Grandfathers -- Fiction; Mountain life -- Switzerland -- Fiction; Orphans -- Fiction; Switzerland -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction
Heidi kept jumping for joy as she and Mrs. Sesemann walked along side
by side, and grandmamma asked all about Peter's 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 the old woman sat
crouching in her corner and trembling with cold. She was able also
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, it is 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."
Then grandmother's face was lighted up with genuine happiness, and she
pressed Mrs. 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.
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