Page:Heidi - Spyri - 1922.djvu/153

 because I am not there to give Peter any cheese, and I can never see how the sun says good-night to the mountains; and if the great bird were to fly over Frankfurt he would croak louder than ever about people huddling all together and teaching each other bad things, and not going to live up on the rocks, where it is so much better.”

“Heaven have mercy on us, the child is out of her mind!” cried Fräulein Rottenmeier, and she turned in terror and went quickly up the steps, running violently against Sebastian in her hurry. “Go and bring that unhappy little creature in at once,” she ordered him, putting her hand to her forehead which she had bumped against his.

Sebastian did as he was told, rubbing his own head as he went, for he had received a still harder blow. Heidi had not moved; she stood with her eyes aflame and trembling all over with inward agitation.

“What, got into trouble again?” said Sebastian in a cheerful voice; but when he looked more closely at Heidi and saw that she did not move, he put his hand kindly on her shoulder, and said, trying to comfort her, “There, there, don’t take it to heart so much; keep up your špirits, that is the great thing! She has nearly made a hole in my head, but don’t you let her bully you.” Then seeing that Heidi still did not stir, “We must go; she ordered me to take you in.”

Heidi now began mounting the stairs, but with a slow, crawling step, very unlike her usual manner. Sebastian felt quite sad as he watched her, and as he followed her up he kept trying to encourage her. “Don’t you give in! don’t let her make you unhappy! You keep up your courage! Why we’ve got such a