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Then hurrying out she called Tinette, but in such an ill- tempered voice that the maid came tripping forward with even more mincing steps than usual, but she looked so pert that even Fraulein Rottenmeier did not venture to scold her, which only made her suppressed anger the greater.
Fraulein Rottenmeier stood still a moment, looking at her from top to toe in blank astonishment, her eye resting particularly on the red bundle. Then she broke out, "What have you dressed yourself like that for? What do you mean by this? Have I not strictly forbidden you to go running about in the streets? And here you are ready to start off again, and going out looking like a beggar."
Clara's little face was thin and pale, and at this moment her two soft blue eyes were fixed on the clock, which seemed to her to go very slowly this day, and with a slight accent of impatience, which was very rare with her, she asked, "Isn't it time yet, Fraulein Rottenmeier?" This lady was sitting very upright at a small work-table, busy with her embroidery.
Fraulein Rottenmeier had privately wished for this arrangement on her own behalf, as it would relieve her from having always to entertain the sick girl herself, which she felt at times was too much for her.
Then she opened her wardrobe to look for another treasure, which perhaps no one would have thought of packing and she was right the old red shawl had been left behind, Fraulein Rottenmeier not considering it worth putting in with the other things. Heidi wrapped it round something else which she laid on the top of the basket, so that the red package was quite conspicuous.
There, at the bottom, standing in the open door- way, was Heidi, looking in amazement up and down the street. "What are you doing? What are you thinking of to run away like that?" called Fraulein Rottenmeier.
"Heidi," she answered in a clear, ringing voice. "What? what? that's no Christian name for a child; you were not christened that. What name did they give you when you were baptized?" continued Fraulein Rottenmeier. "I do not remember," replied Heidi. "What a way to answer!" said the lady, shaking her head. "Dete, is the child a simpleton or only saucy?"
The castigatory sermon which Fraulein Rottenmeier had held in reserve for Heidi was put off till the following day, as she felt too exhausted now after all the emotions she had gone through of irritation, anger, and fright, of which Heidi had unconsciously been the cause.
"Still I think even a Swiss child would have to touch the earth if she wanted to go anywhere," remarked Herr Sesemann, "otherwise they would have been given wings instead of feet." "Ah, Herr Sesemann, you know what I mean," continued Fraulein Rottenmeier.
"Well, I cannot say just yet," replied her grandfather, "but it will be safer to make one so that we can offer her a seat if she does." Heidi looked thoughtfully at the plain wooden chair without arms as if trying to imagine how Fraulein Rottenmeier and a chair of this sort would suit one another.
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