Heidi | Page 6

can you be so stupid, Heidi? Have you lost your senses?" the
aunt went on, in a tone of mingled vexation and reproach. "Who do you
think will go way down there to fetch those things up again? It is
half-an-hour's walk. Please, Peter, run down and get them. Do not stand
and stare at me as if you were glued to the spot."
"I am late already," replied Peter, and stood without moving from the

place where, with his hands in his trousers' pockets, he had witnessed
the violent outbreak of Heidi's aunt.
"There you are, standing and staring, but that won't get you further,"
said Deta. "I'll give you this if you go down." With that she held a
five-penny-piece under his eyes. That made Peter start and in a great
hurry he ran down the straightest path. He arrived again in so short a
time that Deta had to praise him and gave him her little coin without
delay. He did not often get such a treasure, and therefore his face was
beaming and he laughingly dropped the money deep into his pocket.
"If you are going up to the uncle, as we are, you can carry the pack till
we get there," said Deta. They still had to climb a steep ascent that lay
behind Peter's hut. The boy readily took the things and followed Deta,
his left arm holding the bundle and his right swinging the stick. Heidi
jumped along gaily by his side with the goats.
After three quarters of an hour they reached the height where the hut of
the old man stood on a prominent rock, exposed to every wind, but
bathed in the full sunlight. From there you could gaze far down into the
valley. Behind the hut stood three old fir-trees with great shaggy
branches. Further back the old grey rocks rose high and sheer. Above
them you could see green and fertile pastures, till at last the stony
boulders reached the bare, steep cliffs.
Overlooking the valley the uncle had made himself a bench, by the side
of the hut. Here he sat, with his pipe between his teeth and both hands
resting on his knees. He quietly watched the children climbing up with
the goats and Aunt Deta behind them, for the children had caught up to
her long ago. Heidi reached the top first, and approaching the old man
she held out her hand to him and said: "Good evening, grandfather!"
"Well, well, what does that mean?" replied the old man in a rough
voice. Giving her his hand for only a moment, he watched her with a
long and penetrating look from under his bushy brows. Heidi gazed
back at him with an unwinking glance and examined him with much
curiosity, for he was strange to look at, with his thick, grey beard and
shaggy eyebrows, that met in the middle like a thicket.

Heidi's aunt had arrived in the meantime with Peter, who was eager to
see what was going to happen.
"Good-day to you, uncle," said Deta as she approached. "This is
Tobias's and Adelheid's child. You won't be able to remember her,
because last time you saw her she was scarcely a year old."
"Why do you bring her here?" asked the uncle, and turning to Peter he
said: "Get away and bring my goats. How late you are already!"
Peter obeyed and disappeared on the spot; the uncle had looked at him
in such a manner that he was glad to go.
"Uncle, I have brought the little girl for you to keep," said Deta. "I have
done my share these last four years and now it is your turn to provide
for her."
The old man's eyes flamed with anger. "Indeed!" he said. "What on
earth shall I do, when she begins to whine and cry for you? Small
children always do, and then I'll be helpless."
"You'll have to look out for that!" Deta retorted. "When the little baby
was left in my hands a few years ago, I had to find out how to care for
the little innocent myself and nobody told me anything. I already had
mother on my hands and there was plenty for me to do. You can't
blame me if I want to earn some money now. If you can't keep the child,
you can do with her whatever you please. If she comes to harm you are
responsible and I am sure you do not want to burden your conscience
any further."
Deta had said more in her excitement than she had intended, just
because her conscience was not quite clear. The uncle had risen during
her last words and now he gave her such a look that she retreated a few
steps. Stretching out