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22 - Heidi by Johanna Spyri · Heidi

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty two of Heidi by Yomanna Spiddey, translated by
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  Speaker 1: Elizabeth Peastock. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty two, Something unexpected Happens. The next day dawned
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  Speaker 1: cloudless and fair. The grandfather was still with the children
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  Speaker 1: when Peter came climbing up. His goats kept at a
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  Speaker 1: good distance from him to evade the rod, which was
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  Speaker 1: striking right and left. The truth was that the boy
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  Speaker 1: was terribly embittered and angry by the changes that had come.
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  Speaker 1: When he passed the hut in the morning, Heidie was
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  Speaker 1: always busy with a strange child, and in the evening
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  Speaker 1: it was the same. All summer long, Heidi had not
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  Speaker 1: been up with him a single time. It was too much,
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  Speaker 1: and to day she was coming at last, but again
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  Speaker 1: in company with this hateful stranger. It was then that
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  Speaker 1: Peter noticed the rolling chair standing near the hut. After
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  Speaker 1: carefully glancing about him, he rushed at the hated object
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  Speaker 1: and pushed it down the incline. The chair fairly flew
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  Speaker 1: away and had soon disappeared. Peter's conscience smote him now,
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  Speaker 1: and he raced up the alp, not daring to pause
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  Speaker 1: till he had reached a BlackBerry bush. There he could
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  Speaker 1: hide when the uncle might appear. Looking back, he watched
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  Speaker 1: his fallen enemy tumbling downwards, downwards. Sometimes it was thrown
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  Speaker 1: high up in the air to crash down again the
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  Speaker 1: next moment, harder than ever. Pieces were falling from it
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  Speaker 1: right and left, and were blown about. Now the stranger
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  Speaker 1: would have to travel home, and Heidi would be his again.
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  Speaker 1: But Peter had forgotten that a bad deed always brings
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  Speaker 1: a punishment. Heidi just now came out of the hut.
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  Speaker 1: The grandfather, with Clara followed. Heidi at first stood still
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  Speaker 1: and then running right and left. She returned to the
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  Speaker 1: old man. What does this mean? Have you rolled the
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  Speaker 1: chair away? Heidie? He asked, I am just looking for
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  Speaker 1: it everywhere, Grandfather, you said it was beside the shop door,
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  Speaker 1: said the child, still hunting for the missing object. A
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  Speaker 1: strong wind was blowing, which at this moment violently closed
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  Speaker 1: the shop door. Grandfather, the wind has done it, exclaimed
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  Speaker 1: Heidi eagerly. Oh dear, if it has rolled all the
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  Speaker 1: way down to the village, it will be too late
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  Speaker 1: to go today. It will take us a long time
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  Speaker 1: to fetch it. If it has rolled down there. We
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  Speaker 1: shall never get it any more, for it will be
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  Speaker 1: smashed to pieces, said the old man, looking down and
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  Speaker 1: measuring the distance from the corner of the hut. I
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  Speaker 1: don't see how it happened, he remarked. What a shame.
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  Speaker 1: Now I'll never be able to go up to the pasture,
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  Speaker 1: lamented Clara. I'm afraid I'll have to go home now.
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  Speaker 1: Oh what a pity, What a pity. You can find
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  Speaker 1: a way for her to stay, grandfather, can't you. We'll
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  Speaker 1: go up to the pasture today as we planned. Then
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  Speaker 1: we shall see what further happens. The children were delighted,
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  Speaker 1: and the grandfather lost no time in getting ready. First
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  Speaker 1: he fetched a pile of covers, and seating Clara on
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  Speaker 1: a sunny spot on the dry ground, he got their breakfast.
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  Speaker 1: I wonder why Peter was so late today, he said,
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  Speaker 1: leading his goats out of the shed. Then lifting Clara
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  Speaker 1: up on one strong arm, he carried the covers on
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  Speaker 1: the other. Now march, he cried, the goats, come with us.
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  Speaker 1: That's suited Heidi, And with one arm round Schwanley and
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  Speaker 1: the other round Barley, she wandered up. Her little companions
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  Speaker 1: were so pleased at having her with them again, that
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  Speaker 1: they nearly crushed her with affection. What was their astonishment
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  Speaker 1: when arriving on top they saw Peter already lying on
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  Speaker 1: the ground, with his peaceful flock about him. What did
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  Speaker 1: you mean by going by us like that? I'll teach you,
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  Speaker 1: called the uncle to him. Peter was frightened, for he
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  Speaker 1: knew the voice. Nobody was up yet, The boy retorted,
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  Speaker 1: have you seen the chair? Asked the uncle again, which
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  Speaker 1: Peter growled. The uncle said no more. Unfolding the covers,
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  Speaker 1: he put Clara down on the dry grass. Then, when
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  Speaker 1: he had been assured of Clara's comfort, he got ready
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  Speaker 1: to go home. The three were to stay there till
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  Speaker 1: his return in the evening. When dinner time had come,
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  Speaker 1: Heidi was to prepare the meal and see that Clara
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  Speaker 1: got Schwanley's milk. The sky was a deep blue, and
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  Speaker 1: the snow on the peaks was glistening. The eagle was
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  Speaker 1: flowing above the rocky crags. The children felt wonderfully happy now,
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  Speaker 1: and then one of the goats would calm and lie
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  Speaker 1: down near them. Tender little snowhopper came oftener than any
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  Speaker 1: and would rub her head against their shoulders. They had
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  Speaker 1: been sitting quietly for a few hours, drinking in the
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  Speaker 1: beauty about them, when Heidi suddenly began to long for
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  Speaker 1: the spot where so many flowers grew in the evening.
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  Speaker 1: It would be too late to see them, for they
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  Speaker 1: always shut their little eyes by then, Oh, Clara, she said, hesitatingly,
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  Speaker 1: would you be angry if I went away from you
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  Speaker 1: a minute and left you alone? I want to see
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  Speaker 1: the flowers. But wait. Jumping up, she brought Clara some
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  Speaker 1: bunches of fragrant herbs and put them in her lap.
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  Speaker 1: Soon after, she returned with little snowhopper. So now you
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  Speaker 1: don't need to be alone, said Heidi. When Clara had
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  Speaker 1: assured her that it would give her pleasure to be
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  Speaker 1: left alone with the goats, Mighty started on her walk.
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  Speaker 1: Clara slowly handed one leaf after another to the little creature.
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  Speaker 1: It became more and more confiding, and cuddling close to
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  Speaker 1: the child, ate the herbs out of her hand. It
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  Speaker 1: was easy to see how happy it was to be
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  Speaker 1: away from the boisterous big goats, which often annoyed it.
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  Speaker 1: Clara felt a sensation of contentment such as she had
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  Speaker 1: never before experienced. She loved to sit there on the
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  Speaker 1: mountain side, with the confiding little goat by her, A
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  Speaker 1: great desire rose in her heart that hour. She longed
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  Speaker 1: to be her own master and be able to help
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  Speaker 1: others instead of being helped by them. Many other thoughts
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  Speaker 1: and ideas rushed through her mind. How would it be
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  Speaker 1: to live up here in continual sunshine? The world seemed
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  Speaker 1: so joyous and wonderful. All of a sudden premonitions of
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  Speaker 1: future undreamt of happy made her heart beat. Suddenly she
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  Speaker 1: threw both arms around the little goat and said, Oh,
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  Speaker 1: little snowhopper, how beautiful it is up here? If I
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  Speaker 1: could always stay with you, Heidi in the meantime, had
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  Speaker 1: reached the spot. Where as she had expected, the whole
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  Speaker 1: ground was covered with yellow rock roses, near together in patches.
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  Speaker 1: The bluebells were nodding gently in the breeze, But all
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  Speaker 1: the perfume that filled the air came from the modest
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  Speaker 1: little brown flowers that hid their heads between the golden
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  Speaker 1: flower cups. Heidie stood enraptured, drawing in the perfumed air.
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  Speaker 1: Suddenly she turned and ran back to Clara, shouting to
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  Speaker 1: her from far, Oh you must come, Clara, it is
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  Speaker 1: so lovely there in the evening, it won't be so
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  Speaker 1: fine anymore. Don't you think I could carry you? But
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  Speaker 1: Heidi Clara said, of course you can't. You are much
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  Speaker 1: smaller than I him. Oh I wish I could walk,
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  Speaker 1: heide meditated a little. Peter was still lying on the ground.
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  Speaker 1: He had been staring down for hours, unable to believe
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  Speaker 1: what he saw before him. He had destroyed the chair
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  Speaker 1: to get rid of the stranger, and there she was again,
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  Speaker 1: sitting right beside his playmate. Heidee now called to him
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  Speaker 1: to come down, but as a reply he only grumbled,
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  Speaker 1: shan't come, but you must come quickly, for I want
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  Speaker 1: you to help me. Quickly urged the child. Don't want
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  Speaker 1: to sounded the reply. Heidi hurried up the mountain now
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  Speaker 1: and shouted angrily to the boy Peter. If you don't
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  Speaker 1: come this minute, I shall do something that you won't like.
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  Speaker 1: Those words scared Peter, for his conscience was not all clear.
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  Speaker 1: His deed had rejoiced him till this moment, when heide
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  Speaker 1: seemed to talk as if she knew it all. What
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  Speaker 1: if the grandfather should hear about it? Trembling with fear,
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  Speaker 1: Peter obeyed, I shall only come if you promise not
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  Speaker 1: to do what you said, insisted the boy. No, no,
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  Speaker 1: I won't. Don't be afraid, said Hide compassionately. Just come along,
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  Speaker 1: it isn't so hard peter. On approaching, Clara was told
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  Speaker 1: to help raise the lame child from the ground on
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  Speaker 1: one side, while Heidee helped on the other. This went
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  Speaker 1: easily enough, but difficulty soon followed. Clara was not able
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  Speaker 1: to stand alone, and how could they get any further.
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  Speaker 1: You must take me round the neck, said heide who
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  Speaker 1: had seen what poor guides they made. The boy, who
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  Speaker 1: had never offered his arm to anybody in his life,
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  Speaker 1: had to be shown how first before further efforts could
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  Speaker 1: be made. But it was too hard. Clara tried to
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  Speaker 1: set her foot forward, but got discouraged. Your feet on
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  Speaker 1: the ground more, and I am sure it will hurt
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  Speaker 1: you less, suggested Heidie. Do you think so? Said Clara timidly,
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  Speaker 1: but obeying, She ventured a firmer step, and soon another,
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  Speaker 1: uttering a little cry as she went, Oh it really
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  Speaker 1: has hurt me, Less, she said, joyfully, try it again,
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  Speaker 1: Heidi urged her. Clara did and took another step, and
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  Speaker 1: then another and another. Still. Suddenly she cried aloud. Oh, Heidi,
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  Speaker 1: I can do it. Oh really I can. Just look,
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  Speaker 1: I can take steps one after another. Heidi rapturously exclaimed,
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  Speaker 1: Oh Clara, can you really can you walk? Oh? Can
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  Speaker 1: you take steps? Now? Oh? If only grandfather would come.
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  Speaker 1: Now you can walk, Clara, Now you can walk, she
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  Speaker 1: kept on saying joyfully. Clara held on tight to the children,
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  Speaker 1: but with every new step she became more firm. Now
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  Speaker 1: you can come up here every day, cried Heidi. Now
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  Speaker 1: we can walk wherever we want to, and you don't
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  Speaker 1: have to be pushed in a chair anymore. Now you'll
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  Speaker 1: be able to walk all your life. Oh what joy.
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  Speaker 1: Clara's greatest wish to be able to be well like
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  Speaker 1: other people had been fulfilled. At last. It was not
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  Speaker 1: very far to the flowering field. Soon they reached it
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  Speaker 1: and sat down among the wealth of bloom. It was
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  Speaker 1: the first time that Clara had ever rested on the dry,
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  Speaker 1: warm earth. All about them, the flowers nodded and exhaled
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  Speaker 1: their perfume. It was a scene of exquisite beauty. The
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  Speaker 1: two children could hardly grasp this happiness that had come
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  Speaker 1: to them. It filled their hearts brimming full and made
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  Speaker 1: them silent. Peter also lay motionless, for he had gone
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  Speaker 1: to sleep. Thus the hours flew. When the day was
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  Speaker 1: long past noon. Suddenly all the goats arrived, for they
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  Speaker 1: had been seeking the children. They did not like to
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  Speaker 1: graze in the flowers, and were glad when Peter awoke
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  Speaker 1: with their loud bleating. The poor boy was mightily bewildered,
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  Speaker 1: for he had dreamt that the rolling chair with the
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  Speaker 1: red cushions stood again before his eyes. On awakening, he
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  Speaker 1: had seen the golden nails, but soon he discovered that
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  Speaker 1: they were nothing but flowers. Remembering his deed, he obeyed
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  Speaker 1: Heidie's instructions willingly. When they came back to their former place,
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  Speaker 1: Heidi lost no time in setting out the dinner. The
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  Speaker 1: bag was very full today, and Heidi hurried to fulfill
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  Speaker 1: her promise to Peter, who, with bad conscience, had understood
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  Speaker 1: her threat differently. She made three heaps of good things,
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  Speaker 1: and when Clara and she were through, there was still
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  Speaker 1: a lot left for the boy. It was too bad
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  Speaker 1: that all the street did not give him the usual satisfaction,
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  Speaker 1: for something seemed to stick in his throat. Soon after
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  Speaker 1: their belated dinner, the grandfather was seen climbing up the alp,
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  Speaker 1: Heidie ran to meet him, confusedly telling him of the
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  Speaker 1: great event. The old man's face shone at the news.
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  Speaker 1: Going over to Clara, he said, so you have risked it,
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  Speaker 1: now we have won. Then picking her up, he put
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  Speaker 1: one arm around her waist and the other he stretched
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  Speaker 1: out his support, and with his help she marched more
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  Speaker 1: firmly than ever. Heide jumped and bounded gaily by their side.
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  Speaker 1: In all this excitement, the grandfather did not lose his judgment,
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  Speaker 1: and before long lifted Clara on his arm to carry
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  Speaker 1: her home. He knew that too much exertion would be dangerous,
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  Speaker 1: and rest was needed for the tired girl. Peter, arriving
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  Speaker 1: in the village late that day, saw a large disputing crowd.
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  Speaker 1: They were all standing about an inchant object, and everybody
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  Speaker 1: pushed and fought for a chance to get nearer. It
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  Speaker 1: was no other than the chair. I saw it when
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  Speaker 1: they carried it up. Peter heard the baker say, I
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  Speaker 1: bet it was worth at least five hundred francs. I
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  Speaker 1: should just like to know how it has happened. The
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  Speaker 1: wind might have blown it down, remarked Barbara, who was
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  Speaker 1: staring open mouthed at the beautiful velvet cushions. The uncle
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  Speaker 1: said so himself. It is a good thing if nobody
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  Speaker 1: else has done it, continued the baker. When the gentleman
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  Speaker 1: from Frankfort hears what has happened, he'll surely find out
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  Speaker 1: all about it, and I should pity the culprit. I
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  Speaker 1: am glad I haven't been up on the oup for
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  Speaker 1: so long, else they might suspect me, as they would
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  Speaker 1: anybody who happened to be up there at the time.
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  Speaker 1: Many more opinions were uttered, but Peter had heard enough.
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  Speaker 1: He quietly slipped away and went home. What if they
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  Speaker 1: should find doubt he had done it, A policeman might
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  Speaker 1: arrive any time now, and they might take him away
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  Speaker 1: to prison. Peter's hair stood up on end at this
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  Speaker 1: alarming thought. He was so troubled when he came home
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  Speaker 1: that he did not answer any questions, and even refused
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  Speaker 1: his dish of potatoes. Hurriedly, creeping into bed, he groaned,
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  Speaker 1: I am sure Peter has been eating sorrow again, and
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  Speaker 1: that makes him groan, so said his mother. You must
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  Speaker 1: give him a little more bread in the morning. Brigida,
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  Speaker 1: take a peace of mine, said the compassionate grandmother. When
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  Speaker 1: Clara and Heidie were lying in their beds that night,
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  Speaker 1: glancing up at the shining stars, Heidi remarked, didn't you
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  Speaker 1: think today that it is fortunate God does not always
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  Speaker 1: give us what we pray for fervently because he knows
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  Speaker 1: of something better. What do you mean, Heidi asked Clara.
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  Speaker 1: You see, when I was in Frankfort, I prayed and
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  Speaker 1: prayed to come home again, and when I couldn't, I
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  Speaker 1: thought he had forgotten me. But if I had gone
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  Speaker 1: away so soon, you would never have come here and
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  Speaker 1: would never have got well. Clara, becoming thoughtful, said, but Heidi,
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  Speaker 1: then we could not pray for anything anymore because we
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  Speaker 1: would feel that He always knows of something better. But Clara,
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  Speaker 1: we must pray to God every day to show we
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  Speaker 1: don't forget that all gifts come from him. Grandmama has
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  Speaker 1: told me that God forgets us if we forget him,
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  Speaker 1: but if some wish remains unfulfilled, we must show our
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  Speaker 1: confidence in Him, for he knows best. How did you
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  Speaker 1: ever think of that, asked Clara. Grandmama told me, but
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  Speaker 1: I know that it is so. We must thank God
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  Speaker 1: today that he has made you able to walk, Clara,
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  Speaker 1: I am glad that you have reminded me, Heidi, for
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  Speaker 1: I have nearly forgotten it in my excitement. Then both
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  Speaker 1: prayed and sent their thanks up to Heaven for the
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  Speaker 1: restoration of the invalid. Next morning, a letter was written
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  Speaker 1: to Grandmama inviting her to come to the alp within
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  Speaker 1: a week's time, for the children had planned to take
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  Speaker 1: her by surprise. Clara hoped then to be able to
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  Speaker 1: walk alone with Heidi for her guide. The following days
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  Speaker 1: were happier still for Clara. Every morning she awoke with
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  Speaker 1: her heart singing over and over again, Now I am well.
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  Speaker 1: Now I can walk like other people. She progressed and
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  Speaker 1: took longer walks every day. Her appetite grew amazingly, and
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  Speaker 1: the grandfather had to make larger slices of the bread
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  Speaker 1: and butter that, to his delight, disappeared so rapidly he
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  Speaker 1: had to fill bowl after bowl of the foamy milk
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  Speaker 1: for the hungry children. In that way, they reached the
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  Speaker 1: end of the week that was to bring the Grandmama.
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  Speaker 1: End of chapter twenty two,