20 News from Distant Friends来自远方朋友的消息-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《小海蒂Heidi》

XX.News from Distant Friend's The truth was that Peter arranged to make his reading as little troublesome for himself as possible.When he came upon a word that he thought was too long or difficult in any other way,he left it out,for he decided that a word or two less in a verse,where there were so many of them,could make no difference to his grandmother.And so it came about that most of the principal words were missing in the hymns that Peter read aloud. XX.News from Distant Friends It was the month of May.From every height the full fresh streams of spring were flowing down into the valley.The clear warm sunshine lay upon the mountain,which had turned green again.The last snows had disappeared and the sun had already coaxed many of the flowers to show their bright heads above the grass.Up above the gay young wind of spring was singing through the fir trees,and shaking down the old dark needles to make room for the new bright green ones that were soon to deck out the trees in their spring finery Higher up still the great bird went circling round in the blue ether as of old, while the golden sunshine lit up the grandfather's hut,and all the ground about it was warm and dry again so that one might sit out where one liked.Heidi was at home again on the mountain,running backwards and forwards in her accustomed way,not knowing which spot was most delightful.Now she stood still to listen to the deep,mysterious voice of the wind,as it blew down to her from the mountain summits,coming nearer and nearer and gathering strength as it came,till it broke with force against the fir trees,bending and shaking them,and seeming to shout for joy,so that she too,though blown about like a feather,felt she must join the chorus of exulting sounds.Then she would run round again to the sunny space in front of the hut,and seating herself on the ground would peer closely into the short grass to see how many little flower cups were open or thinking of opening.She rejoiced with all the myriad little beetles and winged insects that jumped and crawled and danced in the sun,and drew in deep draughts of the spring scents that rose from the newly awakened ·324· 20.来自远方朋友的消息【 事实上，彼得在读书的时候，总是偷懒取巧，怎么 读着省劲儿就怎么读，比如碰到一个他认为太长或是比 较难的词，就省掉不念了，因为他想一首诗里有那么多 单词，丢掉一两个，婆婆不会觉察出来的。就这样，在 彼得朗诵的赞美诗里，大部分关键词都不见了。 20.来自远方朋友的消息 到了五月份，清澈的溪流从每座高山上喷涌而下， 落入山谷。温暖的阳光照射到已经返青的山上，最后 一堆积雪已完全消融。在太阳的引诱下，许多鲜花在 草丛中一展芳姿。高山上，轻快和煦的春风从杉树中 穿过，吹落那些发黑的枯枝朽叶，为即将萌发的嫩绿 枝叶腾地方，它们会给树木换上美丽的春装。再往高 ①deck out装饰 ②finery['fainari]n.美观 处看，大鸟又像过去一样盘旋在蔚蓝色的天空，金色 的装饰品 的阳光照在阿尔姆大叔的小屋上。四周暖融融的，大 地不再潮湿，人们可以随意坐在地上。海蒂又回到了 山上的家里，按老习惯到处跑跳着，分不清到底哪个 地方最好玩儿。现在她静静地站立着，倾听那低沉而 又神秘的风声。那风从山顶吹下来，越来越近，越来 越强，最后扑打到杉树的身上，摇撼着它们的腰肢， 像是发出快乐的喊叫。海蒂觉得她也应该加入这令人 兴奋的合唱，尽管自己被吹得像根羽毛那样轻飘飘的。 然后，她又跑到屋前的阳光下，坐在地上仔细察看低 矮的草丛中有多少鲜花已经绽开笑脸，又有多少在含 苞待放。她与各种小甲虫和带翅昆虫一起，在阳光下 ③myriad[miriad]a.形形 尽情地跳着，爬着，大口大口地呼吸弥漫着春天芳香 色色的：大量的 的空气，这芳香来自刚刚苏醒的大地。她认为这时的 大山是最美丽的，各种各样的小生物也肯定像她一样 ·325· XX.News from Distant Friend's earth,and thought the mountain was more beautiful than ever.All the tiny living creatures must be as happy as she,for it seemed to her there were little voices all round her singing and humming in joyful tones,"On the mountain! On the mountain!" From the shed at the back came the sound of sawing and chopping,and Heidi listened to it with pleasure,for it was the old familiar sound she had known from the beginning of her life up here.Suddenly she jumped up and ran round,for she must know what her grandfather was doing.In front of the shed door already stood a finished new chair,and a second was in course of construction under the grandfather's skilful hand. “Oh,I know what these are for,.”exclaimed Heidi in great glee.“We shall want them when they all come from Frankfurt.This one is for grandmamma,and the one you are now making is for Clara,and then-then there will,I suppose, have to be another,"continued Heidi with more hesitation in her voice,"or do you think,grandfather,that perhaps Fraulein Rottenmeier will not come with them?" "Well,I cannot say just yet,"replied her grandfather,"but it will be safer to make one so that we can offer her a seat if she does." Heidi looked thoughtfully at the plain wooden chair without arms as if trying to imagine how Fraulein Rottenmeier and a chair of this sort would suit one another.After a few minutes'contemplation,"Grandfather,"she said,shaking her head doubtfully,"I don't think she would be able to sit on that." "Then we will invite her on to the couch with the beautiful green turf feather-bed,"was her grandfather's quiet rejoinder While Heidi was pausing to consider what this might be there approached from above a whistling,calling,and other sounds which Heidi immediately recognised.She ran out and found herself surrounded by her four-footed friends. They were apparently as pleased as she was to be among the heights again,for they leaped about and bleated for joy,pushing Heidi this way and that,each anxious to express his delight with some sign of affection.But Peter sent them flying to right and left,for he had something to give to Heidi.When he at last got up to her he handed her a letter. "There!"he exclaimed,leaving the further explanation of the matter to Heidi herself. ·326· 20,.来自远方朋友的消息【 快乐，因为四周都响起它们的吟唱，“在大山上！在 大山上！”曲调优美极了。 后面的棚子里传来锯木和砍凿的声音，海蒂高兴地 听着，那是她自从到山上生活的第一天起就已十分熟悉 的声音。突然，她一下子跳起来，跑了过去，原来她想 看看爷爷在做什么。小棚子的门前放着一把已经完工的 新椅子，另一把还在爷爷那双巧手里。 “啊，我知道这是干什么用的。”海蒂心花怒放地 大声说，“等她们都从法兰克福来到以后，这些就都能 派上用场了。这一把是奶奶的，你在做的那把是克莱拉 的，然后一然后，我想还得需要一把。”海蒂有些犹 豫地接着说，“爷爷，你说罗顿迈尔小姐是不是不会跟 她们一起来？” “哦，这我还说不准。”爷爷回答，“但最好还是再 做一把椅子，那样万一她来了，也有地方坐呀。” 海蒂若有所思地打量着那把没有扶手的简易木椅， 像是在想罗顿迈尔小姐坐这样的椅子是否合适。思考了 一会儿，她摇着头说：“爷爷，我看她不会坐在这种椅 ①contemplation 子上的。” [kontem'pleifon]n.沉思 “那我们就请她坐在有漂亮的绿草皮软垫子的沙发 ②turf[tax司n.草皮 上。”爷爷平静地回答。 3 rejoinder [ri'd3oinda]n. 就在海蒂想爷爷说的是什么的时候，山上传来口哨 回答 声、喊叫声和其他声音，海蒂立刻就听出来是怎么回事 了。她跑出去，马上就被那些长着四只脚的朋友包围起 来。它们看上去也像海蒂一样高兴，又回到高山上了 嘛。山羊四处蹦跳着，快乐地咩咩直叫，把海蒂推过来 推过去，每只山羊都想用自己对她的亲呢来表达内心的 喜悦。但是彼得却把它们赶到两边，因为他要交给海蒂 点儿东西。他终于走到海蒂面前，递给她一封信。 “给！”他没有多说，剩下的事由海蒂自己去弄明 白。 ·327· XX.News from Distant Friend's "Did some one give you this while you were out with the goats?"she asked, in her surprise. No,”was the answer. “Where did you get it from then'?” “I found it in the dinner bag.” Which was true to a certain extent.The letter to Heidi had been given him the evening before by the postman at Dorfli,and Peter had put it into his empty bag.That morning he had stuffed his bread and cheese on the top of it,and had forgotten it when he fetched Alm-Uncle's two goats;only when he had finished his bread and cheese at mid-day and was searching in the bag for any last crumbs did he remember the letter which lay at the bottom. Heidi read the address carefully;then she ran back to the shed holding out her letter to her grandfather in high glee."From Frankfurt!From Clara!Would you like to hear it?" The grandfather was ready and pleased to do so,as also Peter,who had followed Heidi into the shed.He leant his back against the door post,as he felt he could follow Heidi's reading better if firmly supported from behind,and so stood prepared to listen. "DEARST HEIDI,-Everything is packed and we shall start now in two or three days,as soon as papa himself is ready to leave;he is not coming with us as he has first to go to Paris.The doctor comes every day,and as soon as he is inside the door,he cries,'Off now as quickly as you can,off to the mountain.'He is most impatient about our going.You cannot think how much he enjoyed himself when he was with you!He has called nearly every day this winter,and each time he has come in to my room and said he must tell me about everything again.And then he sits down and describes all he did with you and the grandfather,and talks of the mountains and the flowers and of the great silence up there far above all towns and villages,and of the fresh delicious air,and often adds,'No one can help getting well up there.' He himself is quite a different man since his visit,and looks quite young again and happy,which he had not been for a long time before.Oh,how I am looking forward to seeing everything and to being with you on the mountain, ·328· 20.来自远方朋友的消息 “是你放羊时别人给你的吗？”海蒂问，她感到有 点儿奇怪。 “不是。”彼得回答。 “那你是从哪儿得到的？” “从饭袋里找到的。” 从某种角度讲的确是这么回事。那封信是前一天晚 上德夫里的邮递员给他的，彼得随手就放进了空荡荡的 饭袋。早晨出门前，他把面包和奶酪都塞了进去，带走 阿尔姆大叔那两只山羊的时候，忘了把信拿出来就上山 ①crumb [krAm]n,面包屑 了。直到中午他吃完了面包和奶酪，还想在袋子里找到 些面包渣时，才发现了底下的信。 海蒂仔细读了信封上的地址，就高兴地拿着信跑回 小棚子去找爷爷，“法兰克福来的！克莱拉写的！你想 听听吗？” 爷爷很乐意听听信里都说了些什么，彼得也同样， 他刚才跟着海蒂进了小棚子。他倚着门框，像是觉得背 后有个依靠才能听得更好。 “最最亲爱的海蒂， 一一切都准备好了，再过两 三天我们就启程，只等爸爸也准备好启程，但他不和我 们同路，因为他得先到巴黎。医生每天都来，他每次一 进门就喊：‘快出发吧，快去山上看看。’对于我们的行 程，他是最着急的了。你猜不出他上次跟你在一起的时 候过得有多么愉快！这个冬天，他差不多每天都来我们 家，每次走进我的房间都说还得把山上的事情给我再讲 一遍，然后他就坐下来，跟我谈起他与你和爷爷一块儿 做的事，谈起大山、鲜花，你们那儿清新的空气，还有 那远离尘嚣的宁静，他常常还加上一句：‘不管谁上了 出，身体都会好起来。’他本人从你那儿回来以后就跟 换了个人似的，又像从前那样年轻快乐了，这可是好久 不见的事。啊，我急切地盼望着见到你们那儿的一切， 和你在山上一起玩耍，盼望着去认识彼得和那些山羊。 ·329· XX.News from Distant Friend's and to making the acquaintance of Peter and the goats. "I shall have first to go through a six weeks'cure at Ragatz:this the doctor has ordered,and then we shall move up to Dorfli,and every fine day I shall be carried up the mountain in my chair and spend the day with you.Grandmamma is travelling with me and will remain with me;she also is delighted at the thought of paying you a visit.But just imagine,Fraulein Rottenmeier refuses to come with us.Almost every day grandmamma says to her.'Well,how about this Swiss journey,my worthy Rottenmeier?Pray say if you really would like to come with us.'But she always thanks grandmamma very politely and says she has quite made up her mind.I think I know what has done it:Sebastian gave such a frighiful description of the mountain,of how the rocks were so overhanging and dangerous that at any minute you might fall into a crevasse,and how it was such steep climbing that you feared at every step to go slipping to the bottom, and that goats alone could make their way up without fear of being killed.She shuddered when she heard him tell of all this,and since then she has not been so enthusiastic about Switzerland as she was before.Fear has also taken possession of Tinette,and she also refuses to come.So grandmamma and I will be alone; Sebastian will go with us as far as Ragatz and then return here. "I can hardly bear waiting till I see you again.Goodbye,dearest Heidi; grandmamma sends you her best love and all good wishes.-Your affectionate friend, “CLARA.” Peter,as soon as the conclusion of the letter had been reached,left his reclining position and rushed out,twirling his stick in the air in such a reckless fashion that the frightened goats fled down the mountain before him with higher and wider leaps than usual.Peter followed at full speed,his stick still raised in air in a menacing manner as if he was longing to vent his fury on some invisible foe.This foe was indeed the prospect of the arrival of the Frankfurt visitors,the thought of whom filled him with exasperation. Heidi was so full of joyful anticipation that she determined to seize the first possible moment next day to go down and tell grandmother who was coming,and also particularly who was not coming.These details would be of great interest to her,for grandmother knew well all the persons named from Heidi's description, ·330· 20.来自远方朋友的消息 “我首先要在雷格兹接受六个星期的治疗，这是医 生早就安排好了的，然后我们就去德夫里，每个天气晴 朗的日子，我都会坐着轮椅上山，跟你一起度过美好的 时光。奶奶跟我一起去，将在身边陪伴我；想起就要去 看你，她也非常高兴。可是，你知道吗？罗顿迈尔小 姐拒绝跟我们一同前往。几乎每天奶奶都对她说：‘我 尊敬的罗顿迈尔，一起去瑞士怎么样？如果你确实愿意 去，尽管直说好了。’但她总是很礼貌地表示谢意，并 说自己已拿定了主意。我想大概是这么回事：塞巴斯蒂 安回来后把高山说得很可怕，他说岩石悬在空中，危险 极了，人随时都有可能坠落山谷。山路也很陡，每向上 ①crevasse[kri'vas]n.裂 缝 攀登一步，都提心吊胆，怕失足落下，唯独山羊能上去， 它们根本不怕掉下去摔死。她听到这些话，吓得直发抖， 对瑞士再也不像以前那么热情了。蒂耐特也吓得要命， 她也拒绝来。所以就只有我和奶奶两个人去了；塞巴斯 蒂安陪我们到雷格兹，然后返回。 “我几乎等不下去了，只想快点儿见到你。再见了， 最最亲爱的海蒂；奶奶向你表达她最良好的祝愿。 “—你亲密的朋友克菜拉” 信刚读完，彼得就从门框那儿冲了出去，他疯了似 地在空中挥舞着木棒，吓得山羊拼命向山下逃去，彼得 2 reclining [ri'klainin]a. 随后紧紧追赶，咬牙切齿地举着木棒，仿佛想对某个看 斜靠的 不见的仇敌发泄愤怒。这个仇敌就是即将从法兰克福到 ③twirl[twa:l]v旋转 ④reckless[reklis]a.鲁莽 来的客人，一想起她们，他就怒火满腔。 的 海蒂高兴地期待着，她决定明天一有机会就下山去 ⑤menacing['menasin]a. 威胁的 告诉婆婆谁要来了，还要特别告诉她谁不会来了。这些 ⑥foe[faun敌人 细节她会很感兴趣，因为从海蒂的嘴里，婆婆已经熟知 ·331· XX.News from Distant Friend's and had entered with deep sympathy into all that the child had told her of her life and surroundings in Frankfurt.Heidi paid her visit in the early afternoon,for she could now go alone again;the sun was bright in the heavens and the days were growing longer,and it was delightful to go racing down the mountain over the dry ground,with the brisk May wind blowing from behind,and speeding Heidi on her way a little more quickly than her legs alone would have carried her. The grandmother was no longer confined to her bed.She was back in her corner at her spinning-wheel,but there was an expression on her face of mournful anxiety.Peter had come in the evening before brimful of anger and had told about the large party who were coming up from Frankfurt,and he did not know what other things might happen after that;and the old woman had not slept all night,pursued by the old thought of Heidi being taken from her.Heidi ran in,and taking her little stool immediately sat down by grandmother and began eagerly pouring out all her news,growing more excited with her pleasure as she went on.But all of a sudden she stopped short and said anxiously,"What is the matter, grandmother,aren't you a bit pleased with what I am telling you?" "Yes,yes,of course,child,since it gives you so much pleasure,"she answered,trying to look more cheerful. "But I can see all the same that something troubles you.Is it because you think after all that Fraulein Rottenmeier may come?"asked Heidi,beginning to feel anxious herself. "No,no!It is nothing,child,"said the grandmother,wishing to reassure her. "Just give me your hand that I may feel sure you are there.No doubt it would be the best thing for you,although I feel I could scarcely survive it." "I do not want anything of the best if you could scarcely survive it,"said Heidi,in such a determined tone of voice that the grandmother's fears increased as she felt sure the people from Frankfurt were coming to take Heidi back with them, since now she was well again they naturally wished to have her with them once more.But she was anxious to hide her trouble from Heidi if possible,as the latter was so sympathetic that she might refuse perhaps to go away,and that would not be right.She sought for help,but not for long,for she knew of only one. "Heidi,"she said,"there is something that would comfort me and calm my ·332· 20.来自远方朋友的消息【 那些人的名字了，她还设身处地地把自己放在法兰克福 的生活环境中，对孩子的不幸深表同情。海蒂中午刚过 就去看婆婆了，现在她又能独自前往了。亮晃晃的太阳 高高地挂在空中，白天越来越长，踏着已经干爽的土地 ①brisk[brisk]a.(天气等) 下山去，确是件令人开心的事儿，尤其还有五月那凉爽 令人爽快的 ②confine [kan'fain]v.限定 的春风从后面吹着，海蒂的脚步迈得格外轻快。 范围 婆婆已经不再卧床，又回到了那个角落，坐在自己 ③brimful[brim'fula.充 的纺车前，但是她脸上的表情却显得悲伤和忧愁。前一天 满的 晚上，彼得在盛怒之下回到家里，说有一大群人要从法兰 克福来，还说不知道那以后要发生什么事呢。听了他的 话，老太太彻夜未眠，担心海蒂被人带走，这种忧虑由 来已久。这时海蒂走进屋，立刻搬起小凳子坐在婆婆身旁， 迫不及待地把那些好消息说给老太太听，并且越说越高 兴，越说越激动。可是她突然不往下说了，而是焦虑地问： “婆婆，怎么了？对我说的事情你不高兴吗？” “不，不，我当然高兴了，孩子，因为这很让你开 心嘛。”她回答，尽力显得快乐些。 “但我还是能看出来你有心事。是不是你担心罗顿 迈尔小姐终究会来呀？”海蒂问道，自己也变得不安起 来。 “不，不！没事儿，孩子。”婆婆说，想安慰她，“把 手给我，那样我能觉出来你确实在这儿。毫无疑问，这 件事最让你感到高兴，但是我却恐怕承受不了啊。” “如果你感到承受不了，我宁愿不要那最让我高兴 的事发生。”海蒂说，语气非常坚决，婆婆更担忧了， 她想法兰克福来的人肯定会把海蒂带走的，因为现在她 身体复元了，那些人当然愿意再让她去做伴。尽管婆婆 这样想，她还是千方百计地掩饰自己的烦恼，不让海蒂 看出来。她知道这孩子特别富于同情心，她会为了自己 而拒绝去法兰克福，但那对她不好。婆婆想寻求帮助， 也没用多长时间，因为她只有一个办法。 “海蒂，”她说，“有件事能安慰我，使我平静下来， ·333·