heidi-第7部分

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〃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！〃　cried　Heidi　in　fresh　excitement；　〃now　they　have　turned　all　rose　color！　Look　at　that　one　covered　with　snow；　and　that　with　the　high；　pointed　rocks！　What　do　you　call　them？〃

〃Mountains　have　not　any　names；〃　he　answered。

〃O　how　beautiful；　look　at　the　crimson　snow！　And　up　there　on　the　rocks　there　are　ever　so　many　roses！　Oh！　now　they　are　turning　grey！　Oh！　oh！　now　all　the　color　has　died　away！　it's　all　gone；　Peter。〃　And　Heidi　sat　down　on　the　ground　looking　as　full　of　distress　as　if　everything　had　really　come　to　an　end。

〃It　will　come　again　to…morrow；〃　said　Peter。　〃Get　up；　we　must　go　home　now。〃　He　whistled　to　his　goats　and　together　they　all　started　on　their　homeward　way。

〃Is　it　like　that　every　day；　shall　we　see　it　every　day　when　we　bring　the　goats　up　here？〃　asked　Heidi；　as　she　clambered　down　the　mountain　at　Peter's　side；　she　waited　eagerly　for　his　answer；　hoping　that　he　would　tell　her　it　was　so。

〃It　is　like　that　most　days；〃　he　replied。

〃But　will　it　be　like　that　to…morrow　for　certain？　Heidi　persisted。

〃Yes；　yes；　to…morrow　for　certain；〃　Peter　assured　her　in　answer。

Heidi　now　felt　quite　happy　again；　and　her　little　brain　was　so　full　of　new　impressions　and　new　thoughts　that　she　did　not　speak　any　more　until　they　had　reached　the　hut。　The　grandfather　was　sitting　under　the　fir　trees；　where　he　had　also　put　up　a　seat；　waiting　as　usual　for　his　goats　which　returned　down　the　mountain　on　this　side。

Heidi　ran　up　to　him　followed　by　the　white　and　brown　goats；　for　they　knew　their　own　master　and　stall。　Peter　called　out　after　her；　〃Come　with　me　again　to…morrow！　Good…night！〃　For　he　was　anxious　for　more　than　one　reason　that　Heidi　should　go　with　him　the　next　day。

Heidi　ran　back　quickly　and　gave　Peter　her　hand；　promising　to　go　with　him；　and　then　making　her　way　through　the　goats　she　once　more　clasped　Snowflake　round　the　neck；　saying　in　a　gentle　soothing　voice；　〃Sleep　well；　Snowflake；　and　remember　that　I　shall　be　with　you　again　to…morrow；　so　you　must　not　bleat　so　sadly　any　more。〃　Snowflake　gave　her　a　friendly　and　grateful　look；　and　then　went　leaping　joyfully　after　the　other　goats。

Heidi　returned　to　the　fir…trees。　〃O　grandfather；〃　she　cried；　even　before　she　had　come　up　to　him；　〃it　was　so　beautiful。　The　fire；　and　the　roses　on　the　rocks；　and　the　blue　and　yellow　flowers；　and　look　what　I　have　brought　you！〃　And　opening　the　apron　that　held　her　flowers　she　shook　them　all　out　at　her　grandfather's　feet。　But　the　poor　flowers；　how　changed　they　were！　Heidi　hardly　knew　them　again。　They　looked　like　dry　bits　of　hay；　not　a　single　little　flower　cup　stood　open。　〃O　grandfather；　what　is　the　matter　with　them？〃　exclaimed　Heidi　in　shocked　surprise；　〃they　were　not　like　that　this　morning；　why　do　they　look　so　now？〃

〃They　like　to　stand　out　there　in　the　sun　and　not　to　be　shut　up　in　an　apron；〃　said　her　grandfather。

〃Then　I　will　never　gather　any　more。　But；　grandfather；　why　did　the　great　bird　go　on　croaking　so？　she　continued　in　an　eager　tone　of　inquiry。

〃Go　along　now　and　get　into　your　bath　while　I　go　and　get　some　milk；　when　we　are　together　at　supper　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it。〃

Heidi　obeyed；　and　when　later　she　was　sitting　on　her　high　stool　before　her　milk　bowl　with　her　grandfather　beside　her；　she　repeated　her　question；　〃Why　does　the　great　bird　go　on　croaking　and　screaming　down　at　us；　grandfather？〃

〃He　is　mocking　at　the　people　who　live　down　below　in　the　villages；　because　they　all　go　huddling　and　gossiping　together；　and　encourage　one　another　in　evil　talking　and　deeds。　He　calls　out；　'If　you　would　separate　and　each　go　your　own　way　and　come　up　here　and　live　on　a　height　as　I　do；　it　would　be　better　for　you！'　〃　There　was　almost　a　wildness　in　the　old　man's　voice　as　he　spoke；　so　that　Heidi　seemed　to　hear　the　croaking　of　the　bird　again　even　more　distinctly。

〃Why　haven't　the　mountains　any　names？〃　Heidi　went　on。

〃They　have　names；〃　answered　her　grandfather；　〃and　if　you　can　describe　one　of　them　to　me　that　I　know　I　will　tell　you　what　it　is　called。〃

Heidi　then　described　to　him　the　rocky　mountain　with　the　two　high　peaks　so　exactly　that　the　grandfather　was　delighted。　〃Just　so；　I　know　it；〃　and　he　told　her　its　name。　〃Did　you　see　any　other？〃

Then　Heidi　told　him　of　the　mountain　with　the　great　snow…field；　and　how　it　had　been　on　fire；　and　had；　turned　rosy…red　and　then　all　of　a　sudden　had　grown　quite　pale　again　and　all　the　color　had　disappeared。

〃I　know　that　one　too；〃　he　said；　giving　her　its　name。　〃So　you　enjoyed　being　out　with　the　goats？〃

Then　Heidi　went　on　to　give　him　an　account　of　the　whole　day；　and　of　how　delightful　it　had　all　been；　and　particularly　described　the　fire　that　had　burst　out　everywhere　in　the　evening。　And　then　nothing　would　do　but　her　grandfather　must　tell　how　it　came；　for　Peter　knew　nothing　about　it。

The　grandfather　explained　to　her　that　it　was　the　sun　that　did　it。　〃When　he　says　good…night　to　the　mountains　he　throws　his　most　beautiful　colors　over　them；　so　that　they　may　not　forget　him　before　he　comes　again　the　next　day。〃

Heidi　was　delighted　with　this　explanation；　and　could　hardly　bear　to　wait　for　another　day　to　come　that　she　might　once　more　climb　up　with　the　goats　and　see　how　the　sun　bid　good…night　to　the　mountains。　But　she　had　to　go　to　bed　first；　and　all　night　she　slept　soundly　on　her　bed　of　hay；　dreaming　of　nothing　but　of　shining　mountains　with　red　roses　all　over　them；　among　which　happy　little　Snowflake　went　leaping　in　and　out。



CHAPTER　IV。　THE　VISIT　TO　GRANDMOTHER

The　next　morning　the　sun　came　out　early　as　bright　as　ever；　and　then　Peter　appeared　with　the　goats；　and　again　the　two　children　climbed　up　together　to　the　high　meadows；　and　so　it　went　on　day　after　day　till　Heidi；　passing　her　life　thus　among　the　grass　and　flowers；　was　burnt　brown　with　the　sun；　and　grew　so　strong　and　healthy　that　nothing　ever　ailed　her。　She　was　happy　too；　and　lived　from　day　to　day　as　free　and　lighthearted　as　the　little　birds　that　make　their　home　among　the　green　forest　trees。　Then　the　autumn　came；　and　the　wind　blew　louder　and　stronger；　and　the　grandfather　would　say　sometimes；　〃To…day　you　must　stay　at　home；　Heidi；　a　s