the secret garden-第24节

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ue　eyes　and　they　are　so　wide　open　with　looking　about。　　And　he　laughs　such　a　big　laugh　with　his　wide　mouthand　his　cheeks　are　as　redas　red　as　cherries。〃　She　pulled　her　stool　nearer　to　the　sofa　and　her　expression　quite　changed　at　the　remembrance　of　the　wide　curving　mouth　and　wide　open　eyes。

〃See　here；〃　she　said。　　〃Don't　let　us　talk　about　dying；　I　don't　like　it。　　Let　us　talk　about　living。　　Let　us　talk　and　talk　about　Dickon。　　And　then　we　will　look　at　your　pictures。〃

It　was　the　best　thing　she　could　have　said。　　To　talk　about　Dickon　meant　to　talk　about　the　moor　and　about　the　cottage　and　the　fourteen　people　who　lived　in　it　on　sixteen　shillings　a　weekand　the　children　who　got　fat　on　the　moor　grass　like　the　wild　ponies。　　And　about　Dickon's　motherand　the　skipping…ropeand　the　moor　with　the　sun　on　itand　about　pale　green　points　sticking　up　out　of　the　black　sod。　And　it　was　all　so　alive　that　Mary　talked　more　than　she　had　ever　talked　beforeand　Colin　both　talked　and　listened　as　he　had　never　done　either　before。　　And　they　both　began　to　laugh　over　nothings　as　children　will　when　they　are　happy　together。　And　they　laughed　so　that　in　the　end　they　were　making　as　much　noise　as　if　they　had　been　two　ordinary　healthy　natural　ten…year…old　creaturesinstead　of　a　hard；　little；　unloving　girl　and　a　sickly　boy　who　believed　that　he　was　going　to　die。

They　enjoyed　themselves　so　much　that　they　forgot　the　pictures　and　they　forgot　about　the　time。　　They　had　been　laughing　quite　loudly　over　Ben　Weatherstaff　and　his　robin；　and　Colin　was　actually　sitting　up　as　if　he　had　forgotten　about　his　weak　back；　when　he　suddenly　remembered　something。　〃Do　you　know　there　is　one　thing　we　have　never　once　thought　of；〃　he　said。　　〃We　are　cousins。〃

It　seemed　so　queer　that　they　had　talked　so　much　and　never　remembered　this　simple　thing　that　they　laughed　more　than　ever；　because　they　had　got　into　the　humor　to　laugh　at　anything。　And　in　the　midst　of　the　fun　the　door　opened　and　in　walked　Dr。　Craven　and　Mrs。　Medlock。

Dr。　Craven　started　in　actual　alarm　and　Mrs。　Medlock　almost　fell　back　because　he　had　accidentally　bumped　against　her。

〃Good　Lord！〃　exclaimed　poor　Mrs。　Medlock　with　her　eyes　almost　starting　out　of　her　head。　　〃Good　Lord！〃

〃What　is　this？〃　said　Dr。　Craven；　coming　forward。　〃What　does　it　mean？〃

Then　Mary　was　reminded　of　the　boy　Rajah　again。　Colin　answered　as　if　neither　the　doctor's　alarm　nor　Mrs。　Medlock's　terror　were　of　the　slightest　consequence。　He　was　as　little　disturbed　or　frightened　as　if　an　elderly　cat　and　dog　had　walked　into　the　room。

〃This　is　my　cousin；　Mary　Lennox；〃　he　said。　　〃I　asked　her　to　come　and　talk　to　me。　　I　like　her。　　She　must　come　and　talk　to　me　whenever　I　send　for　her。〃

Dr。　Craven　turned　reproachfully　to　Mrs。　Medlock。　〃Oh；　sir〃　she　panted。　　〃I　don't　know　how　it's　happened。　There's　not　a　servant　on　the　place　tha'd　dare　to　talkthey　all　have　their　orders。〃

〃Nobody　told　her　anything；〃　said　Colin。　　〃She　heard　me　crying　and　found　me　herself。　　I　am　glad　she　came。　Don't　be　silly；　Medlock。〃

Mary　saw　that　Dr。　Craven　did　not　look　pleased；　but　it　was　quite　plain　that　he　dare　not　oppose　his　patient。　He　sat　down　by　Colin　and　felt　his　pulse。

〃I　am　afraid　there　has　been　too　much　excitement。　Excitement　is　not　good　for　you；　my　boy；〃　he　said。

〃I　should　be　excited　if　she　kept　away；〃　answered　Colin；　his　eyes　beginning　to　look　dangerously　sparkling。　〃I　am　better。　　She　makes　me　better。　　The　nurse　must　bring　up　her　tea　with　mine。　　We　will　have　tea　together。〃

Mrs。　Medlock　and　Dr。　Craven　looked　at　each　other　in　a　troubled　way；　but　there　was　evidently　nothing　to　be　done。

〃He　does　look　rather　better；　sir；〃　ventured　Mrs。　Medlock。　〃But〃thinking　the　matter　over〃he　looked　better　this　morning　before　she　came　into　the　room。〃

〃She　came　into　the　room　last　night。　　She　stayed　with　me　a　long　time。　　She　sang　a　Hindustani　song　to　me　and　it　made　me　go　to　sleep；〃　said　Colin。　　〃I　was　better　when　I　wakened　up。　　I　wanted　my　breakfast。　　I　want　my　tea　now。　Tell　nurse；　Medlock。〃

Dr。　Craven　did　not　stay　very　long。　　He　talked　to　the　nurse　for　a　few　minutes　when　she　came　into　the　room　and　said　a　few　words　of　warning　to　Colin。　　He　must　not　talk　too　much；　he　must　not　forget　that　he　was　ill；　he　must　not　forget　that　he　was　very　easily　tired。　　Mary　thought　that　there　seemed　to　be　a　number　of　uncomfortable　things　he　was　not　to　forget。

Colin　looked　fretful　and　kept　his　strange　black…lashed　eyes　fixed　on　Dr。　Craven's　face。

〃I　want　to　forget　it；〃　he　said　at　last。　　〃She　makes　me　forget　it。　　That　is　why　I　want　her。〃

Dr。　Craven　did　not　look　happy　when　he　left　the　room。　He　gave　a　puzzled　glance　at　the　little　girl　sitting　on　the　large　stool。　　She　had　become　a　stiff；　silent　child　again　as　soon　as　he　entered　and　he　could　not　see　what　the　attraction　was。　　The　boy　actually　did　look　brighter；　howeverand　he　sighed　rather　heavily　as　he　went　down　the　corridor。

〃They　are　always　wanting　me　to　eat　things　when　I　don't　want　to；〃　said　Colin；　as　the　nurse　brought　in　the　tea　and　put　it　on　the　table　by　the　sofa。　　〃Now；　if　you'll　eat　I　will。　　Those　muffins　look　so　nice　and　hot。　Tell　me　about　Rajahs。〃



CHAPTER　XV

NEST　BUILDING


After　another　week　of　rain　the　high　arch　of　blue　sky　appeared　again　and　the　sun　which　poured　down　was　quite　hot。　Though　there　had　been　no　chance　to　see　either　the　secret　garden　or　Dickon；　Mistress　Mary　had　enjoyed　herself　very　much。　　The　week　had　not　seemed　long。　　She　had　spent　hours　of　every　day　with　Colin　in　his　room；　talking　about　Rajahs　or　gardens　or　Dickon　and　the　cottage　on　the　moor。　They　had　looked　at　the　splendid　books　and　pictures　and　sometimes　Mary　had　read　things　to　Colin；　and　sometimes　he　had　read　a　little　to　her。　　When　he　was　amused　and　interested　she　thought　he　scarcely　looked　like　an　invalid　at　all；　except　that　his　face　was　so　colorless　and　he　was　always　on　the　sofa。

〃You　are　a　sly　young　one　to　listen　and　get　out　of　your　bed　to　go　following　things　up　like　you　did　that　night；〃　Mrs。　Medlock　said　once。　　〃But　there's　no　saying　it's　not　been　a　sort　of　blessing　to　the　lot　of　us。　　He's　not　had　a　tantrum　or　a　whining　fit　since　you　made　friends。　The　nurse　was　just　going　to　give　up　the　case　because　she　was　so　sick　of　him；　but　she　says　she　doesn't　mind　staying　now　you've　gone　on　duty　with　her；〃　laughing　a　little。

In　her　talks　with　Colin；　Mary　had　tried　to　be　very　cautious　about　the　secret　garden。　　There　were　certain　things　she　wanted　to　find　out　from　him；　but　she　felt　that　she　must　find　them　out　without　asking　him　direct　questions。　In　the　first　place；　as　she　began　to　like　to　be　with　him；　she　wanted　to　discover　whether　he　was　the　kind　of　boy　you　could　tell　a　secret　to。　　He　was　not　in　the　least　like　Dickon；　but　he　was　evidently　so　pleased　with　the　idea　of　a　garden　no　one　knew　anything　about　that　she　thought　perhaps　he　could　be　trusted。　　But　she　had　not　known　him　long　enough　to　be　sure。　　The　second　thing　she　wanted　to　find　out　was　this：　If　he　could　be　trustedif　he　really　couldwouldn't　it　be　possible　to　take　him　to　the　garden　without　having　any　one　find　it　out？　The　grand　doctor　had　said　that　he　must　have　fresh　air　and　Colin　had　said　that　he　would　not　mind　fresh　air　in　a　secret　garden。　　Perhaps　if　he　had　a　great　deal　of　fresh　air　and　knew　Dickon　and　the　robin　and　saw　things　growing　he　might　not　think　so　much　about　dying。　Mary　had　seen　herself　in　the　glass　sometimes　lately　when　she　had　realized　that　she　looked　quite　a　different　creature　from　the　child　she　had　seen　when　she　arrived　from　India。　This　child　looked　nicer。　　Even　Martha　had　seen　a　change　in　her。

〃Th'　air　from　th'　moor　has　done　thee　good　already；〃　she　had　said。　　〃Tha'rt　not　nigh　so　yeller　and　tha'rt　not　nigh　so　scrawny。　　Even　tha'　hair　doesn't　slamp　down　on　tha'　head　so　flat。　　It's　got　some　life　in　it　so　as　it　sticks　out　a　bit。〃

〃It's　like　me；〃　said　Mary。　　〃It's　growing　stronger　and　fatter。　　I'm　sure　there's　more　of　it。〃

〃It　looks　it；　for　sure；〃　said　Martha；　ruffling　it　up　a　little　round　her　face。　　〃Tha'rt　not　half　so　ugly　when　it's　that　way　an'　there's　a　bit　o'　red　in　tha'　cheeks。〃

If　gardens　and　fresh　air　had　been　good　for　her　perhaps　they　would　be　good　for　Colin。　　But　then；　if　he　hated　people　to　look　at　him；　perhaps　he　would　not　like　to　see　Dickon。

〃Why　does　it　make　you　angry　when　you　are　looked　at？〃　she　inquired　one　day。

〃I　always　hated　it；〃　he　answered；　〃even　when　I　was　very　little。　Then　when　they　took　me　to　the　seaside　and　I　used　to　lie　in　my　carriage　everybody　used　to　stare　and　ladies　would　stop　and　talk　to　my　nurse　and　then　they　would　begin　to　whisper　and　I　knew　then　they　were　saying　I　shouldn't　live　to　grow　up。　　Then　sometimes　the　ladies　would　pat　my　cheeks　and　say　‘Poor　child！'　Once　when　a　lady　did　that　I　screamed　out　loud　and　bit　her　hand。　　She　was　so　frightened　she　ran　away。〃

〃She　thought　you　had　gone　mad　like　a　dog；〃　said　Mary；　not　at　all　admiringly。

〃I　don't　care　what　she　thought；〃　said　Colin；　frowning。

〃I　wonder　why　you　didn't　scream　and　bite　me　when　I　came　into　your　room？〃　said　Mary。　　Then　she　began　to　smile　slowly。

〃I　thought　you　were　a　ghost　or　a　dream；〃　he　said。　〃You　can't　bite　a　ghost　or　a　dream；　and　if　you　scream　they　don't　care。〃

〃Would　you　hate　it　ifif　a　boy　looked　at　you？〃　Mary　asked　uncertainly。

He　lay　back　on　his　cushion　and　paused　thoughtfully。