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15 - Heidi by Johanna Spyri · Heidi

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  Speaker 1: Chapter fifteen of Heidi by Joanna Speedy, translated by Elizabeth Peastock.
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  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Part two,
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  Speaker 1: Heidi makes use of our Experience. Chapter fifteen preparations for
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  Speaker 1: a journey. The kind doctor who had sent Heidi home
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  Speaker 1: to her beloved mountains, was approaching the Seisepond residence on
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  Speaker 1: a sunny day in September. Everything about him was bright
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  Speaker 1: and cheerful, but the doctor did not even raise his
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  Speaker 1: eyes from the pavement to the blue sky above. His
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  Speaker 1: face was sad and his hair had turned very gray.
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  Speaker 1: Since spring a few months ago, the doctor had lost
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  Speaker 1: his only daughter, who had lived with him since his
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  Speaker 1: wife's early death. The blooming girl had been his only joy,
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  Speaker 1: and since she had gone from him, the ever cheerful
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  Speaker 1: doctor was bowed down with grief. When Sebastian opened the
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  Speaker 1: door to the physician, he bowed very low, for the
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  Speaker 1: doctor made friends wherever he went. I am glad you
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  Speaker 1: have come, doctor, mister Seismond, called to his friend as
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  Speaker 1: he entered. Please let us talk over this trip to
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  Speaker 1: Switzerland again. Do you still give the same advice now
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  Speaker 1: that Clara is so much better? What must I think
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  Speaker 1: of you, Seismond replied the doctor, sitting down. I wish
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  Speaker 1: your mother was here. Everything is clear to her when
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  Speaker 1: things go smoothly. Then this is the third time today
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  Speaker 1: that you have called me, and always for the same thing. Here,
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  Speaker 1: it is true, I must make you impatient, said mister Seismond.
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  Speaker 1: Laying his hand on his friend's shoulder. He continued, I
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  Speaker 1: cannot say how hard it is for me to refuse
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  Speaker 1: Clara this trip. Haven't I promised it to her? And
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  Speaker 1: hasn't she looked forward to it for months. She has
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  Speaker 1: borne all her sufferings so patiently, just because she has
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  Speaker 1: hoped to be able to visit her little friend on
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  Speaker 1: the Alp. I hate to rob her of this pleasure.
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  Speaker 1: The poor child has had so many trials and so
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  Speaker 1: little change. But seithemon, you must do it, was the
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  Speaker 1: doctor's answer. When his friend remained silent, he continued, Just
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  Speaker 1: think what a hard summer Clara has had. She never
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  Speaker 1: was more ill, and we could not attempt this journey
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  Speaker 1: without risking the worst consequences. Remember we are in September now,
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  Speaker 1: and though the weather may still be fine on the Alp,
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  Speaker 1: it is sure to be very cool. The days are
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  Speaker 1: getting short. And she could only spend a few hours
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  Speaker 1: up there. If she had to return for the night,
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  Speaker 1: it would take several hours to have her carried up
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  Speaker 1: from Rogott's. You see yourself how impossible that is. I
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  Speaker 1: shall come in with you, though, to talk to Clara,
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  Speaker 1: and you'll find her sensible. I'll tell you of my
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  Speaker 1: plan for next May. First, she can go to Ragots
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  Speaker 1: to take the baths when it gets warm on the mountain.
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  Speaker 1: She can be carried up from time to time. She'll
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  Speaker 1: be stronger then and much more able to enjoy those
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  Speaker 1: excursions than she is now. If we hope for an
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  Speaker 1: improvement in her condition, we must be extremely cautious and careful.
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  Speaker 1: Remember that mister Seisman, who had been listening with the
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  Speaker 1: utmost submission, now said anxiously, doctor, please tell me, honestly
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  Speaker 1: if you still have hope left for any change. With
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  Speaker 1: shrugging shoulders, the doctor replied, not very much. But think
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  Speaker 1: of me, Seismon. Have you not a child who loves
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  Speaker 1: you and always welcomes you. You don't have to come
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  Speaker 1: back to a lonely house and sit down alone at
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  Speaker 1: your table. Your child is well taken care of, and
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  Speaker 1: if she has many privations, she also has many advantages, Seismond,
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  Speaker 1: you do not need to be pitied. Just think of
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  Speaker 1: my lonely home. Mister Seismond had gotten up and was
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  Speaker 1: walking round the room as he always did when something
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  Speaker 1: occupied his thoughts. Suddenly he stood before his friend and said, doctor,
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  Speaker 1: I have an idea. I cannot see you say it
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  Speaker 1: any longer. You must get away. You shall undertake this
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  Speaker 1: trip and visit Heidi in our stead. The doctor had
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  Speaker 1: been surprised by this proposal and tried to object, but
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  Speaker 1: mister Seismond was so full of his new project that
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  Speaker 1: he pulled his friend with him into his daughter's room,
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  Speaker 1: not leaving him time for any remonstrances. Clara loved the doctor,
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  Speaker 1: who had always tried to cheer her up on his
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  Speaker 1: visits by bright and funny tales. She was sorry for
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  Speaker 1: the change that had come over him, and would have
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  Speaker 1: given much to see him happy again. When he had
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  Speaker 1: shaken hands with her, both men pulled up their chairs
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  Speaker 1: to Clara's bedside. Mister Seismond began to speak of their
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  Speaker 1: journey and how sorry he was to give it up.
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  Speaker 1: Then he quickly began to talk of his new plan.
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  Speaker 1: Clara's eyes had filled with tears, but she knew that
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  Speaker 1: her father did not like to see her cry, and besides,
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  Speaker 1: she was sure that her Papa would only forbid her
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  Speaker 1: this pleasure because it was absolutely necessary to do so.
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  Speaker 1: So she bravely fought her tears, and, caressing the doctor's hand, said, oh, please, doctor,
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  Speaker 1: do go to Heidi. Then you can tell me all
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  Speaker 1: about her, and can describe her grandfather to me, and
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  Speaker 1: Peter with his goats. I seem to know them all
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  Speaker 1: so well. Then you can take all the thanks to
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  Speaker 1: her that I had planned to take myself. Oh please,
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  Speaker 1: doctor go, and then I'll be good and take as
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  Speaker 1: much cod liver oil as ever you want me to.
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  Speaker 1: Who can tell if this promise, decided the doctor. At
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  Speaker 1: any rate, he answered with a smile. Then I surely
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  Speaker 1: must go, Clara, for you will get fat and strong
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  Speaker 1: as we both want to see you. Have you settled
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  Speaker 1: yet when I must go? Oh you had better go
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  Speaker 1: tomorrow morning, doctor Clara urged. She is right. The father assented,
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  Speaker 1: the sun is shining and you must not lose any
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  Speaker 1: more glorious days on the alp. The doctor had to laugh,
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  Speaker 1: Why don't you chide me for being here? Still? I
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  Speaker 1: shall go as quickly as I can seismon. Clara gave
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  Speaker 1: many messages to him for Heidi. She also told him
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  Speaker 1: to be sure to observe everything closely, so that he
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  Speaker 1: would be able to tell her about it when he
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  Speaker 1: came back. The things for Heidie were to be sent
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  Speaker 1: to him later for Miss Rodenmeyer, who went to pack them,
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  Speaker 1: was out on one of her lengthy wonderings about town.
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  Speaker 1: The doctor promised to comply with all Clara's wishes and
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  Speaker 1: to start the following day. Clara rang for the maid
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  Speaker 1: and said to her when she arrived, please toinette pack
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  Speaker 1: a lot of fresh soft coffee cake in this box.
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  Speaker 1: A box had been ready for this purpose many days.
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  Speaker 1: When the maid was leaving the room, she murmured, that's
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  Speaker 1: a silly bother Sebastian, who had happened to overhear some remarks,
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  Speaker 1: asked the physician when he was leaving to take his
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  Speaker 1: regards to the little miss as he called Heidi, with
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  Speaker 1: a promise to deliver this message. The doctor was just
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  Speaker 1: hastening out when he encountered an obstacle. Miss Rottenmeyer, who
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  Speaker 1: had been obliged to return from a walk on account
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  Speaker 1: of the strong wind, was just coming in, she wore
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  Speaker 1: a large cape, which the wind was blowing about her
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  Speaker 1: like two full sails. Both had retreated politely to give
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  Speaker 1: way to each other. Suddenly the wind seemed to carry
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  Speaker 1: the housekeeper straight towards the doctor, who had barely time
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  Speaker 1: to avoid her. This little incident, which had ruffled Miss
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  Speaker 1: Rottenmeyer's temper very much, gave the doctor occasion to soothe her,
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  Speaker 1: as she liked to be soothed by this man, whom
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  Speaker 1: she respected more than anybody in the world. Telling her
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  Speaker 1: of his intended visit, he entreated her to pack the
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  Speaker 1: things for Heidie, as only she knew how. Clara had
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  Speaker 1: expected some resistance from Miss Rottenmeier about the packing of
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  Speaker 1: her presence. What was her surprise when this lady showed
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  Speaker 1: herself moxt obliging, and immediately on being told, brought together
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  Speaker 1: all the articles. First came a heavy coat for Heidie
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  Speaker 1: with a hood, which Clara meant for her to use
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  Speaker 1: on visits to the grandmother in the winter. Then came
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  Speaker 1: a thick, warm shawl and a large box with coffee
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  Speaker 1: cake for the grandmother. An enormous sausage for Peter's mother followed,
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  Speaker 1: and a little sack of tobacco for the grandfather. At last,
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  Speaker 1: a lot of mysterious little parcels and boxes were packed,
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  Speaker 1: things that Clara had gathered together for Heidie. When the
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  Speaker 1: tidy pack lay ready on the ground, Clara heart filled
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  Speaker 1: with pleasure at the thought of her little friend's delight.
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  Speaker 1: Sebastian now entered, and, putting the pack on his shoulder,
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  Speaker 1: carried it to the doctor's house without delay. End of
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  Speaker 1: Chapter fifteen.