Part 5 (1/2)

”Peter was right after all,” said the grandmother. ”We never thought the child would live more than three weeks with him. Brigida, tell me what she looks like.”

”She has Adelheid's fine limbs and black eyes, and curly hair like Tobias and the old man. I think she looks like both of them.”

While the women were talking, Heidi had been taking in everything.

Then she said: ”Grandmother, look at the shutter over there. It is hanging loose. If grandfather were here, he would fasten it. It will break the window-pane! Just look at it.”

”What a sweet child you are,” said the grandmother tenderly. ”I can hear it, but I cannot see it, child. This cottage rattles and creaks, and when the wind blows, it comes in through every c.h.i.n.k. Some day the whole house will break to pieces and fall on top of us. If only Peter knew how to mend it! We have no one else.”

”Why, grandmother, can't you see the shutter?” asked Heidi.

”Child, I cannot see anything,” lamented the old woman.

”Can you see it when I open the shutter to let in the light?”

”No, no, not even then. n.o.body can ever show me the light again.”

”But you can see when you go out into the snow, where everything is bright. Come with me, grandmother, I'll show you!” and Heidi, taking the old woman by the hand, tried to lead her out. Heidi was frightened and got more anxious all the time.

”Just let me stay here, child. Everything is dark for me, and my poor eyes can neither see the snow nor the light.”

”But grandmother, does it not get light in the summer, when the sun s.h.i.+nes down on the mountains to say good-night, setting them all aflame?”

”No, child, I can never see the fiery mountains any more. I have to live in darkness, always.”

Heidi burst out crying now and sobbed aloud. ”Can n.o.body make it light for you? Is there n.o.body who can do it, grandmother? n.o.body?”

The grandmother tried all possible means to comfort the child; it wrung her heart to see her terrible distress. It was awfully hard for Heidi to stop crying when she had once begun, for she cried so seldom.

The grandmother said: ”Heidi, let me tell you something. People who cannot see love to listen to friendly words. Sit down beside me and tell me all about yourself. Talk to me about your grandfather, for it has been long since I have heard anything about him. I used to know him very well.”

Heidi suddenly wiped away her tears, for she had had a cheering thought. ”Grandmother, I shall tell grandfather about it, and I am sure he can make it light for you. He can mend your little house and stop the rattling.”

The old woman remained silent, and Heidi, with the greatest vivacity, began to describe her life with the grandfather. Listening attentively, the two women would say to each other sometimes: ”Do you hear what she says about the uncle? Did you listen?”

Heidi's tale was interrupted suddenly by a great thumping on the door; and who should come in but Peter. No sooner had he seen Heidi, than he smiled, opening his round eyes as wide as possible. Heidi called, ”Good-evening, Peter!”

”Is it really time for him to come home!” exclaimed Peter's grandmother. ”How quickly the time has flown. Good-evening, little Peter; how is your reading going?”

”Just the same,” the boy replied.

”Oh, dear, I was hoping for a change at last. You are nearly twelve years old, my boy.”

”Why should there be a change?” inquired Heidi with greatest interest.

”I am afraid he'll never learn it after all. On the shelf over there is an old prayer-book with beautiful songs. I have forgotten them all, for I do not hear them any more. I longed that Peter should read them to me some day, but he will never be able to!”

Peter's mother got up from her work now, saying, ”I must make a light.

The afternoon has pa.s.sed and now it's getting dark.”

When Heidi heard those words, she started, and holding out her hand to all, she said: ”Good-night. I have to go, for it is getting dark.” But the anxious grandmother called out: ”Wait, child, don't go up alone!