the secret garden-第44节

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　Heavenly　Host；　　　　　　　　　　Praise　Father；　Son；　and　Holy　Ghost。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Amen。〃

When　he　had　finished；　Ben　Weatherstaff　was　standing　quite　still　with　his　jaws　set　obstinately　but　with　a　disturbed　look　in　his　eyes　fixed　on　Colin。　　Colin's　face　was　thoughtful　and　appreciative。

〃It　is　a　very　nice　song；〃　he　said。　　〃I　like　it。　　Perhaps　it　means　just　what　I　mean　when　I　want　to　shout　out　that　I　am　thankful　to　the　Magic。〃　He　stopped　and　thought　in　a　puzzled　way。　〃Perhaps　they　are　both　the　same　thing。　　How　can　we　know　the　exact　names　of　everything？　Sing　it　again；　Dickon。　Let　us　try；　Mary。　　I　want　to　sing　it；　too。　　It's　my　song。　How　does　it　begin？　‘Praise　God　from　whom　all　blessings　flow'？〃

And　they　sang　it　again；　and　Mary　and　Colin　lifted　their　voices　as　musically　as　they　could　and　Dickon's　swelled　quite　loud　and　beautifuland　at　the　second　line　Ben　Weatherstaff　raspingly　cleared　his　throat　and　at　the　third　line　he　joined　in　with　such　vigor　that　it　seemed　almost　savage　and　when　the　〃Amen〃　came　to　an　end　Mary　observed　that　the　very　same　thing　had　happened　to　him　which　had　happened　when　he　found　out　that　Colin　was　not　a　cripplehis　chin　was　twitching　and　he　was　staring　and　winking　and　his　leathery　old　cheeks　were　wet。

〃I　never　seed　no　sense　in　th'　Doxology　afore；〃　he　said　hoarsely；　〃but　I　may　change　my　mind　i'　time。　　I　should　say　tha'd　gone　up　five　pound　this　week　Mester　Colinfive　on　'em！〃

Colin　was　looking　across　the　garden　at　something　attracting　his　attention　and　his　expression　had　become　a　startled　one。

〃Who　is　coming　in　here？〃　he　said　quickly。　　〃Who　is　it？〃

The　door　in　the　ivied　wall　had　been　pushed　gently　open　and　a　woman　had　entered。　　She　had　come　in　with　the　last　line　of　their　song　and　she　had　stood　still　listening　and　looking　at　them。　　With　the　ivy　behind　her；　the　sunlight　drifting　through　the　trees　and　dappling　her　long　blue　cloak；　and　her　nice　fresh　face　smiling　across　the　greenery　she　was　rather　like　a　softly　colored　illustration　in　one　of　Colin's　books。　　She　had　wonderful　affectionate　eyes　which　seemed　to　take　everything　inall　of　them；　even　Ben　Weatherstaff　and　the　〃creatures〃　and　every　flower　that　was　in　bloom。　　Unexpectedly　as　she　had　appeared；　not　one　of　them　felt　that　she　was　an　intruder　at　all。　Dickon's　eyes　lighted　like　lamps。

〃It's　motherthat's　who　it　is！〃　he　cried　and　went　across　the　grass　at　a　run。

Colin　began　to　move　toward　her；　too；　and　Mary　went　with　him。　They　both　felt　their　pulses　beat　faster。

〃It's　mother！〃　Dickon　said　again　when　they　met　halfway。　〃I　knowed　tha'　wanted　to　see　her　an'　I　told　her　where　th'　door　was　hid。〃

Colin　held　out　his　hand　with　a　sort　of　flushed　royal　shyness　but　his　eyes　quite　devoured　her　face。

〃Even　when　I　was　ill　I　wanted　to　see　you；〃　he　said；　〃you　and　Dickon　and　the　secret　garden。　　I'd　never　wanted　to　see　any　one　or　anything　before。〃

The　sight　of　his　uplifted　face　brought　about　a　sudden　change　in　her　own。　　She　flushed　and　the　corners　of　her　mouth　shook　and　a　mist　seemed　to　sweep　over　her　eyes。

〃Eh！　dear　lad！〃　she　broke　out　tremulously。　　〃Eh！　dear　lad！〃　as　if　she　had　not　known　she　were　going　to　say　it。　　She　did　not　say；　〃Mester　Colin；〃　but　just　〃dear　lad〃　quite　suddenly。　She　might　have　said　it　to　Dickon　in　the　same　way　if　she　had　seen　something　in　his　face　which　touched　her。　Colin　liked　it。

〃Are　you　surprised　because　I　am　so　well？〃　he　asked。　She　put　her　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　smiled　the　mist　out　of　her　eyes。　　〃Aye；　that　I　am！〃　she　said；　〃but　tha'rt　so　like　thy　mother　tha'　made　my　heart　jump。〃

〃Do　you　think；〃　said　Colin　a　little　awkwardly；　〃that　will　make　my　father　like　me？〃

〃Aye；　for　sure；　dear　lad；〃　she　answered　and　she　gave　his　shoulder　a　soft　quick　pat。　　〃He　mun　come　homehe　mun　come　home。〃

〃Susan　Sowerby；〃　said　Ben　Weatherstaff；　getting　close　to　her。　　〃Look　at　th'　lad's　legs；　wilt　tha'？　They　was　like　drumsticks　i'　stockin'　two　month'　agoan'　I　heard　folk　tell　as　they　was　bandy　an'　knock…kneed　both　at　th'　same　time。　　Look　at　'em　now！〃

Susan　Sowerby　laughed　a　comfortable　laugh。

〃They're　goin'　to　be　fine　strong　lad's　legs　in　a　bit；〃　she　said。　　〃Let　him　go　on　playin'　an'　workin'　in　the　garden　an'　eatin'　hearty　an'　drinkin'　plenty　o'　good　sweet　milk　an'　there'll　not　be　a　finer　pair　i'　Yorkshire；　thank　God　for　it。〃

She　put　both　hands　on　Mistress　Mary's　shoulders　and　looked　her　little　face　over　in　a　motherly　fashion。

〃An'　thee；　too！〃　she　said。　　〃Tha'rt　grown　near　as　hearty　as　our　'Lisabeth　Ellen。　　I'll　warrant　tha'rt　like　thy　mother　too。　　Our　Martha　told　me　as　Mrs。　Medlock　heard　she　was　a　pretty　woman。　　Tha'lt　be　like　a　blush　rose　when　tha'　grows　up；　my　little　lass；　bless　thee。〃

She　did　not　mention　that　when　Martha　came　home　on　her　〃day　out〃　and　described　the　plain　sallow　child　she　had　said　that　she　had　no　confidence　whatever　in　what　Mrs。　Medlock　had　heard。　　〃It　doesn't　stand　to　reason　that　a　pretty　woman　could　be　th'　mother　o'　such　a　fou'　little　lass；〃　she　had　added　obstinately。

Mary　had　not　had　time　to　pay　much　attention　to　her　changing　face。　　She　had　only　known　that　she　looked　〃different〃　and　seemed　to　have　a　great　deal　more　hair　and　that　it　was　growing　very　fast。　　But　remembering　her　pleasure　in　looking　at　the　Mem　Sahib　in　the　past　she　was　glad　to　hear　that　she　might　some　day　look　like　her。

Susan　Sowerby　went　round　their　garden　with　them　and　was　told　the　whole　story　of　it　and　shown　every　bush　and　tree　which　had　come　alive。　　Colin　walked　on　one　side　of　her　and　Mary　on　the　other。　　Each　of　them　kept　looking　up　at　her　comfortable　rosy　face；　secretly　curious　about　the　delightful　feeling　she　gave　thema　sort　of　warm；　supported　feeling。　　It　seemed　as　if　she　understood　them　as　Dickon　understood　his　〃creatures。〃　She　stooped　over　the　flowers　and　talked　about　them　as　if　they　were　children。　Soot　followed　her　and　once　or　twice　cawed　at　her　and　flew

upon　her　shoulder　as　if　it　were　Dickon's。　When　they　told　her　about　the　robin　and　the　first　flight　of　the　young　ones　she　laughed　a　motherly　little　mellow　laugh　in　her　throat。

〃I　suppose　learnin'　'em　to　fly　is　like　learnin'　children　to　walk；　but　I'm　feared　I　should　be　all　in　a　worrit　if　mine　had　wings　instead　o'　legs；〃　she　said。

It　was　because　she　seemed　such　a　wonderful　woman　in　her　nice　moorland　cottage　way　that　at　last　she　was　told　about　the　Magic。

〃Do　you　believe　in　Magic？〃　asked　Colin　after　he　had　explained　about　Indian　fakirs。　　〃I　do　hope　you　do。〃

〃That　I　do；　lad；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　never　knowed　it　by　that　name　but　what　does　th'　name　matter？　I　warrant　they　call　it　a　different　name　i'　France　an'　a　different　one　i'　Germany。　　Th'　same　thing　as　set　th'　seeds　swellin'　an'　th'　sun　shinin'　made　thee　a　well　lad　an'　it's　th'　Good　Thing。　It　isn't　like　us　poor　fools　as　think　it　matters　if　us　is　called　out　of　our　names。　　Th'　Big　Good　Thing　doesn't　stop　to　worrit；　bless　thee。　　It　goes　on　makin'　worlds　by　th'　millionworlds　like　us。　　Never　thee　stop　believin'　in　th'　Big　Good　Thing　an'　knowin'　th'　world's　full　of　itan'　call　it　what　tha'　likes。　　Tha'　wert　singin'　to　it　when　I　come　into　th'　garden。〃

〃I　felt　so　joyful；〃　said　Colin；　opening　his　beautiful　strange　eyes　at　her。　　〃Suddenly　I　felt　how　different　I　washow　strong　my　arms　and　legs　were；　you　knowand　how　I　could　dig　and　standand　I　jumped　up　and　wanted　to　shout　out　something　to　anything　that　would　listen。〃

〃Th'　Magic　listened　when　tha'　sung　th'　Doxology。　It　would　ha'　listened　to　anything　tha'd　sung。　　It　was　th'　joy　that　mattered。　　Eh！　lad；　ladwhat's　names　to　th'　Joy　Maker；〃　and　she　gave　his　shoulders　a　quick　soft　pat　again。

She　had　packed　a　basket　which　held　a　regular　feast　this　morning；　and　when　the　hungry　hour　came　and　Dickon　brought　it　out　from　its　hiding　place；　she　sat　down　with　them　under　their　tree　and　watched　them　devour　their　food；　laughing　and　quite　gloating　over　their　appetites。　　She　was　full　of　fun　and　made　them　laugh　at　all　sorts　of　odd　things。　She　told　them　stories　in　broad　Yorkshire　and　taught　them　new　words。　　She　laughed　as　if　she　could　not　help　it　when　they　told　her　of　the　in…　creasing　difficulty　there　was　in　pretending　that　Colin　was　still　a　fretful　invalid。

〃You　see　we　can't　help　laughing　nearly　all　the　time　when　we　are　together；〃　explained　Colin。　　〃And　it　doesn't　sound　ill　at　all。　　We　try　to　choke　it　back　but　it　will　burst　out　and　that　sounds　worse　than　ever。〃

〃There's　one　thing　that　comes　into　my　mind　so　often；〃　said　Mary；　〃and　I　can　scarcely　ever　hold　in　when　I　think　of　it　suddenly。　　I　keep　thinking　suppose　Colin's　face　should　get　to　look　like　a　full　moon。　　It　isn't　like　one　yet　but　he　gets　a　tiny　bit　fatter　every　dayand　suppose　some　morning　it　should　look　like　onewhat　should　we　do！〃

〃Bless　us　all；　I　can　see　tha'　has　a　good　bit　o'　play　actin'　to　do；〃　said　Susan　Sowerby。　　〃But　tha'　won't　have　to　keep　it　up　much　longer。　　Mester　Craven'll　come　home。〃

〃Do　you　think　he　will？〃　asked　Colin。　　〃Why？〃

Susan　Sowerby　chuckled　softly。

〃I　suppose　it　'ud　nigh　break　thy　heart　if　he　found　out　before　tha'　told　him　in　tha'　own　way；〃　she　said。　〃Tha's　laid　awake　nights　plannin'　it。〃

〃I　couldn't　bear　any　one　else　to　tell　him；〃　said　Colin。　〃I　think　about　different　ways　every　day；　I　think　now　I　just　want　to　run　into　his　room。〃　〃That'd　be　a　fine　start　for　him；〃　said　Susan　Sowerby。　　〃I'd　like　to　see　his　face；