heidi-第59章

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Grandmamma　could　not　help　laughing。　〃That　is　not　an　extravagant　request。　Come　here　then！〃　and　she　pulled　out　her　purse　and　put　four　bright　round　shillings　in　his　hand　and；　then　laid　some　pennies　on　top　of　it。　〃We　will　settle　our　accounts　at　once；〃　she　continued；　〃and　I　will　explain　them　to　you。　I　have　given　you　as　many　pennies　as　there　are　weeks　in　the　year；　and　so　every　Sunday　throughout　the　year　you　can　take　out　a　penny　to　spend。〃

〃As　long　as　I　live？〃　said　Peter　quite　innocently。

Grandmamma　laughed　more　still　at　this；　and　the　men　hearing　her；　paused　in　their　talk　to　listen　to　what　was　going　on。

〃Yes；　boy；　you　shall　have　it　all　your　lifeI　will　put　it　down　in　my　will。　Do　you　hear；　my　son？　and　you　are　to　put　it　down　in　yours　as　well：　a　penny　a　week　to　Peter　as　long　as　he　lives。〃

Herr　Sesemann　nodded　his　assent　and　joined　in　the　laughter。

Peter　looked　again　at　the　present　in　his　hand　to　make　sure　he　was　not　dreaming；　and　then　said；　〃Thank　God！〃

And　he　went　off　running　and　leaping　with　more　even　than　his　usual　agility；　and　this　time　managed　to　keep　his　feet；　for　it　was　not　fear；　but　joy　such　as　he　had　never　known　before　in　his　life；　that　now　sent　him　flying　up　the　mountain。　All　trouble　and　trembling　had　disappeared；　and　he　was　to　have　a　penny　every　week　for　life。

As　later；　after　dinner；　the　party　were　sitting　together　chatting；　Clara　drew　her　father　a　little　aside；　and　said　with　an　eagerness　that　had　been　unknown　to　the　little　tired　invalid；

〃O　papa；　if　you　only　knew　all　that　grandfather　has　done　for　me　from　day　to　day！　I　cannot　reckon　his　kindnesses；　but　I　shall　never　forget　them　as　long　as　I　live！　And　I　keep　on　thinking　what　I　could　do　for　him；　or　what　present　I　could　make　him　that　would　give　him　half　as　much　pleasure　as　he　has　given　me。〃

〃That　is　just　what　I　wish　most　myself；　Clara；〃　replied　her　father；　whose　face　grew　happier　each　time　he　looked　at　his　little　daughter。　〃I　have　been　also　thinking　how　we　can　best　show　our　gratitude　to　our　good　benefactor。〃

Herr　Sesemann　now　went　over　to　where　Uncle　and　grandmamma　were　engaged　in　lively　conversation。　Uncle　stood　up　as　he　approached；　and　Herr　Sesemann；　taking　him　by　the　hand　said；

〃Dear　friend；　let　us　exchange　a　few　words　with　one　another。　You　will　believe　me　when　I　tell　you　that　I　have　known　no　real　happiness　for　years　past。　What　worth　to　me　were　money　and　property　when　they　were　unable　to　make　my　poor　child　well　and　happy？　With　the　help　of　God　you　have　made　her　whole　and　strong；　and　you　have　given　new　life　not　only　to　her　but　to　me。　Tell　me　now；　in　what　way　can　I　show　my　gratitude　to　you？　I　can　never　repay　all　you　have　done；　but　whatever　is　in　my　power　to　do　is　at　your　service。　Speak；　friend；　and　tell　me　what　I　can　do？〃

Uncle　had　listened　to　him　quietly；　with　a　smile　of　pleasure　on　his　face　as　he　looked　at　the　happy　father。

〃Herr　Sesemann；〃　he　replied　in　his　dignified　way；　〃believe　me　that　I　too　have　my　share　in　the　joy　of　your　daughter's　recovery；　and　my　trouble　is　well　repaid　by　it。　I　thank　you　heartily　for　all　you　have　said；　but　I　have　need　of　nothing；　I　have　enough　for　myself　and　the　child　as　long　as　I　live。　One　wish　alone　I　have；　and　if　that　could　be　satisfied　I　should　have　no　further　care　in　life。〃

〃Speak；　dear　friend；　and　tell　me　what　it　is；〃　said　Herr　Sesemann　entreatingly。

〃I　am　growing　old；〃　Uncle　went　on；　〃and　shall　not　be　here　much　longer。　I　have　nothing　to　leave　the　child　when　I　die；　and　she　has　no　relations；　except　one　person　who　will　always　like　to　make　what　profit　out　of　her　she　can。　If　you　could　promise　me　that　Heidi　shall　never　have　to　go　and　earn　her　living　among　strangers；　then　you　would　richly　reward　me　for　all　I　have　done　for　your　child。〃

〃There　could　never　be　any　question　of　such　a　thing　as　that；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Herr　Sesemann　quickly。　〃I　look　upon　the　child　as　our　own。　Ask　my　mother；　my　daughter；　you　may　be　sure　that　they　will　never　allow　the　child　to　be　left　in　any　one　else's　care！　But　if　it　will　make　you　happier　I　give　you　here　my　hand　upon　it。　I　promise　you：　Heidi　shall　never　have　to　go　and　earn　her　living　among　strangers；　I　will　make　provision　against　this　both　during　my　life　and　after。　But　now　I　have　something　else　to　say。　Independent　of　her　circumstances；　the　child　is　totally　unfitted　to　live　a　life　away　from　home；　we　found　out　that　when　she　was　with　us。　But　she　has　made　friends；　and　among　them　I　know　one　who　is　at　this　moment　in　Frankfurt；　he　is　winding　up　his　affairs　there；　that　he　may　be　free　to　go　where　he　likes　and　take　his　rest。　I　am　speaking　of　my　friend；　the　doctor；　who　came　over　here　in　the　autumn　and　who；　having　well　considered　your　advice；　intends　to　settle　in　this　neighborhood；　for　he　has　never　felt　so　well　and　happy　anywhere　as　in　the　company　of　you　and　Heidi。　So　you　see　the　child　will　henceforth　have　two　protectors　near　herand　may　they　both　live　long　to　share　the　task！〃

〃God　grant　it　indeed　may　be　so！〃　added　grandmamma；　shaking　Uncle's　hand　warmly　as　she　spoke；　to　show　how　sincerely　she　echoed　her　son's　wish。　Then　putting　her　arm　round　Heidi；　who　was　standing　near；　she　drew　the　child　to　her。

〃And　I　have　a　question　to　ask　you　too；　dear　Heidi。　Tell　me　if　there　is　anything　you　particularly　wish　for。〃

〃Yes；　there　is；〃　answered　Heidi　promptly；　looking　up　delightedly　at　grandmamma。

〃Then　tell　me　at　once；　dear；　what　it　is。〃

〃I　want　to　have　the　bed　I　slept　in　at　Frankfurt　with　the　high　pillows　and　the　thick　coverlid；　and　then　grandmother　will　not　have　to　lie　with　her　head　down　hill　and　hardly　able　to　breathe；　and　she　will　be　warm　enough　under　the　coverlid　not　to　have　to　wear　her　shawl　in　bed　to　prevent　her　freezing　to　death。〃

In　her　eagerness　to　obtain　what　she　had　set　her　heart　upon　Heidi　hardly　gave　herself　time　to　get　out　all　she　had　to　say；　and　did　not　pause　for　breath　till　she　reached　the　end　of　her　sentence。

〃Dearest　child；〃　answered　grandmamma；　moved　by　Heidi's　speech；　〃what　is　this　you　tell　me　of　grandmother！　You　are　right　to　remind　me。　In　the　midst　of　our　own　happiness　we　forget　too　often　that　which　we　ought　to　remember　before　all　things。　When　God　has　shown　us　some　special　mercy　we　should　think　at　once　of　those　who　are　denied　so　many　things。　I　will　telegraph　to　Frankfurt　at　once！　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　shall　pack　up　the　bed　this　very　day；　and　it　will　be　here　in　two　days'　time。　God　willing；　grandmother　shall　soon　be　sleeping　comfortably　upon　it。〃

Heidi　skipped　round　grandmamma　in　her　glee；　and　then　stopping　all　of　a　sudden；　said　quickly；　〃I　must　make　haste　down　and　tell　grandmother；　and　she　will　be　in　trouble　too　at　my　not　having　been　to　see　her　for　such　a　long　time。〃　For　she　felt　she　could　not　wait　another　moment　before　carrying　the　good　news　down　to　grandmother；　and；　moreover；　the　recollection　came　to　her　of　the　distress　the　old　woman　was　in　when　she　last　saw　her。

〃No；　no；　Heidi；　what　can　you　be　thinking　of；〃　said　her　grandfather　reprovingly。　〃You　can't　be　running　backwards　and　forwards　like　that　when　you　have　visitors。〃

But　grandmamma　interfered　on　Heidi's　behalf。　〃The　child　is　not　so　far　wrong；　Uncle；〃　she　said；　〃and　poor　grandmother　has　too　long　been　deprived　of　Heidi　for　our　sakes。　Let　us　all　go　down　to　her　together。　I　believe　my　horse　is　waiting　for　me　and　I　can　ride　down　from　there；　and　as　soon　as　I　get　to　Dorfli　the　message　shall　be　sent　off。　What　do　you　think　of　my　plan；　son？〃

Herr　Sesemann　had　not　yet　had　time　to　speak　of　his　travelling　plans；　so　he　begged　his　mother　to　wait　a　few　moments　that　he　might　tell　her　what　he　proposed　doing。

Herr　Sesemann　had　been　arranging　that　he　and　his　mother　should　make　a　little　tour　in　Switzerland；　first　ascertaining　if　Clara　was　in　a　fit　state　to　go　some　part　of　the　way　with　them。　But　now　he　would　have　the　full　enjoyment　of　his　daughter's　company；　and　that　being　so　he　did　not　want　to　miss　any　of　these　beautiful　days　of　later　summer；　but　to　start　at　once　on　the　journey　that　he　now　looked　forward　to　with　such　additional　pleasure。　And　so　he　proposed　that　they　should　spend　the　night　in　Dorfli　and　that　next　day　he　should　come　and　fetch　Clara；　then　they　would　all　three　go　down　to　Ragatz　and　make　that　their　starting　point。

Clara　was　rather　upset　at　first　at　the　thought　of　saying　good…bye　like　this　to　the　mountain；