the secret garden-第23节

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　some　water　an'　stop　talkin'。'〃

〃Do　you　think　he　will　die？〃　asked　Mary。

〃Mother　says　there's　no　reason　why　any　child　should　live　that　gets　no　fresh　air　an'　doesn't　do　nothin'　but　lie　on　his　back　an'　read　picture…books　an'　take　medicine。　He's　weak　and　hates　th'　trouble　o'　bein'　taken　out　o'　doors；　an'　he　gets　cold　so　easy　he　says　it　makes　him　ill。〃

Mary　sat　and　looked　at　the　fire。　　〃I　wonder；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃if　it　would　not　do　him　good　to　go　out　into　a　garden　and　watch　things　growing。　　It　did　me　good。〃

〃One　of　th'　worst　fits　he　ever　had；〃　said　Martha；　〃was　one　time　they　took　him　out　where　the　roses　is　by　the　fountain。　He'd　been　readin'　in　a　paper　about　people　gettin'　somethin'　he　called　‘rose　cold'　an'　he　began　to　sneeze　an'　said　he'd　got　it　an'　then　a　new　gardener　as　didn't　know　th'　rules　passed　by　an'　looked　at　him　curious。　He　threw　himself　into　a　passion　an'　he　said　he'd　looked　at　him　because　he　was　going　to　be　a　hunchback。　He　cried　himself　into　a　fever　an'　was　ill　all　night。〃

〃If　he　ever　gets　angry　at　me；　I'll　never　go　and　see　him　again；〃　said　Mary。

〃He'll　have　thee　if　he　wants　thee；〃　said　Martha。　〃Tha'　may　as　well　know　that　at　th'　start。〃

Very　soon　afterward　a　bell　rang　and　she　rolled　up　her　knitting。

〃I　dare　say　th'　nurse　wants　me　to　stay　with　him　a　bit；〃　she　said。　　〃I　hope　he's　in　a　good　temper。〃

She　was　out　of　the　room　about　ten　minutes　and　then　she　came　back　with　a　puzzled　expression。

〃Well；　tha'　has　bewitched　him；〃　she　said。　　〃He's　up　on　his　sofa　with　his　picture…books。　He's　told　the　nurse　to　stay　away　until　six　o'clock。　I'm　to　wait　in　the　next　room。　Th'　minute　she　was　gone　he　called　me　to　him　an'　says；　‘I　want　Mary　Lennox　to　come　and　talk　to　me；　and　remember　you're　not　to　tell　any　one。'　You'd　better　go　as　quick　as　you　can。〃

Mary　was　quite　willing　to　go　quickly。　　She　did　not　want　to　see　Colin　as　much　as　she　wanted　to　see　Dickon；　but　she　wanted　to　see　him　very　much。

There　was　a　bright　fire　on　the　hearth　when　she　entered　his　room；　and　in　the　daylight　she　saw　it　was　a　very　beautiful　room　indeed。　　There　were　rich　colors　in　the　rugs　and　hangings　and　pictures　and　books　on　the　walls　which　made　it　look　glowing　and　comfortable　even　in　spite　of　the　gray　sky　and　falling　rain。　　Colin　looked　rather　like　a　picture　himself。　　He　was　wrapped　in　a　velvet　dressing…gown　and　sat　against　a　big　brocaded　cushion。　He　had　a　red　spot　on　each　cheek。

〃Come　in；〃　he　said。　　〃I've　been　thinking　about　you　all　morning。〃

〃I've　been　thinking　about　you；　too；〃　answered　Mary。　〃You　don't　know　how　frightened　Martha　is。　　She　says　Mrs。　Medlock　will　think　she　told　me　about　you　and　then　she　will　be　sent　away。〃

He　frowned。

〃Go　and　tell　her　to　come　here；〃　he　said。　　〃She　is　in　the　next　room。〃

Mary　went　and　brought　her　back。　　Poor　Martha　was　shaking　in　her　shoes。　　Colin　was　still　frowning。

〃Have　you　to　do　what　I　please　or　have　you　not？〃　he　demanded。

〃I　have　to　do　what　you　please；　sir；〃　Martha　faltered；　turning　quite　red。

〃Has　Medlock　to　do　what　I　please？〃

〃Everybody　has；　sir；〃　said　Martha。

〃Well；　then；　if　I　order　you　to　bring　Miss　Mary　to　me；　how　can　Medlock　send　you　away　if　she　finds　it　out？〃

〃Please　don't　let　her；　sir；〃　pleaded　Martha。

〃I'll　send　her　away　if　she　dares　to　say　a　word　about　such　a　thing；〃　said　Master　Craven　grandly。　　〃She　wouldn't　like　that；　I　can　tell　you。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　bobbing　a　curtsy；　〃I　want　to　do　my　duty；　sir。〃

〃What　I　want　is　your　duty〃　said　Colin　more　grandly　still。　〃I'll　take　care　of　you。　　Now　go　away。〃

When　the　door　closed　behind　Martha；　Colin　found　Mistress　Mary　gazing　at　him　as　if　he　had　set　her　wondering。

〃Why　do　you　look　at　me　like　that？〃　he　asked　her。　〃What　are　you　thinking　about？〃

〃I　am　thinking　about　two　things。〃

〃What　are　they？　Sit　down　and　tell　me。〃

〃This　is　the　first　one；〃　said　Mary；　seating　herself　on　the　big　stool。　　〃Once　in　India　I　saw　a　boy　who　was　a　Rajah。　He　had　rubies　and　emeralds　and　diamonds　stuck　all　over　him。　He　spoke　to　his　people　just　as　you　spoke　to　Martha。　Everybody　had　to　do　everything　he　told　themin　a　minute。　I　think　they　would　have　been　killed　if　they　hadn't。〃

〃I　shall　make　you　tell　me　about　Rajahs　presently；〃　he　said；　〃but　first　tell　me　what　the　second　thing　was。〃

〃I　was　thinking；〃　said　Mary；　〃how　different　you　are　from　Dickon。〃

〃Who　is　Dickon？〃　he　said。　　〃What　a　queer　name！〃

She　might　as　well　tell　him；　she　thought　she　could　talk　about　Dickon　without　mentioning　the　secret　garden。　　She　had　liked　to　hear　Martha　talk　about　him。　　Besides；　she　longed　to　talk　about　him。　　It　would　seem　to　bring　him　nearer。

〃He　is　Martha's　brother。　　He　is　twelve　years　old；〃　she　explained。　　〃He　is　not　like　any　one　else　in　the　world。　He　can　charm　foxes　and　squirrels　and　birds　just　as　the　natives　in　India　charm　snakes。　　He　plays　a　very　soft　tune　on　a　pipe　and　they　come　and　listen。〃

There　were　some　big　books　on　a　table　at　his　side　and　he　dragged　one　suddenly　toward　him。　　〃There　is　a　picture　of　a　snake…charmer　in　this；〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Come　and　look　at　it〃

The　book　was　a　beautiful　one　with　superb　colored　illustrations　and　he　turned　to　one　of　them。

〃Can　he　do　that？〃　he　asked　eagerly。

〃He　played　on　his　pipe　and　they　listened；〃　Mary　explained。　〃But　he　doesn't　call　it　Magic。　　He　says　it's　because　he　lives　on　the　moor　so　much　and　he　knows　their　ways。　　He　says　he　feels　sometimes　as　if　he　was　a　bird　or　a　rabbit　himself；　he　likes　them　so。　　I　think　he　asked　the　robin　questions。　It　seemed　as　if　they　talked　to　each　other　in　soft　chirps。〃

Colin　lay　back　on　his　cushion　and　his　eyes　grew　larger　and　larger　and　the　spots　on　his　cheeks　burned。

〃Tell　me　some　more　about　him；〃　he　said。

〃He　knows　all　about　eggs　and　nests；〃　Mary　went　on。　〃And　he　knows　where　foxes　and　badgers　and　otters　live。　He　keeps　them　secret　so　that　other　boys　won't　find　their　holes　and　frighten　them。　　He　knows　about　everything　that　grows　or　lives　on　the　moor。〃

〃Does　he　like　the　moor？〃　said　Colin。　　〃How　can　he　when　it's　such　a　great；　bare；　dreary　place？〃

〃It's　the　most　beautiful　place；〃　protested　Mary。　〃Thousands　of　lovely　things　grow　on　it　and　there　are　thousands　of　little　creatures　all　busy　building　nests　and　making　holes　and　burrows　and　chippering　or　singing　or　squeaking　to　each　other。　　They　are　so　busy　and　having　such　fun　under　the　earth　or　in　the　trees　or　heather。　It's　their　world。〃

〃How　do　you　know　all　that？〃　said　Colin；　turning　on　his　elbow　to　look　at　her。

〃I　have　never　been　there　once；　really；〃　said　Mary　suddenly　remembering。　　〃I　only　drove　over　it　in　the　dark。　I　thought　it　was　hideous。　　Martha　told　me　about　it　first　and　then　Dickon。　　When　Dickon　talks　about　it　you　feel　as　if　you　saw　things　and　heard　them　and　as　if　you　were　standing　in　the　heather　with　the　sun　shining　and　the　gorse　smelling　like　honeyand　all　full　of　bees　and　butterflies。〃

〃You　never　see　anything　if　you　are　ill；〃　said　Colin　restlessly。　　He　looked　like　a　person　listening　to　a　new　sound　in　the　distance　and　wondering　what　it　was。

〃You　can't　if　you　stay　in　a　room；　〃　said　Mary。

〃I　couldn't　go　on　the　moor〃　he　said　in　a　resentful　tone。

Mary　was　silent　for　a　minute　and　then　she　said　something　bold。

〃You　mightsometime。〃

He　moved　as　if　he　were　startled。

〃Go　on　the　moor！　How　could　I？　I　am　going　to　die。〃　〃How　do　you　know？〃　said　Mary　unsympathetically。　She　didn't　like　the　way　he　had　of　talking　about　dying。　She　did　not　feel　very　sympathetic。　　She　felt　rather　as　if　he　almost　boasted　about　it。

〃Oh；　I've　heard　it　ever　since　I　remember；〃　he　answered　crossly。　〃They　are　always　whispering　about　it　and　thinking　I　don't　notice。　　They　wish　I　would；　too。〃

Mistress　Mary　felt　quite　contrary。　　She　pinched　her　lips　together。

〃If　they　wished　I　would；〃　she　said；　〃I　wouldn't。　Who　wishes　you　would？〃

〃The　servantsand　of　course　Dr。　Craven　because　he　would　get　Misselthwaite　and　be　rich　instead　of　poor。　　He　daren't　say　so；　but　he　always　looks　cheerful　when　I　am　worse。　When　I　had　typhoid　fever　his　face　got　quite　fat。　　I　think　my　father　wishes　it；　too。〃

〃I　don't　believe　he　does；〃　said　Mary　quite　obstinately。

That　made　Colin　turn　and　look　at　her　again。

〃Don't　you？〃　he　said。

And　then　he　lay　back　on　his　cushion　and　was　still；　as　if　he　were　thinking。　　And　there　was　quite　a　long　silence。　Perhaps　they　were　both　of　them　thinking　strange　things　children　do　not　usually　think。　　〃I　like　the　grand　doctor　from　London；　because　he　made　them　take　the　iron　thing　off；〃　said　Mary　at　last　〃Did　he　say　you　were　going　to　die？〃

〃No。〃。

〃What　did　he　say？〃

〃He　didn't　whisper；〃　Colin　answered。　　〃Perhaps　he　knew　I　hated　whispering。　　I　heard　him　say　one　thing　quite　aloud。　He　said；　'The　lad　might　live　if　he　would　make　up　his　mind　to　it。　　Put　him　in　the　humor。'　It　sounded　as　if　he　was　in　a　temper。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　who　would　put　you　in　the　humor；　perhaps；〃　said　Mary　reflecting。　　She　felt　as　if　she　would　like　this　thing　to　be　settled　one　way　or　the　other。　　〃I　believe　Dickon　would。　　He's　always　talking　about　live　things。　He　never　talks　about　dead　things　or　things　that　are　ill。　He's　always　looking　up　in　the　sky　to　watch　birds　flyingor　looking　down　at　the　earth　to　see　something　growing。　He　has　such　round　blue　eyes　and　they　are　so　wide　open　with　looking　about。　　And　he　laughs　such　a　big　laugh　with　his　wide