heidi-第22部分

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Clara　did　all　she　could　to　explain　to　Heidi　that　the　story　was　about　quite　a　different　grandmother；　but　even　when　at　last　she　had　been　able　to　convince　Heidi　of　this；　the　latter　continued　to　weep　inconsolably；　for　now　she　had　awakened　to　the　thought　that　perhaps　the　grandmother；　and　even　the　grandfather　also；　might　die　while　she　was　so　far　way；　and　that　if　she　did　not　go　home　for　a　long　time　she　would　find　everything　there　all　silent　and　dead；　and　there　she　would　be　all　alone；　and　would　never　be　able　to　see　the　dear　ones　she　loved　any　more。

Fraulein　Rottenmeier　had　meanwhile　come　into　the　room；　and　Clara　explained　to　her　what　had　happened。　As　Heidi　continued　her　weeping；　the　lady；　who　was　evidently　getting　impatient　with　her；　went　up　to　Heidi　and　said　with　decision；　〃Now；　Adelaide；　that　is　enough　of　all　this　causeless　lamentation。　I　will　tell　you　once　for　all；　if　there　are　any　more　scenes　like　this　while　you　are　reading；　I　shall　take　the　book　away　from　you　and　shall　not　let　you　have　it　again。〃

Her　words　had　immediate　effect　on　Heidi；　who　turned　pale　with　fear。　The　book　was　her　one　great　treasure。　She　quickly　dried　her　tears　and　swallowed　her　sobs　as　best　she　could；　so　that　no　further　sound　of　them　should　be　heard。　The　threat　did　its　work；　for　Heidi　never　cried　aloud　again　whatever　she　might　be　reading；　but　she　had　often　to　struggle　hard　to　keep　back　her　tears；　so　that　Clara　would　look　at　her　and　say；

〃What　faces　you　are　making；　Heidi；　I　never　saw　anything　like　it！〃　But　the　faces　made　no　noise　and　did　not　offend　Fraulein　Rottenmeier；　and　Heidi；　having　overcome　her　fit　of　despairing　misery；　would　go　quietly　on　for　a　while；　and　no　one　perceived　her　sorrow。　But　she　lost　all　her　appetite；　and　looked　so　pale　and　thin　that　Sebastian　was　quite　unhappy　when　he　looked　at　her；　and　could　not　bear　to　see　her　refusing　all　the　nice　dishes　he　handed　her。　He　would　whisper　to　her　sometimes；　in　quite　a　kind；　fatherly　manner；　〃Take　a　little；　you　don't　know　how　nice　it　is！　There；　a　good　spoonful；　now　another。〃　But　it　was　of　no　use；　Heidi　hardly　ate　anything　at　all；　and　as　soon　as　she　laid　her　head　down　at　night　the　picture　of　home　would　rise　before　her　eyes；　and　she　would　weep；　burying　her　face　in　the　pillow　that　her　crying　might　not　be　heard。

And　so　many　weeks　passed　away。　Heidi　did　not　know　it　is　was　winter　or　summer；　for　the　walls　and　windows　she　looked　out　upon　showed　no　change；　and　she　never　went　beyond　the　house　except　on　rare　occasions　when　Clara　was　well　enough　to　drive　out；　and　then　they　only　went　a　very　little　way；　as　Clara　could　not　bear　the　movement　for　long。　So　that　on　these　occasions　they　generally　only　saw　more　fine　streets　and　large　houses　and　crowds　of　people；　they　seldom　got　anywhere　beyond　them；　and　grass　and　flowers；　fir　trees　and　mountains；　were　still　far　away。　Heidi's　longing　for　the　old　familiar　and　beautiful　things　grew　daily　stronger；　so　that　now　only　to　read　a　word　that　recalled　them　to　her　remembrance　brought　her　to　the　verge　of　tears；　which　with　difficulty　she　suppressed。　So　the　autumn　and　winter　passed；　and　again　the　sun　came　shining　down　on　the　white　walls　of　the　opposite　houses；　and　Heidi　would　think　to　herself　that　now　the　time　had　come　for　Peter　to　go　out　again　with　the　goats；　to　where　the　golden　flowers　of　the　cistus　were　glowing　in　the　sunlight；　and　all　the　rocks　around　turned　to　fire　at　sunset。　Heidi　would　go　and　sit　in　a　corner　of　her　lonely　room　and　put　her　hands　up　to　her　eyes　that　she　might　not　see　the　sun　shining　on　the　opposite　wall；　and　then　she　would　remain　without　moving；　battling　silently　with　her　terrible　homesickness　until　Clara　sent　for　her　again。



CHAPTER　XII。　A　GHOST　IN　THE　HOUSE

For　some　days　past　Fraulein　Rottenmeier　had　gone　about　rather　silently　and　as　if　lost　in　thought。　As　twilight　fell；　and　she　passed　from　room　to　room；　or　along　the　long　corridors；　she　was　seen　to　look　cautiously　behind　her；　and　into　the　dark　corners；　as　if　she　thought　some　one　was　coming　silently　behind　her　and　might　unexpectedly　give　her　dress　a　pull。　Nor　would　she　now　go　alone　into　some　parts　of　the　house。　If　she　visited　the　upper　floor　where　the　grand　guest…chambers　were；　or　had　to　go　down　into　the　large　mysterious　council…chamber；　where　every　footstep　echoed；　and　the　old　senators　with　their　big　white　collars　looked　down　so　solemnly　and　immovably　from　their　frames；　she　regularly　called　Tinette　to　accompany　her；　in　case；　as　she　said；　there　might　be　something　to　carry　up　or　down。　Tinette　on　her　side　did　exactly　the　same；　if　she　had　business　upstairs　or　down；　she　called　Sebastian　to　accompany　her；　and　there　was　always　something　he　must　help　her　with　which　she　could　not　carry　alone。　More　curious　still；　Sebastian；　also；　if　sent　into　one　of　the　more　distant　rooms；　always　called　John　to　go　with　him　in　case　he　should　want　his　assistance　in　bringing　what　was　required。　And　John　readily　obeyed；　although　there　was　never　anything　to　carry；　and　either　might　well　have　gone　alone；　but　he　did　not　know　how　soon　he　might　want　to　ask　Sebastian　to　do　the　same　service　for　him。　And　while　these　things　were　going　on　upstairs；　the　cook；　who　had　been　in　the　house　for　years；　would　stand　shaking　her　head　over　her　pots　and　kettles；　and　sighing；　〃That　ever　I　should　live　to　know　such　a　thing。〃

For　something　very　strange　and　mysterious　was　going　on　in　Herr　Sesemann's　house。　Every　morning；　when　the　servants　went　downstairs；　they　found　the　front　door　wide　open；　although　nobody　could　be　seen　far　or　near　to　account　for　it。　During　the　first　few　days　that　this　happened　every　room　and　corner　was　searched　in　great　alarm；　to　see　if　anything　had　been　stolen；　for　the　general　idea　was　that　a　thief　had　been　hiding　in　the　house　and　had　gone　off　in　the　night　with　the　stolen　goods；　but　not　a　thing　in　the　house　had　been　touched；　everything　was　safe　in　its　place。　The　door　was　doubly　locked　at　night；　and　for　further　security　the　wooden　bar　was　fastened　across　it；　but　it　was　no　goodnext　morning　the　door　again　stood　open。　The　servants　in　their　fear　and　excitement　got　up　extra　early；　but　not　so　early　but　what　the　door　had　been　opened　before　they　got　downstairs；　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