Hello my lovely friend and welcome back to Drift Off.
I'm your host Joanne,
And tonight we'll be continuing our calming journey through Heidi by Joanna Shpeery.
Whether we spend our time together with one cozy chapter,
Or wander through a couple of shorter ones,
I'm so glad you're here.
There's something especially comforting about returning to familiar mountain paths,
Warm firesides,
And the quiet kindness woven throughout this timeless story.
Before we begin tonight's storytelling,
Allow yourself a moment to settle in fully.
Make any small adjustments you need to feel comfortable.
Soften your shoulders.
Unclench your jaw.
And let the surface beneath you support your entire body.
There is nowhere else you need to be right now.
Nothing else you need to solve.
This time is simply for rest.
Take a slow gentle breath in.
And exhale softly.
Another easy breath in.
And let it go.
As you continue breathing comfortably and naturally.
Imagine the peaceful mountain air surrounding you.
Cool and fresh.
Carrying the faint scent of pine trees and wildflowers.
The world grows quieter with every passing moment.
Thoughts can drift by like distant clouds,
Needing nothing from you at all.
Tonight you can simply listen.
Simply rest.
And drift off in your own time.
So snuggle in.
Get cozy,
And let's begin.
Chapter 11 Homesickness every afternoon when Clara was resting after dinner.
The grandmother would take Heidi to her own room where she had a lot of pretty dolls.
And she showed her how to make dresses and aprons for them,
So that the child learned how to sew,
And to make all sorts of beautiful clothes for the little people.
And then grandmother liked to hear her read aloud.
And the oftener Heidi read her tales,
The fonder she grew of them.
But she still never looked really happy.
And her eyes were no longer bright.
It was the last week of the grandmother's visit.
She called Heidi into her room as usual one day after dinner.
And the child came with her book under her arm.
The old lady laid the book aside and said,
Now,
My dear.
Tell me why you are not happy.
Have you still the same trouble at heart?
Heidi nodded in reply.
Have you told God about it?
Yes.
And do you pray every day that he will make things right and that you may be happy again?
No,
I have left off praying.
Do not tell me that,
Heidi.
Why have you left off praying?
It is of no use.
God does not listen,
" Heidi went on in an agitated voice.
And I can understand that when there are so many,
Many people in Frankfurt praying to him every evening,
That he cannot attend to them all.
And he certainly has not heard what I said to him.
And why are you so sure of that,
Heidi?
Because I have prayed for the same thing every day for weeks,
And yet God has not done what I asked.
You are wrong,
Heidi.
You must not think of him like that.
God is a good Father to us all and knows better than we do what is good for us.
He did not think what you have been praying for was good for you just now.
But be sure he heard you.
For he can hear and see everyone at the same time.
Because He is a God and not a human like being you and me.
While God is watching over you and looking to see if you will trust Him and go on praying to Him every day.
You run away.
And leave off saying your prayers and forget all about him.
You would not like to grieve God,
Would you,
Heidi,
When He only wants to be kind to you?
So will you not go and ask Him to forgive you and continue to pray and to trust Him?
For you may be sure that He will make everything right and happy for you.
And then you will be glad and lighthearted again.
I will go at once and ask God to forgive me,
And I will never forget him again,
" she replied repentantly.
And she ran away.
And prayed that she might always remember God.
And that he would go on thinking about her.
The day came for Grandmother's departure.
A sad one for Clara and Heidi.
The grandmother was determined to make it as much like a holiday as possible and to not let them mope.
And she kept them so lively and amused that they had no time to think about their sorrow at her going until she really drove away.
Then the house seemed so silent and empty that Heidi and Clara did not know what to do with themselves and sat during the remainder of the day like two lost children.
Many weeks passed away.
Heidi did not know if it was winter or summer.
For the walls and windows she looked out upon showed no change.
And she never went beyond the house except on rare occasions.
When Clara was well enough to drive out.
And then they only went a very little way,
As Clara could not bear the movement for long.
On these occasions,
They generally only saw more fine streets and large houses,
And crowds of people.
They seldom got anywhere beyond them,
And grass and flowers,
Fir trees and mountains were still far away.
Heidi's longing for the old,
Familiar,
And beautiful things grew daily stronger.
So that now,
Only to read a word that recalled them to her remembrance,
Brought her to the verge of tears,
Which she suppressed with difficulty,
So the autumn and winter passed.
And again the sun came shining down on the white walls of the opposite houses.
And Heidi would think to herself that now the time had come for Peter to go out again with the goats,
To where the golden flowers of the cistus were glowing in the sunlight,
And all the rocks around turned to a fire at sunset.
She would go and sit in a corner of her lonely room and put her hands up to her eyes that she might not see the sun shining on the opposite wall.
And then she would remain without moving,
Battling silently with her terrible homesickness until Clara sent for her again.
Chapter 12 My House is Haunted For some days past,
Miss Rottermeier had gone about rather silently,
And as if lost in thought as Twilight fell.
And she passed from room to room.
Or along the long corridors.
She was seen to look cautiously behind her and into the dark corners,
As if she thought someone was coming up silently behind her and might unexpectedly give her address a pull.
Nor would she now go alone into some parts of the house.
If she visited the upper floor,
Where the grand guest chambers were,
Or had to go down into the large drawing room.
Where every footstep echoed.
She called Jeanette to accompany her.
For something very strange and mysterious was going on in Mr.
Sesamon's house.
Every morning,
When the servants went downstairs,
They found the front door wide open.
Although nobody could be seen far or near to account for it.
During the first few days that this happened.
Every room and corner was searched in great alarm.
To see if anything had been stolen.
For the general idea was that a thief had been hiding in the house and had gone off in the night with the stolen goods.
But not a thing in the house had been touched.
Everything was safe in its place.
The door was doubly locked at night and for further security.
The wooden bar was fastened across it.
But it was no good.
Next morning,
The door again stood open.
At last,
After a great deal of persuasion from Miss Rottermeier,
Sebastian and John plucked up courage and agreed to sit up one night to watch and see what would happen.
Miss Rottermeier hunted up several weapons belonging to the master.
And gave these and a bottle of brandy to them.
So that their courage might not faint if it came to a fight.
On the appointed night.
The two sat down and began at once to take some of the strengthening cordial.
Which at first made them very talkative,
And then very sleepy,
So that they leant back in their seats and became silent.
As midnight struts.
Sebastian roused himself.
And called to his companion who,
However,
Was not easy to wake.
And kept rolling his head.
First to one side.
And then the other and continuing to sleep.
Sebastian began to listen more attentively.
For he was wide awake now.
He did not feel inclined to go to sleep again.
For the stillness was ghostly to him.
And he was afraid now to raise his voice to rouse John.
So he shook him gently to make him stir.
At last,
As one struck.
John woke up.
And came back to the consciousness of why he was sitting in a chair instead of lying in his bed.
He got up with great show of courage and said,
Come Sebastian,
We must go out in the hall and see what is going on.
You need not be afraid,
Just follow me.
Whereupon he opened the door wide and stepped into the hall.
Just as he did so.
A sudden gust of air blew through the open front door and put out the light which John held in his hand.
He started back.
Almost overturning Sebastian.
Whom he clutched and pulled back into the room.
And then shutting the door quickly.
He turned the key as far as he could make it go.
Then he pulled out his matches and lighted his candle again.
Sebastian and the suddenness of the affair.
Did not know exactly what had happened.
For he had not seen the open door or felt the breeze behind John's broad figure.
But now.
.
.
As he saw the ladder in the light.
He gave a cry of alarm.
For John was trembling all over.
And was as white as a ghost.
What's the matter?
What did you see outside?
" asked Sebastian sympathetically.
The door partly opened,
Gasped John.
And a white figure standing at the top of the steps.
There it stood.
And then all in a minute,
It disappeared.
Sebastian felt his blood run cold.
The two sat down close to one another and did not dare move again till the morning broke and the streets began to be alive again.
Then they left the room together.
Shut the front door.
And went upstairs to tell Miss Rottermeier of their experience.
They had no sooner given her details of the night's experience than she sat down and wrote to Mr.
Sazamon,
Who had never received such a letter before in his life.
She could hardly write.
She told him.
For her fingers were stiff with fear.
And Mr.
Sesamon must please arrange to come back at once.
For dreadful and unaccountable things were taking place at home.
" Then she entered into particulars of all that had happened.
Of how the door was found standing open every morning.
Mr.
Sesamon answered that it was quite impossible for him to arrange to leave his business and return home at once.
Miss Rottermeier,
However,
Was determined not to pass any more days in a state of fear.
And she knew the right course to pursue.
She had as yet said nothing to the children of the ghostly apparitions.
For she knew if she did,
That the children would not remain alone for a single moment.
And that might entail discomfort for herself.
But now she walked straight off into the study.
And there,
In a low,
Mysterious voice,
Told the two children everything that had taken place.
Clara immediately screamed out that she could not remain another minute alone.
Her father must come home.
So,
Miss Rottermeier wrote another letter to Mr.
Sesamon,
Stating that these unaccountable things that were going on in the house had so affected his daughter's delicate constitution that the worst consequences might be expected.
Epileptic fits often came on suddenly in cases like this.
And Clara was liable to be attacked by either if the cause of the general alarm was not removed.
The letter was successful,
And two days later Mr.
Sazamon arrived home.
Clara greeted him with a cry of joy,
And seeing her so lively and apparently as well as ever,
His face cleared,
And the frown of anxiety passed gradually away from it as he heard from his daughter's own lips that she had nothing the matter with her.
And moreover was so delighted to see him that she was quite glad about the ghost.
As it was the cause of bringing him home again.
And how is the ghost getting on,
He asked,
Turning to Miss Rottermeier with a twinkle of amusement in his eye.
It is no joke,
I assure you,
Replied that lady.
You will not laugh yourself tomorrow morning,
Mr.
Sazamon.
What is going on in the house points to some terrible thing that has taken place in the past and been concealed.
Well,
I know nothing about that,
" said the master of the house.
But I must beg you not to bring suspicion on my worthy ancestors.
And now.
Will you kindly call Sebastian into the dining room?
As I wish to speak to him alone.
Mr.
Sazamon had been quite aware.
That Sebastian and Miss Rottermeier were not on the best of terms,
And he had his ideas about the scare.
Come here,
Lad,
" he said as Sebastian appeared.
And tell me frankly,
Have you been playing at ghosts to amuse yourself at Ms.
Rottermeier's expense?
No,
On my honor,
Sir.
Pray do not think it.
I am very uncomfortable about the matter myself,
" answered Sebastian with unmistakable truthfulness.
Well,
If that is so.
I will show you and John tomorrow morning how ghosts look like in daylight.
You ought to be ashamed of yourself,
Sebastian.
A great strong lad like you.
To run away from a ghost.
But now go and take a message to my old friend the doctor.
Give him my kind regards.
And ask if he will come to me tonight at nine o'clock without fail.
I have come by express from Paris to consult him.
I shall want him to spend the night here,
So bad a case is it,
So will he arrange accordingly.
You understand?
Yes sir,
Replied Sebastian.
I will see to the matter as you wish.
Punctually at nine o'clock.
After the children and Miss Rottermeier had retired.
The doctor arrived.
He was a grey-haired man with a fresh face and two bright,
Kindly eyes.
He looked anxious as he walked in,
But on catching sight of his patient,
Burst out laughing and clapped him on the shoulder.
Well,
He said,
You look pretty bad for a person that I am to sit up with all night.
Patience,
Friend,
" answered Mr.
Sazamon.
The one you have to sit up for will look a good deal worse when we have once caught him.
For there is a ghost in the house.
The doctor laughed again.
That's a nice way of showing sympathy,
Doctor,
" continued Mr.
Sesamon.
It's a pity my friend Rottermeier cannot hear you.
She is firmly convinced that some old member of the family is wandering about the house doing penance for some awful crime he committed.
How did she become acquainted with him,
Asked the doctor,
Still very much amused.
So Mr.
Sesamon recounted to him how the front door was nightly opened by somebody,
According to the testimony of the combined household.
The whole thing was either a joke,
Gotten up by some friend of the servants,
Just to alarm the household while he was away,
Or else it was a thief.
Who by leading everybody at first to think there was a ghost.
Made it safe for himself when he came later to steal.
As no one would venture to run out if they heard him.
The two took up their quarters for the night in the same room in which Sebastian and John had kept watch.
The door was shut closed to prevent the light being seen in the hall outside,
Which might frighten away the ghost.
The gentleman sat comfortably back in the armchairs and began talking of all sorts of things.
Now and then pausing to take a good draft of wine.
And so 12 o'clock struck before they were aware.
The ghost has got scent of us and is keeping away tonight,
" said the doctor.
Wait a bit.
It does not generally appear before one o'clock,
Answered his friend.
They started talking again.
One o'clock struck.
There was not a sound about the house,
Nor in the street outside.
Suddenly.
The doctor lifted his finger.
Hush.
Sesamon,
Don't you hear something?
They both listened.
And they distinctly heard the bar softly pushed aside,
And then the key turned in the lock,
And the door opened.
Mr.
Sazamon put out his hand for his revolver.
You are not afraid,
Are you?
" said the doctor as he stood up.
It is better to take precautions,
" whispered Mr.
Sazamon.
And seizing one of the lights in his other hand.
He followed the doctor.
Who,
Armed in like manner with a light and a revolver,
Went softly on in front.
They stepped into the hall.
The moonlight was shining in through the open door and fell on a white figure standing motionless in the doorway.
Who is there?
Thundered the doctor in a voice that echoed through the hall.
As the two men advanced with lights and weapons towards the figure.
It turned and gave a low cry.
There in her little white nightgown stood Heidi,
With bare feet,
Staring with wild eyes at the lights and the revolvers,
And trembling from head to foot like a leaf in the wind.
The two men looked at one another in surprise.
Why,
I believe it is Heidi,
Said the doctor.
Child.
What does this mean?
" said Mr.
Sazamon.
What did you want?
Why did you come down here?
White with terror,
And hardly able to make her voice heard,
Heidi answered,
I don't know.
But now the doctor stepped forward.
This is a matter for me to see to,
Says Amon.
Go back to your chair.
I must take the child upstairs to her bed.
And with that,
He put down his revolver.
And gently taking the child by the hand,
Led her upstairs.
Don't be frightened,
He said,
As they went up side by side.
It's nothing to be frightened about.
It's alright.
Only just go quietly.
On reaching Heidi's room.
The doctor put the candle down on the table.
And taking Heidi up in his arms later on the bed and carefully covered her over.
Then he sat down beside her and waited until she had grown quieter and no longer trembled so violently.
He then took her hand and said in a kind,
Soothing voice,
There,
Now you feel better.
And now tell me where you are wanting to go.
I did not want to go anywhere,
" said Heidi.
I did not know I went downstairs.
But all at once I was there.
I see.
And had you been dreaming?
So that you seem to see and hear something very distinctly?
Yes,
I dream every night.
And always about the same things.
I think I am back with Grandfather,
And I hear the sound in the fir trees outside,
And I see the stars shining so brightly,
And then I open the door quickly and run out,
And it is all so beautiful.
But when I wake,
I am still in Frankfurt.
And Heidi struggled as she spoke to keep back the sobs which seemed to choke her.
And have you no pain anywhere?
No pain in your head or back?
No,
Only a feeling as if there were a great stone weighing on me here.
As if you had eaten something that would not go down.
No,
Not like that.
Something heavy as if I wanted to cry very much.
I see.
And then do you have a good cry?
Oh,
No,
I mustn't.
" Miss Rottermeier forbade me to cry.
So you swallow it all down,
I suppose?
Are you happy here in Frankfurt?
Yes was the low answer,
But it sounded more like no.
And where did you live with your grandfather?
Up on the mountain.
That wasn't very amusing.
Rather dull at times,
Eh?
No,
No.
It was beautiful.
Beautiful.
Heidi could go no further.
The remembrance of the past.
The excitement she had just gone through.
The long suppressed weeping were too much for the child's strength.
The tears began to fall fast,
And she broke into violent weeping.
The doctor patted her head kindly.
There,
There.
Go on crying.
It will do you good.
And then go to sleep.
It will be alright tomorrow.
Then he left the room and went downstairs to Mr.
Sesamon.
When he was once more sitting in the armchair opposite his friend.
Let me first tell you that your little charge is a sleepwalker.
She is the ghost who has nightly opened the front door and put your household into the fever of alarm.
Secondly,
The child is consumed with homesickness to such an extent that she is nearly a skeleton already.
And soon will be quite one.
Something must be done at once.
There is but one remedy,
And that is to send her back to her native mountain air.
So tomorrow,
The child must start for home.
There,
You have my prescription.
Mr.
Sazamon had risen,
And now paced up and down the room in the greatest state of concern.
What?
He exclaimed.
The child,
A sleepwalker and ill?
All this has taken place in my house and no one noticed it?
And you mean,
Doctor,
That the child who came here happy and healthy?
I am to send back to her grandfather,
A miserable little skeleton.
I cannot do it.
You cannot dream of me doing such a thing.
Take the child in hand.
Do with her what you will and make her whole and sound.
And then she shall go home,
But you must cure her first.
Sazaman,
Replied the doctor.
This illness of the child is not one to be cured with pills and powders.
The child is not a strong constitution.
But if you send her back at once,
She may recover in the mountain air.
If not,
You would rather she went back ill than not at all?
Mr.
Sazamon stood still.
The doctor's words were a shock to him.
If you put it so,
Doctor,
There is assuredly only one way,
And that is to send her home at once.
Sweet dreams my friends.
Sleep well.
