heidi-第14部分

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noise　was　sufficient　to　wake　Heidi；　and　it　was　with　difficulty　they　could　rouse　her　sufficiently　to　get　her　along　to　her　bedroom；　to　reach　which　she　had　to　pass　first　through　the　study；　then　through　Clara's　bedroom；　then　through　Fraulein　Rottenmeier's　sitting…room；　till　she　came　to　the　corner　room　that　had　been　set　apart　for　her。



CHAPTER　VII。　FRAULEIN　ROTTENMEIER　SPENDS　AN　UNCOMFORTABLE　DAY

When　Heidi　opened　her　eyes　on　her　first　morning　in　Frankfurt　she　could　not　think　where　she　was。　Then　she　rubbed　them　and　looked　about　her。　She　was　sitting　up　in　a　high　white　bed；　on　one　side　of　a　large；　wide　room；　into　which　the　light　was　falling　through　very；　very　long　white　curtains；　near　the　window　stood　two　chairs　covered　with　large　flowers；　and　then　came　a　sofa　with　the　same　flowers；　in　front　of　which　was　a　round　table；　in　the　corner　was　a　washstand；　with　things　upon　it　that　Heidi　had　never　seen　in　her　life　before。　But　now　all　at　once　she　remembered　that　she　was　in　Frankfurt；　everything　that　had　happened　the　day　before　came　back　to　her；　and　finally　she　recalled　clearly　the　instructions　that　had　been　given　her　by　the　lady…housekeeper；　as　far　as　she　had　heard　them。　Heidi　jumped　out　of　bed　and　dressed　herself；　then　she　ran　first　to　one　window　and　then　another；　she　wanted　to　see　the　sky　and　country　outside；　she　felt　like　a　bird　in　a　cage　behind　those　great　curtains。　But　they　were　too　heavy　for　her　to　put　aside；　so　she　crept　underneath　them　to　get　to　the　window。　But　these　again　were　so　high　that　she　could　only　just　get　her　head　above　the　sill　to　peer　out。　Even　then　she　could　not　see　what　she　longed　for。　In　vain　she　went　first　to　one　and　then　the　other　of　the　windowsshe　could　see　nothing　but　walls　and　windows　and　again　walls　and　windows。　Heidi　felt　quite　frightened。　It　was　still　early；　for　Heidi　was　accustomed　to　get　up　early　and　run　out　at　once　to　see　how　everything　was　looking；　if　the　sky　was　blue　and　if　the　sun　was　already　above　the　mountains；　or　if　the　fir　trees　were　waving　and　the　flowers　had　opened　their　eyes。　As　a　bird；　when　it　first　finds　itself　in　its　bright　new　cage；　darts　hither　and　thither；　trying　the　bars　in　turn　to　see　if　it　cannot　get　through　them　and　fly　again　into　the　open；　so　Heidi　continued　to　run　backwards　and　forwards；　trying　to　open　first　one　and　then　the　other　of　the　windows；　for　she　felt　she　could　not　bear　to　see　nothing　but　walls　and　windows；　and　somewhere　outside　there　must　be　the　green　grass；　and　the　last　unmelted　snows　on　the　mountain　slopes；　which　Heidi　so　longed　to　see。　But　the　windows　remained　immovable；　try　what　Heidi　would　to　open　them；　even　endeavoring　to　push　her　little　fingers　under　them　to　lift　them　up；　but　it　was　all　no　use。　When　after　a　while　Heidi　saw　that　her　efforts　were　fruitless；　she　gave　up　trying；　and　began　to　think　whether　she　would　not　go　out　and　round　the　house　till　she　came　to　the　grass；　but　then　she　remembered　that　the　night　before　she　had　only　seen　stones　in　front　of　the　house。　At　that　moment　a　knock　came　to　the　door；　and　immediately　after　Tinette　put　her　head　inside　and　said；　〃Breakfast　is　ready。〃　Heidi　had　no　idea　what　an　invitation　so　worded　meant；　and　Tinette's　face　did　not　encourage　any　questioning　on　Heidi's　part；　but　rather　the　reverse。　Heidi　was　sharp　enough　to　read　its　expression；　and　acted　accordingly。　So　she　drew　the　little　stool　out　from　under　the　table；　put　it　in　the　corner　and　sat　down　upon　it；　and　there　silently　awaited　what　would　happen　next。　Shortly　after；　with　a　good　deal　of　rustling　and　bustling　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　appeared；　who　again　seemed　very　much　put　out　and　called　to　Heidi；　〃What　is　the　matter　with　you；　Adelheid？　Don't　you　understand　what　breakfast　is？　Come　along　at　once！〃

Heidi　had　no　difficulty　in　understanding　now　and　followed　at　once。　Clara　had　been　some　time　at　the　breakfast　table　and　she　gave　Heidi　a　kindly　greeting；　her　face　looking　considerably　more　cheerful　than　usual；　for　she　looked　forward　to　all　kinds　of　new　things　happening　again　that　day。　Breakfast　passed　off　quietly；　Heidi　eat　her　bread　and　butter　in　a　perfectly　correct　manner；　and　when　the　meal　was　over　and　Clara　wheeled　back　into　the　study；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　told　her　to　follow　and　remain　with　Clara　until　the　tutor　should　arrive　and　lessons　begin。

As　soon　as　the　children　were　alone　again；　Heidi　asked；　〃How　can　one　see　out　from　here；　and　look　right　down　on　to　the　ground？〃

〃You　must　open　the　window　and　look　out；〃　replied　Clara　amused。

〃But　the　windows　won't　open；〃　responded　Heidi　sadly。

〃Yes；　they　will；〃　Clara　assured　her。　〃You　cannot　open　them；　nor　I　either；　but　when　you　see　Sebastian　you　can　ask　him　to　open　one。〃

It　was　a　great　relief　to　Heidi　to　know　that　the　windows　could　be　opened　and　that　one　could　look　out；　for　she　still　felt　as　if　she　was　shut　up　in　prison。　Clara　now　began　to　ask　her　questions　about　her　home；　and　Heidi　was　delighted　to　tell　her　all　about　the　mountain　and　the　goats；　and　the　flowery　meadows　which　were　so　dear　to　her。

Meanwhile　her　tutor　had　arrived；　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　however；　did　not　bring　him　straight　into　the　study　but　drew　him　first　aside　into　the　dining…room；　where　she　poured　forth　her　troubles　and　explained　to　him　the　awkward　position　in　which　she　was　placed；　and　how　it　had　all　come　about。　It　appeared　that　she　had　written　some　time　back　to　Herr　Sesemann　to　tell　him　that　his　daughter　very　much　wished　to　have　a　companion；　and　had　added　how　desirable　she　thought　it　herself；　as　it　would　be　a　spur　to　Clara　at　her　lessons　and　an　amusement　for　her　in　her　playtime。　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　had　privately　wished　for　this　arrangement　on　her　own　behalf；　as　it　would　relieve　her　from　having　always　to　entertain　the　sick　girl　herself；　which　she　felt　at　times　was　too　much　for　her。　The　father　had　answered　that　he　was　quite　willing　to　let　his　daughter　have　a　companion；　provided　she　was　treated　in　every　way　like　his　own　child；　as　he　would　not　have　any　child　tormented　or　put　upon　which　was　a　very　unnecessary　remark；〃　put　in　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　〃for　who　wants　to　torment　children！〃　But　now　she　went　on　to　explain　how　dreadfully　she　had　been　taken　in　about　the　child；　and　related　all　the　unimaginable　things　of　which　she　had　already　been　guilty；　so　that　not　only　would　he　have　to　begin　with　teaching　her　the　A　B　C；　but　would　have　to　start　with　the　most　rudimentary　instruction　as　regarded　everything　to　do　with　daily　life。　She　could　see　only　one　way　out　of　this　disastrous　state　of　affairs；　and　that　was　for　the　tutor　to　declare　that　it　was　impossible　for　the　two　to　learn　together　without　detriment　to　Clara；　who　was　so　far　ahead　of　the　other；　that　would　be　a　valid　excuse　for　getting　rid　of　the　child；　and　Herr　Sesemann　would　be　sure　to　agree　to　the　child　being　sent　home　again；　but　she　dared　not　do　this　without　his　order；　since　he　was　aware　that　by　this　time　the　companion　had　arrived。　But　the　tutor　was　a　cautious　man　and　not　inclined　to　take　a　partial　view　of　matters。　He　tried　to　calm　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　and　gave　it　as　his　opinion　that　if　the　little　girl　was　backward　in　some　things　she　was　probably　advanced　in　others；　and　a　little　regular　teaching　would　soon　set　the　balance　right。　When　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　saw　that　he　was　not　ready　to　support　her；　and　evidently　quite　ready　to　undertake　teaching　the　alphabet；　she　opened　the　study　door；　which　she　quickly　shut　again　as　soon　as　he　had　gone　through；　remaining　on　the　other　side　herself；　for　she　had　a　perfect　horror　of　the　A　B　C。　She　walked　up　and　down　the　dining…room；　thinking　over　in　her　own　mind　how　the　servants　were　to　be　told　to　address　Adelaide。　The　father　had　written　that　she　was　to　be　treated　exactly　like　his　own　daughter；　and　this　would　especially　refer；　she　imagined；　to　the　servants。　She　was　not　allowed；　however；　a　very　long　interval　of　time　for　consideration；　for　suddenly　the　sound　of　a　frightful　crash　was　heard　in　the　study；　followed　by　frantic　cries　for　Sebastian。　She　rushed　into　the　room。　There　on　the　floor　lay　in　a　confused　heap；　books；　exercise…books；　inkstand；　and　other　articles　with　the　table…cloth　on　the　top；　while　from　beneath　them　a　dark　stream　of　ink　was　flowing　all　across　the　floor。　Heidi　had　disappeared。

〃Here's　a　state　of　things！〃　exclaimed　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　wringing　her　hands。　〃Table…cloth；　books；　work…basket；　everything　lying　in　the　ink！　It　was　that　unfortunate　child；　I　suppose！〃

The　tutor　was　standing　looking　down　at　the　havoc　in　distress；　there　was　certainly　only　one　view　to　be　taken　of　such　a　matter　as　this　and　that　an　unfavorable　one。　Clara　meanwhile　appeared　to　find　pleasure　in　such　an　unusual　event　and　in　watching　the　results。　〃Yes；　Heidi　did　it；〃　she　explained；　〃but　quite　by　accident；　she　must　on　no　account　be　punished；　she　jumped　up　in　such　violent　haste　to　get　away　that　she　dragged　the　tablecloth　along　with　her；　and　so　everything　went　over。　There　were　a　number　of　vehicles　passing；　that　is　why　she　rushed　off　like　that；　perhaps　she　has　never　seen　a　carriage。〃

〃Is　it　not　as　I　said？　She　has　not　the　smallest　notion　about　anything！　not　the　slightest　idea　that　she　ought　to　sit　still　and　listen　while　her　lessons　are　going　on。　But　where　is　the　child　who　has　caused　all　this　trouble？　Surely　she　has　not　run　away！　What　would　Herr　Sesemann　say　to　me？〃　She　ran　out　of　the　room　and　down　the　stairs。　There；　at　the　bottom；　standing　in　the　open　door…way；　was　Heidi；　looking　in　amazement　up　and　down　the　street。

〃What　are　you　doing？　What　are　you　thinking　of　to　run　away　like　that？〃　called　Fraulein　Rottenmeier。

〃I　heard　the　sound　of　the　fir　trees；　but　I　cannot　see　where　they　are；　and　now　I　cannot　hear　them　any　more；〃　answered　Heidi；　looking　disappointedly　in　the　direction　whence　the　noise　of　the　passing　carriages　had　reached　her；　and　which　to　Heidi　had　seemed　like　the　blowing　of　the　south　wind　in　the　trees；　so　that　in　great　joy　of　heart　she　had　rushed　out　to　look　at　them。

〃Fir　trees！　do　you　suppose　we　are　in　a　wood？　What　ridiculous　ideas　are　these？　Come　upstairs　and　see　the　mischief　you　have　done！〃

Heidi　turned　and　followed　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　upstairs；　she　was　quite　astonished　to　see　the　disaster　she　had　caused；　for　in　her　joy　and　haste　to　get　to　the　fir　trees　she　had　been　unaware　of　having　dragged　everything　after　her。

〃I　excuse　you　doing　this　as　it　is　the　first　time；　but　do　not　let　me　know　you　doing　it