heidi-第57章

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Herr　Sesemann　found　he　was　right；　for　the　climb　up　the　mountain；　as　it　was；　proved　long　and　fatiguing　to　him。　He　went　on　and　on；　but　still　no　hut　came　in　sight；　and　yet　he　knew　there　was　one　where　Peter　lived　half　way　up；　for　the　path　had　been　described　to　him　over　and　over　again。

There　were　traces　of　climbers　to　be　seen　on　all　sides；　the　narrow　footpaths　seemed　to　run　in　every　direction；　and　Herr　Sesemann　began　to　wonder　if　he　was　on　the　right　one；　and　whether　the　hut　lay　perhaps　on　the　other　side　of　the　mountain。　He　looked　round　to　see　if　any　one　was　in　sight　of　whom　he　could　ask　the　way；　but　far　and　wide　there　was　not　a　soul　to　be　seen　or　a　sound　to　be　heard。　Only　at　moments　the　mountain　wind　whistled　through　the　air；　and　the　insects　hummed　in　the　sunshine　or　a　happy　bird　sang　out　from　the　branches　of　a　solitary　larch　tree。　Herr　Sesemann　stood　still　for　a　while　to　let　the　cool　Alpine　wind　blow　on　his　hot　face。　But　now　some　one　came　running　down　the　mountain…sideit　was　Peter　with　the　telegram　in　his　hand。　He　ran　straight　down　the　steep　slope；　not　following　the　path　on　which　Herr　Sesemann　was　standing。　As　soon　as　the　latter　caught　sight　of　him　he　beckoned　to　him　to　come。　Peter　advanced　towards　him　slowly　and　timidly；　with　a　sort　of　sidelong　movement；　as　if　he　could　only　move　one　leg　properly　and　had　to　drag　the　other　after　him。　〃Hurry　up；　lad；〃　called　Herr　Sesemann；　and　when　Peter　was　near　enough；　〃Tell　me；〃　he　said；　〃is　this　the　way　to　the　hut　where　the　old　man　and　the　child　Heidi　live；　and　where　the　visitors　from　Frankfurt　are　staying？〃

A　low　sound　of　fear　was　the　only　answer　he　received；　as　Peter　turned　to　run　away　in　such　precipitous　haste　that　he　fell　head　over　heels　several　times；　and　went　rolling　and　bumping　down　the　slope　in　involuntary　bounds；　just　in　the　same　way　as　the　chair；　only　that　Peter　fortunately　did　not　fall　to　pieces　as　that　had　done。　Only　the　telegram　came　to　grief；　and　that　was　torn　into　fragments　and　flew　away。

〃How　extraordinarily　timid　these　mountain　dwellers　are！〃　thought　Herr　Sesemann　to　himself；　for　he　quite　believed　that　it　was　the　sight　of　a　stranger　that　had　made　such　an　impression　on　this　unsophisticated　child　of　the　mountains。

After　watching　Peter's　violent　descent　towards　the　valley　for　a　few　minutes　he　continued　his　journey。

Peter；　meanwhile；　with　all　his　efforts；　could　not　stop　himself；　but　went　rolling　on；　and　still　tumbling　head　over　heels　at　intervals　in　a　most　remarkable　manner。

But　this　was　not　the　most　terrible　part　of　his　sufferings　at　the　moment；　for　far　worse　was　the　fear　and　horror　that　possessed　him；　feeling　sure；　as　he　did　now；　that　the　policeman　had　really　come　over　for　him　from　Frankfurt。　He　had　no　doubt　at　all　that　the　stranger　who　had　asked　him　the　way　was　the　very　man　himself。　Just　as　he　had　rolled　to　the　edge　of　that　last　high　slope　above　Dorfli　he　was　caught　in　a　bush；　and　at　last　able　to　keep　himself　from　falling　any　farther。　He　lay　still　for　a　second　or　two　to　recover　himself；　and　to　think　over　matters。

〃Well　done！　another　of　you　come　bumping　along　like　this！〃　said　a　voice　close　to　Peter；　〃and　which　of　you　to…morrow　is　the　wind　going　to　send　rolling　down　like　a　badly…sewn　sack　of　potatoes？〃　It　was　the　baker；　who　stood　there　laughing。　He　had　been　strolling　out　to　refresh　himself　after　his　hot　day's　work；　and　had　watched　with　amusement　as　he　saw　Peter　come　rolling　over　and　over　in　much　the　same　way　as　the　chair。

Peter　was　on　his　feet　in　a　moment。　He　had　received　a　fresh　shock。　Without　once　looking　behind　him　he　began　hurrying　up　the　slope　again。　He　would　have　liked　best　to　go　home　and　creep　into　bed；　so　as　to　hide　himself；　for　he　felt　safest　when　there。　But　he　had　left　the　goats　up　above；　and　Uncle　had　given　him　strict　injunctions　to　make　haste　back　so　that　they　might　not　be　left　too　long　alone。　And　he　stood　more　in　awe　of　Uncle　than　any　one；　and　would　not　have　dared　to　disobey　him　on　any　account。　There　was　no　help　for　it；　he　had　to　go　back；　and　Peter　went　on　groaning　and　limping。　He　could　run　no　more；　for　the　anguish　of　mind　he　had　been　through；　and　the　bumping　and　shaking　he　had　received；　were　beginning　to　tell　upon　him。　And　so　with　lagging　steps　and　groans　he　slowly　made　his　way　up　the　mountain。

Shortly　after　meeting　Peter；　Herr　Sesemann　passed　the　first　hut；　and　so　was　satisfied　that　he　was　on　the　right　path。　He　continued　his　climb　with　renewed　courage；　and　at　last；　after　a　long　and　exhausting　walk；　he　came　in　sight　of　his　goal。　There；　only　a　little　distance　farther　up；　stood　the　grandfather's　home；　with　the　dark　tops　of　the　fir　trees　waving　above　its　roof。

Herr　Sesemann　was　delighted　to　have　come　to　the　last　steep　bit　of　his　journey；　in　another　minute　or　two　he　would　be　with　his　little　daughter；　and　he　pleased　himself　with　the　thought　of　her　surprise。　But　the　company　above　had　seen　his　approaching　figure　and　recognized　who　it　was；　and　they　were　preparing　something　he　little　expected　as　a　surprise　on　their　part。

As　he　stepped　on　to　the　space　in　front　of　the　hut　two　figures　came　towards　him。　One　a　tall　girl　with　fair　hair　and　pink　cheeks；　leaning　on　Heidi；　whose　dark　eyes　were　dancing　with　joy。　Herr　Sesemann　suddenly　stopped；　staring　at　the　two　children；　and　all　at　once　the　tears　started　to　his　eyes。　What　memories　arose　in　his　heart！　Just　so　had　Clara's　mother　looked；　the　fair…haired　girl　with　the　delicate　pink…　and…white　complexion。　Herr　Sesemann　did　not　know　if　he　was　awake　or　dreaming。

〃Don't　you　know　me；　papa？〃　called　Clara　to　him；　her　face　beaming　with　happiness。　〃Am　I　so　altered　since　you　saw　me？〃

Then　Herr　Sesemann　ran　to　his　child　and　clasped　her　in　his　arms。

〃Yes；　you　are　indeed　altered！　How　is　it　possible？　Is　it　true　what　I　see？〃　And　the　delighted　father　stepped　back　to　look　full　at　her　again；　and　to　make　sure　that　the　picture　would　not　vanish　before　his　eyes。

〃Are　you　my　little　Clara；　really　my　little　Clara？　he　kept　on　saying；　then　he　clasped　her　in　his　arms　again；　and　again　put　her　away　from　him　that　he　might　look　and　make　sure　it　was　she　who　stood　before　him。

And　now　grandmamma　came　up；　anxious　for　a　sight　of　her　son's　happy　face。

〃Well；　what　do　you　say　now；　dear　son？〃　she　exclaimed。　〃You　have　given　us　a　pleasant　surprise；　but　it　is　nothing　in　comparison　to　what　we　have　prepared　for　you；　you　must　confess；〃　and　she　gave　her　son　an　affectionate　kiss　as　she　spoke。　〃But　now；〃　she　went　on；　〃you　must　come　and　pay　your　respects　to　Uncle；　who　is　our　chief　benefactor。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　and　with　the　little　inmate　of　our　own　house；　our　little　Heidi；　too；〃　said　Herr　Sesemann；　shaking　Heidi　by　the　hand。　〃Well？　are　you　still　well　and　happy　in　your　mountain　home？　but　I　need　not　ask；　no　Alpine　rose　could　look　more　blooming。　I　am　glad；　child；　it　is　a　pleasure　to　me　to　see　you　so。〃

And　Heidi　looked　up　with　equal　pleasure　into　Herr　Sesemann's　kind　face。　How　good　he　had　always　been　to　her！　And　that　he　should　find　such　happiness　awaiting　him　up　here　on　the　mountain　made　her　heart　beat　with　gladness。

Grandmamma　now　led　her　son　to　introduce　him　to　Uncle；　and　while　the　two　men　were　shaking　hands　and　Herr　Sesemann　was　expressing　his　heartfelt　thanks　and　boundless　astonishment　to　the　old　man；　grandmamma；　wandered　round　to　the　back　to　see　the　old　fir　trees　again。

Here　another　unexpected　sight　met　her　gaze；　for　there；　under　the　trees　where　the　long　branches　had　left　a　clear　space　on　the　ground；　stood　a　great　bush　of　the　most　wonderful　dark　blue　gentians；　as　fresh　and　shining　as　if　they　were　growing　on　the　spot。　She　clasped　her　hands；　enraptured　with　their　beauty。

〃How　exquisite！　what　a　lovely　sight！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Heidi；　dearest　child；　come　here！　Is　it　you　who　have　prepared　this　pleasure　for　me？　It　is　perfectly　wonderful！〃

The　children　ran　up。

〃No；　no；　I　did　not　put　them　there；〃　said　Heidi；　〃but　I　know　who　did。〃

〃They　grow　just　like　that　on　the　mountain；　grandmamma；　only　if　anything　they　look　more　beautiful　still；〃　Clara　put　in；　〃but　guess　who　brought　those　down　to…day；〃　and　as　she　spoke　she　gave　such　a　pleased　smile　that　the　grandmother　thought　for　a　moment　the　child　herself　must　have　gathered　them。　But　that　was　hardly　possible。

At　this　moment　a　slight　rustling　was　heard　behind　the　fir　trees。　It　was　Peter；　who　ha