heidi-第25部分

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；　although　everything　and　everybody　around　were　still　wrapped　in　slumber；　and　the　doors　and　windows　of　the　adjoining　houses　all　fast　shut。　At　last；　after　a　great　deal　of　persuasion　from　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　Sebastian　and　John　plucked　up　courage　and　agreed　to　sit　up　one　night　in　the　room　next　to　the　large　council…chamber　and　to　watch　and　see　what　would　happen。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　looked　up　several　weapons　belonging　to　the　master；　and　gave　these　and　a　bottle　of　spirits　to　Sebastian；　so　that　their　courage　might　not　faint　if　it　came　to　a　fight。

On　the　appointed　night　the　two　sat　down　and　began　at　once　to　take　some　of　the　strengthening　cordial；　which　at　first　made　them　very　talkative　and　then　very　sleepy；　so　that　they　leant　back　in　their　seats　and　became　silent。　As　midnight　struck；　Sebastian　roused　himself　and　called　to　his　companion；　who；　however；　was　not　easy　to　wake；　and　kept　rolling　his　head　first　to　one　side　and　then　the　other　and　continuing　to　sleep。　Sebastian　began　to　listen　more　attentively；　for　he　was　wide　awake　now。　Everything　was　still　as　a　mouse；　all　sound　had　died　away　from　the　streets　even。　He　did　not　feel　inclined　to　go　to　sleep　again；　for　the　stillness　was　ghostly　to　him；　and　he　was　afraid　now　to　raise　his　voice　to　rouse　John；　so　he　shook　him　gently　to　make　him　stir。　At　last；　as　one　struck；　John　work　up；　and　came　back　to　the　consciousness　of　why　he　was　sitting　in　a　chair　instead　of　lying　in　his　bed。　He　now　got　up　with　a　great　show　of　courage　and　said；　〃Come；　Sebastian；　we　must　go　outside　and　see　what　is　going　on；　you　need　not　be　afraid；　just　follow　me。〃

Whereupon　he　opened　the　door　wide　and　stepped　into　the　hall。　Just　as　he　did　so　a　sudden　gust　of　air　blew　through　the　open　front　door　and　put　out　the　light　which　John　held　in　his　hand。　He　started　back；　almost　overturning　Sebastian；　whom　he　clutched　and　pulled　back　into　the　room；　and　then　shutting　the　door　quickly　he　turned　the　key　as　far　as　he　could　make　it　go。　Then　he　pulled　out　his　matches　and　lighted　his　candle　again。　Sebastian；　in　the　suddenness　of　the　affair；　did　not　know　exactly　what　had　happened；　for　he　had　not　seen　the　open　door　or　felt　the　breeze　behind　John's　broad　figure。　But　now；　as　he　saw　the　latter　in　the　light；　he　gave　a　cry　of　alarm；　for　John　was　trembling　all　over　and　as　white　as　a　ghost。　〃What's　the　matter？　What　did　you　see；　outside？　asked　Sebastian　sympathetically。

〃The　door　partly　open；〃　gasped　John；　〃and　a　white　figure　standing　at　the　top　of　the　stepsthere　it　stood；　and　then　all　in　a　minute　it　disappeared。〃

Sebastian　felt　his　blood　run　cold。　The　two　sat　down　close　to　one　another　and　did　not　dare　move　again　till　the　morning　broke　and　the　streets　began　to　be　alive　again。　Then　they　left　the　room　together；　shut　the　front　door；　and　went　upstairs　to　tell　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　of　their　experience。　She　was　quite　ready　to　receive　them；　for　she　had　not　been　able　to　sleep　at　all　in　the　anxiety　of　waiting　to　hear　their　report。　They　had　no　sooner　given　her　details　of　the　night's　experience　than　she　sat　down　and　wrote　straight　off　to　Herr　Sesemann；　who　had　never　received　such　a　letter　before　in　his　life。　She　could　hardly　write；　she　told　him；　for　her　fingers　were　stiff　with　fear；　and　Herr　Sesemann　must　please　arrange　to　come　back　at　once；　for　dreadful　and　unaccountable　things　were　taking　place　at　home。　Then　she　entered　into　particulars　of　all　that　had　happened；　of　how　the　door　was　found　standing　open　every　morning；　and　how　nobody　in　the　house　now　felt　sure　of　their　life　in　this　unprotected　state　of　things；　and　how　it　was　impossible　to　tell　what　terrible　results　might　follow　on　these　mysterious　doings。

Herr　Sesemann　answered　that　it　was　quite　impossible　for　him　to　arrange　to　leave　his　business　and　return　home　at　once。　He　was　very　much　astonished　at　this　ghost　tale；　but　hoped　by　this　time　the　ghost　had　disappeared。　If；　however；　it　still　continued　to　disturb　the　household；　would　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　write　to　the　grandmother　and　ask　her　if　she　could　come　and　do　something；　she；　he　was　sure；　would　soon　find　out　a　way　to　deal　with　the　ghost　so　that　it　would　not　venture　again　to　haunt　his　house。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　was　not　pleased　with　the　tone　of　this　letter；　she　did　not　think　the　matter　was　treated　seriously　enough。　She　wrote　off　without　delay　to　Frau　Sesemann；　but　got　no　more　satisfactory　reply　from　that　quarter；　and　some　remarks　in　the　letter　she　considered　were　quite　offensive。　Frau　Sesemann　wrote　that　she　did　not　feel　inclined　to　take　the　journey　again　from　Holstein　to　Frankfurt　because　Rottenmeier　fancied　she　saw　ghosts。　There　had　never　been　a　ghost　in　the　house　since　she　bad　known　it；　and　if　there　was　one　now　it　must　be　a　live　one；　with　which　Rottenmeier　ought　to　be　able　to　deal；　if　not　she　had　better　send　for　the　watchman　to　help　her。

Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　however；　was　determined　not　to　pass　any　more　days　in　a　state　of　fear；　and　she　knew　the　right　course　to　pursue。　She　had　as　yet　said　nothing　to　the　children　of　the　ghostly　apparitions；　for　she　knew　if　she　did　that　the　children　would　not　remain　alone　for　a　single　moment；　and　that　might　entail　discomfort　for　herself。　But　now　she　walked　straight　off　into　the　study；　and　there　in　a　low　mysterious　voice　told　the　two　children　everything　that　had　taken　place。　Clara　immediately　screamed　out　that　she　could　not　remain　another　minute　alone；　her　father　must　come　home；　and　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　must　sleep　in　her　room　at　night；　and　Heidi　too　must　not　be　left　by　herself；　for　the　ghost　might　do　something　to　her。　She　insisted　that　they　should　all　sleep　together　in　one　room　and　keep　a　light　burning　all　night；　and　Tinette　had　better　be　in　the　next　room；　and　Sebastian　and　John　come　upstairs　and　spend　the　night　in　the　hall；　so　that　they　might　call　out　and　frighten　the　ghost　the　instant　they　saw　it　appear　on　the　steps。　Clara；　in　short；　grew　very　excited；　and　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　had　great　difficulty　in　quieting　her。　She　promised　to　write　at　once　to　her　father；　and　to　have　her　bed　put　in　her　room　and　not　to　be　left　alone　for　a　moment。　They　could　not　all　sleep　in　the　same　room；　but　if　Heidi　was　frightened；　why　Tinette　must　go　into　her　room。　But　Heidi　was　far　more　frightened　of　Tinette　than　of　ghosts；　of　which　the　child　had　never　before　heard；　so　she　assured　the　others　she　did　not　mind　the　ghost；　and　would　rather　be　alone　at　night。

Fraulein　Rottenmeier　now　sat　down　to　write　another　letter　to　Herr　Sesemann；　stating　that　these　unaccountable　things　that　were　going　on　in　the　house　had　so　affected　his　daughter's　delicate　constitution　that　the　worst　consequences　might　be　expected。　Epileptic　fits　and　St。　Vitus's　dance　often　came　on　suddenly　in　cases　like　this；　and　Clara　was　liable　to　be　attacked　by　either　if　the　cause　of　the　general　alarm　was　not　removed。

The　letter　was　successful；　and　two　days　later　Herr　Sesemann　stood　at　his　front　door　and　rang　the　bell　in　such　a　manner　that　everybody　came　rushing　from　all　parts　of　the　house　and　stood　looking　affrighted　at　everybody　else；　convinced　that　the　ghost　was　impudently　beginning　its　evil　tricks　in　daylight。　Sebastian　peeped　cautiously　through　a　half…closed　shutter；　as　he　did　so　there　came　another　violent　ring　at　the　bell；　which　it　was　impossible　to　mistake　for　anything　but　a　very　hard　pull　from　a　non…ghostly　hand。　And　Sebastian　recognised　whose　hand　it　was；　and　rushing　pell…mell　out　of　the　room；　fell　heels　over　head　downstairs；　but　picked　himself　up　at　the　bottom　and　flung　open　the　street　door。　Herr　Sesemann　greeted　him　abruptly　and　went　up　without　a　moment's　delay　into　his　daughter's　room。　Clara　greeted　him　with　a　cry　of　joy；　and　seeing　her　so　lively　and　apparently　as　well　as　ever；　his　face　cleared；　and　the　frown　of　anxiety　passed　gradually　away　from　it　as　he　heard　from　his　daughter's　own　lips　that　she　had　nothing　the　matter　with　her；　and　moreover　was　so　delighted　to　see　him　that　she　was　quite　glad　about　the　ghost；　as　it　was　the　cause　of　bringing　him　home　again。

〃And　how　is　the　ghost　getting　on？〃　he　asked；　turning　to　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　with　a　twinkle　of　amusement　in　his　eye。

〃It　is　no　joke；　I　assure　you；〃　replied　that　lady。　You　will　not　laugh　yourself　to…morrow　morning；　Herr　Sesemann；　what　is　going　on　in　the　house　points　to　some　terrible　thing　that　has　taken　place　in　the　past　and　been　concealed。〃

〃Well；　I　know　nothing　about　that；〃　said　the　master　of　the　house；　〃but　I　must　beg　you　not　to　bring　suspicion　on　my　worthy　ancestors。　And　now　will　you　kindly　call　Sebastian　into　the　dining…room；　as　I　wish　to　speak　to　him　alone。〃

Herr　Sesemann　had　been　quite　aware　that　Sebastian　and　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　were　not　on　the　best　of　terms；　and　he　had　his　ideas　about　this　scare。

〃Come　here；　lad；〃　he　said　as　Sebastian　appeared；　〃and　tell　me　franklyhave　you　been　playing　at　ghosts　to　amuse　yourself　at　Fraulein　Rottenmeier's　expense？〃

〃No；　on　my　honor；　sir；　pray；　do　not　think　it；　I　am　very　uncomfortable　about　the　matter　myself；〃　answered　Sebastian　with　unmistakable　truthfulness。

〃Well；　if　that　is　so；　I　will　show　you　and　John　to…morrow　morning　how　ghosts　look　in　the　daylight。　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；　Sebastian；　a　great　strong　lad　like　you；　to　run　away　from　a　ghost！　But　now　go　and　take　a　message　to　my　old　friend　the　doctor；　give　him　my　kind　regards；　and　ask　him　if　he　will　c