Heidi

Chapter XIX. The Winter Continues

Peter arrived punctually at school the following day. He had brought his dinner with him, for all the children who lived at a distance regularly seated themselves at mid-day on the tables, and resting their feet firmly on the benches, spread out their meal on their knees and so ate their dinner, while those living in Dorfli went home for theirs. Till one o’clock they might all do as they liked, and then school began again. When Peter had finished his lessons on the days he attended school, he went over to Uncle’s to see Heidi.

When he walked into the large room at Uncle’s to-day, Heidi immediately rushed forward and took hold of him, for it was for Peter she had been waiting. “I’ve thought of something, Peter," she said hastily.

“What is it?” he asked.

“You must learn to read,” she informed him.

“I have learnt,” was the answer.

“Yes, yes, but I mean so that you can really make use of it," continued Heidi eagerly.

“I never shall,” was the prompt reply.

“Nobody believes that you cannot learn, nor I either now,” said Heidi in a very decided tone of voice. “Grandmamma in Frankfurt said long ago that it was not true, and she told me not to believe you.”

Peter looked rather taken aback at this piece of intelligence.

“I will soon teach you to read, for I know how,” continued Heidi. “You must learn at once, and then you can read one or two hymns every day to grandmother.”

“Oh, I don’t care about that,” he grumbled in reply.

This hard-hearted way of refusing to agree to what was right and kind, and to what Heidi had so much at heart, aroused her anger. With flashing eyes she stood facing the boy and said threateningly, “If you won’t learn as I want you to, I will tell you what will happen; you know your mother has often spoken of sending you to Frankfurt, that you may learn a lot of things, and I know where the boys there have to go to school; Clara pointed out the great house to me when we were driving together. And they don’t only go when they are boys, but have more lessons still when they are grown men. I have seen them myself, and you mustn’t think they have only one kind teacher like we have. There are ever so many of them, all in the school at the same time, and they are all dressed in black, as if they were going to church, and have black hats on their heads as high as that–” and Heidi held out her hand to show their height from the floor.

Peter felt a cold shudder run down his back.

“And you will have to go in among all those gentlemen," continued Heidi with increasing animation, “and when it comes to your turn you won’t be able to read and will make mistakes in your spelling. Then you’ll see how they’ll make fun of you; even worse than Tinette, and you ought to have seen what she was like when she was scornful.”

“Well, I’ll learn then,” said Peter, half sorrowfully and half angrily.

Heidi was instantly mollified. “That’s right, then we’ll begin at once,” she said cheerfully, and went busily to work on the spot, dragging Peter to the table and fetching her books.

Among other presents Clara had sent Heidi a book which the latter had decided, in bed the night before, would serve capitally for teaching Peter, for it was an A B C book with rhyming lines. And now the two sat together at the table with their heads bent over the book, for the lesson had begun.

Peter was made to spell out the first sentence two or three times over, for Heidi wished him to get it correct and fluent. At last she said, “You don’t seem able to get it right, but I will read it aloud to you once; when you know what it ought to be you will find it easier.” And she read out:–