Heidi | Page 7

his arm in a commanding gesture, he said to her:
"Away with you! Begone! Stay wherever you came from and don't
venture soon again into my sight!"
Deta did not have to be told twice. She said "Good-bye" to Heidi and

"Farewell" to the uncle, and started down the mountain. Like steam her
excitement seemed to drive her forward, and she ran down at a
tremendous rate. The people in the village called to her now more than
they had on her way up, because they all were wondering where she
had left the child. They were well acquainted with both and knew their
history. When she heard from door and windows: "Where is the child?"
"Where have you left her, Deta?" and so forth, she answered more and
more reluctantly: "Up with the Alm-Uncle,--with the Alm-Uncle!" She
became much provoked because the women called to her from every
side: "How could you do it?" "The poor little creature!" "The idea of
leaving such a helpless child up there!" and, over and over again: "The
poor little dear!" Deta ran as quickly as she could and was glad when
she heard no more calls, because, to tell the truth, she herself was
uneasy. Her mother had asked her on her deathbed to care for Heidi.
But she consoled herself with the thought that she would be able to do
more for the child if she could earn some money. She was very glad to
go away from people who interfered in her affairs, and looked forward
with great delight to her new place.
[Illustration]

II
WITH THE GRANDFATHER
After Deta had disappeared, the Uncle sat down again on the bench,
blowing big clouds of smoke out of his pipe. He did not speak, but kept
his eyes fastened on the ground. In the meantime Heidi looked about
her, and discovering the goat-shed, peeped in. Nothing could be seen
inside. Searching for some more interesting thing, she saw the three old
fir-trees behind the hut. Here the wind was roaring through the
branches and the tree-tops were swaying to and fro. Heidi stood still to
listen. After the wind had ceased somewhat, she walked round the hut
back to her grandfather. She found him in exactly the same position,
and planting herself in front of the old man, with arms folded behind
her back, she gazed at him. The grandfather, looking up, saw the child

standing motionless before him. "What do you want to do now?" he
asked her.
"I want to see what's in the hut," replied Heidi.
"Come then," and with that the grandfather got up and entered the
cottage.
"Take your things along," he commanded.
"I do not want them any more," answered Heidi.
The old man, turning about, threw a penetrating glance at her. The
child's black eyes were sparkling in expectation of all the things to
come. "She is not lacking in intelligence," he muttered to himself.
Aloud he added: "Why don't you need them any more?"
"I want to go about like the light-footed goats!"
"All right, you can; but fetch the things and we'll put them in the
cupboard." The child obeyed the command. The old man now opened
the door, and Heidi followed him into a fairly spacious room, which
took in the entire expanse of the hut. In one corner stood a table and a
chair, and in another the grandfather's bed. Across the room a large
kettle was suspended over the hearth, and opposite to it a large door
was sunk into the wall. This the grandfather opened. It was the
cupboard, in which all his clothes were kept. In one shelf were a few
shirts, socks and towels; on another a few plates, cups and glasses; and
on the top shelf Heidi could see a round loaf of bread, some bacon and
cheese. In this cupboard the grandfather kept everything that he needed
for his subsistence. When he opened it, Heidi pushed her things as far
behind the grandfather's clothes as she could reach. She did not want
them found again in a hurry. After looking around attentively in the
room, she asked, "Where am I going to sleep, grandfather?"
"Wherever you want to," he replied. That suited Heidi exactly. She
peeped into all the corners of the room and looked at every little nook
to find a cosy place to sleep. Beside the old man's bed she saw a ladder.

Climbing up, she arrived at a hayloft, which was filled with fresh and
fragrant hay. Through a tiny round window she could look far down
into the valley.
[Illustration: HERE A NEAT LITTLE BED WAS PREPARED]
"I want to sleep up here," Heidi called down. "Oh, it is lovely here.
Please come up, grandfather, and see it for yourself."
"I know