the secret garden-第32节

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with　warm　milk。　It　was　a　soft　thing　with　a　darling　silly　baby　face　and　legs　rather　long　for　its　body。　　Dickon　had　carried　it　over　the　moor　in　his　arms　and　its　feeding　bottle　was　in　his　pocket　with　a　squirrel；　and　when　Mary　had　sat　under　a　tree　with　its　limp　warmness　huddled　on　her　lap　she　had　felt　as　if　she　were　too　full　of　strange　joy　to　speak。　A　lamba　lamb！　A　living　lamb　who　lay　on　your　lap　like　a　baby！

She　was　describing　it　with　great　joy　and　Colin　was　listening　and　drawing　in　long　breaths　of　air　when　the　nurse　entered。　She　started　a　little　at　the　sight　of　the　open　window。　She　had　sat　stifling　in　the　room　many　a　warm　day　because　her　patient　was　sure　that　open　windows　gave　people　cold。

〃Are　you　sure　you　are　not　chilly；　Master　Colin？〃　she　inquired。

〃No；〃　was　the　answer。　　〃I　am　breathing　long　breaths　of　fresh　air。　　It　makes　you　strong。　　I　am　going　to　get　up　to　the　sofa　for　breakfast。　　My　cousin　will　have　breakfast　with　me。〃

The　nurse　went　away；　concealing　a　smile；　to　give　the　order　for　two　breakfasts。　　She　found　the　servants'　hall　a　more　amusing　place　than　the　invalid's　chamber　and　just　now　everybody　wanted　to　hear　the　news　from　upstairs。　There　was　a　great　deal　of　joking　about　the　unpopular　young　recluse　who；　as　the　cook　said；　〃had　found　his　master；　and　good　for　him。〃　The　servants'　hall　had　been　very　tired　of　the　tantrums；　and　the　butler；　who　was　a　man　with　a　family；　had　more　than　once　expressed　his　opinion　that　the　invalid　would　be　all　the　better　〃for　a　good　hiding。〃

When　Colin　was　on　his　sofa　and　the　breakfast　for　two　was　put　upon　the　table　he　made　an　announcement　to　the　nurse　in　his　most　Rajah…like　manner。

〃A　boy；　and　a　fox；　and　a　crow；　and　two　squirrels；　and　a　new…born　lamb；　are　coming　to　see　me　this　morning。　I　want　them　brought　upstairs　as　soon　as　they　come；〃　he　said。　　〃You　are　not　to　begin　playing　with　the　animals　in　the　servants'　hall　and　keep　them　there。　　I　want　them　here。〃　The　nurse　gave　a　slight　gasp　and　tried　to　conceal　it　with　a　cough。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　she　answered。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　you　can　do；〃　added　Colin；　waving　his　hand。　　〃You　can　tell　Martha　to　bring　them　here。　The　boy　is　Martha's　brother。　　His　name　is　Dickon　and　he　is　an　animal　charmer。〃

〃I　hope　the　animals　won't　bite；　Master　Colin；〃　said　the　nurse。

〃I　told　you　he　was　a　charmer；〃　said　Colin　austerely。　〃Charmers'　animals　never　bite。〃

〃There　are　snake…charmers　in　India；〃　said　Mary。　〃and　they　can　put　their　snakes'　heads　in　their　mouths。〃

〃Goodness！〃　shuddered　the　nurse。

They　ate　their　breakfast　with　the　morning　air　pouring　in　upon　them。　　Colin's　breakfast　was　a　very　good　one　and　Mary　watched　him　with　serious　interest。

〃You　will　begin　to　get　fatter　just　as　I　did；〃　she　said。　〃I　never　wanted　my　breakfast　when　I　was　in　India　and　now　I　always　want　it。〃

〃I　wanted　mine　this　morning；〃　said　Colin。　　〃Perhaps　it　was　the　fresh　air。　　When　do　you　think　Dickon　will　come？〃

He　was　not　long　in　coming。　　In　about　ten　minutes　Mary　held　up　her　hand。

〃Listen！〃　she　said。　　〃Did　you　hear　a　caw？〃

Colin　listened　and　heard　it；　the　oddest　sound　in　the　world　to　hear　inside　a　house；　a　hoarse　〃caw…caw。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　answered。

〃That's　Soot；〃　said　Mary。　　〃Listen　again。　　Do　you　hear　a　bleata　tiny　one？〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　cried　Colin；　quite　flushing。

〃That's　the　new…born　lamb；〃　said　Mary。　　〃He's　coming。〃

Dickon's　moorland　boots　were　thick　and　clumsy　and　though　he　tried　to　walk　quietly　they　made　a　clumping　sound　as　he　walked　through　the　long　corridors。　　Mary　and　Colin　heard　him　marchingmarching；　until　he　passed　through　the　tapestry　door　on　to　the　soft　carpet　of　Colin's　own　passage。

〃If　you　please；　sir；〃　announced　Martha；　opening　the　door；　〃if　you　please；　sir；　here's　Dickon　an'　his　creatures。〃

Dickon　came　in　smiling　his　nicest　wide　smile。　The　new…　born　lamb　was　in　his　arms　and　the　little　red　fox　trotted　by　his　side。　　Nut　sat　on　his　left　shoulder　and　Soot　on　his　right　and　Shell's　head　and　paws　peeped　out　of　his　coat　pocket。

Colin　slowly　sat　up　and　stared　and　staredas　he　had　stared　when　he　first　saw　Mary；　but　this　was　a　stare　of　wonder　and　delight。　　The　truth　was　that　in　spite　of　all　he　had　heard　he　had　not　in　the　least　understood　what　this　boy　would　be　like　and　that　his　fox　and　his　crow　and　his　squirrels　and　his　lamb　were　so　near　to　him　and　his　friendliness　that　they　seemed　almost　to　be　part　of　himself。　　Colin　had　never　talked　to　a　boy　in　his　life　and　he　was　so　overwhelmed　by　his　own　pleasure　and　curiosity　that　he　did　not　even　think　of　speaking。

But　Dickon　did　not　feel　the　least　shy　or　awkward。　He　had　not　felt　embarrassed　because　the　crow　had　not　known　his　language　and　had　only　stared　and　had　not　spoken　to　him　the　first　time　they　met。　　Creatures　were　always　like　that　until　they　found　out　about　you。　He　walked　over　to　Colin's　sofa　and　put　the　new…born　lamb　quietly　on　his　lap；　and　immediately　the　little　creature　turned　to　the　warm　velvet　dressing…gown　and　began　to　nuzzle　and　nuzzle　into　its　folds　and　butt　its　tight…curled　head　with　soft　impatience　against　his　side。　Of　course　no　boy　could　have　helped　speaking　then。

〃What　is　it　doing？〃　cried　Colin。　　〃What　does　it　want？〃

〃It　wants　its　mother；〃　said　Dickon；　smiling　more　and　more。　〃I　brought　it　to　thee　a　bit　hungry　because　I　knowed　tha'd　like　to　see　it　feed。〃

He　knelt　down　by　the　sofa　and　took　a　feeding…bottle　from　his　pocket。

〃Come　on；　little　'un；〃　he　said；　turning　the　small　woolly　white　head　with　a　gentle　brown　hand。　　〃This　is　what　tha's　after。　　Tha'll　get　more　out　o'　this　than　tha'　will　out　o'　silk　velvet　coats。　　There　now；〃　and　he　pushed　the　rubber　tip　of　the　bottle　into　the　nuzzling　mouth　and　the　lamb　began　to　suck　it　with　ravenous　ecstasy。

After　that　there　was　no　wondering　what　to　say。　By　the　time　the　lamb　fell　asleep　questions　poured　forth　and　Dickon　answered　them　all。　　He　told　them　how　he　had　found　the　lamb　just　as　the　sun　was　rising　three　mornings　ago。　He　had　been　standing　on　the　moor　listening　to　a　skylark　and　watching　him　swing　higher　and　higher　into　the　sky　until　he　was　only　a　speck　in　the　heights　of　blue。

〃I'd　almost　lost　him　but　for　his　song　an'　I　was　wonderin'　how　a　chap　could　hear　it　when　it　seemed　as　if　he'd　get　out　o'　th'　world　in　a　minutean'　just　then　I　heard　somethin'　else　far　off　among　th'　gorse　bushes。　It　was　a　weak　bleatin'　an'　I　knowed　it　was　a　new　lamb　as　was　hungry　an'　I　knowed　it　wouldn't　be　hungry　if　it　hadn't　lost　its　mother　somehow；　so　I　set　off　searchin'。　Eh！　I　did　have　a　look　for　it。　　I　went　in　an'　out　among　th'　gorse　bushes　an'　round　an'　round　an'　I　always　seemed　to　take　th'　wrong　turnin'。　But　at　last　I　seed　a　bit　o'　white　by　a　rock　on　top　o'　th'　moor　an'　I　climbed　up　an'　found　th'　little　'un　half　dead　wi'　cold　an'　clemmin'。〃　While　he　talked；　Soot　flew　solemnly　in　and　out　of　the　open　window　and　cawed　remarks　about　the　scenery　while　Nut　and　Shell　made　excursions　into　the　big　trees　outside　and　ran　up　and　down　trunks　and　explored　branches。　Captain　curled　up　near　Dickon；　who　sat　on　the　hearth…rug　from　preference。

They　looked　at　the　pictures　in　the　gardening　books　and　Dickon　knew　all　the　flowers　by　their　country　names　and　knew　exactly　which　ones　were　already　growing　in　the　secret　garden。

〃I　couldna'　say　that　there　name；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　one　under　which　was　written　〃Aquilegia；〃　〃but　us　calls　that　a　columbine；　an'　that　there　one　it's　a　snapdragon　and　they　both　grow　wild　in　hedges；　but　these　is　garden　ones　an'　they're　bigger　an'　grander。　　There's　some　big　clumps　o'　columbine　in　th'　garden。　　They'll　look　like　a　bed　o'　blue　an'　white　butterflies　flutterin'　when　they're　out。〃

〃I'm　going　to　see　them；〃　cried　Colin。　　〃I　am　going　to　see　them！〃

〃Aye；　that　tha'　mun；〃　said　Mary　quite　seriously。　　〃An'　tha'　munnot　lose　no　time　about　it。〃



CHAPTER　XX

〃I　SHALL　LIVE　FOREVERAND　EVERAND　EVER！〃


But　they　were　obliged　to　wait　more　than　a　week　because　first　there　came　some　very　windy　days　and　then　Colin　was　threatened　with　a　cold；　which　two　things　happening　one　after　the　other　would　no　doubt　have　thrown　him　into　a　rage　but　that　there　was　so　much　careful　and　mysterious　planning　to　do　and　almost　every　day　Dickon　came　in；　if　only　for　a　few　minutes；　to　talk　about　what　was　happening　on　the　moor　and　in　the　lanes　and　hedges　and　on　the　borders　of　streams。　　The　things　he　had　to　tell　about　otters'　and　badgers'　and　water…rats'　houses；　not　to　mention　birds'　nests　and　field…mice　and　their　burrows；　were　enough　to　make　you　almost　tremble　with　excitement　when　you　heard　all　the　intimate　details　from　an　animal　charmer　and　realized　with　what　thrilling　eagerness　and　anxiety　the　whole　busy　underworld　was　working。

〃They're　same　as　us；〃　said　Dickon；　〃only　they　have　to　build　their　homes　every　year。　　An'　it　keeps　'em　so　busy　they　fair　scuffle　to　get　'em　done。〃

The　most　absorbing　thing；　however；　was　the　preparations　to　be　made　before　Colin　could　be　transported　with　sufficient　secrecy　to　the　garden。　　No　one　must　see　the　chair…carriage　and　Dickon　and　Mary　after　they　turned　a　certain　corner　of　the　shrubbery　and　entered　upon　the　walk　outside　the　ivied　walls。　　As　each　day　passed；　Colin　had　become　more　and　more　fixed　in　his　feeling　that　the　mystery　surrounding　the　garden　was　one　of　its　greatest　charms。　Nothing　must　spoil　that。　　No　one　must　ever　suspect　that　they　had　a　secret。