HEIDI
Peter was beginning to thaw all over with the warmth, so that he had the appearance of a trickling waterfall.
“Well, General, and how goes it with you?” said the grandfather, “now that you have lost your army you will have to turn to your pen and pencil.”
“Why must he turn to his pen and pencil?” asked Heidi immediately, full of curiosity.
“During the winter he must go to school,” explained her grandfather, “and learn how to read and write; it’s a bit hard, although useful sometimes afterwards. Am I not right, General?”
“Yes, indeed,” assented Peter.
Heidi’s interest was now thoroughly awakened, and she had so many questions to put to Peter about all that was to be done and seen and heard at school, and the conversation took so long that Peter had time to get thoroughly dry. Peter had always great difficulty in putting his thoughts into words, and he found his share of the talk doubly difficult to-day, for by the time he had an answer ready to one of Heidi’s questions she had already put two or three more to him, and generally such as required a whole long sentence in reply.
The grandfather sat without speaking during this conversation, only now and then a twitch of amusement at the corners of his mouth showed that he was listening.
“Well, now, General, you have been under fire for some time and must want some refreshment; come and join us,” he said at last, and as he spoke he rose and went to fetch the supper out of the cupboard, and Heidi pushed the stools to the table. There was also now a bench fastened against the wall, for as he
[68]
