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id five or six times to her grandfather； 〃I must certainly go to…day； the grandmother will be waiting for me。〃
On the fourth day； when with every step one took the ground crackled with frost and the whole vast field of snow was hard as ice； Heidi was sitting on her high stool at dinner with the bright sun shining in upon her through the window； and again repeated her little speech； 〃I must certainly go down to see the grandmother to…day； or else I shall keep her waiting too long。〃
The grandfather rose from table； climbed up to the hay…loft and brought down the thick sack that was Heidi's coverlid； and said； 〃Come along then！〃 The child skipped out gleefully after him into the glittering world of snow。
The old fir trees were standing now quite silent； their branches covered with the white snow； and they looked so lovely as they glittered and sparkled in the sunlight that Heidi jumped for joy at the sight and kept on calling out； 〃Come here； come here； grandfather！ The fir trees are all silver and gold！〃 The grandfather had gone into the shed and he now came out dragging a large hand…sleigh along with him； inside it was a low seat； and the sleigh could be pushed forward and guided by the feet of the one who sat upon it with the help of a pole that was fastened to the side。 After he had been taken round the fir trees by Heidi that he might see their beauty from all sides； he got into the sleigh and lifted the child on to his lap； then he wrapped her up in the sack； that she might keep nice and warm； and put his left arm closely round her； for it was necessary to hold her tight during the coming journey。 He now grasped the pole with his right hand and gave the sleigh a push forward with his two feet。 The sleigh shot down the mountain side with such rapidity that Heidi thought they were flying through the air like a bird； and shouted aloud with delight。 Suddenly they came to a standstill； and there they were at Peter's hut。 Her grandfather lifted her out and unwrapped her。 〃There you are； now go in； and when it begins to grow dark you must start on your way home again。〃 Then he left her and went up the mountain； pulling his sleigh after him。
Heidi opened the door of the hut and stepped into a tiny room that looked very dark； with a fireplace and a few dishes on a wooden shelf； this was the little kitchen。 She opened another door； and now found herself in another small room； for the place was not a herdsman's hut like her grandfather's； with one large room on the ground floor and a hay…loft above； but a very old cottage； where everything was narrow and poor and shabby。 A table was close to the door； and as Heidi stepped in she saw a woman sitting at it； putting a patch on a waistcoat which Heidi recognised at once as Peter's。 In the corner sat an old woman； bent with age； spinning。 Heidi was quite sure this was the grandmother； so she went up to the spinning…wheel and said； 〃Good…day； grandmother； I have come at last； did you think I was a long time coming？〃
The woman raised her head and felt for the hand that the child held out to her； and when she found it； she passed her own over it thoughtfully for a few seconds； and then said； 〃Are you the child who lives up with Alm…Uncle； are you Heidi？〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 answered Heidi； 〃I have just come down in the sleigh with grandfather。〃
〃Is it possible！ Why your hands are quite warm！ Brigitta； did Alm…Uncle come himself with the child？〃
Peter's mother had left her work and risen from the table and now stood looking at Heidi with curiosity； scanning her from head to foot。 〃I do not know； mother； whether Uncle came himself； it is hardly likely； the child probably makes a mistake。〃
But Heidi looked steadily at the woman； not at all as if in any uncertainty； and said； 〃I know quite well who wrapped me in my bedcover and brought me down in the sleigh： it was grandfather。〃
〃There was some truth then perhaps in what Peter used to tell us of Alm…Uncle during the summer； when we thought he must be wrong；〃 said grandmother； 〃but who would ever have believed that such a thing was possible？ I did not think the child would live three weeks up there。 What is she like； Brigitta？〃
The latter had so thoroughly examined Heidi on all sides that she was we'll able to describe her to her mother。
〃She has Adelaide's slenderness of figure； but her eyes are dark and her hair curly like her father's and the old man's up there： she takes after both of them； I think。〃
Heidi meanwhile had not been idle； she had made the round of the room and looked carefully at everything there was to be seen。 All of a sudden she exclaimed； 〃Grandmother； one of your shutters is flapping backwards and forwards； grandfather would put a nail in and make it all right in a minute； or else it will break one of the panes some day； look； look； how it keeps on banging！〃
〃Ah； dear child；〃 said the old woman； 〃I am not able to see it； but I can hear that and many other things besides the shutter。 Everything about the place rattles and creaks when the wind is blowing； and it gets inside through all the cracks and holes。 The house is going to pieces； and in the night； when the two others are asleep； I often lie awake in fear and trembling； thinking that the whole place will give way and fall and kill us。 And there is not a creature to mend anything for us； for Peter does not understand such work。〃
〃But why cannot you see； grandmother； that the shutter is loose。 Look； there it goes again； see； that one there！〃 And Heidi pointed to the particular shutter。
〃Alas； child； it is not only that I cannot seeI can see； nothing； nothing；〃 said the grandmother in a voice of lamentation。
〃But if I were to go outside and put back the shutter so that you had more light； then you could see； grandmother？〃
〃No； no； not even then； no one can make it light for me again。〃
〃But if you were to go outside among all the white snow； then surely you would find it light； just come with me； grandmother； and I will show you。〃 Heidi took hold of the old woman's hand to lead her along； for she was beginning to feel quite distressed at the thought of her being without light。
〃Let me be； dear child； it is always dark for me now； whether in snow or sun； no light can penetrate my eyes。〃
〃But surely it does in summer； grandmother；〃 said Heidi； more and more anxious to find some way out of the trouble； 〃when the hot sun is shining down again； and he says good…night to the mountains； and they all turn on fire； and the yellow flowers shine like gold； then； you will see； it will be bright and beautiful for you again。〃
〃Ah； child； I shall see the mountains on fire or the yellow flowers no more； it will never be light for me again on earth； never。〃
At these words Heidi broke into loud crying。 In her distress she kept on sobbing out； 〃Who can make it light for you again？ Can no one do it？ Isn't there any one who can do it？〃
The grandmother now tried to comfort the child； but it was not easy to quiet her。 Heidi did not often weep； but when she did she could not get over her trouble for a long while。 The grandmother had tried all means in her power to allay the child's grief； for it went to her heart to hear her sobbing so bitt