Life and Adventures of Santa Claus & Other Christmas Novels. Люси Мод Монтгомери
my old friend, Dr. Classen, and tell him to come to me at nine o'clock to-night. Tell him that I came from Paris especially to consult him, and that I want him to sit up all night with me. Do you understand me, Sebastian?"
"Yes indeed! I shall do as you say, Mr. Sesemann." Mr. Sesemann then went up to Clara's room to quiet and comfort her.
Punctually at nine o'clock the doctor arrived. Though his hair was grey, his face was still fresh, and his eyes were lively and kind. When he saw his friend, he laughed aloud and said: "Well, well, you look pretty healthy for one who needs to be watched all night."
"Have patience, my old friend," replied Mr. Sesemann. "I am afraid the person we have to sit up for will look worse, but first we must catch him."
"What? Then somebody is sick in this house? What do you mean?"
"Far worse, doctor, far worse. A ghost is in the house. My house is haunted."
When the doctor laughed, Mr. Sesemann continued: "I call that sympathy; I wish my friend Miss Rottenmeier could hear you. She is convinced that an old Sesemann is wandering about, expiating some dreadful deed."
"How did she make his acquaintance?" asked the doctor, much amused.
Mr. Sesemann then explained the circumstances. He said that the matter was either a bad joke which an acquaintance of the servants was playing in his absence, or it was a gang of thieves, who, after intimidating the people, would surely rob his house by and by.
With these explanations they entered the room where the two servants had watched before. A few bottles of wine stood on the table and two bright candelabra shed a brilliant light. Two revolvers were ready for emergencies.
They left the door only partly open, for too much light might drive the ghost away. Then, sitting down comfortably, the two men passed their time by chatting, taking a sip now and then.
"The ghost seems to have spied us and probably won't come to-day," said the doctor.
"We must have patience. It is supposed to come at one," replied his friend.
So they talked till one o'clock. Everything was quiet, and not a sound came from the street. Suddenly the doctor raised his finger.
"Sh! Sesemann, don't you hear something?"
While they both listened, the bar was unfastened, the key was turned, and the door flew open. Mr. Sesemann seized his revolver.
"You are not afraid, I hope?" said the doctor, getting up.
"Better be cautious!" whispered Mr. Sesemann, seizing the candelabrum in the other hand. The doctor followed with his revolver and the light, and so they went out into the hall.
On the threshhold stood a motionless white form, lighted up by the moon.
"Who is there?" thundered the doctor, approaching the figure. It turned and uttered a low shriek. There stood Heidi, with bare feet and in her white night-gown, looking bewildered at the bright light and the weapons. She was shaking with fear, while the two men were looking at her in amazement.
"Sesemann, this seems to be your little water carrier," said the doctor.
"Child, what does this mean?" asked Mr. Sesemann. "What did you want to do? Why have you come down here?"
Pale from fright, Heidi said: "I do not know."
The doctor came forward now. "Sesemann, this case belongs to my field. Please go and sit down while I take her to bed."
Putting his revolver aside, he led the trembling child up-stairs.
"Don't be afraid; just be quiet! Everything is all right; don't be frightened."
When they had arrived in Heidi's room, the doctor put the little girl to bed, covering her up carefully. Drawing a chair near the couch, he waited till Heidi had calmed down and had stopped trembling. Then taking her hand in his, he said kindly: "Now everything is all right again. Tell me where you wanted to go?"
"I did not want to go anywhere," Heidi assured him; "I did not go myself, only I was there all of a sudden."
"Really! Tell me, what did you dream?"
"Oh, I have the same dream every night. I always think I am with my grandfather again and can hear the fir-trees roar. I always think how beautiful the stars must be, and then I open the door of the hut, and oh, it is so wonderful! But when I wake up I am always in Frankfurt." Heidi had to fight the sobs that were rising in her throat.
"Does your back or your head hurt you, child?"
"No, but I feel as if a big stone was pressing me here."
"As if you had eaten something that disagreed with you?"
"Oh no, but as if I wanted to cry hard."
"So, and then you cry out, don't you?"
"Oh no, I must never do that, for Miss Rottenmeier has forbidden it."
"Then you swallow it down? Yes? Do you like to be here?"
"Oh yes," was the faint, uncertain reply.
"Where did you live with your grandfather?"
"Up on the Alp."
"But wasn't it a little lonely there?"
"Oh no, it was so beautiful!"—But Heidi could say no more. The recollection, the excitement of the night and all the restrained sorrow overpowered the child. The tears rushed violently from her eyes and she broke out into loud sobs.
The doctor rose, and soothing her, said: "It won't hurt to cry; you'll go to sleep afterward, and when you wake up everything will come right." Then he left the room.
Joining his anxious friend down-stairs, he said: "Sesemann, the little girl is a sleep-walker, and has unconsciously scared your whole household. Besides, she is so home-sick that her little body has wasted away. We shall have to act quickly. The only remedy for her is to be restored to her native mountain air. This is my prescription, and she must go tomorrow."
"What, sick, a sleep-walker, and wasted away in my house! Nobody even suspected it! You think I should send this child back in this condition, when she has come in good health? No, doctor, ask everything but that. Take her in hand and prescribe for her, but let her get well before I send her back."
"Sesemann," the doctor replied seriously, "just think what you are doing. We cannot cure her with powders and pills. The child has not a strong constitution, and if you keep her here, she might never get well again. If you restore her to the bracing mountain air to which she is accustomed, she probably will get perfectly well again."
When Mr. Sesemann heard this he said, "If that is your advice, we must act at once; this is the only way then." With these words Mr. Sesemann took his friend's arm and walked about with him to talk the matter over. When everything was settled, the doctor took his leave, for the morning had already come and the sun was shining in through the door.
XIII
UP THE ALP ON A SUMMER EVENING
Mr. Sesemann, going upstairs in great agitation, knocked at the housekeeper's door. He asked her to hurry, for preparations for a journey had to be made. Miss Rottenmeier obeyed the summons with the greatest indignation, for it was only half-past four in the morning. She dressed in haste, though with great difficulty, being nervous and excited. All the other servants were summoned likewise, and one and all thought that the master of the house had been seized by the ghost and that he was ringing for help. When they had all come down with terrified looks, they were most surprised to see Mr. Sesemann fresh and cheerful, giving orders. John was sent to get the horses ready and Tinette was told to prepare Heidi for her departure while Sebastian was commissioned to fetch Heidi's aunt. Mr. Sesemann instructed the housekeeper to pack a trunk in all haste for Heidi.
Miss