the secret garden-第39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！



No　one　smiled。　　They　were　all　too　much　in　earnest。　Colin's　face　was　not　even　crossed　by　a　shadow。　　He　was　thinking　only　of　the　Magic。

〃Then　I　will　chant；〃　he　said。　　And　he　began；　looking　like　a　strange　boy　spirit。　　〃The　sun　is　shiningthe　sun　is　shining。　　That　is　the　Magic。　　The　flowers　are　growingthe　roots　are　stirring。　　That　is　the　Magic。　　Being　alive　is　the　Magicbeing　strong　is　the　Magic。　　The　Magic　is　in　methe　Magic　is　in　me。　　It　is　in　meit　is　in　me。　It's　in　every　one　of　us。　　It's　in　Ben　Weatherstaff's　back。　Magic！　Magic！　Come　and　help！〃

He　said　it　a　great　many　timesnot　a　thousand　times　but　quite　a　goodly　number。　　Mary　listened　entranced。　She　felt　as　if　it　were　at　once　queer　and　beautiful　and　she　wanted　him　to　go　on　and　on。　　Ben　Weatherstaff　began　to　feel　soothed　into　a　sort　of　dream　which　was　quite　agreeable。　The　humming　of　the　bees　in　the　blossoms　mingled　with　the　chanting　voice　and　drowsily　melted　into　a　doze。　Dickon　sat　cross…legged　with　his　rabbit　asleep　on　his　arm　and　a　hand　resting　on　the　lamb's　back。　Soot　had　pushed　away　a　squirrel　and　huddled　close　to　him　on　his　shoulder；　the　gray　film　dropped　over　his　eyes。　At　last　Colin　stopped。

〃Now　I　am　going　to　walk　round　the　garden；〃　he　announced。

Ben　Weatherstaff's　head　had　just　dropped　forward　and　he　lifted　it　with　a　jerk。

〃You　have　been　asleep；〃　said　Colin。

〃Nowt　o'　th'　sort；〃　mumbled　Ben。　　〃Th'　sermon　was　good　enowbut　I'm　bound　to　get　out　afore　th'　collection。〃

He　was　not　quite　awake　yet。

〃You're　not　in　church；〃　said　Colin。

〃Not　me；〃　said　Ben；　straightening　himself。　　〃Who　said　I　were？　I　heard　every　bit　of　it。　　You　said　th'　Magic　was　in　my　back。　　Th'　doctor　calls　it　rheumatics。〃

The　Rajah　waved　his　hand。

〃That　was　the　wrong　Magic；〃　he　said。　　〃You　will　get　better。　You　have　my　permission　to　go　to　your　work。　　But　come　back　tomorrow。〃

〃I'd　like　to　see　thee　walk　round　the　garden；〃　grunted　Ben。

It　was　not　an　unfriendly　grunt；　but　it　was　a　grunt。　In　fact；　being　a　stubborn　old　party　and　not　having　entire　faith　in　Magic　he　had　made　up　his　mind　that　if　he　were　sent　away　he　would　climb　his　ladder　and　look　over　the　wall　so　that　he　might　be　ready　to　hobble　back　if　there　were　any　stumbling。

The　Rajah　did　not　object　to　his　staying　and　so　the　procession　was　formed。　　It　really　did　look　like　a　procession。　Colin　was　at　its　head　with　Dickon　on　one　side　and　Mary　on　the　other。　　Ben　Weatherstaff　walked　behind；　and　the　〃creatures〃　trailed　after　them；　the　lamb　and　the　fox　cub　keeping　close　to　Dickon；　the　white　rabbit　hopping　along　or　stopping　to　nibble　and　Soot　following　with　the　solemnity　of　a　person　who　felt　himself　in　charge。

It　was　a　procession　which　moved　slowly　but　with　dignity。　Every　few　yards　it　stopped　to　rest。　　Colin　leaned　on　Dickon's　arm　and　privately　Ben　Weatherstaff　kept　a　sharp　lookout；　but　now　and　then　Colin　took　his　hand　from　its　support　and　walked　a　few　steps　alone。　　His　head　was　held　up　all　the　time　and　he　looked　very　grand。

〃The　Magic　is　in　me！〃　he　kept　saying。　　〃The　Magic　is　making　me　strong！　I　can　feel　it！　I　can　feel　it！〃

It　seemed　very　certain　that　something　was　upholding　and　uplifting　him。　　He　sat　on　the　seats　in　the　alcoves；　and　once　or　twice　he　sat　down　on　the　grass　and　several　times　he　paused　in　the　path　and　leaned　on　Dickon；　but　he　would　not　give　up　until　he　had　gone　all　round　the　garden。　When　he　returned　to　the　canopy　tree　his　cheeks　were　flushed　and　he　looked　triumphant。

〃I　did　it！　The　Magic　worked！〃　he　cried。　　〃That　is　my　first　scientific　discovery。〃。

〃What　will　Dr。　Craven　say？〃　broke　out　Mary。

〃He　won't　say　anything；〃　Colin　answered；　〃because　he　will　not　be　told。　　This　is　to　be　the　biggest　secret　of　all。　No　one　is　to　know　anything　about　it　until　I　have　grown　so　strong　that　I　can　walk　and　run　like　any　other　boy。　I　shall　come　here　every　day　in　my　chair　and　I　shall　be　taken　back　in　it。　　I　won't　have　people　whispering　and　asking　questions　and　I　won't　let　my　father　hear　about　it　until　the　experiment　has　quite　succeeded。　　Then　sometime　when　he　comes　back　to　Misselthwaite　I　shall　just　walk　into　his　study　and　say　‘Here　I　am；　I　am　like　any　other　boy。　I　am　quite　well　and　I　shall　live　to　be　a　man。　　It　has　been　done　by　a　scientific　experiment。'〃

〃He　will　think　he　is　in　a　dream；〃　cried　Mary。　　〃He　won't　believe　his　eyes。〃

Colin　flushed　triumphantly。　　He　had　made　himself　believe　that　he　was　going　to　get　well；　which　was　really　more　than　half　the　battle；　if　he　had　been　aware　of　it。　And　the　thought　which　stimulated　him　more　than　any　other　was　this　imagining　what　his　father　would　look　like　when　he　saw　that　he　had　a　son　who　was　as　straight　and　strong　as　other　fathers'　sons。　　One　of　his　darkest　miseries　in　the　unhealthy　morbid　past　days　had　been　his　hatred　of　being　a　sickly　weak…backed　boy　whose　father　was　afraid　to　look　at　him。

〃He'll　be　obliged　to　believe　them；〃　he　said。

〃One　of　the　things　I　am　going　to　do；　after　the　Magic　works　and　before　I　begin　to　make　scientific　discoveries；　is　to　be　an　athlete。〃

〃We　shall　have　thee　takin'　to　boxin'　in　a　week　or　so；〃　said　Ben　Weatherstaff。　　〃Tha'lt　end　wi'　winnin'　th'　Belt　an'　bein'　champion　prize…fighter　of　all　England。〃

Colin　fixed　his　eyes　on　him　sternly。

〃Weatherstaff；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　disrespectful。　You　must　not　take　liberties　because　you　are　in　the　secret。　However　much　the　Magic　works　I　shall　not　be　a　prize…fighter。　I　shall　be　a　Scientific　Discoverer。〃

〃Ax　pardonax　pardon；　sir〃　answered　Ben；　touching　his　forehead　in　salute。　　〃I　ought　to　have　seed　it　wasn't　a　jokin'　matter；〃　but　his　eyes　twinkled　and　secretly　he　was　immensely　pleased。　　He　really　did　not　mind　being　snubbed　since　the　snubbing　meant　that　the　lad　was　gaining　strength　and　spirit。



CHAPTER　XXIV

〃LET　THEM　LAUGH〃


The　secret　garden　was　not　the　only　one　Dickon　worked　in。　Round　the　cottage　on　the　moor　there　was　a　piece　of　ground　enclosed　by　a　low　wall　of　rough　stones。　　Early　in　the　morning　and　late　in　the　fading　twilight　and　on　all　the　days　Colin　and　Mary　did　not　see　him；　Dickon　worked　there　planting　or　tending　potatoes　and　cabbages；　turnips　and　carrots　and　herbs　for　his　mother。　　In　the　company　of　his　〃creatures〃　he　did　wonders　there　and　was　never　tired　of　doing　them；　it　seemed。　　While　he　dug　or　weeded　he　whistled　or　sang　bits　of　Yorkshire　moor　songs　or　talked　to　Soot　or　Captain　or　the　brothers　and　sisters　he　had　taught　to　help　him。

〃We'd　never　get　on　as　comfortable　as　we　do；〃　Mrs。　Sowerby　said；　〃if　it　wasn't　for　Dickon's　garden。　　Anything'll　grow　for　him。　His　'taters　and　cabbages　is　twice　th'　size　of　any　one　else's　an'　they've　got　a　flavor　with　'em　as　nobody's　has。〃

When　she　found　a　moment　to　spare　she　liked　to　go　out　and　talk　to　him。　　After　supper　there　was　still　a　long　clear　twilight　to　work　in　and　that　was　her　quiet　time。　She　could　sit　upon　the　low　rough　wall　and　look　on　and　hear　stories　of　the　day。　　She　loved　this　time。　There　were　not　only　vegetables　in　this　garden。　Dickon　had　bought　penny　packages　of　flower　seeds　now　and　then　and　sown　bright　sweet…scented　things　among　gooseberry　bushes　and　even　cabbages　and　he　grew　borders　of　mignonette　and　pinks　and　pansies　and　things　whose　seeds　he　could　save　year　after　year　or　whose　roots　would　bloom　each　spring　and　spread　in　time　into　fine　clumps。　The　low　wall　was　one　of　the　prettiest　things　in　Yorkshire　because　he　had　tucked　moorland　foxglove　and　ferns　and　rock…cress　and　hedgerow　flowers　into　every　crevice　until　only　here　and　there　glimpses　of　the　stones　were　to　be　seen。

〃All　a　chap's　got　to　do　to　make　'em　thrive；　mother；〃　he　would　say；　〃is　to　be　friends　with　'em　for　sure。　They're　just　like　th'　‘creatures。'　If　they're　thirsty　give　'em　drink　and　if　they're　hungry　give　'em　a　bit　o'　food。　They　want　to　live　same　as　we　do。　　If　they　died　I　should　feel　as　if　I'd　been　a　bad　lad　and　somehow　treated　them　heartless。〃

It　was　in　these　twilight　hours　that　Mrs。　Sowerby　heard　of　all　that　happened　at　Misselthwaite　Manor。　　At　first　she　was　only　told　that　〃Mester　Colin〃　had　taken　a　fancy　to　going　out　into　the　grounds　with　Miss　Mary　and　that　it　was　doing　him　good。　But　it　was　not　long　before　it　was　agreed　between　the　two　children　that　Dickon's　mother　might　〃come　into　the　secret。〃　Somehow　it　was　not　doubted　that　she　was　〃safe　for　sure。〃

So　one　beautiful　still　evening　Dickon　told　the　whole　story；　with　all　the　thrilling　details　of　the　buried　key　and　the　robin　and　the　gray　haze　which　had　seemed　like　deadness　and　the　secret　Mistress　Mary　had　planned　never　to　reveal。　The　coming　of　Dickon　and　how　it　had　been　told　to　him；　the　doubt　of　Mester　Colin　and　the　final　drama　of　his　introduction　to　the　hidden　domain；　combined　with　the　incident　of　Ben　Weatherstaff's　angry　face　peering　over　the　wall　and　Mester　Colin's　sudden　indignant　strength；　made　Mrs。　Sowerby's　nice…looking　face　quite　change　color　several　times。

〃My　word！〃　she　said。　　〃It　was　a　good　thing　that　little　lass　came　to　th'　Manor。　　It's　been　th'　makin'　o'　her　an'　th'　savin；　o'　him。　　Standin'　on　his　feet！　An'　us　all　thinkin'　he　was　a　poor　half…witted　lad　with　not　a　straight　bone　in　him。〃

She　asked　a　great　many　questions　and　her　blue　eyes　were　full　of　deep　thinking。

〃What　do　they　make　of　it　at　th'　Manorhim　being　so　well　an'　cheerful　an'　never　complainin'？〃　she　inquired。　　〃They　don't　know　what　to　make　of　it；〃　a