Page:Heidi - Spyri - 1922.djvu/83

 beautiful things which were made so magically out of pieces of wood; she then told the grandmother how she stood by him and watched all he did, and how she hoped some day to be able to make the same herself.

The grandmother listened with the greatest attention, only from time to time addressing her daughter, “Do you hear that, Brigitta? Do you hear what she is saying about Uncle?”

The conversation was all at once interrupted by a heavy thump on the door, and in marched Peter, who stood stock-still, opening his eyes with astonishment, when he caught sight of Heidi; then his face beamed with smiles as she called out, “Good-evening, Peter.”

“What, is the boy back from school already?” exclaimed the grandmother in surprise. “I have not known an afternoon pass so quickly as this one for years. How is the reading getting on, Peter?”

“Just the same,” was Peter’s answer.

The old woman gave a little sigh. “Ah, well,” she said, “I hoped you would have something different to tell me by this time, as you are going to be twelve years old this February.”

“What was it that you hoped he would have to tell you?” asked Heidi, interested in all the grandmother said.

“I mean that he ought to have learnt to read a bit by now,” continued the grandmother. “Up there on the shelf is an old prayer-book, with beautiful songs in it which I have not heard for a long time and cannot now remember to repeat to myself, and I hoped that Peter would soon learn enough to be able to read one of them to me sometimes; but he finds it too difficult.”