heidi-第8章

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e　hesitated　a　moment；　for　he　could　not　believe　that　Heidi　was　in　earnest；　but　the　latter　kept　on　holding　out　the　bread　and　cheese；　and　as　Peter　still　did　not　take　it；　she　laid　it　down　on　his　knees。　He　saw　then　that　she　really　meant　it；　he　seized　the　food；　nodded　his　thanks　and　acceptance　of　her　present；　and　then　made　a　more　splendid　meal　than　he　had　known　ever　since　he　was　a　goat…herd。　Heidi　the　while　still　continued　to　watch　the　goats。　〃Tell　me　all　their　names；〃　she　said。

Peter　knew　these　by　heart；　for　having　very　little　else　to　carry　in　his　head　he　had　no　difficulty　in　remembering　them。　So　he　began；　telling　Heidi　the　name　of　each　goat　in　turn　as　he　pointed　it　out　to　her。　Heidi　listened　with　great　attention；　and　it　was　not　long　before　she　could　herself　distinguish　the　goats　from　one　another　and　could　call　each　by　name；　for　every　goat　had　its　own　peculiarities　which　could　not　easily　be　mistaken；　only　one　had　to　watch　them　closely；　and　this　Heidi　did。　There　was　the　great　Turk　with　his　big　horns；　who　was　always　wanting　to　butt　the　others；　so　that　most　of　them　ran　away　when　they　saw　him　coming　and　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　their　rough　companion。　Only　Greenfinch；　the　slender　nimble　little　goat；　was　brave　enough　to　face　him；　and　would　make　a　rush　at　him；　three　or　four　times　in　succession；　with　such　agility　and　dexterity；　that　the　great　Turk　often　stood　still　quite　astounded　not　venturing　to　attack　her　again；　for　Greenfinch　was　fronting　him；　prepared　for　more　warlike　action；　and　her　horns　were　sharp。　Then　there　was　little　White　Snowflake；　who　bleated　in　such　a　plaintive　and　beseeching　manner　that　Heidi　already　had　several　times　run　to　it　and　taken　its　head　in　her　hands　to　comfort　it。　Just　at　this　moment　the　pleading　young　cry　was　heard　again；　and　Heidi　jumped　up　running　and；　putting　her　arms　round　the　little　creature's　neck；　asked　in　a　sympathetic　voice；　〃What　is　it；　little　Snowflake？　Why　do　you　call　like　that　as　if　in　trouble？〃　The　goat　pressed　closer　to　Heidi　in　a　confiding　way　and　left　off　bleating。　Peter　called　out　from　where　he　was　sittingfor　he　had　not　yet　got　to　the　end　of　his　bread　and　cheese；　〃She　cries　like　that　because　the　old　goat　is　not　with　her；　she　was　sold　at　Mayenfeld　the　day　before　yesterday；　and　so　will　not　come　up　the　mountain　any　more。〃

〃Who　is　the　old　goat？〃　called　Heidi　back。

〃Why；　her　mother；　of　course；〃　was　the　answer。

〃Where　is　the　grandmother？〃　called　Heidi　again。

〃She　has　none。〃

〃And　the　grandfather？〃

〃She　has　none。〃

〃Oh；　you　poor　little　Snowflake！〃　exclaimed　Heidi；　clasping　the　animal　gently　to　her；　〃but　do　not　cry　like　that　any　more；　see　now；　I　shall　come　up　here　with　you　every　day；　so　that　you　will　not　be　alone　any　more；　and　if　you　want　anything　you　have　only　to　come　to　me。〃

The　young　animal　rubbed　its　head　contentedly　against　Heidi's　shoulder；　and　no　longer　gave　such　plaintive　bleats。　Peter　now　having　finished　his　meal　joined　Heidi　and　the　goats；　Heidi　having　by　this　time　found　out　a　great　many　things　about　these。　She　had　decided　that　by　far　the　handsomest　and　best…behaved　of　the　goats　were　undoubtedly　the　two　belonging　to　her　grandfather；　they　carried　themselves　with　a　certain　air　of　distinction　and　generally　went　their　own　way；　and　as　to　the　great　Turk　they　treated　him　with　indifference　and　contempt。

The　goats　were　now　beginning　to　climb　the　rocks　again；　each　seeking　for　the　plants　it　liked　in　its　own　fashion；　some　jumping　over　everything　they　met　till　they　found　what　they　wanted；　others　going　more　carefully　and　cropping　all　the　nice　leaves　by　the　way；　the　Turk　still　now　and　then　giving　the　others　a　poke　with　his　horns。　Little　Swan　and　Little　Bear　clambered　lightly　up　and　never　failed　to　find　the　best　bushes；　and　then　they　would　stand　gracefully　poised　on　their　pretty　legs；　delicately　nibbling　at　the　leaves。　Heidi　stood　with　her　hands　behind　her　back；　carefully　noting　all　they　did。

〃Peter；〃　she　said　to　the　boy　who　had　again　thrown　himself　down　on　the　ground；　〃the　prettiest　of　all　the　goats　are　Little　Swan　and　Little　Bear。〃

〃Yes；　I　know　they　are；〃　was　the　answer。　〃Alm…Uncle　brushes　them　down　and　washes　them　and　gives　them　salt；　and　he　has　the　nicest　shed　for　them。〃

All　of　a　sudden　Peter　leaped　to　his　feet　and　ran　hastily　after　the　goats。　Heidi　followed　him　as　fast　as　she　could；　for　she　was　too　eager　to　know　what　had　happened　to　stay　behind。　Peter　dashed　through　the　middle　of　the　flock　towards　that　side　of　the　mountain　where　the　rocks　fell　perpendicularly　to　a　great　depth　below；　and　where　any　thoughtless　goat；　if　it　went　too　near；　might　fall　over　and　break　all　its　legs。　He　had　caught　sight　of　the　inquisitive　Greenfinch　taking　leaps　in　that　direction；　and　he　was　only　just　in　time；　for　the　animal　had　already　sprung　to　the　edge　of　the　abyss。　All　Peter　could　do　was　to　throw　himself　down　and　seize　one　of　her　hind　legs。　Greenfinch；　thus　taken　by　surprise；　began　bleating　furiously；　angry　at　being　held　so　fast　and　prevented　from　continuing　her　voyage　of　discovery。　She　struggled　to　get　loose；　and　endeavored　so　obstinately　to　leap　forward　that　Peter　shouted　to　Heidi　to　come　and　help　him；　for　he　could　not　get　up　and　was　afraid　of　pulling　out　the　goat's　leg　altogether。

Heidi　had　already　run　up　and　she　saw　at　once　the　danger　both　Peter　and　the　animal　were　in。　She　quickly　gathered　a　bunch　of　sweet…smelling　leaves；　and　then；　holding　them　under　Greenfinch's　nose；　said　coaxingly；　〃Come；　come；　Greenfinch；　you　must　not　be　naughty！　Look；　you　might　fall　down　there　and　break　your　leg；　and　that　would　give　you　dreadful　pain！〃

The　young　animal　turned　quickly；　and　began　contentedly　eating　the　leaves　out　of　Heidi's　hand。　Meanwhile　Peter　got　on　to　his　feet　again　and　took　hold　of　Greenfinch　by　the　band　round　her　neck　from　which　her　bell　was　hung；　and　Heidi　taking　hold　of　her　in　the　same　way　on　the　other　side；　they　led　the　wanderer　back　to　the　rest　of　the　flock　that　had　remained　peacefully　feeding。　Peter；　now　he　had　his　goat　in　safety；　lifted　his　stick　in　order　to　give　her　a　good　beating　as　punishment；　and　Greenfinch　seeing　what　was　coming　shrank　back　in　fear。　But　Heidi　cried　out；　〃No；　no；　Peter；　you　must　not　strike　her；　see　how　frightened　she　is！〃

〃She　deserves　it；〃　growled　Peter；　and　again　lifted　his　stick。　Then　Heidi　flung　herself　against　him　and　cried　indignantly；　〃You　have　no　right　to　touch　her；　it　will　hurt　her；　let　her　alone！〃

Peter　looked　with　surprise　at　the　commanding　little　figure；　whose　dark　eyes　were　flashing；　and　reluctantly　he　let　his　stick　drop。　〃Well　I　will　let　her　off　if　you　will　give　me　some　more　of　your　cheese　to…morrow；〃　he　said；　for　he　was　determined　to　have　something　to　make　up　to　him　for　his　fright。

〃You　shall　have　it　all；　to…morrow　and　every　day；　I　do　not　want　it；〃　replied　Heidi；　giving　ready　consent　to　his　demand。　〃And　I　will　give　you　bread　as　well；　a　large　piece　like　you　had　to…day；　but　then　you　must　promise　never　to　beat　Greenfinch；　or　Snowflake；　or　any　of　the　goats。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Peter；　〃I　don't　care；〃　which　meant　that　he　would　agree　to　the　bargain。　He　now　let　go　of　Greenfinch；　who　joyfully　sprang　to　join　her　companions。

And　thus　imperceptibly　the　day　had　crept　on　to　its　close；　and　now　the　sun　was　on　the　point　of　sinking　out　of　sight　behind　the　high　mountains。　Heidi　was　again　sitting　on　the　ground；　silently　gazing　at　the　blue　bell…shaped　flowers；　as　they　glistened　in　the　evening　sun；　for　a　golden　light　lay　on　the　grass　and　flowers；　and　the　rocks　above　were　beginning　to　shine　and　glow。　All　at　once　she　sprang　to　her　feet；　〃Peter！　Peter！　everything　is　on　fire！　All　the　rocks　are　burning；　and　the　great　snow　mountain　and　the　sky！　O　look；　look！　the　high　rock　up　there　is　red　with　flame！　O　the　beautiful；　fiery　snow！　Stand　up；　Peter！　See；　the　fire　has　reached　the　great　bird's　nest！　look　at　the　rocks！　look　at　the　fir　trees！　Everything；　everything　is　on　fire！〃

〃It　is　always　like　that；〃　said　Peter　composedly；　continuing　to　peel　his　stick；　〃but　it　is　not　really　fire。〃

〃What　is　it　then？〃　cried　Heidi；　as　she　ran　backwards　and　forwards　to　look　first　one　side　and　then　the　other；　for　she　felt　she　could　not　have　enough　of　such　a　beautiful　sight。　〃What　is　it；　Peter；　what　is　it？〃　she　repeated。

〃It　gets　like　that　of　itself；〃　explained　Peter。

〃Look；　look