the secret garden-第1节

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THE　SECRET　GARDEN
BY　FRANCES　HODGSON　BURNETT




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CONTENTS

CHAPTER　　TITLE

　　　　　　I　　THERE　IS　NO　ONE　LEFT
　　　　　II　　MISTRESS　MARY　QUITE　CONTRARY
　　　　III　　ACROSS　THE　MOOR
　　　　　IV　　MARTHA
　　　　　　V　　THE　CRY　IN　THE　CORRIDOR
　　　　　VI　　〃THERE　WAS　SOME　ONE　CRYINGTHERE　WAS！〃
　　　　VII　　THE　KEY　TO　THE　GARDEN
　　　VIII　　THE　ROBIN　WHO　SHOWED　THE　WAY
　　　　　IX　　THE　STRANGEST　HOUSE　ANY　ONE　EVER　LIVED　IN
　　　　　　X　　DICKON
　　　　　XI　　THE　NEST　OF　THE　MISSEL　THRUSH
　　　　XII　　〃MIGHT　I　HAVE　A　BIT　OF　EARTH？〃
　　　XIII　　〃I　AM　COLIN〃
　　　　XIV　　A　YOUNG　RAJAH
　　　　　XV　　NEST　BUILDING
　　　　XVI　　〃I　WON'T！〃　SAID　MARY
　　　XVII　　A　TANTRUM
　　XVIII　　〃THA'　MUNNOT　WASTE　NO　TIME〃
　　　　XIX　　〃IT　HAS　COME！〃
　　　　　XX　　〃I　SHALL　LIVE　FOREVERAND　EVERAND　EVER！〃
　　　　XXI　　BEN　WEATHERSTAFF
　　　XXII　　WHEN　THE　SUN　WENT　DOWN
　　XXIII　　MAGIC
　　　　XIV　　〃LET　THEM　LAUGH〃
　　　　XXV　　THE　CURTAIN
　　　XXVI　　〃IT'S　MOTHER！〃
　　XXVII　　IN　THE　GARDEN




CHAPTER　I

THERE　IS　NO　ONE　LEFT


When　Mary　Lennox　was　sent　to　Misselthwaite　Manor　to　live　with　her　uncle　everybody　said　she　was　the　most　disagreeable…looking　child　ever　seen。　　It　was　true；　too。　She　had　a　little　thin　face　and　a　little　thin　body；　thin　light　hair　and　a　sour　expression。　　Her　hair　was　yellow；　and　her　face　was　yellow　because　she　had　been　born　in　India　and　had　always　been　ill　in　one　way　or　another。　Her　father　had　held　a　position　under　the　English　Government　and　had　always　been　busy　and　ill　himself；　and　her　mother　had　been　a　great　beauty　who　cared　only　to　go　to　parties　and　amuse　herself　with　gay　people。　She　had　not　wanted　a　little　girl　at　all；　and　when　Mary　was　born　she　handed　her　over　to　the　care　of　an　Ayah；　who　was　made　to　understand　that　if　she　wished　to　please　the　Mem　Sahib　she　must　keep　the　child　out　of　sight　as　much　as　possible。　　So　when　she　was　a　sickly；　fretful；　ugly　little　baby　she　was　kept　out　of　the　way；　and　when　she　became　a　sickly；　fretful；　toddling　thing　she　was　kept　out　of　the　way　also。　　She　never　remembered　seeing　familiarly　anything　but　the　dark　faces　of　her　Ayah　and　the　other　native　servants；　and　as　they　always　obeyed　her　and　gave　her　her　own　way　in　everything；　because　the　Mem　Sahib　would　be　angry　if　she　was　disturbed　by　her　crying；　by　the　time　she　was　six　years　old　she　was　as　tyrannical　and　selfish　a　little　pig　as　ever　lived。　　The　young　English　governess　who　came　to　teach　her　to　read　and　write　disliked　her　so　much　that　she　gave　up　her　place　in　three　months；　and　when　other　governesses　came　to　try　to　fill　it　they　always　went　away　in　a　shorter　time　than　the　first　one。　So　if　Mary　had　not　chosen　to　really　want　to　know　how　to　read　books　she　would　never　have　learned　her　letters　at　all。

One　frightfully　hot　morning；　when　she　was　about　nine　years　old；　she　awakened　feeling　very　cross；　and　she　became　crosser　still　when　she　saw　that　the　servant　who　stood　by　her　bedside　was　not　her　Ayah。

〃Why　did　you　come？〃　she　said　to　the　strange　woman。　〃I　will　not　let　you　stay。　　Send　my　Ayah　to　me。〃

The　woman　looked　frightened；　but　she　only　stammered　that　the　Ayah　could　not　come　and　when　Mary　threw　herself　into　a　passion　and　beat　and　kicked　her；　she　looked　only　more　frightened　and　repeated　that　it　was　not　possible　for　the　Ayah　to　come　to　Missie　Sahib。

There　was　something　mysterious　in　the　air　that　morning。　Nothing　was　done　in　its　regular　order　and　several　of　the　native　servants　seemed　missing；　while　those　whom　Mary　saw　slunk　or　hurried　about　with　ashy　and　scared　faces。　But　no　one　would　tell　her　anything　and　her　Ayah　did　not　come。　She　was　actually　left　alone　as　the　morning　went　on；　and　at　last　she　wandered　out　into　the　garden　and　began　to　play　by　herself　under　a　tree　near　the　veranda。　She　pretended　that　she　was　making　a　flower…bed；　and　she　stuck　big　scarlet　hibiscus　blossoms　into　little　heaps　of　earth；　all　the　time　growing　more　and　more　angry　and　muttering　to　herself　the　things　she　would　say　and　the　names　she　would　call　Saidie　when　she　returned。

〃Pig！　Pig！　Daughter　of　Pigs！〃　she　said；　because　to　call　a　native　a　pig　is　the　worst　insult　of　all。

She　was　grinding　her　teeth　and　saying　this　over　and　over　again　when　she　heard　her　mother　come　out　on　the　veranda　with　some　one。　　She　was　with　a　fair　young　man　and　they　stood　talking　together　in　low　strange　voices。　　Mary　knew　the　fair　young　man　who　looked　like　a　boy。　　She　had　heard　that　he　was　a　very　young　officer　who　had　just　come　from　England。　The　child　stared　at　him；　but　she　stared　most　at　her　mother。　She　always　did　this　when　she　had　a　chance　to　see　her；　because　the　Mem　SahibMary　used　to　call　her　that　oftener　than　anything　elsewas　such　a　tall；　slim；　pretty　person　and　wore　such　lovely　clothes。　　Her　hair　was　like　curly　silk　and　she　had　a　delicate　little　nose　which　seemed　to　be　disdaining　things；　and　she　had　large　laughing　eyes。　All　her　clothes　were　thin　and　floating；　and　Mary　said　they　were　〃full　of　lace。〃　They　looked　fuller　of　lace　than　ever　this　morning；　but　her　eyes　were　not　laughing　at　all。　They　were　large　and　scared　and　lifted　imploringly　to　the　fair　boy　officer's　face。

〃Is　it　so　very　bad？　Oh；　is　it？〃　Mary　heard　her　say。

〃Awfully；〃　the　young　man　answered　in　a　trembling　voice。　〃Awfully；　Mrs。　Lennox。　　You　ought　to　have　gone　to　the　hills　two　weeks　ago。〃

The　Mem　Sahib　wrung　her　hands。

〃Oh；　I　know　I　ought！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　only　stayed　to　go　to　that　silly　dinner　party。　　What　a　fool　I　was！〃

At　that　very　moment　such　a　loud　sound　of　wailing　broke　out　from　the　servants'　quarters　that　she　clutched　the　young　man's　arm；　and　Mary　stood　shivering　from　head　to　foot。　The　wailing　grew　wilder　and　wilder。　　〃What　is　it？　What　is　it？〃　Mrs。　Lennox　gasped。

〃Some　one　has　died；〃　answered　the　boy　officer。　　〃You　did　not　say　it　had　broken　out　among　your　servants。〃

〃I　did　not　know！〃　the　Mem　Sahib　cried。　　〃Come　with　me！　Come　with　me！〃　and　she　turned　and　ran　into　the　house。

After　that；　appalling　things　happened；　and　the　mysteriousness　of　the　morning　was　explained　to　Mary。　　The　cholera　had　broken　out　in　its　most　fatal　form　and　people　were　dying　like　flies。　　The　Ayah　had　been　taken　ill　in　the　night；　and　it　was　because　she　had　just　died　that　the　servants　had　wailed　in　the　huts。　　Before　the　next　day　three　other　servants　were　dead　and　others　had　run　away　in　terror。　There　was　panic　on　every　side；　and　dying　people　in　all　the　bungalows。

During　the　confusion　and　bewilderment　of　the　second　day　Mary　hid　herself　in　the　nursery　and　was　forgotten　by　everyone。　Nobody　thought　of　her；　nobody　wanted　her；　and　strange　things　happened　of　which　she　knew　nothing。　　Mary　alternately　cried　and　slept　through　the　hours。　　She　only　knew　that　people　were　ill　and　that　she　heard　mysterious　and　tightening　sounds。　Once　she　crept　into　the　dining…room　and　found　it　empty；　though　a　partly　finished　meal　was　on　the　table　and　chairs　and　plates　looked　as　if　they　had　been　hastily　pushed　back　when　the　diners　rose　suddenly　for　some　reason。　The　child　ate　some　fruit　and　biscuits；　and　being　thirsty　she　drank　a　glass　of　wine　which　stood　nearly　filled。　It　was　sweet；　and　she　did　not　know　how　strong　it　was。　Very　soon　it　made　her　intensely　drowsy；　and　she　went　back　to　her　nursery　and　shut　herself　in　again；　frightened　by　cries　she　heard　in　the　huts　and　by　the　hurrying　sound　of　feet。　The　wine　made　her　so　sleepy　that　she　could　scarcely　keep　her　eyes　open　and　she　lay　down　on　her　bed　and　knew　nothing　more　for　a　long　time。

Many　things　happened　during　the　hours　in　which　she　slept　so　heavily；　but　she　was　not　disturbed　by　the　wails　and　the　sound　of　things　being　carried　in　and　out　of　the　bungalow。

When　she　awakened　she　lay　and　stared　at　the　wall。　The　house　was　perfectly　still。　　She　had　never　known　it　to　be　so　silent　before。　　She　heard　neither　voices　nor　footsteps；　and　wondered　if　everybody　had　got　well　of　the　cholera　and　all　the　trouble　was　over。　　She　wondered　also　who　would　take　care　of　her　now　her　Ayah　was　dead。　There　would　be　a　new　Ayah；　and　perhaps　she　would　know　some　new　stories。　　Mary　had　been　rather　tired　of　the　old　ones。　　She　did　not　cry　because　her　nurse　had　died。　She　was　not　an　affectionate　child　and　had　never　cared　much　for　any　one。　　The　noise　and　hurrying　about　and　wailing　over　the　cholera　had　frightened　her；　and　she　had　been　angry　because　no　one　seemed　to　remember　that　she　was　alive。　Everyone　was　too　panic…stricken　to　think　of　a　little　girl　no　one　was　fond　of。　　When　people　had　the　cholera　it　seemed　that　they　remembered　nothing　but　themselves。　But　if　everyone　had　got　well　again；　surely　some　one　would　remember　and　come　to　look　for　her。

But　no　one　came；　and　as　she　lay　waiting　the　house　seemed　to　grow　more　and　more　silent。　　She　heard　something　rustling　on　the　matting　and　when　she　looked　down　she　saw　a　little　snake　gliding　along　and　watching　her　with　eyes　like　jewels。　She　was　not　frightened；　because　he　was　a　harmless　little　thing　who　would　not　hurt　her　and　he　seemed　in　a　hurry　to　get　out　of　the　room。　　He　slipped　under　the　door　as　she　watched　him。

〃How　queer　and　quiet　it　is；〃　she　said。　　〃It　sounds　as　if　there　were　no　one　in　the　bungalow　but　me　and　the　snake。〃

Almost　the　next　minute　she　heard　footsteps　in　the　compound；　and　then　on　the　veranda。　　They　were　men's　footsteps；　and　the　men　entered　the　bungalow　and　talked　in　low　voices。　No　one　went　to　meet　or　speak　to　them　and　they　seemed　to　open　d