the secret garden-第21节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃If　you　don't　like　people　to　see　you；〃　she　began；　〃do　you　want　me　to　go　away？〃

He　still　held　the　fold　of　her　wrapper　and　he　gave　it　a　little　pull。

〃No；〃　he　said。　　〃I　should　be　sure　you　were　a　dream　if　you　went。　If　you　are　real；　sit　down　on　that　big　footstool　and　talk。　I　want　to　hear　about　you。〃

Mary　put　down　her　candle　on　the　table　near　the　bed　and　sat　down　on　the　cushioned　stool。　　She　did　not　want　to　go　away　at　all。　　She　wanted　to　stay　in　the　mysterious　hidden…away　room　and　talk　to　the　mysterious　boy。

〃What　do　you　want　me　to　tell　you？〃　she　said。

He　wanted　to　know　how　long　she　had　been　at　Misselthwaite；　he　wanted　to　know　which　corridor　her　room　was　on；　he　wanted　to　know　what　she　had　been　doing；　if　she　disliked　the　moor　as　he　disliked　it；　where　she　had　lived　before　she　came　to　Yorkshire。　　She　answered　all　these　questions　and　many　more　and　he　lay　back　on　his　pillow　and　listened。　　He　made　her　tell　him　a　great　deal　about　India　and　about　her　voyage　across　the　ocean。　　She　found　out　that　because　he　had　been　an　invalid　he　had　not　learned　things　as　other　children　had。　One　of　his　nurses　had　taught　him　to　read　when　he　was　quite　little　and　he　was　always　reading　and　looking　at　pictures　in　splendid　books。

Though　his　father　rarely　saw　him　when　he　was　awake；　he　was　given　all　sorts　of　wonderful　things　to　amuse　himself　with。　He　never　seemed　to　have　been　amused；　however。　　He　could　have　anything　he　asked　for　and　was　never　made　to　do　anything　he　did　not　like　to　do。　　〃Everyone　is　obliged　to　do　what　pleases　me；〃　he　said　indifferently。　　〃It　makes　me　ill　to　be　angry。　No　one　believes　I　shall　live　to　grow　up。〃

He　said　it　as　if　he　was　so　accustomed　to　the　idea　that　it　had　ceased　to　matter　to　him　at　all。　　He　seemed　to　like　the　sound　of　Mary's　voice。　　As　she　went　on　talking　he　listened　in　a　drowsy；　interested　way。　　Once　or　twice　she　wondered　if　he　were　not　gradually　falling　into　a　doze。　But　at　last　he　asked　a　question　which　opened　up　a　new　subject。

〃How　old　are　you？〃　he　asked。

〃I　am　ten；〃　answered　Mary；　forgetting　herself　for　the　moment；　〃and　so　are　you。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　he　demanded　in　a　surprised　voice。

〃Because　when　you　were　born　the　garden　door　was　locked　and　the　key　was　buried。　　And　it　has　been　locked　for　ten　years。〃

Colin　half　sat　up；　turning　toward　her；　leaning　on　his　elbows。

〃What　garden　door　was　locked？　Who　did　it？　Where　was　the　key　buried？〃　he　exclaimed　as　if　he　were　suddenly　very　much　interested。

〃Itit　was　the　garden　Mr。　Craven　hates；〃　said　Mary　nervously。　〃He　locked　the　door。　　No　oneno　one　knew　where　he　buried　the　key。〃　〃What　sort　of　a　garden　is　it？〃　Colin　persisted　eagerly。

〃No　one　has　been　allowed　to　go　into　it　for　ten　years；〃　was　Mary's　careful　answer。

But　it　was　too　late　to　be　careful。　　He　was　too　much　like　herself。　　He　too　had　had　nothing　to　think　about　and　the　idea　of　a　hidden　garden　attracted　him　as　it　had　attracted　her。　　He　asked　question　after　question。　Where　was　it？　Had　she　never　looked　for　the　door？　Had　she　never　asked　the　gardeners？

〃They　won't　talk　about　it；〃　said　Mary。　　〃I　think　they　have　been　told　not　to　answer　questions。〃

〃I　would　make　them；〃　said　Colin。

〃Could　you？〃　Mary　faltered；　beginning　to　feel　frightened。　If　he　could　make　people　answer　questions；　who　knew　what　might　happen！

〃Everyone　is　obliged　to　please　me。　　I　told　you　that；〃　he　said。　　〃If　I　were　to　live；　this　place　would　sometime　belong　to　me。　　They　all　know　that。　　I　would　make　them　tell　me。〃

Mary　had　not　known　that　she　herself　had　been　spoiled；　but　she　could　see　quite　plainly　that　this　mysterious　boy　had　been。　　He　thought　that　the　whole　world　belonged　to　him。　How　peculiar　he　was　and　how　coolly　he　spoke　of　not　living。

〃Do　you　think　you　won't　live？〃　she　asked；　partly　because　she　was　curious　and　partly　in　hope　of　making　him　forget　the　garden。

〃I　don't　suppose　I　shall；〃　he　answered　as　indifferently　as　he　had　spoken　before。　　〃Ever　since　I　remember　anything　I　have　heard　people　say　I　shan't。　At　first　they　thought　I　was　too　little　to　understand　and　now　they　think　I　don't　hear。　　But　I　do。　　My　doctor　is　my　father's　cousin。　He　is　quite　poor　and　if　I　die　he　will　have　all　Misselthwaite　when　my　father　is　dead。　　I　should　think　he　wouldn't　want　me　to　live。〃

〃Do　you　want　to　live？〃　inquired　Mary。

〃No；〃　he　answered；　in　a　cross；　tired　fashion。　　〃But　I　don't　want　to　die。　　When　I　feel　ill　I　lie　here　and　think　about　it　until　I　cry　and　cry。〃

〃I　have　heard　you　crying　three　times；〃　Mary　said；　〃but　I　did　not　know　who　it　was。　　Were　you　crying　about　that？〃　She　did　so　want　him　to　forget　the　garden。

〃I　dare　say；〃　he　answered。　　〃Let　us　talk　about　something　else。　Talk　about　that　garden。　　Don't　you　want　to　see　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Mary；　in　quite　a　low　voice。

〃I　do；〃　he　went　on　persistently。　　〃I　don't　think　I　ever　really　wanted　to　see　anything　before；　but　I　want　to　see　that　garden。　I　want　the　key　dug　up。　　I　want　the　door　unlocked。　I　would　let　them　take　me　there　in　my　chair。　　That　would　be　getting　fresh　air。　　I　am　going　to　make　them　open　the　door。〃

He　had　become　quite　excited　and　his　strange　eyes　began　to　shine　like　stars　and　looked　more　immense　than　ever。

〃They　have　to　please　me；〃　he　said。　　〃I　will　make　them　take　me　there　and　I　will　let　you　go；　too。〃

Mary's　hands　clutched　each　other。　　Everything　would　be　spoiledeverything！　Dickon　would　never　come　back。　She　would　never　again　feel　like　a　missel　thrush　with　a　safe…hidden　nest。

〃Oh；　don'tdon'tdon'tdon't　do　that！〃　she　cried　out。

He　stared　as　if　he　thought　she　had　gone　crazy！


〃Why？〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃You　said　you　wanted　to　see　it。〃

〃I　do；〃　she　answered　almost　with　a　sob　in　her　throat；　〃but　if　you　make　them　open　the　door　and　take　you　in　like　that　it　will　never　be　a　secret　again。〃

He　leaned　still　farther　forward。

〃A　secret；〃　he　said。　　〃What　do　you　mean？　Tell　me。〃

Mary's　words　almost　tumbled　over　one　another。

〃You　seeyou　see；〃　she　panted；　〃if　no　one　knows　but　ourselvesif　there　was　a　door；　hidden　somewhere　under　the　ivyif　there　wasand　we　could　find　it；　and　if　we　could　slip　through　it　together　and　shut　it　behind　us；　and　no　one　knew　any　one　was　inside　and　we　called　it　our　garden　and　pretended　thatthat　we　were　missel　thrushes　and　it　was　our　nest；　and　if　we　played　there　almost　every　day　and　dug　and　planted　seeds　and　made　it　all　come　alive〃

〃Is　it　dead？〃　he　interrupted　her。

〃It　soon　will　be　if　no　one　cares　for　it；〃　she　went　on。　〃The　bulbs　will　live　but　the　roses〃

He　stopped　her　again　as　excited　as　she　was　herself。

〃What　are　bulbs？〃　he　put　in　quickly。

〃They　are　daffodils　and　lilies　and　snowdrops。　　They　are　working　in　the　earth　nowpushing　up　pale　green　points　because　the　spring　is　coming。〃

〃Is　the　spring　coming？〃　he　said。　　〃What　is　it　like？　You　don't　see　it　in　rooms　if　you　are　ill。〃

〃It　is　the　sun　shining　on　the　rain　and　the　rain　falling　on　the　sunshine；　and　things　pushing　up　and　working　under　the　earth；〃　said　Mary。　　〃If　the　garden　was　a　secret　and　we　could　get　into　it　we　could　watch　the　things　grow　bigger　every　day；　and　see　how　many　roses　are　alive。　　Don't　you。　see？　Oh；　don't　you　see　how　much　nicer　it　would　be　if　it　was　a　secret？〃

He　dropped　back　on　his　pillow　and　lay　there　with　an　odd　expression　on　his　face。

〃I　never　had　a　secret；〃　he　said；　〃except　that　one　about　not　living　to　grow　up。　　They　don't　know　I　know　that；　so　it　is　a　sort　of　secret。　　But　I　like　this　kind　better。〃

〃If　you　won't　make　them　take　you　to　the　garden；〃　pleaded　Mary；　〃perhapsI　feel　almost　sure　I　can　find　out　how　to　get　in　sometime。　　And　thenif　the　doctor　wants　you　to　go　out　in　your　chair；　and　if　you　can　always　do　what　you　want　to　do；　perhapsperhaps　we　might　find　some　boy　who　would　push　you；　and　we　could　go　alone　and　it　would　always　be　a　secret　garden。〃

〃I　shouldlikethat；〃　he　said　very　slowly；　his　eyes　looking　dreamy。　　〃I　should　like　that。　　I　should　not　mind　fresh　air　in　a　secret　garden。〃

Mary　began　to　recover　her　breath　and　feel　safer　because　the　idea　of　keeping　the　secret　seemed　to　please　him。　She　felt　almost　sure　that　if　she　kept　on　talking　and　could　make　him　see　the　garden　in　his　mind　as　she　had　seen　it　he　would　like　it　so　much　that　he　could　not　bear　to　think　that　everybody　might　tramp　in　to　it　when　they　chose。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　think　it　would　be　like；　if　we　could　go　into　it；〃　she　said。　　〃It　has　been　shut　up　so　long　things　have　grown　into　a　tangle　perhaps。〃

He　lay　quite　still　and　listened　while　she　went　on　talking　about　the　roses　which　might　have　clambered　from　tree　to　tree　and　hung　downabout　the　many　birds　which　might　have　built　their　nests　there　because　it　was　so　safe。　And　then　she　told　him　about　the　robin　and　Ben　Weatherstaff；　and　there　was　so　much　to　tell　about　the　robin　and　it　was　so　easy　and　safe　to　talk　about　it　that　she　ceased　to　be　afraid。　　The　robin　pleased　him　so　much　that　he　smiled　until　he　looked　almost　beautiful；　and　at　first　Mary　had　thought　that　he　was　even　plainer　than　herself；　with　his　big　eyes　and　heavy　locks　of　hair。

〃I　did　not　know　birds　could　be　like　that；〃　he　said。　〃But　if　you　stay　in　a　room　you　never　see　things。　What　a　lot　of　things　you　know。　　I　feel　as　if　you　had　been　inside　that　garden。〃

She　did　not　know　what　to　say；　so　she　did　not　say　anything。　He　evidently　did　not　expect　an　answer　and　the　next　moment　he　ga