sorrel　again；　and　is　evidently　in　pain　by　the　way　he　is　groaning；〃　said　Brigitta。

〃You　must　give　him　a　little　more　bread　to　take　with　him；　give　him　a　bit　of　mine　to…morrow；〃　said　the　grandmother　sympathisingly。

As　the　children　lay　that　night　in　bed　looking　out　at　the　stars　Heidi　said；　〃I　have　been　thinking　all　day　what　a　happy　thing　it　is　that　God　does　not　give　us　what　we　ask　for；　even　when　we　pray　and　pray　and　pray；　if　He　knows　there　is　something　better　for　us；　have　you　felt　like　that？〃

〃Why　do　you　ask　me　that　to…night　all　of　a　sudden？〃　asked　Clara。

〃Because　I　prayed　so　hard　when　I　was　in　Frankfurt　that　I　might　go　home　at　once；　and　because　I　was　not　allowed　to　I　thought　God　had　forgotten　me。　And　now　you　see；　if　I　had　come　away　at　first　when　I　wanted　to；　you　would　never　have　come　here；　and　would　never　have　got　well。〃

Clara　had　in　her　turn　become　thoughtful。　〃But；　Heidi；〃　she　began　again；　〃in　that　case　we　ought　never　to　pray　for　anything；　as　God　always　intends　something　better　for　us　than　we　know　or　wish　for。〃

〃You　must　not　think　it　is　like　that；　Clara；〃　replied　Heidi　eagerly。　〃We　must　go　on　praying　for　everything；　for　everything；　so　that　God　may　know　we　do　not　forget　that　it　all　comes　from　Him。　If　we　forget　God；　then　He　lets　us　go　our　own　way　and　we　get　into　trouble；　grandmamma　told　me　so。　And　if　He　does　not　give　us　what　we　ask　for　we　must　not　think　that　He　has　not　heard　us　and　leave　off　praying；　but　we　must　still　pray　and　say；　I　am　sure；　dear　God；　that　Thou　art　keeping　something　better　for　me；　and　I　will　not　be　unhappy；　for　I　know　that　Thou　wilt　make　everything　right　in　the　end。〃

〃How　did　you　learn　all　that？〃　asked　Clara。

〃Grandmamma　explained　it　to　me　first　of　all；　and　then　when　it　all　happened　just　as　she　said；　I　knew　it　myself；　and　I　think；　Clara；〃　she　went　on；　as　she　sat　up　in　bed；　〃we　ought　certainly　to　thank　God　to…night　that　you　can　walk　now；　and　that　He　has　made　us　so　happy。〃

〃Yes；　Heidi；　I　am　sure　you　are　right；　and　I　am　glad　you　reminded　me；　I　almost　forgot　my　prayers　for　very　joy。〃

Both　children　said　their　prayers；　and　each　thanked　God　in　her　own　way　for　the　blessing　He　had　bestowed　on　Clara；　who　had　for　so　long　lain　weak　and　ill。

The　next　morning　the　grandfather　suggested　that　they　should　now　write　to　the　grandmamma　and　ask　her　if　she　would　not　come　and　pay　them　a　visit；　as　they　had　something　new　to　show　her。　But　the　children　had　another　plan　in　their　heads；　for　they　wanted　to　prepare　a　great　surprise　for　grandmamma。　Clara　was　first　to　have　more　practice　in　walking　so　that　she　might　be　able　to　go　a　little　way　by　herself；　above　all　things　grandmamma　was　not　to　have　a　hint　of　it。　They　asked　the　grandfather　how　long　he　thought　this　would　take；　and　when　he　told　them　about　a　week　or　less；　they　immediately　sat　down　and　wrote　a　pressing　invitation　to　grandmamma；　asking　her　to　come　soon；　but　no　word　was　said　about　there　being　anything　new　to　see。

The　following　days　were　some　of　the　most　joyous　that　Clara　had　spent　on　the　mountain。　She　awoke　each　morning　with　a　happy　voice　within　her　crying；　〃I　am　well　now！　I　am　well　now！　I　shan't　have　to　go　about　in　a　chair；　I　can　walk　by　myself　like　other　people。〃

Then　came　the　walking；　and　every　day　she　found　it　easier　and　was　able　to　go　a　longer　distance。　The　movement　gave　her　such　an　appetite　that　the　grandfather　cut　his　bread　and　butter　a　little　thicker　each　day；　and　was　well　pleased　to　see　it　disappear。　He　now　brought　out　with　it　a　large　jugful　of　the　foaming　milk　and　filled　her　little　bowl　over　and　over　again。　And　so　another　week　went　by　and　the　day　came　which　was　to　bring　grandmamma　up　the　mountain　for　her　second　visit。