the secret garden-第6节

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give　her　a　day's　rest。〃

Mary　drank　some　tea　and　ate　a　little　toast　and　some　marmalade。

〃You　wrap　up　warm　an'　run　out　an'　play　you；〃　said　Martha。　〃It'll　do　you　good　and　give　you　some　stomach　for　your　meat。〃

Mary　went　to　the　window。　　There　were　gardens　and　paths　and　big　trees；　but　everything　looked　dull　and　wintry。

〃Out？　Why　should　I　go　out　on　a　day　like　this？〃　〃Well；　if　tha'　doesn't　go　out　tha'lt　have　to　stay　in；　an'　what　has　tha'　got　to　do？〃

Mary　glanced　about　her。　　There　was　nothing　to　do。　When　Mrs。　Medlock　had　prepared　the　nursery　she　had　not　thought　of　amusement。　　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　to　go　and　see　what　the　gardens　were　like。

〃Who　will　go　with　me？〃　she　inquired。

Martha　stared。

〃You'll　go　by　yourself；〃　she　answered。　　〃You'll　have　to　learn　to　play　like　other　children　does　when　they　haven't　got　sisters　and　brothers。　　Our　Dickon　goes　off　on　th'　moor　by　himself　an'　plays　for　hours。　　That's　how　he　made　friends　with　th'　pony。　　He's　got　sheep　on　th'　moor　that　knows　him；　an'　birds　as　comes　an'　eats　out　of　his　hand。　However　little　there　is　to　eat；　he　always　saves　a　bit　o'　his　bread　to　coax　his　pets。〃

It　was　really　this　mention　of　Dickon　which　made　Mary　decide　to　go　out；　though　she　was　not　aware　of　it。　　There　would　be；　birds　outside　though　there　would　not　be　ponies　or　sheep。　They　would　be　different　from　the　birds　in　India　and　it　might　amuse　her　to　look　at　them。

Martha　found　her　coat　and　hat　for　her　and　a　pair　of　stout　little　boots　and　she　showed　her　her　way　downstairs。

〃If　tha'　goes　round　that　way　tha'll　come　to　th'　gardens；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　a　gate　in　a　wall　of　shrubbery。　〃There's　lots　o'　flowers　in　summer…time；　but　there's　nothin'　bloomin'　now。〃　She　seemed　to　hesitate　a　second　before　she　added；　〃One　of　th'　gardens　is　locked　up。　No　one　has　been　in　it　for　ten　years。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Mary　in　spite　of　herself。　　Here　was　another　locked　door　added　to　the　hundred　in　the　strange　house。

〃Mr。　Craven　had　it　shut　when　his　wife　died　so　sudden。　He　won't　let　no　one　go　inside。　　It　was　her　garden。　He　locked　th'　door　an'　dug　a　hole　and　buried　th'　key。　There's　Mrs。　Medlock's　bell　ringingI　must　run。〃

After　she　was　gone　Mary　turned　down　the　walk　which　led　to　the　door　in　the　shrubbery。　　She　could　not　help　thinking　about　the　garden　which　no　one　had　been　into　for　ten　years。　She　wondered　what　it　would　look　like　and　whether　there　were　any　flowers　still　alive　in　it。　　When　she　had　passed　through　the　shrubbery　gate　she　found　herself　in　great　gardens；　with　wide　lawns　and　winding　walks　with　clipped　borders。　There　were　trees；　and　flower…beds；　and　evergreens　clipped　into　strange　shapes；　and　a　large　pool　with　an　old　gray　fountain　in　its　midst。　　But　the　flower…beds　were　bare　and　wintry　and　the　fountain　was　not　playing。　　This　was　not　the　garden　which　was　shut　up。　　How　could　a　garden　be　shut　up？　You　could　always　walk　into　a　garden。

She　was　just　thinking　this　when　she　saw　that；　at　the　end　of　the　path　she　was　following；　there　seemed　to　be　a　long　wall；　with　ivy　growing　over　it。　　She　was　not　familiar　enough　with　England　to　know　that　she　was　coming　upon　the　kitchen…gardens　where　the　vegetables　and　fruit　were　growing。　She　went　toward　the　wall　and　found　that　there　was　a　green　door　in　the　ivy；　and　that　it　stood　open。　　This　was　not　the　closed　garden；　evidently；　and　she　could　go　into　it。

She　went　through　the　door　and　found　that　it　was　a　garden　with　walls　all　round　it　and　that　it　was　only　one　of　several　walled　gardens　which　seemed　to　open　into　one　another。　She　saw　another　open　green　door；　revealing　bushes　and　pathways　between　beds　containing　winter　vegetables。　Fruit…trees　were　trained　flat　against　the　wall；　and　over　some　of　the　beds　there　were　glass　frames。　The　place　was　bare　and　ugly　enough；　Mary　thought；　as　she　stood　and　stared　about　her。　　It　might　be　nicer　in　summer　when　things　were　green；　but　there　was　nothing　pretty　about　it　now。

Presently　an　old　man　with　a　spade　over　his　shoulder　walked　through　the　door　leading　from　the　second　garden。　　He　looked　startled　when　he　saw　Mary；　and　then　touched　his　cap。　He　had　a　surly　old　face；　and　did　not　seem　at　all　pleased　to　see　herbut　then　she　was　displeased　with　his　garden　and　wore　her　〃quite　contrary〃　expression；　and　certainly　did　not　seem　at　all　pleased　to　see　him。

〃What　is　this　place？〃　she　asked。

〃One　o'　th'　kitchen…gardens；〃　he　answered。

〃What　is　that？〃　said　Mary；　pointing　through　the　other　green　door。

〃Another　of　'em；〃　shortly。　　〃There's　another　on　t'other　side　o'　th'　wall　an'　there's　th'　orchard　t'other　side　o'　that。〃

〃Can　I　go　in　them？〃　asked　Mary。

〃If　tha'　likes。　　But　there's　nowt　to　see。〃

Mary　made　no　response。　　She　went　down　the　path　and　through　the　second　green　door。　　There；　she　found　more　walls　and　winter　vegetables　and　glass　frames；　but　in　the　second　wall　there　was　another　green　door　and　it　was　not　open。　Perhaps　it　led　into　the　garden　which　no　one　had　seen　for　ten　years。　　As　she　was　not　at　all　a　timid　child　and　always　did　what　she　wanted　to　do；　Mary　went　to　the　green　door　and　turned　the　handle。　　She　hoped　the　door　would　not　open　because　she　wanted　to　be　sure　she　had　found　the　mysterious　gardenbut　it　did　open　quite　easily　and　she　walked　through　it　and　found　herself　in　an　orchard。　　There　were　walls　all　round　it　also　and　trees　trained　against　them；　and　there　were　bare　fruit…trees　growing　in　the　winter…browned　grassbut　there　was　no　green　door　to　be　seen　anywhere。　Mary　looked　for　it；　and　yet　when　she　had　entered　the　upper　end　of　the　garden　she　had　noticed　that　the　wall　did　not　seem　to　end　with　the　orchard　but　to　extend　beyond　it　as　if　it　enclosed　a　place　at　the　other　side。　She　could　see　the　tops　of　trees　above　the　wall；　and　when　she　stood　still　she　saw　a　bird　with　a　bright　red　breast　sitting　on　the　topmost　branch　of　one　of　them；　and　suddenly　he　burst　into　his　winter　songalmost　as　if　he　had　caught　sight　of　her　and　was　calling　to　her。

She　stopped　and　listened　to　him　and　somehow　his　cheerful；　friendly　little　whistle　gave　her　a　pleased　feelingeven　a　disagreeable　little　girl　may　be　lonely；　and　the　big　closed　house　and　big　bare　moor　and　big　bare　gardens　had　made　this　one　feel　as　if　there　was　no　one　left　in　the　world　but　herself。　If　she　had　been　an　affectionate　child；　who　had　been　used　to　being　loved；　she　would　have　broken　her　heart；　but　even　though　she　was　〃Mistress　Mary　Quite　Contrary〃　she　was　desolate；　and　the　bright…breasted　little　bird　brought　a　look　into　her　sour　little　face　which　was　almost　a　smile。　　She　listened　to　him　until　he　flew　away。　He　was　not　like　an　Indian　bird　and　she　liked　him　and　wondered　if　she　should　ever　see　him　again。　　Perhaps　he　lived　in　the　mysterious　garden　and　knew　all　about　it。

Perhaps　it　was　because　she　had　nothing　whatever　to　do　that　she　thought　so　much　of　the　deserted　garden。　　She　was　curious　about　it　and　wanted　to　see　what　it　was　like。　Why　had　Mr。　Archibald　Craven　buried　the　key？　If　he　had　liked　his　wife　so　much　why　did　he　hate　her　garden？　She　wondered　if　she　should　ever　see　him；　but　she　knew　that　if　she　did　she　should　not　like　him；　and　he　would　not　like　her；　and　that　she　should　only　stand　and　stare　at　him　and　say　nothing；　though　she　should　be　wanting　dreadfully　to　ask　him　why　he　had　done　such　a　queer　thing。

〃People　never　like　me　and　I　never　like　people；〃　she　thought。　〃And　I　never　can　talk　as　the　Crawford　children　could。　They　were　always　talking　and　laughing　and　making　noises。〃

She　thought　of　the　robin　and　of　the　way　he　seemed　to　sing　his　song　at　her；　and　as　she　remembered　the　tree…top　he　perched　on　she　stopped　rather　suddenly　on　the　path。

〃I　believe　that　tree　was　in　the　secret　gardenI　feel　sure　it　was；〃　she　said。　　〃There　was　a　wall　round　the　place　and　there　was　no　door。〃

She　walked　back　into　the　first　kitchen…garden　she　had　entered　and　found　the　old　man　digging　there。　　She　went　and　stood　beside　him　and　watched　him　a　few　moments　in　her　cold　little　way。　He　took　no　notice　of　her　and　so　at　last　she　spoke　to　him。

〃I　have　been　into　the　other　gardens；〃　she　said。

〃There　was　nothin'　to　prevent　thee；〃　he　answered　crustily。

〃I　went　into　the　orchard。〃

〃There　was　no　dog　at　th'　door　to　bite　thee；〃　he　answered。

〃There　was　no　door　there　into　the　other　garden；〃　said　Mary。

〃What　garden？〃　he　said　in　a　rough　voice；　stopping　his　digging　for　a　moment。

〃The　one　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall；〃　answered　Mistress　Mary。　〃There　are　trees　thereI　saw　the　tops　of　them。　　A　bird　with　a　red　breast　was　sitting　on　one　of　them　and　he　sang。〃

To　her　surprise　the　surly　old　weather…beaten　face　actually　changed　its　expression。　　A　slow　smile　spread　over　it　and　the　gardener　looked　quite　different。　　It　made　her　think　that　it　was　curious　how　much　nicer　a　person　looked　when　he　smiled。　　She　had　not　thought　of　it　before。

He　turned　about　to　the　orchard　side　of　his　garden　and　began　to　whistlea　low　soft　whistle。　　She　could　not　understand　how　such　a　surly　man　could　make　such　a　coaxing　sound。　Almost　the　next　moment　a　wonderful　thing　happened。　She　heard　a　soft　little　rushing　flight　through　the　airand　it　was　the　bird　with　the　red　breast　flying　to　them；　and　he　actually　alighted　on　the　big　clod　of　earth　quite　near　to　the　gardener's　foot。

〃Here　he　is；〃　chuckled　the　old　man；　and　then　he　spoke　to　the　bird　as　if　he　were　speaking　to　a　child。

〃Where　has