the secret garden-第31节

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Then　they　saw　Dr。　Craven　and　stopped。　　Mary　became　quite　still　and　Colin　looked　fretful。

〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　you　were　ill　last　night；　my　boy；〃　Dr。　Craven　said　a　trifle　nervously。　　He　was　rather　a　nervous　man。

〃I'm　better　nowmuch　better；〃　Colin　answered；　rather　like　a　Rajah。　　〃I'm　going　out　in　my　chair　in　a　day　or　two　if　it　is　fine。　　I　want　some　fresh　air。〃

Dr。　Craven　sat　down　by　him　and　felt　his　pulse　and　looked　at　him　curiously。

〃It　must　be　a　very　fine　day；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　must　be　very　careful　not　to　tire　yourself。〃

〃Fresh　air　won't　tire　me；〃　said　the　young　Rajah。

As　there　had　been　occasions　when　this　same　young　gentleman　had　shrieked　aloud　with　rage　and　had　insisted　that　fresh　air　would　give　him　cold　and　kill　him；　it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　that　his　doctor　felt　somewhat　startled。

〃I　thought　you　did　not　like　fresh　air；〃　he　said。

〃I　don't　when　I　am　by　myself；〃　replied　the　Rajah；　〃but　my　cousin　is　going　out　with　me。〃

〃And　the　nurse；　of　course？〃　suggested　Dr。　Craven。

〃No；　I　will　not　have　the　nurse；〃　so　magnificently　that　Mary　could　not　help　remembering　how　the　young　native　Prince　had　looked　with　his　diamonds　and　emeralds　and　pearls　stuck　all　over　him　and　the　great　rubies　on　the　small　dark　hand　he　had　waved　to　command　his　servants　to　approach　with　salaams　and　receive　his　orders。

〃My　cousin　knows　how　to　take　care　of　me。　　I　am　always　better　when　she　is　with　me。　　She　made　me　better　last　night。　A　very　strong　boy　I　know　will　push　my　carriage。〃

Dr。　Craven　felt　rather　alarmed。　　If　this　tiresome　hysterical　boy　should　chance　to　get　well　he　himself　would　lose　all　chance　of　inheriting　Misselthwaite；　but　he　was　not　an　unscrupulous　man；　though　he　was　a　weak　one；　and　he　did　not　intend　to　let　him　run　into　actual　danger。

〃He　must　be　a　strong　boy　and　a　steady　boy；〃　he　said。　〃And　I　must　know　something　about　him。　　Who　is　he？　What　is　his　name？〃

〃It's　Dickon；〃　Mary　spoke　up　suddenly。　　She　felt　somehow　that　everybody　who　knew　the　moor　must　know　Dickon。　And　she　was　right；　too。　　She　saw　that　in　a　moment　Dr。　Craven's　serious　face　relaxed　into　a　relieved　smile。

〃Oh；　Dickon；〃　he　said。　　〃If　it　is　Dickon　you　will　be　safe　enough。　　He's　as　strong　as　a　moor　pony；　is　Dickon。〃

〃And　he's　trusty；〃　said　Mary。　　〃He's　th'　trustiest　lad　i'　Yorkshire。〃　She　had　been　talking　Yorkshire　to　Colin　and　she　forgot　herself。

〃Did　Dickon　teach　you　that？〃　asked　Dr。　Craven；　laughing　outright。

〃I'm　learning　it　as　if　it　was　French；〃　said　Mary　rather　coldly。　〃It's　like　a　native　dialect　in　India。　　Very　clever　people　try　to　learn　them。　　I　like　it　and　so　does　Colin。〃　〃Well；　well；〃　he　said。　　〃If　it　amuses　you　perhaps　it　won't　do　you　any　harm。　　Did　you　take　your　bromide　last　night；　Colin？〃

〃No；〃　Colin　answered。　　〃I　wouldn't　take　it　at　first　and　after　Mary　made　me　quiet　she　talked　me　to　sleepin　a　low　voiceabout　the　spring　creeping　into　a　garden。〃

〃That　sounds　soothing；〃　said　Dr。　Craven；　more　perplexed　than　ever　and　glancing　sideways　at　Mistress　Mary　sitting　on　her　stool　and　looking　down　silently　at　the　carpet。　〃You　are　evidently　better；　but　you　must　remember〃

〃I　don't　want　to　remember；〃　interrupted　the　Rajah；　appearing　again。　　〃When　I　lie　by　myself　and　remember　I　begin　to　have　pains　everywhere　and　I　think　of　things　that　make　me　begin　to　scream　because　I　hate　them　so。　If　there　was　a　doctor　anywhere　who　could　make　you　forget　you　were　ill　instead　of　remembering　it　I　would　have　him　brought　here。〃　And　he　waved　a　thin　hand　which　ought　really　to　have　been　covered　with　royal　signet　rings　made　of　rubies。　〃It　is　because　my　cousin　makes　me　forget　that　she　makes　me　better。〃

Dr。　Craven　had　never　made　such　a　short　stay　after　a　〃tantrum〃；　usually　he　was　obliged　to　remain　a　very　long　time　and　do　a　great　many　things。　　This　afternoon　he　did　not　give　any　medicine　or　leave　any　new　orders　and　he　was　spared　any　disagreeable　scenes。　　When　he　went　downstairs　he　looked　very　thoughtful　and　when　he　talked　to　Mrs。　Medlock　in　the　library　she　felt　that　he　was　a　much　puzzled　man。

〃Well；　sir；〃　she　ventured；　〃could　you　have　believed　it？〃

〃It　is　certainly　a　new　state　of　affairs；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃And　there's　no　denying　it　is　better　than　the　old　one。〃

〃I　believe　Susan　Sowerby's　rightI　do　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Medlock。　〃I　stopped　in　her　cottage　on　my　way　to　Thwaite　yesterday　and　had　a　bit　of　talk　with　her。　　And　she　says　to　me；　'Well；　Sarah　Ann；　she　mayn't　be　a　good　child；　an'　she　mayn't　be　a　pretty　one；　but　she's　a　child；　an'　children　needs　children。'　We　went　to　school　together；　Susan　Sowerby　and　me。〃

〃She's　the　best　sick　nurse　I　know；〃　said　Dr。　Craven。　〃When　I　find　her　in　a　cottage　I　know　the　chances　are　that　I　shall　save　my　patient。〃

Mrs。　Medlock　smiled。　　She　was　fond　of　Susan　Sowerby。

〃She's　got　a　way　with　her；　has　Susan；〃　she　went　on　quite　volubly。　　〃I've　been　thinking　all　morning　of　one　thing　she　said　yesterday。　　She　says；　‘Once　when　I　was　givin'　th'　children　a　bit　of　a　preach　after　they'd　been　fightin'　I　ses　to　'em　all；　〃When　I　was　at　school　my　jography　told　as　th'　world　was　shaped　like　a　orange　an'　I　found　out　before　I　was　ten　that　th'　whole　orange　doesn't　belong　to　nobody。　　No　one　owns　more　than　his　bit　of　a　quarter　an'　there's　times　it　seems　like　there's　not　enow　quarters　to　go　round。　　But　don't　younone　o'　youthink　as　you　own　th'　whole　orange　or　you'll　find　out　you're　mistaken；　an'　you　won't　find　it　out　without　hard　knocks。〃　‘What　children　learns　from　children；'　she　says；　'is　that　there's　no　sense　in　grabbin'　at　th'　whole　orangepeel　an'　all。　　If　you　do　you'll　likely　not　get　even　th'　pips；　an'　them's　too　bitter　to　eat。'〃

〃She's　a　shrewd　woman；〃　said　Dr。　Craven；　putting　on　his　coat。

〃Well；　she's　got　a　way　of　saying　things；〃　ended　Mrs。　Medlock；　much　pleased。　　〃Sometimes　I've　said　to　her；　'Eh！　Susan；　if　you　was　a　different　woman　an'　didn't　talk　such　broad　Yorkshire　I've　seen　the　times　when　I　should　have　said　you　was　clever。'〃


That　night　Colin　slept　without　once　awakening　and　when　he　opened　his　eyes　in　the　morning　he　lay　still　and　smiled　without　knowing　itsmiled　because　he　felt　so　curiously　comfortable。　　It　was　actually　nice　to　be　awake；　and　he　turned　over　and　stretched　his　limbs　luxuriously。　He　felt　as　if　tight　strings　which　had　held　him　had　loosened　themselves　and　let　him　go。　　He　did　not　know　that　Dr。　Craven　would　have　said　that　his　nerves　had　relaxed　and　rested　themselves。　　Instead　of　lying　and　staring　at　the　wall　and　wishing　he　had　not　awakened；　his　mind　was　full　of　the　plans　he　and　Mary　had　made　yesterday；　of　pictures　of　the　garden　and　of　Dickon　and　his　wild　creatures。　It　was　so　nice　to　have　things　to　think　about。　　And　he　had　not　been　awake　more　than　ten　minutes　when　he　heard　feet　running　along　the　corridor　and　Mary　was　at　the　door。　The　next　minute　she　was　in　the　room　and　had　run　across　to　his　bed；　bringing　with　her　a　waft　of　fresh　air　full　of　the　scent　of　the　morning。

〃You've　been　out！　You've　been　out！　There's　that　nice　smell　of　leaves！〃　he　cried。

She　had　been　running　and　her　hair　was　loose　and　blown　and　she　was　bright　with　the　air　and　pink…cheeked；　though　he　could　not　see　it。

〃It's　so　beautiful！〃　she　said；　a　little　breathless　with　her　speed。　　〃You　never　saw　anything　so　beautiful！　It　has　come！　I　thought　it　had　come　that　other　morning；　but　it　was　only　coming。　　It　is　here　now！　It　has　come；　the　Spring！　Dickon　says　so！〃

〃Has　it？〃　cried　Colin；　and　though　he　really　knew　nothing　about　it　he　felt　his　heart　beat。　　He　actually　sat　up　in　bed。

〃Open　the　window！〃　he　added；　laughing　half　with　joyful　excitement　and　half　at　his　own　fancy。　　〃Perhaps　we　may　hear　golden　trumpets！〃

And　though　he　laughed；　Mary　was　at　the　window　in　a　moment　and　in　a　moment　more　it　was　opened　wide　and　freshness　and　softness　and　scents　and　birds'　songs　were　pouring　through。

〃That's　fresh　air；〃　she　said。　　〃Lie　on　your　back　and　draw　in　long　breaths　of　it。　　That's　what　Dickon　does　when　he's　lying　on　the　moor。　　He　says　he　feels　it　in　his　veins　and　it　makes　him　strong　and　he　feels　as　if　he　could　live　forever　and　ever。　　Breathe　it　and　breathe　it。〃

She　was　only　repeating　what　Dickon　had　told　her；　but　she　caught　Colin's　fancy。

〃‘Forever　and　ever'！　Does　it　make　him　feel　like　that？〃　he　said；　and　he　did　as　she　told　him；　drawing　in　long　deep　breaths　over　and　over　again　until　he　felt　that　something　quite　new　and　delightful　was　happening　to　him。

Mary　was　at　his　bedside　again。

〃Things　are　crowding　up　out　of　the　earth；〃　she　ran　on　in　a　hurry。　　〃And　there　are　flowers　uncurling　and　buds　on　everything　and　the　green　veil　has　covered　nearly　all　the　gray　and　the　birds　are　in　such　a　hurry　about　their　nests　for　fear　they　may　be　too　late　that　some　of　them　are　even　fighting　for　places　in　the　secret　garden。　And　the　rose…bushes　look　as　wick　as　wick　can　be；　and　there　are　primroses　in　the　lanes　and　woods；　and　the　seeds　we　planted　are　up；　and　Dickon　has　brought　the　fox　and　the　crow　and　the　squirrels　and　a　new…born　lamb。〃

And　then　she　paused　for　breath。　　The　new…born　lamb　Dickon　had　found　three　days　before　lying　by　its　dead　mother　among　the　gorse　bushes　on　the　moor。　　It　was　not　the　first　motherless　lamb　he　had　found　and　he　knew　what　to　do　with　it。　He　had　taken　it　to　the　cottage　wrapped　in　his　jacket　and　he　had　let　it　lie　near　the　fire　and　had　fed　it　with　warm　milk。　It　w