Heidi and the doctor had wandered about the pasture till the gentleman had found it time to go. He wanted Heidi to remain where she was, but she insisted on accompanying him. All the way down she showed him many places where the pretty mountain flowers grew, all of whose names she could tell him. When they parted at last, Heidi waved to him. From time to time he turned about, and seeing the child still standing there, he had to think of his own little daughter who used to wave to him like that when he went away from home.
The weather was warm and sunny that month. Every morning the doctor came up to the Alp, spending his day very often with the old man. Many a climb they had together that took them far up, to the bare cliffs near the eagle’s haunt. The uncle would show his guest all the herbs that grew on hidden places and were strengthening and healing. He could tell many strange things of the beasts that lived in holes in rock or earth, or in the high tops of trees.
In the evening they would part, and the doctor would exclaim: “My dear friend, I never leave you without having learned something.”
But most of his days he spent with Heidi. Then the two would sit together on the child’s favorite spot, and Peter, quite subdued, behind them. Heidi had to recite the verses, as she had done the first day, and entertain him with all the things she knew.
At last the beautiful month of September was over. One morning the doctor came up with a sadder face than usual. The time had come for him to go back to Frankfurt, and great was the uncle’s sadness at that news. Heidi herself could hardly realize that her loving friend, whom she had been seeing every day, was really leaving. The doctor himself was loath to go, for the Alp had become as a home to him. But it was necessary for him to go, and shaking hands with the grandfather, he said goodbye, Heidi going along with him a little way.
Hand in hand they wandered down, till the doctor stood still. Then caressing Heidi’s curly hair, he said: “Now I must go, Heidi! I wish I could take you along with me to Frankfurt; then I could keep you.”
At those words, all the rows and rows of houses and streets, Miss Rottenmeier and Tinette rose before Heidi’s eyes. Hesitating a little, she said: “I should like it better if you would come to see us again.”
“I believe that will be better. Now farewell!” said the friendly gentleman. When they shook hands his eyes filled with tears. Turning quickly he hurried off.
Heidi, standing on the same spot, looked after him. What kind eyes he had! But they had been full of tears. All of a sudden she began to cry bitterly, and ran after her friend, calling with all her might, but interrupted by her sobs:
“Oh doctor, doctor!”
Looking round he stood still and waited till the child had reached him. Her tears came rolling down her cheeks while she sobbed: “I’ll come with you to Frankfurt and I’ll stay as long as ever you want me to. But first I must see grandfather.”
“No, no, dear child,” he said affectionately, “not at once. You must remain here, I don’t want you to get ill again. But if I should get sick and lonely and ask you to come to me, would you come and stay with me? Can I go away and think that somebody in this world still cares for me and loves me?”
“Yes, I shall come to you the same day, for I really love you as much as grandfather,” Heidi assured him, crying all the time.
Shaking hands again, they parted. Heidi stayed on the same spot, waving her hand and looking after her departing friend till he seemed no bigger than a little dot. Then he looked back a last time at Heidi and the sunny Alp, muttering to himself: “It is beautiful up there. Body and soul get strengthened in that place and life seems worth living again.”
XVIII
Winter in the Village
The snow lay so deep around the Alm-hut that the windows seemed to stand level with the ground and the house-door had entirely disappeared. Round Peter’s hut it was the same. When the boy went out to shovel the snow, he had to creep through the window; then he would sink deep into the soft snow and kick with arms and legs to get free. Taking a broom, the boy would have to clear away the snow from the door to prevent its falling into the hut.
The uncle had kept his word; when the first snow had fallen, he had moved down to the village with Heidi and his goats. Near the church and the parish house lay an old ruin that once had been a spacious building. A brave soldier had lived there in days gone by; he had fought in the Spanish war, and coming back with many riches, had built himself a splendid house. But having lived too long in the noisy world to be able to stand the monotonous life in the little town, he soon went away, never to come back. After his death, many years later, though the house was already beginning to decay, a distant relation of his took possession of it. The new proprietor did not want to build it up again, so poor people moved in. They had to pay little rent for the house, which was gradually crumbling and falling to pieces. Years ago, when the uncle had come to the village with Tobias, he had lived there. Most of the time it had been
