7 A New Family

CHAPTER 7 A New Family Clara Sesemann was lying on the couch. The girl's legs were weak and it was too hard for her to walk about on her own. Just now she was in the study. This was the room where the family usually gathered. It was easy to see that this was also where Clara took her lessons. A handsome bookcase with glass doors held everything the young girl would need. At the moment, though, she was simply wishing for something to do. Just then she heard visitors at the door.

第7章新的家庭克拉拉·赛赛曼躺在沙发上。 这个女孩的腿很虚弱，她自己走路太困难了。 刚才她在书房里。 这是一家人通常聚会的房间。 很容易看出，这也是克拉拉上课的地方。 一个带玻璃门的漂亮书柜里放着年轻女孩需要的一切。 不过此刻，她只是想找点事做。 就在这时，她听到有人敲门。

Her little face was thin and pale. Her soft blue eyes went from the clock to the woman in the room. "Is it them, Ms. Rottenmeier?" Clara asked softly. She listened for voices in the front hallway. The lady she was speaking to sat quite still at a small worktable. The housekeeper had been in charge of the girl's care since her mother had died many years before. She was

她的小脸又瘦又苍白。 她那双温柔的蓝眼睛从时钟转到房间里的女人。 “是他们吗，罗特麦耶女士？”克拉拉轻声问。 她倾听着前面走廊里的声音。 和她说话的那位女士静静地坐在一张小工作桌旁。 自从这个女孩的母亲多年前去世后，管家就一直负责照顾她。 她是

the one Dete had spoken to about Heidi. Clara was about to ask her question again when Dete and Heidi arrived at the door of the study. Ms. Rottenmeier looked at Heidi for some minutes. "What is your name?" she asked. "Heidi," the youngster said softly. Dete quickly stepped up to change her answer. "Her baptized name is Adelheid, after her mother who is now dead." Ms. Rottenmeier took a step closer. "I must tell you, Dete, that I am surprised to see a child so young. I told you that I wanted a girl Clara's age. Clara is twelve. How old is Adelheid?" "I have lost count," Dete answered, trying to hide the truth. "I can't say for sure, but I think she is ten or just about that." "Grandfather told me I was eight," Heidi chimed in. Dete gave her a poke in the back with her finger.

就是黛特跟她说起海蒂的那个人。 克拉拉正要再问她的问题时，德特和海蒂来到了书房的门口。 罗特麦耶女士看了海蒂几分钟。 “你叫什么名字？”她问。 “海蒂，”小男孩轻声说。 黛特很快站起来改变了她的回答。 “她受洗的名字叫阿得海德，以她母亲的名字命名，她母亲现在已经去世了。” 罗特麦耶走近了一步。 “我必须告诉你，德特，我很惊讶看到一个这么小的孩子。 我告诉过你我想要一个和克拉拉一样大的女孩。 克拉拉十二岁了。阿得海德多大了？”“我已经数不清了，”德特回答，试图隐瞒真相。 “我不敢肯定，但我想她十岁左右。” “爷爷告诉我我八岁了，”海蒂插嘴说。 蒂特用手指在她背后戳了一下。

"What!" Ms. Rottenmeier screamed. "Only eight? Four years younger! What good will she be? We wanted someone to share school lessons and read books with Clara! What have you even read, child?" "Nothing," said Heidi. "What?" "I never learned to read," Heidi said. "Mercy!" the older woman cried. "You don't know how to read! Dete, how could you bring me a child like this? You didn't tell me what she was like!" "Please," Dete answered warmly. "She is a sweet girl, just the kind of companion Clara should have. I must go now, but you will see how wonderfully they get along." With a bow, Dete left the room and ran downstairs. Ms. Rottenmeier stood for a moment not knowing what to do. Then she ran down the steps after the woman. She had too many questions about the child to just let her leave

“什么!”罗特麦耶尖叫起来。 “只有八?年轻四岁！她有什么用？ 我们希望有人能和克拉拉一起分享学校的课程和读书！孩子，你读过什么书？”“没什么，”海蒂说。 “什么?”“我从来没学过读书，”海蒂说。 “天哪！”老妇人喊道。 “你不识字！”黛特，你怎么能给我带来这样一个孩子？ 你没告诉我她长什么样！”“拜托，”德特热情地回答。 “她是一个可爱的女孩，正是克拉拉应该拥有的那种伴侣。 我现在得走了，不过你会看到他们相处得多么好。” 德特鞠了一躬，离开了房间，跑下楼去。 罗特麦耶站了一会儿，不知道该怎么办。 然后她跑下台阶去追那个女人。 她有太多关于孩子的问题要问，不能让她离开

like that. Heidi stayed by the door. Clara motioned her over and the two began to talk. "Have you always had that short curly hair?" Clara asked. "Yes, I think so," said Heidi. "Are you happy about coming here?" Clara went on. "No, but I am going home tomorrow," Heidi said. "I am taking Grandmother a gift. I think I will take her a loaf of white bread. Dete says that would be a nice surprise for her." "You are a funny child," laughed Clara. "You were sent here to live with me and share my lessons, and now I find out you don't even read. We shall have fun with this! My tutor is nice. He will like teaching you as well." Heidi shook her head and began to say something, but Ms. Rottenmeier came back

像这样。海蒂站在门边。 克拉拉示意她过去，两人开始交谈起来。 “你一直留着那一头短卷发吗？”克拉拉问道。 “是的，我想是的，”海蒂说。 “你来这儿高兴吗？”克拉拉接着说。 “不，但是我明天要回家，”海蒂说。 “我给奶奶带了一份礼物。 我想我要给她带一条白面包。 德特说这对她来说是个惊喜。” “你是个有趣的孩子，”克拉拉笑着说。 “你被送到这里来和我住在一起，分享我的课程，现在我发现你甚至不读书。 我们会玩得很开心的！我的家庭教师很好。 他也会喜欢教你的。” 海蒂摇了摇头，开始说些什么。 罗特麦耶回来了

into the room. She had not been able to catch up to Dete, and the look on her face let Heidi and Clara know she was still angry about it. "It is time for dinner," she said. Sebastian, the butler, took the girls to the table. While they ate, Tinette, the maid, freshened up the guest room for Heidi. Ms. Rottenmeier arrived at the table just in time to hear Heidi having a very simple conversation with Sebastian. "Adelheid, I must make you understand that you are not to speak to any of the help unless you have an order for them." She took the girl's chin and turned it harshly toward her. "Never let me hear you talk to Sebastian in that way again!" As Ms. Rottenmeier went on with a list of rules that Heidi was to follow in the house, the young girl's eyes slowly closed. She had been up since five o'clock in the morning and

进房间。她没能追上德特，她脸上的表情让海蒂和克拉拉知道她还在为此生气。 “该吃晚饭了，”她说。 管家塞巴斯蒂安把姑娘们带到桌旁。 他们吃饭的时候，女仆蒂内特为海蒂收拾客房。 罗特麦耶女士及时赶到餐桌旁，听到海蒂正在和塞巴斯蒂安进行非常简单的对话。 “阿德海德，我必须让你明白，除非你有命令，否则你不能和任何帮手说话。” 她抓住女孩的下巴，严厉地转向她。 “别再让我听到你这样跟塞巴斯蒂安说话了！”女士。 罗特麦耶继续列出了海蒂在家里要遵守的规则，小女孩的眼睛慢慢地闭上了。 她早上五点就起床了