Grandfathers -- Fiction; Mountain life -- Switzerland -- Fiction; Orphans -- Fiction; Switzerland -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction
Heidi kept jumping for joy as she and grandmamma walked along
side by side, and grandmamma asked all about grandmother, how
she lived, and what she did, especially in the winter when it was
so cold. And Heidi gave her a minute account of everything, for
she knew all that went on at grandmother's, and told her how
grandmother sat crouching in her corner and trembling with cold.
She was able to give her exact particulars of what grandmother
had and had not to eat. Grandmamma listened with interest and
sympathy until they came to Grandmother's. Brigitta was just
hanging out Peter's second shirt in the sun, so that he might
have it ready to put on when he had worn the other long enough.
As soon as she saw the company approaching she rushed indoors.
"The whole party of them are just going past, mother, evidently
all returning home again," she informed the old woman. "Uncle is
with them, carrying the sick child."
"Alas, is it really to be so then?" sighed the grandmother. "And
you saw Heidi with them? Then they are taking her away. If only
she could come and put her hand in mine again! If I could but
hear her voice once more!"
At this moment the door flew open and Heidi sprang across to the
corner and threw her arms round grandmother.
"Grandmother! grandmother! my bed is to be sent from Frankfurt
with all the three pillows and the thick coverlid; grandmamma
says it will be here in two days." Heidi could not get out her
words quickly enough, for she was impatient to see grandmother's
great joy at the news. The latter smiled, but said a little
sadly,--
"She must indeed be a good kind lady, and I ought to be glad to
think she is taking you with her, but I shall not outlive it
long."
"What is this I hear? Who has been telling my good grandmother
such tales?" exclaimed a kindly voice, and grandmother felt her
hand taken and warmly pressed, for grandmamma had followed Heidi
in and heard all that was said. "No, no, there is no thought of
such a thing! Heidi is going to stay with you and make you
happy. We want to see her again, but we shall come to her. We
hope to pay a visit to the Alm every year, for we have good cause
to offer up especial thanks to God upon this spot where so great
a miracle has been wrought upon our child."
And now grandmother's face was lighted up with genuine
happiness, and she pressed Frau Sesemann's hand over and over
again, unable to speak her thanks, while two large tears of joy
rolled down her aged cheeks. And Heidi saw the glad change come
over grandmother's face, and she too now was entirely happy.
She clung to the old woman, saying, "Hasn't it all come about,
grandmother, just like the hymn I read to you last time? Isn't
the bed from Frankfurt sent to make you well?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account