Heidi
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Johanna Spyri >> Heidi
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"Yes, I shall come to you the same day, for I really love you as much
as grandfather," Heidi assured him, crying all the time.
Shaking hands again, they parted. Heidi stayed on the same spot,
waving her hand and looking after her departing friend till he seemed
no bigger than a little dot. Then he looked back a last time at Heidi
and the sunny Alp, muttering to himself: "It is beautiful up there.
Body and soul get strengthened in that place and life seems worth
living again."
[Illustration]
XVIII
WINTER IN THE VILLAGE
The snow lay so deep around the Alm-hut that the windows seemed to
stand level with the ground and the house-door had entirely
disappeared. Round Peter's hut it was the same. When the boy went out
to shovel the snow, he had to creep through the window; then he would
sink deep into the soft snow and kick with arms and legs to get free.
Taking a broom, the boy would have to clear away the snow from the
door to prevent its falling into the hut.
The uncle had kept his word; when the first snow had fallen, he had
moved down to the village with Heidi and his goats. Near the church
and the parish house lay an old ruin that once had been a spacious
building. A brave soldier had lived there in days gone by; he had
fought in the Spanish war, and coming back with many riches, had
built himself a splendid house. But having lived too long in the noisy
world to be able to stand the monotonous life in the little town, he
soon went away, never to come back. After his death, many years later,
though the house was already beginning to decay, a distant relation of
his took possession of it. The new proprietor did not want to build it
up again, so poor people moved in. They had to pay little rent for the
house, which was gradually crumbling and falling to pieces. Years ago,
when the uncle had come to the village with Tobias, he had lived
there. Most of the time it had been empty, for the winter lasted long,
and cold winds would blow through the chinks in the walls. When poor
people lived there, their candles would be blown out and they would
shiver with cold in the dark. But the uncle, had known how to help
himself. In the fall, as soon as he had resolved to live in the
village, he came down frequently, fitting up the place as best he
could.
On approaching the house from the back, one entered an open room,
where nearly all the walls lay in ruins. On one side the remains of a
chapel could be seen, now covered with the thickest ivy. A large hall
came next, with a beautiful stone floor and grass growing in the
crevices. Most of the walls were gone and part of the ceiling also. If
a few thick pillars had not been left supporting the rest, it would
undoubtedly have tumbled down. The uncle had made a wooden partition
here for the goats, and covered the floor with straw. Several
corridors, most of them half decayed, led finally to a chamber with a
heavy iron door. This room was still in good condition and had dark
wood panelling on the four firm walls. In one corner was an enormous
stove, which nearly reached up to the ceiling. On the white tiles were
painted blue pictures of old towers surrounded by high trees, and of
hunters with their hounds. There also was a scene with a quiet lake,
where, under shady oak-trees, a fisherman was sitting. Around the
stove a bench was placed. Heidi loved to sit there, and as soon as she
had entered their new abode, she began to examine the pictures.
Arriving at the end of the bench, she discovered a bed, which was
placed between the wall and the stove. "Oh grandfather, I have found
my bed-room," exclaimed the little girl. "Oh, how fine it is! Where
are you going to sleep?"
"Your bed must be near the stove, to keep you warm," said the old man.
"Now come and look at mine."
With that the grandfather led her into his bed-room. From there a door
led into the hugest kitchen Heidi had ever seen. With a great deal of
trouble the grandfather had fitted up this place. Many boards were
nailed across the walls and the door had been fastened with heavy
wires, for beyond, the building lay in ruins. Thick underbrush was
growing there, sheltering thousands of insects and lizards. Heidi was
delighted with her new home, and when Peter arrived next day, she did
not rest till he had seen every nook and corner of the curious
dwelling-place.
Heidi slept very well in her chimney corner, but it took her many days
to get accustomed to it. When she woke up in the morning and could not
hear the fir-trees roar, she would wonder where she was. Was the snow
too heavy on the branches? Was she away from home? But as soon as she
heard her grandfather's voice outside, she remembered everything and
would jump merrily out of bed.
After four days had gone by, Heidi said to her grandfather: "I must go
to grandmother now, she has been alone so many days."
But the grandfather shook his head and said: "You can't go yet, child.
The snow is fathoms deep up there and is still falling. Peter can
hardly get through. A little girl like you would be snowed up and lost
in no time. Wait a while till it freezes and then you can walk on top
of the crust."
Heidi was very sorry, but she was so busy now that the days flew by.
Every morning and afternoon she went to school, eagerly learning
whatever was taught her. She hardly ever saw Peter there, for he did
not come very often. The mild teacher would only say from time to
time: "It seems to me, Peter is not here again! School would do him
good, but I guess there is too much snow for him to get through." But
when Heidi came home towards evening, Peter generally paid her a
visit.
After a few days the sun came out for a short time at noon, and the
next morning the whole Alp glistened and shone like crystal. When
Peter was jumping as usual into the snow that morning, he fell against
something hard, and before he could stop himself he flew a little way
down the mountain. When he had gained his feet at last, he stamped
upon the ground with all his might. It really was frozen as hard as
stone. Peter could hardly believe it, and quickly running up and
swallowing his milk, and putting his bread in his pocket, he
announced: "I must go to school to-day!"
"Yes, go and learn nicely," answered his mother.
Then, sitting down on his sled, the boy coasted down the mountain like
a shot. Not being able to stop his course when he reached the village,
he coasted down further and further, till he arrived in the plain,
where the sled stopped of itself. It was already late for school, so
the boy took his time and only arrived in the village when Heidi came
home for dinner.
"We've got it!" announced the boy, on entering.
"What, general?" asked the uncle.
"The snow," Peter replied.
"Oh, now I can go up to grandmother!" Heidi rejoiced. "But Peter, why
didn't you come to school? You could coast down to-day," she continued
reproachfully.
"I went too far on my sled and then it was too late," Peter replied.
"I call that deserting!" said the uncle. "People who do that must
have their ears pulled; do you hear?"
The boy was frightened, for there was no one in the world whom he
respected more than the uncle.
"A general like you ought to be doubly ashamed to do so," the uncle
went on. "What would you do with the goats if they did not obey you
any more?"
"Beat them," was the reply.
"If you knew of a boy that was behaving like a disobedient goat and
had to get spanked, what would you say?"
"Serves him right."
"So now you know it, goat-general: if you miss school again, when you
ought to be there, you can come to me and get your due."
Now at last Peter understood what the uncle had meant. More kindly,
the old man then turned to Peter and said, "Come to the table now and
eat with us. Then you can go up with Heidi, and when you bring her
back at night, you can get your supper here."
This unexpected change delighted Peter. Not losing any time, he soon
disposed of his full plate. Heidi, who had given the boy most of her
dinner, was already putting on Clara's new coat. Then together they
climbed up, Heidi chatting all the time. But Peter did not say a
single word. He was preoccupied and had not even listened to Heidi's
tales. Before they entered the hut, the boy said stubbornly: "I think
I had rather go to school than get a beating from the uncle." Heidi
promptly confirmed him in his resolution.
When they went into the room, Peter's mother was alone at the table
mending. The grandmother was nowhere to be seen. Brigida now told
Heidi that the grandmother was obliged to stay in bed on those cold
days, as she did not feel very strong. That was something new for
Heidi. Quickly running to the old woman's chamber, she found her lying
in a narrow bed, wrapped up in her grey shawl and thin blanket.
"Thank Heaven!" the grandmother exclaimed when she heard her
darling's step. All autumn and winter long a secret fear had been
gnawing at her heart, that Heidi would be sent for by the strange
gentleman of whom Peter had told her so much. Heidi had approached the
bed, asking anxiously: "Are you very sick, grandmother?"
"No, no, child," the old woman reassured her, "the frost has just gone
into my limbs a little."
"Are you going to be well again as soon as the warm weather comes?"
inquired Heidi.
"Yes, yes, and if God wills, even sooner. I want to go back to my
spinning-wheel and I nearly tried it to-day. I'll get up to-morrow,
though," the grandmother said confidently, for she had noticed how
frightened Heidi was.
The last speech made the child feel more happy. Then, looking
wonderingly at the grandmother, she said: "In Frankfurt people put on
a shawl when they go out. Why are you putting it on in bed,
grandmother?"
"I put it on to keep me warm, Heidi. I am glad to have it, for my
blanket is very thin."
"But, grandmother, your bed is slanting down at your head, where it
ought to be high. No bed ought to be like that."
"I know, child, I can feel it well." So saying, the old woman tried to
change her position on the pillow that lay under her like a thin
board. "My pillow never was very thick, and sleeping on it all these
years has made it flat."
"Oh dear, if I had only asked Clara to give me the bed I had in
Frankfurt!" Heidi lamented. "It had three big pillows on it; I could
hardly sleep because I kept sliding down from them all the time. Could
you sleep with them, grandmother?"
"Of course, because that would keep me warm. I could breathe so much
easier, too," said the grandmother, trying to find a higher place to
lie on. "But I must not talk about it any more, for I have to be
thankful for many things. I get the lovely roll every day and have
this beautiful warm shawl. I also have you, my child! Heidi, wouldn't
you like to read me something to-day?"
Heidi immediately fetched the book and read one song after another.
The grandmother in the meantime was lying with folded hands; her face,
which had been so sad a short time ago, was lit up with a happy smile.
Suddenly Heidi stopped.
"Are you well again, grandmother?" she asked.
"I feel very much better, Heidi. Please finish the song, will you?"
The child obeyed, and when she came to the last words,
When mine eyes grow dim and sad,
Let Thy love more brightly burn,
That my soul, a wanderer glad,
Safely homeward may return.
"Safely homeward may return!" she exclaimed: "Oh, grandmother, I know
what it is like to come home." After a while she said: "It is getting
dark, grandmother, I must go home now. I am glad that you feel
better again."
[Illustration: THE TWO CHILDREN WERE ALREADY FLYING DOWN THE ALP]
The grandmother, holding the child's hand in hers, said: "Yes, I am
happy again, though I have to stay in bed. Nobody knows how hard it is
to lie here alone, day after day. I do not hear a word from anybody
and cannot see a ray of sunlight. I have very sad thoughts sometimes,
and often I feel as if I could not bear it any longer. But when I can
hear those blessed songs that you have read to me, it makes me feel as
if a light was shining into my heart, giving me the purest joy."
Shaking hands, the child now said good-night, and pulling Peter with
her, ran outside. The brilliant moon was shining down on the white
snow, light as day. The two children were already flying down the Alp,
like birds soaring through the air.
After Heidi had gone to bed that night, she lay awake a little while,
thinking over everything the grandmother had said, especially about
the joy the songs had given her. If only poor grandmother could hear
those comforting words every day! Heidi knew that it might be a week
or two again before she could repeat her visit. The child became very
sad when she thought how uncomfortable and lonely the old woman would
be. Was there no way for help? Suddenly Heidi had an idea, and it
thrilled her so that she felt as if she could not wait till morning
came to put her plan in execution. But in her excitement she had
forgotten her evening prayer, so sitting up in bed, she prayed
fervently to God. Then, falling back into the fragrant hay, she soon
slept peacefully and soundly still the bright morning came.
[Illustration]
XIX
WINTER STILL CONTINUES
Peter arrived punctually at school next day. He had brought his lunch
with him in a bag, for all the children that came from far away ate in
school, while the others went home. In the evening Peter as usual paid
his visit to Heidi.
The minute he opened the door she ran up to him, saying: "Peter, I
have to tell you something."
"Say it," he replied.
"You must learn to read now," said the child.
"I have done it already."
"Yes, yes, Peter, but I don't mean it that way," Heidi eagerly
proceeded; "you must learn so that you really know how afterwards."
"I can't," Peter remarked.
"Nobody believes you about that any more, and I won't either," Heidi
said resolutely. "When I was in Frankfurt, grandmama told me that it
wasn't true and that I shouldn't believe you."
Peter's astonishment was great.
"I'll teach you, for I know how; when you have learnt it, you must
read one or two songs to grandmother every day."
"I shan't!" grumbled the boy.
This obstinate refusal made Heidi very angry. With flaming eyes she
planted herself before the boy and said: "I'll tell you what will
happen, if you don't want to learn. Your mother has often said that
she'll send you to Frankfurt. Clara showed me the terrible, large
boys' school there, where you'll have to go. You must stay there till
you are a man, Peter! You mustn't think that there is only one teacher
there, and such a kind one as we have here. No, indeed! There are
whole rows of them, and when they are out walking they have high
black hats on their heads. I saw them myself, when I was out driving!"
Cold shivers ran down Peter's back.
"Yes, you'll have to go there, and when they find out that you can't
read or even spell, they'll laugh at you!"
"I'll do it," said Peter, half angry and half frightened.
"Oh, I am glad. Let us start right away!" said Heidi joyfully, pulling
Peter over to the table. Among the things that Clara had sent, Heidi
had found a little book with the A,B,C and some rhymes. She had chosen
this for the lessons. Peter, having to spell the first rhyme, found
great difficulty, so Heidi said, "I'll read it to you, and then you'll
be able to do it better. Listen:
"If A, B, C you do not know,
Before the school board you must go."
"I won't go," said Peter stubbornly.
"Where?"
"Before the court."
"Hurry up and learn the three letters, then you won't have to!"
Peter, beginning again, repeated the three letters till Heidi said:
"Now you know them."
Having observed the good result of the first rhyme, she began to read
again:
D, E, F you then must read,
Or of misfortune take good heed!
Who over L and M doth stumble,
Must pay a penance and feel humble.
There's trouble coming; if you knew,
You'd quickly learn N, O, P, Q.
If still you halt on R, S, T,
You'll suffer for it speedily.
Heidi, stopping, looked at Peter, who was so frightened by all these
threats and mysterious horrors that he sat as still as a mouse.
Heidi's tender heart was touched, and she said comfortingly: "Don't be
afraid, Peter; if you come to me every day, you'll soon learn all the
letters and then those things won't happen. But come every day, even
when it snows. Promise!"
Peter did so, and departed. Obeying Heidi's instructions, he came
daily to her for his lesson.
Sometimes the grandfather would sit in the room, smoking his pipe;
often the corners of his mouth would twitch as if he could hardly keep
from laughing.
He generally invited Peter to stay to supper afterwards, which
liberally rewarded the boy for all his great exertions.
Thus the days passed by. In all this time Peter had really made some
progress, though the rhymes still gave him difficulty.
When they had come to U, Heidi read:
Whoever mixes U and V,
Will go where he won't want to be!
and further,
If W you still ignore,
Look at the rod beside the door.
Often Peter would growl and object to those measures, but nevertheless
he kept on learning, and soon had but three letters left.
The next few days the following rhymes, with their threats, made Peter
more eager than ever.
If you the letter X forget
For you no supper will be set.
If you still hesitate with Y,
For shame you'll run away and cry.
When Heidi read the last,
And he who makes his Z with blots,
Must journey to the Hottentots,
Peter sneered: "Nobody even knows where they are!"
"I am sure grandfather does," Heidi retorted, jumping up. "Just wait
one minute and I shall ask him. He is over with the parson," and with
that she had opened the door.
"Wait!" shrieked Peter in great alarm, for he saw himself already
transported to those dreadful people. "What is the matter with you?"
said Heidi, standing still.
"Nothing, but stay here. I'll learn," he blubbered. But Heidi,
wanting to know something about the Hottentots herself, could only be
kept back by piteous screams from Peter. So at last they settled down
again, and before it was time to go, Peter knew the last letter, and
had even begun to read syllables. From this day on he progressed more
quickly.
It was three weeks since Heidi had paid her last visit to the
grandmother, for much snow had fallen since. One evening, Peter,
coming home, said triumphantly:
"I can do it!"
"What is it you can do, Peter?" asked his mother, eagerly.
"Read."
"What, is it possible? Did you hear it, grandmother?" exclaimed
Brigida.
The grandmother also was curious to learn how this had happened.
"I must read a song now; Heidi told me to," Peter continued. To the
women's amazement, Peter began. After every verse his mother would
exclaim, "Who would have ever thought it!" while the grandmother
remained silent.
One day later, when it happened that it was Peter's turn to read in
school, the teacher said:
"Peter, must I pass you by again, as usual? Or do you want to try--I
shall not say to read, but to stammer through a line?"
Peter began and read three lines without stopping.
In dumb astonishment, the teacher, putting down his book, looked at
the boy.
"What miracle has happened to you?" he exclaimed. "For a long time I
tried to teach you with all my patience, and you were not even able to
grasp the letters, but now that I had given you up as hopeless, you
have not only learnt how to spell, but even to read. How did this
happen, Peter?"
"It was Heidi," the boy replied.
In great amazement, the teacher looked at the little girl. Then the
kind man continued:
"I have noticed a great change in you, Peter. You used to stay away
from school, sometimes more than a week, and lately you have not even
missed a day. Who has brought about this change?"
"The uncle."
Every evening now Peter on his return home read one song to his
grandmother, but never more. To the frequent praises of Brigida, the
old woman once replied: "I am glad he has learnt something, but
nevertheless I am longing for the spring to come. Then Heidi can visit
me, for when she reads, the verses sound so different. I cannot always
follow Peter, and the songs don't thrill me the way they do when Heidi
says them!"
And no wonder! For Peter would often leave out long and difficult
words,--what did three or four words matter! So it happened sometimes
that there were hardly any nouns left in the hymns that Peter read.
XX
NEWS FROM DISTANT FRIENDS
May had come. Warm sunshine was bathing the whole Alp in glorious
light, and having melted the last snow, had brought the first spring
flowers to the surface. A merry spring wind was blowing, drying up the
damp places in the shadow. High above in the azure heaven the eagle
floated peacefully.
Heidi and her grandfather were back on the Alp. The child was so happy
to be home again that she jumped about among the beloved objects. Here
she discovered a new spring bud, and there she watched the gay little
gnats and beetles that were swarming in the sun.
The grandfather was busy in his little shop, and a sound of hammering
and sawing could be heard. Heidi had to go and see what the
grandfather was making. There before the door stood a neat new chair,
while the old man was busy making a second.
"Oh, I know what they are for," said Heidi gaily. "You are making them
for Clara and grandmama. Oh, but we need a third--or do you think that
Miss Rottenmeier won't come, perhaps?"
"I really don't know," said grandfather: "but it is safer to have a
chair for her, if she should come."
Heidi, thoughtfully looking at the backless chairs, remarked:
"Grandfather, I don't think she would sit down on those."
"Then we must invite her to sit down on the beautiful green lounge of
grass," quietly answered the old man.
While Heidi was still wondering what the grandfather had meant, Peter
arrived, whistling and calling. As usual, Heidi was soon surrounded by
the goats, who also seemed happy to be back on the Alp. Peter, angrily
pushing the goats aside, marched up to Heidi, thrusting a letter into
her hand.
"Did you get a letter for me on the pasture?" Heidi said, astonished.
"No."
"Where did it come from?"
"From my bag."
The letter had been given to Peter the previous evening; putting it in
his lunch-bag, the boy had forgotten it there till he opened the bag
for his dinner. Heidi immediately recognized Clara's handwriting, and
bounding over to her grandfather, exclaimed: "A letter has come from
Clara. Wouldn't you like me to read it to you, grandfather?"
Heidi immediately read to her two listeners, as follows:--
DEAR HEIDI:--
We are all packed up and shall travel in two or three days. Papa
is leaving, too, but not with us, for he has to go to Paris
first. The dear doctor visits us now every day, and as soon as
he opens the door, he calls, 'Away to the Alp!' for he can
hardly wait for us to go. If you only knew how he enjoyed being
with you last fall! He came nearly every day this winter to tell
us all about you and the grandfather and the mountains and the
flowers he saw. He said that it was so quiet in the pure,
delicious air, away from towns and streets, that everybody has
to get well there. He is much better himself since his visit,
and seems younger and happier. Oh, how I look forward to it all!
The doctor's advice is, that I shall go to Ragatz first for
about six weeks, then I can go to live in the village, and from
there I shall come to see you every fine day. Grandmama, who is
coming with me, is looking forward to the trip too. But just
think, Miss Rottenmeier does not want to go. When grandmama
urges her, she always declines politely. I think Sebastian must
have given her such a terrible description of the high rocks and
fearful abysses, that she is afraid. I think he told her that it
was not safe for anybody, and that only goats could climb such
dreadful heights. She used to be so eager to go to Switzerland,
but now neither Tinette nor she wants to take the risk. I can
hardly wait to see you again!
Good-bye, dear Heidi, with much love from grandmama,
I am your true friend,
CLARA.
When Peter heard this, he swung his rod to right and left. Furiously
driving the goats before him, he bounded down the hill.
Heidi visited the grandmother next day, for she had to tell her the
good news. Sitting up in her corner, the old woman was spinning as
usual. Her face looked sad, for Peter had already announced the near
visit of Heidi's friends, and she dreaded the result.
After having poured out her full heart, Heidi looked at the old woman.
"What is it, grandmother?" said the child. "Are you not glad?"
"Oh yes, Heidi, I am glad, because you are happy."
"But, grandmother, you seem so anxious. Do you still think Miss
Rottenmeier is coming?"
"Oh no, it is nothing. Give me your hand, for I want to be sure that
you are still here. I suppose it will be for the best, even if I shall
not live to see the day!"
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