Chapter 11 A Ghost in the House At last, the day came for Grandmama to leave.
It was a sad time for Clara and Heidi.
Weeks passed, and the only cheer Heidi knew was the book she read in her room each night.
Her hopes of seeing Grandfather and the rest of the mountain seemed to fade a little more each day.
Meanwhile, something strange and mysterious was going on in the Sesamon house.
Every morning, when the servants went downstairs, they found the front door wide open.
Nobody in the house knew why.
At first, they thought there must be a thief sneaking in, but nothing was missing.
The servants checked that door was locked twice a night.
Sebastian even put a wooden bar across it for extra safety, but that's no good either.
The next morning the door was always open again.
The servants took turns trying to solve the mystery, but one by one the adults grew more helpless and less brave.
Were strangers trying to break in at night?
Were ghosts or other spirits roaming the house?
Finally, Miss Rottenmeier couldn't take it anymore and decided to write a letter to Mr. Sessemon.
The letter told of strange things around the house and explained how frightened she and everyone had become.
She also told him that Clara was extremely upset over the ghost.
In truth, however, Clara and Heidi found the ghost story quite silly.
The letter was successful, and Mr. Sessemon came home two days later.
He talked to the girls and to all the servants in the house.
Soon after, he called his friend, the doctor.
"'There is no one sick in the house,' he told the man when he arrived.
"'Much worse than that, my friend.
We have a ghost.'
The doctor laughed aloud.
I see you feel bad for us, Mr. Sessomon continued.
Really, Sessomon, a ghost.
I know, I know I have doubts myself.
Mr Sessomon told him how the front door had been open each night.
Either someone was playing a joke on the servants or there really was a thief.
Finally, the doctor agreed to help.
Near midnight, the two men settled down in armchairs and began talking about all sorts of things.
They laughed off the talk of ghosts and chatted happily of old times.
Suddenly, the doctor lifted his finger.
Hush, says Emon.
Do you hear something?
They both listened.
They were sure they heard someone lift the wooden bar off the door and put the key into the lock.
Mr. Sessemon got up slowly.
Who's there?
The doctor yelled as he stood up.
The two men stepped forward with lights.
The small figure they saw turned and gave a low cry.
There in her little white nightgown stood Heidi.
Her feet were bare and her eyes were wild.
She was trembling from head to foot like a leaf in the wind.
The two men looked at each other in surprise. child.
What do you need?
Why did you come down here?
Mr. Sessemon asked.
Heidi was white with fear and hardly able to make her voice heard.
I don't know, she said.
The doctor stepped up to the child.
This child is sick, my friend.
Let me take her to her room.
With that, he put down his light, took the child's hand, and led her upstairs.
Don't be frightened.
It's all right.
Let's go quietly.
When he reached Heidi's room, the doctor took Heidi in his arms and laid her on the bed.
He carefully covered her up and then sat down beside her to wait until she had stopped trembling.
Then he took her hand and said in a kind, soothing voice, There.
There now.
You feel better?
Tell me where you were trying to go.
I didn't want to go anywhere, said Heidi.
I didn't know I went downstairs, but all at once I was there.
I see.
And you were dreaming?
Yes, I dream every night and always about the same things.
I think I'm back with my grandfather.
I hear the wind in the fir trees outside and I see the stars shining so brightly.
I quickly open the door and run out.
It's all so beautiful.
But when I wake up, I'm still in Frankfurt.
Heidi struggled to keep back the sobs that seemed to choke her.
You have pain in your head or your back, the doctor asked.
No, only a feeling like a big stone is on top of me.
The doctor frowned, like you ate something that won't go down.
No, Heidi answered, not like that.
It's like I want to cry very much.
"'I see,' the doctor said.
"'Do you cry a lot?'
"'Oh, no,' Heidi said.
"'Miss Rottenmeier told me I'm not allowed to cry.'
"'So you just swallow your cry rather than let it come out?' the doctor asked.
"'Yes.'
"'And where did you live with your grandpa?'
Rather dull and boring, the man asked.
Oh no, it was beautiful.
Heidi could not speak anymore.
The tears began to fall fast and she broke into wild weeping.
The doctor stood up and laid her head down on the pillow.
There, there, go on crying.
It will do you good.
Then go to sleep.
It will all be better tomorrow.
He left the room and went downstairs to Mr. Sessemon.
Your little one is a sleepwalker.
She is the ghost who opened the front door and put fear in your household.
The child is homesick.
We must do something at once.
There is only one cure for this.
She must be sent back to her mountain.
The girl must leave here tomorrow.
Mr. Sessomon got up and walked back and forth across the room.
What? he exclaimed.
The child is a sleepwalker and sick.
This all took place in my house and no one saw it.
Do you mean doctor, that this child came here happy and healthy and I am to send her back to her grandfather?
A miserable, sick little girl.
I can't do it.
Make the child well and then we shall send her back.
Sessemon, replied the doctor.
Think of what you are saying.
You can't fix the girl with medicine.
This child is strong.
If you send her back at once, she may get better in the mountain air, but if you wait, she may not get better at all.
Mr. Sessemon stood still.
The doctor's words were a shock to him.
If you put it that way, doctor, then there is only one choice.
She shall leave tomorrow.
Mr. Sessemon and the doctor walked up and down for a while, figuring out what to do next.
The doctor left just as the morning light was beginning to creep into the house.
The plans for Heidi's trip home had been made.
