Heidi by Johanna Spyri (android e book reader txt) đź“–
- Author: Johanna Spyri
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As the eyes grow dim, and darkness Closes round, the soul grows
clearer, Sees the goal to which it travels, Gladly feels its
home is nearer.”
the grandmother repeated them once or twice to herself, with a
look of happy expectation on her face. And Heidi took equal
pleasure in them, for the picture of the beautiful sunny day of
her return home rose before her eyes, and she exclaimed
joyfully, “Grandmother, I know exactly what it is like to go
home.” The old woman did not answer, but she had heard Heidi’s
words, and the expression that had made the child think she was
better remained on her face.
A little later Heidi said, “It is growing dark and I must go
home; I am glad to think, that you are quite well again.”
The grandmother took the child’s hand in hers and held it
closely. “Yes,” she said, “I feel quite happy again; even if I
have to go on lying here, I am content. No one knows what it is
to lie here alone day after day, in silence and darkness,
without hearing a voice or seeing a ray of light. Sad thoughts
come over me, and I do not feel sometimes as if I could bear it
any longer or as if it could ever be light again. But when you
come and read those words to me, then I am comforted and my heart
rejoices once more.”
Then she let the child go, and Heidi ran into the next room, and
bid Peter come quickly, for it had now grown quite dark. But
when they got outside they found the moon shining down on the
white snow and everything as clear as in the daylight. Peter got
his sleigh, put Heidi at the back, he himself sitting in front to
guide, and down the mountain they shot like two birds darting
through the air.
When Heidi was lying that night on her high bed of hay she
thought of the grandmother on her low pillow, and of all she had
said about the light and comfort that awoke in her when she
heard the hymns, and she thought: if I could read to her every
day, then I should go on making her better. But she knew that it
would be a week, if not two, before she would be able to go up
the mountain again. This was a thought of great trouble to Heidi,
and she tried hard to think of some way which would enable the
grandmother to hear the words she loved every day. Suddenly an
idea struck her, and she was so delighted with it that she could
hardly bear to wait for morning, so eager was she to begin
carrying out her plan. All at once she sat upright in her bed,
for she had been so busy with her thoughts that she had
forgotten to say her prayers, and she never now finished her day
without saying them.
When she had prayed with all her heart for herself, her
grandfather and grandmother, she lay back again on the warm soft
hay and slept soundly and peacefully till morning broke.
CHAPTER XIX. THE WINTER CONTINUES
Peter arrived punctually at school the following day. He had
brought his dinner with him, for all the children who lived at a
distance regularly seated themselves at mid-day on the tables,
and resting their feet firmly on the benches, spread out their
meal on their knees and so ate their dinner, while those living
in Dorfli went home for theirs. Till one o’clock they might all
do as they liked, and then school began again. When Peter had
finished his lessons on the days he attended school, he went
over to Uncle’s to see Heidi.
When he walked into the large room at Uncle’s to-day, Heidi
immediately rushed forward and took hold of him, for it was for
Peter she had been waiting. “I’ve thought of something, Peter,”
she said hastily.
“What is it?” he asked.
“You must learn to read,” she informed him.
“I have learnt,” was the answer.
“Yes, yes, but I mean so that you can really make use of it,”
continued Heidi eagerly.
“I never shall,” was the prompt reply.
“Nobody believes that you cannot learn, nor I either now,” said
Heidi in a very decided tone of voice. “Grandmamma in Frankfurt
said long ago that it was not true, and she told me not to
believe you.”
Peter looked rather taken aback at this piece of intelligence.
“I will soon teach you to read, for I know how,” continued
Heidi. “You must learn at once, and then you can read one or two
hymns every day to grandmother.”
“Oh, I don’t care about that,” he grumbled in reply.
This hard-hearted way of refusing to agree to what was right and
kind, and to what Heidi had so much at heart, aroused her anger.
With flashing eyes she stood facing the boy and said
threateningly, “If you won’t learn as I want you to, I will tell
you what will happen; you know your mother has often spoken of
sending you to Frankfurt, that you may learn a lot of things,
and I know where the boys there have to go to school; Clara
pointed out the great house to me when we were driving together.
And they don’t only go when they are boys, but have more lessons
still when they are grown men. I have seen them myself, and you
mustn’t think they have only one kind teacher like we have. There
are ever so many of them, all in the school at the same time, and
they are all dressed in black, as if they were going to church,
and have black hats on their heads as high as that—” and Heidi
held out her hand to show their height from the floor.
Peter felt a cold shudder run down his back.
“And you will have to go in among all those gentlemen,”
continued Heidi with increasing animation, “and when it comes to
your turn you won’t be able to read and will make mistakes in
your spelling. Then you’ll see how they’ll make fun of you; even
worse than Tinette, and you ought to have seen what she was like
when she was scornful.”
“Well, I’ll learn then,” said Peter, half sorrowfully and half
angrily.
Heidi was instantly mollified. “That’s right, then we’ll begin
at once,” she said cheerfully, and went busily to work on the
spot, dragging Peter to the table and fetching her books.
Among other presents Clara had sent Heidi a book which the
latter had decided, in bed the night before, would serve
capitally for teaching Peter, for it was an A B C book with
rhyming lines. And now the two sat together at the table with
their heads bent over the book, for the lesson had begun.
Peter was made to spell out the first sentence two or three
times over, for Heidi wished him to get it correct and fluent. At
last she said, “You don’t seem able to get it right, but I will
read it aloud to you once; when you know what it ought to be you
will find it easier.” And she read out:—
A B C must be learnt to-day Or the judge will call you
up to pay.
“I shan’t go,” said Peter obstinately.
“Go where?” asked Heidi.
“Before the judge,” he answered.
“Well then make haste and learn these three letters, then you
won’t have to go.”
Peter went at his task again and repeated the three letters so
many times and with such determination that she said at last,—
“You must know those three now.”
Seeing what an effect the first two lines of verse had had upon
him, she thought she would prepare the ground a little for the
following lessons.
“Wait, and I will read you some of the next sentences,” she
continued, “then you will see what else there is to expect.”
And she began in a clear slow voice:—
D E F G must run with ease Or something will follow
that does not please.
Should H I J K be now forgot Disgrace is yours upon the
spot.
And then L M must follow at once Or punished you’ll be
for a sorry dunce.
If you knew what next awaited you You’d haste to learn
N O P Q.
Now R S T be quick about Or worse will follow there’s
little doubt.
Heidi paused, for Peter was so quiet that she looked to see what
he was doing. These many secret threats and hints of dreadful
punishments had so affected him that he sat as if petrified and
stared at Heidi with horror-stricken eyes. Her kind heart was
moved at once, and she said, wishing to reassure him, “You need
not be afraid, Peter; come here to me every evening, and if you
learn as you have to-day you will at last know all your letters,
and the other things won’t come. But you must come regularly,
not now and then as you do to school; even if it snows it won’t
hurt you.”
Peter promised, for the trepidation he had been in had made him
quite tame and docile. Lessons being finished for this day he
now went home.
Peter obeyed Heidi’s instructions punctually, and every evening
went diligently to work to learn the following letters, taking
the sentences thoroughly to heart. The grandfather was
frequently in the room smoking his pipe comfortably while the
lesson was going on, and his face twitched occasionally as if he
was overtaken with a sudden fit of merriment. Peter was often
invited to stay to supper after the great exertion he had gone
through, which richly compensated him for the anguish of mind he
had suffered with the sentence for the day.
So the winter went by, and Peter really made progress with his
letters; but he went through a terrible fight each day with the
sentences.
He had got at last to U. Heidi read out:—
And if you put the U for V, You’ll go where you would
not like to be.
Peter growled, “Yes, but I shan’t go!” But he was very diligent
that day, as if under the impression that some one would seize
him suddenly by the collar and drag him where he would rather
not go. The next evening Heidi read:—
If you falter at W, worst of all, Look at the stick
against the wall.
Peter looked at the wall and said scornfully, “There isn’t one.”
“Yes, but do you know what grandfather has in his box?” asked
Heidi. “A stick as thick almost as your arm, and if he took that
out, you might well say, look at the stick on the wall.”
Peter knew that thick hazel stick, and immediately bent his head
over the W and struggled to master it. Another day the lines ran:-
-
Then comes the X for you to say Or be sure you’ll get
no food to-day.
Peter looked towards the cupboard where the bread and cheese
were kept and said crossly, “I never said that I should forget
the X.”
“That’s all right; if you don’t forget it we can go on to learn
the next, and then you will only have one more,” replied Heidi,
anxious to encourage him.
Peter did not quite understand, but when Heidi went on and read:—
And should you make a stop at Y, They’ll point at you
and cry, Fie,
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