heidi-第47部分

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had　not　come　out　with　the　goats　once　this　summer；　and　now　to…day　she　was　only　coming　in　company　with　her　friend　and　the　chair；　and　would　stick　by　the　latter's　side　the　whole　time。　It　was　the　thought　of　this　which　was　making　him　particularly　cross　this　morning。　There　stood　the　chair　on　its　high　wheels；　Peter　seemed　to　see　something　proud　and　distainful　about　it；　and　he　glared　at　it　as　at　an　enemy　that　had　done　him　harm　and　was　likely　to　do　him　more　still　to…day。　He　glanced　roundthere　was　no　sound　anywhere；　no　one　to　see　him。　He　sprang　forward　like　a　wild　creature；　caught　hold　of　it；　and　gave　it　a　violent　and　angry　push　in　the　direction　of　the　slope。　The　chair　rolled　swiftly　forward　and　in　another　minute　had　disappeared。

Peter　now　sped　up　the　mountain　as　if　on　wings；　not　pausing　till　he　was　well　in　shelter　of　a　large　blackberrybush；　for　he　had　no　wish　to　be　seen　by　Uncle。　But　he　was　anxious　to　see　what　had　become　of　the　chair；　and　his　bush　was　well　placed　for　that。　Himself　hidden；　he　could　watch　what　happened　below　and　see　what　Uncle　did　without　being　discovered　himself。　So　he　looked；　and　there　he　saw　his　enemy　running　faster　and　faster　down　hill；　then　it　turned　head　over　heels　several　times；　and　finally；　after　one　great　bound；　rolled　over　and　over　to　its　complete　destruction。　The　pieces　flew　in　every　directionfeet；　arms；　and　torn　fragments　of　the　padded　seat　and　bolsterand　Peter　experienced　a　feeling　of　such　unbounded　delight　at　the　sight　that　he　leapt　in　the　air；　laughing　aloud　and　stamping　for　joy；　then　he　took　a　run　round；　jumping　over　bushes　on　the　way；　only　to　return　to　the　same　spot　and　fall　into　fresh　fits　of　laughter。　He　was　beside　himself　with　satisfaction；　for　he　could　see　only　good　results　for　himself　in　this　disaster　to　his　enemy。　Now　Heidi's　friend　would　be　obliged　to　go　away；　for　she　would　have　no　means　of　going　about；　and　when　Heidi　was　alone　again　she　would　come　out　with　him　as　in　the　old　days；　and　everything　would　go　on　in　the　proper　way　again。　But　Peter　did　not　consider；　or　did　not　know；　that　when　we　do　a　wrong　thing　trouble　is　sure　to　follow。

Heidi　now　came　running　out　of　the　hut　and　round　to　the　shed。　Grandfather　was　behind　with　Clara　in　his　arms。　The　shed　stood　wide　open；　the　two　loose　planks　having　been　taken　down；　and　it　was　quite　light　inside。　Heidi　looked　into　every　corner　and　ran　from　one　end　to　the　other；　and　then　stood　still　wondering　what　could　have　happened　to　the　chair。　Grandfather　now　came。　up。

〃How　is　this；　have　you　wheeled　the　chair　away；　Heidi？〃

〃I　have　been　looking　everywhere　for　it；　grandfather；　you　said　it　was　standing　ready　outside；〃　and　she　again　searched　each　corner　of　the　shed　with　her　eyes。

At　that　moment　the　wind；　which　had　risen　suddenly；　blew　open　the　shed　door　and　sent　it　banging　back　against　the　wall。

〃It　must　have　been　the　wind；　grandfather；〃　exclaimed　Heidi；　and　her　eyes　grew　anxious　at　this　sudden　discovery。　〃Oh！　if　it　has　blown　the　chair　all　the　way　down　to　Dorfli　we　shall　not　get　it　back　in　time；　and　shall　not　be　able　to　go。〃

〃If　it　has　rolled　as　far　as　that　it　will　never　come　back；　for　it　is　in　a　hundred　pieces　by　now；〃　said　the　grandfather；　going　round　the　corner　and　looking　down。　〃But　it's　a　curious　thing　to　have　happened！〃　he　added　as　he　thought　over　the　matter；　for　the　chair　would　have　had　to　turn　a　corner　before　starting　down　hill。

〃Oh；　I　am　sorry；〃　lamented　Clara；　〃for　we　shall　not　be　able　to　go　to…day；　or　perhaps　any　other　day。　I　shall　have　to　go　home；　I　suppose；　if　I　have　no　chair。　Oh；　I　am　so　sorry；　I　am　so　sorry！〃

But　Heidi　looked　towards　her　grandfather　with　her　usual　expression　of　confidence。

〃Grandfather；　you　will　be　able　to　do　something；　won't　you；　so　that　it　need　not　be　as　Clara　says；　and　so　that　she　is　not　obliged　to　go　home？〃

〃Well；　for　the　present　we　will　go　up　the　mountain　as　we　had　arranged；　and　then　later　on　we　will　see　what　can　be　done；〃　he　answered；　much　to　the　children's　delight。

He　went　indoors；　fetched　out　a　pile　of　shawls；　and　laying　them　on　the　sunniest　spot　he　could　find　set　Clara　down　upon　them。　Then　he　fetched　the　children's　morning　milk　and　had　out　his　two　goats。

〃Why　is　Peter　not　here　yet？〃　thought　Uncle　to　himself；　for　Peter's　whistle　had　not　been　sounded　that　morning。　The　grandfather　now　took　Clara　up　on　one　arm；　and　the　shawls　on　the　other。

〃Now　then　we　will　start；〃　he　said；　〃the　goats　can　come　with　us。〃

Heidi　was　pleased　at　this　and　walked　on　after　her　grandfather　with　an　arm　over　either　of　the　goats'　necks；　and　the　animals　were　so　overjoyed　to　have　her　again　that　they　nearly　squeezed　her　flat　between　them　out　of　sheer　affection。　When　they　reached　the　spot　where　the　goats　usually　pastured　they　were　surprised　to　find　them　already　feeding　there；　climbing　about　the　rocks；　and　Peter　with　them；　lying　his　full　length　on　the　ground。

〃I'll　teach　you　another　time　to　go　by　like　that；　you　lazy　rascal！　What　do　you　mean　by　it？〃　Uncle　called　to　him。

Peter；　recognising　the　voice；　jumped　up　like　a　shot。　〃No　one　was　up；〃　he　answered。

〃Have　you　seen　anything　of　the　chair？〃　asked　the　grandfather。

〃Of　what　chair？〃　called　Peter　back　in　answer　in　a　morose　tone　of　voice。

Uncle　said　no　more。　He　spread　the　shawls　on　the　sunny　slope；　and　setting　Clara　upon　them　asked　if　she　was　comfortable。

〃As　comfortable　as　in　my　chair；〃　she　said；　thanking　him；　〃and　this　seems　the　most　beautiful　spot。　O　Heidi；　it　is　lovely；　it　is　lovely！〃　she　cried；　looking　round　her　with　delight。

The　grandfather　prepared　to　leave　them。　They　would　now　be　safe　and　happy　together；　he　said；　and　when　it　was　time　for　dinner　Heidi　was　to　go　and　fetch　the　bag　from　the　shady　hollow　where　he　had　put　it；　Peter　was　to　bring　them　as　much　milk　as　they　wanted；　but　Heidi　was　to　see　that　it　was　Little　Swan's　milk。　He　would　come　and　fetch　them　towards　evening；　he　must　now　be　off　to　see　after　the　chair　and　ascertain　what　had　become　of　it。

The　sky　was　dark　blue；　and　not　a　single　cloud　was　to　be　seen　from　one　horizon　to　the　other。　The　great　snow…field　overhead　sparkled　as　if　set　with　thousands　and　thousands　of　gold　and　silver　stars。　The　two　grey　mountains　peaks　lifted　their　lofty　heads　against　the　sky　and　looked　solemnly　down　upon　the　valley　as　of　old；　the　great　bird　was　poised　aloft　in　the　clear　blue　air；　and　the　mountain　wind　came　over　the　heights　and　blew　refreshingly　around　the　children　as　they　sat　on　the　sunlit　slope。　It　was　all　indescribably　enjoyable　to　Clara　and　Heidi。　Now　and　again　a　young　goat　came　and　lay　down　beside　them；　Snowflake　came　oftenest；　putting　her　little　head　down　near　Heidi；　and　only　moving　because　another　goat　came　and　drove　her　away。　Clara　had　learned　to　know　them　all　so　well　that　she　never　mistook　one　for　the　other　now；　for　each　had　an　expression　and　ways　of　its　own。　And　the　goats　had　also　grown　familiar　with　Clara　and　would　rub　their　heads　against　her　shoulder；　which　was　always　a　sign　of　acquaintanceship　and　goodwill。

Some　hours　went　by；　and　Heidi　began　to　think　that　she　might　just　go　over　to　the　spot　where　all　the　flowers　grew　to　see　if　they　were　fully　blown　and　looking　as　lovely　as　the　year　before。　Clara　could　not　go　until　grandfather　came　back　that　evening；　when　the　flowers　probably　would　be　already　closed。　The　longing　to　go　became　stronger　and　stronger；　till　she　felt　she　could　not　resist　it。

〃Would　you　think　me　unkind；　Clara；〃　she　said　rather　hesitatingly；　〃if　I　left　you　for　a　few　minutes？　I　should　run　there　and　back　very　quickly。　I　want　so　to　see　how　the　flowers　are　lookingbut　wait〃　for　an　idea　had　come　into　Heidi's　head。　She　ran　and　picked　a　bunch　or　two　of　green　leaves；　and　then　took　hold　of　Snowflake　and　led　her　up　to　Clara。

〃There；　now　you　will　not　be　alone；〃　said　Heidi；　giving　the　goat　a　little　push　to　show　her　she　was　to　lie　down　near　Clara；　which　the　animal　quite　understood。　Heidi　threw　the　leaves　into　Clara's　lap；　and　the　latter　told　her　friend　to　go　at　once　to　look　at　the　flowers　as　she　was　quite　happy　to　be　left　with　the　goat；　she　liked　this　new　experience。　Heidi　ran　off；　and　Clara　began　to　hold　out　the　leaves　one　by　one　to　Snowflake；　who　snoozled　up　to　her　new　friend　in　a　confiding　manner　and　slowly　ate　the　leaves　from　her　hand。　It　was　easy　to　see　that　Snowflake　enjoyed　this　peaceful　and　sheltered　way　of　feeding；　for　when　with　the　other　goats　she　had　much　persecution　to　endure　from　the　larger　and　stronger　ones　of　the　flock。　And　Clara　found　a　strange　new　pleasure　in　sitting　all　alone　like　this　on　the　mountain　side；　her　only　companion　a　little　goat　that　looked　to　her　for　protection。　She　suddenly　felt　a　great　desire　to　be　her　own　mistress　and　to　be　able　to　help　others；　instead　of　herself　being　always　dependent　as　she　was　now。　Many　thoughts；　unknown　to　her　before；　came　crowding　into　her　mind；　and　a　longing　to　go　on　living　in　the　sunshine；　and　to　be　doing　something　that　would　bring　happiness　to　another；　as　now　she　was　helping　to　make　the　goat　happy。　An　unaccustomed　feeling　of　joy　took　possession　of　her；　as　if　everything　she　had　ever　known　or　felt　became　all　at　once　more　beautiful；　and　she　seemed　to　see　all　things　in　a　new　light；　and　so　strong　was　the　sense　of　this　new　beauty　and　happiness　that　she　threw　her　arms　round　the　little　goat's　neck；　and　exclaimed；　〃O　Snowflake；　how　delightful　it　is　up　here！　if　only　I　co