the secret garden-第9节

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〃It　was　th'　wind；〃　said　Martha　stubbornly。　〃An'　if　it　wasn't；　it　was　little　Betty　Butterworth；　th'　scullery…maid。　She's　had　th'　toothache　all　day。〃

But　something　troubled　and　awkward　in　her　manner　made　Mistress　Mary　stare　very　hard　at　her。　　She　did　not　believe　she　was　speaking　the　truth。



CHAPTER　VI

〃THERE　WAS　SOME　ONE　CRYINGTHERE　WAS！〃


The　next　day　the　rain　poured　down　in　torrents　again；　and　when　Mary　looked　out　of　her　window　the　moor　was　almost　hidden　by　gray　mist　and　cloud。　　There　could　be　no　going　out　today。

〃What　do　you　do　in　your　cottage　when　it　rains　like　this？〃　she　asked　Martha。

〃Try　to　keep　from　under　each　other's　feet　mostly；〃　Martha　answered。　　〃Eh！　there　does　seem　a　lot　of　us　then。　Mother's　a　good…tempered　woman　but　she　gets　fair　moithered。　The　biggest　ones　goes　out　in　th'　cow…shed　and　plays　there。　Dickon　he　doesn't　mind　th'　wet。　　He　goes　out　just　th'　same　as　if　th'　sun　was　shinin'。　He　says　he　sees　things　on　rainy　days　as　doesn't　show　when　it's　fair　weather。　He　once　found　a　little　fox　cub　half　drowned　in　its　hole　and　he　brought　it　home　in　th'　bosom　of　his　shirt　to　keep　it　warm。　Its　mother　had　been　killed　nearby　an'　th'　hole　was　swum　out　an'　th'　rest　o'　th'　litter　was　dead。　　He's　got　it　at　home　now。　　He　found　a　half…drowned　young　crow　another　time　an'　he　brought　it　home；　too；　an'　tamed　it。　　It's　named　Soot　because　it's　so　black；　an'　it　hops　an'　flies　about　with　him　everywhere。〃

The　time　had　come　when　Mary　had　forgotten　to　resent　Martha's　familiar　talk。　　She　had　even　begun　to　find　it　interesting　and　to　be　sorry　when　she　stopped　or　went　away。　The　stories　she　had　been　told　by　her　Ayah　when　she　lived　in　India　had　been　quite　unlike　those　Martha　had　to　tell　about　the　moorland　cottage　which　held　fourteen　people　who　lived　in　four　little　rooms　and　never　had　quite　enough　to　eat。　The　children　seemed　to　tumble　about　and　amuse　themselves　like　a　litter　of　rough；　good…natured　collie　puppies。　Mary　was　most　attracted　by　the　mother　and　Dickon。　When　Martha　told　stories　of　what　〃mother〃　said　or　did　they　always　sounded　comfortable。

〃If　I　had　a　raven　or　a　fox　cub　I　could　play　with　it；〃　said　Mary。　　〃But　I　have　nothing。〃

Martha　looked　perplexed。

〃Can　tha'　knit？〃　she　asked。

〃No；〃　answered　Mary。

〃Can　tha'sew？〃

〃No。〃

〃Can　tha'　read？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　why　doesn't　tha；　read　somethin'；　or　learn　a　bit　o'　spellin'？　Tha'st　old　enough　to　be　learnin'　thy　book　a　good　bit　now。〃

〃I　haven't　any　books；〃　said　Mary。　　〃Those　I　had　were　left　in　India。〃

〃That's　a　pity；〃　said　Martha。　　〃If　Mrs。　Medlock'd　let　thee　go　into　th'　library；　there's　thousands　o'　books　there。〃

Mary　did　not　ask　where　the　library　was；　because　she　was　suddenly　inspired　by　a　new　idea。　　She　made　up　her　mind　to　go　and　find　it　herself。　　She　was　not　troubled　about　Mrs。　Medlock。　　Mrs。　Medlock　seemed　always　to　be　in　her　comfortable　housekeeper's　sitting…room　downstairs。　In　this　queer　place　one　scarcely　ever　saw　any　one　at　all。　In　fact；　there　was　no　one　to　see　but　the　servants；　and　when　their　master　was　away　they　lived　a　luxurious　life　below　stairs；　where　there　was　a　huge　kitchen　hung　about　with　shining　brass　and　pewter；　and　a　large　servants'　hall　where　there　were　four　or　five　abundant　meals　eaten　every　day；　and　where　a　great　deal　of　lively　romping　went　on　when　Mrs。　Medlock　was　out　of　the　way。

Mary's　meals　were　served　regularly；　and　Martha　waited　on　her；　but　no　one　troubled　themselves　about　her　in　the　least。　Mrs。　Medlock　came　and　looked　at　her　every　day　or　two；　but　no　one　inquired　what　she　did　or　told　her　what　to　do。　She　supposed　that　perhaps　this　was　the　English　way　of　treating　children。　　In　India　she　had　always　been　attended　by　her　Ayah；　who　had　followed　her　about　and　waited　on　her；　hand　and　foot。　　She　had　often　been　tired　of　her　company。　Now　she　was　followed　by　nobody　and　was　learning　to　dress　herself　because　Martha　looked　as　though　she　thought　she　was　silly　and　stupid　when　she　wanted　to　have　things　handed　to　her　and　put　on。

〃Hasn't　tha'　got　good　sense？〃　she　said　once；　when　Mary　had　stood　waiting　for　her　to　put　on　her　gloves　for　her。　〃Our　Susan　Ann　is　twice　as　sharp　as　thee　an'　she's　only　four　year'　old。　　Sometimes　tha'　looks　fair　soft　in　th'　head。〃

Mary　had　worn　her　contrary　scowl　for　an　hour　after　that；　but　it　made　her　think　several　entirely　new　things。

She　stood　at　the　window　for　about　ten　minutes　this　morning　after　Martha　had　swept　up　the　hearth　for　the　last　time　and　gone　downstairs。　　She　was　thinking　over　the　new　idea　which　had　come　to　her　when　she　heard　of　the　library。　She　did　not　care　very　much　about　the　library　itself；　because　she　had　read　very　few　books；　but　to　hear　of　it　brought　back　to　her　mind　the　hundred　rooms　with　closed　doors。　She　wondered　if　they　were　all　really　locked　and　what　she　would　find　if　she　could　get　into　any　of　them。　Were　there　a　hundred　really？　Why　shouldn't　she　go　and　see　how　many　doors　she　could　count？　It　would　be　something　to　do　on　this　morning　when　she　could　not　go　out。　She　had　never　been　taught　to　ask　permission　to　do　things；　and　she　knew　nothing　at　all　about　authority；　so　she　would　not　have　thought　it　necessary　to　ask　Mrs。　Medlock　if　she　might　walk　about　the　house；　even　if　she　had　seen　her。

She　opened　the　door　of　the　room　and　went　into　the　corridor；　and　then　she　began　her　wanderings。　　It　was　a　long　corridor　and　it　branched　into　other　corridors　and　it　led　her　up　short　flights　of　steps　which　mounted　to　others　again。　There　were　doors　and　doors；　and　there　were　pictures　on　the　walls。　　Sometimes　they　were　pictures　of　dark；　curious　landscapes；　but　oftenest　they　were　portraits　of　men　and　women　in　queer；　grand　costumes　made　of　satin　and　velvet。　　She　found　herself　in　one　long　gallery　whose　walls　were　covered　with　these　portraits。　　She　had　never　thought　there　could　be　so　many　in　any　house。　She　walked　slowly　down　this　place　and　stared　at　the　faces　which　also　seemed　to　stare　at　her。　　She　felt　as　if　they　were　wondering　what　a　little　girl　from　India　was　doing　in　their　house。　　Some　were　pictures　of　childrenlittle　girls　in　thick　satin　frocks　which　reached　to　their　feet　and　stood　out　about　them；　and　boys　with　puffed　sleeves　and　lace　collars　and　long　hair；　or　with　big　ruffs　around　their　necks。　　She　always　stopped　to　look　at　the　children；　and　wonder　what　their　names　were；　and　where　they　had　gone；　and　why　they　wore　such　odd　clothes。　　There　was　a　stiff；　plain　little　girl　rather　like　herself。　　She　wore　a　green　brocade　dress　and　held　a　green　parrot　on　her　finger。　Her　eyes　had　a　sharp；　curious　look。

〃Where　do　you　live　now？〃　said　Mary　aloud　to　her。　〃I　wish　you　were　here。〃

Surely　no　other　little　girl　ever　spent　such　a　queer　morning。　It　seemed　as　if　there　was　no　one　in　all　the　huge　rambling　house　but　her　own　small　self；　wandering　about　upstairs　and　down；　through　narrow　passages　and　wide　ones；　where　it　seemed　to　her　that　no　one　but　herself　had　ever　walked。　Since　so　many　rooms　had　been　built；　people　must　have　lived　in　them；　but　it　all　seemed　so　empty　that　she　could　not　quite　believe　it　true。

It　was　not　until　she　climbed　to　the　second　floor　that　she　thought　of　turning　the　handle　of　a　door。　　All　the　doors　were　shut；　as　Mrs。　Medlock　had　said　they　were；　but　at　last　she　put　her　hand　on　the　handle　of　one　of　them　and　turned　it。　She　was　almost　frightened　for　a　moment　when　she　felt　that　it　turned　without　difficulty　and　that　when　she　pushed　upon　the　door　itself　it　slowly　and　heavily　opened。　It　was　a　massive　door　and　opened　into　a　big　bedroom。　There　were　embroidered　hangings　on　the　wall；　and　inlaid　furniture　such　as　she　had　seen　in　India　stood　about　the　room。　A　broad　window　with　leaded　panes　looked　out　upon　the　moor；　and　over　the　mantel　was　another　portrait　of　the　stiff；　plain　little　girl　who　seemed　to　stare　at　her　more　curiously　than　ever。

〃Perhaps　she　slept　here　once；〃　said　Mary。　　〃She　stares　at　me　so　that　she　makes　me　feel　queer。〃

After　that　she　opened　more　doors　and　more。　　She　saw　so　many　rooms　that　she　became　quite　tired　and　began　to　think　that　there　must　be　a　hundred；　though　she　had　not　counted　them。　　In　all　of　them　there　were　old　pictures　or　old　tapestries　with　strange　scenes　worked　on　them。　There　were　curious　pieces　of　furniture　and　curious　ornaments　in　nearly　all　of　them。

In　one　room；　which　looked　like　a　lady's　sitting…room；　the　hangings　were　all　embroidered　velvet；　and　in　a　cabinet　were　about　a　hundred　little　elephants　made　of　ivory。　They　were　of　different　sizes；　and　some　had　their　mahouts　or　palanquins　on　their　backs。　　Some　were　much　bigger　than　the　others　and　some　were　so　tiny　that　they　seemed　only　babies。　Mary　had　seen　carved　ivory　in　India　and　she　knew　all　about　elephants。　　She　opened　the　door　of　the　cabinet　and　stood　on　a　footstool　and　played　with　these　for　quite　a　long　time。　　When　she　got　tired　she　set　the　elephants　in　order　and　shut　the　door　of　the　cabinet。

In　all　her　wanderings　through　the　long　corridors　and　the　empty　rooms；　she　had　seen　nothing　alive；　but　in　this　room　she　saw　something。　　Just　after　she　had　closed　the　cabinet　door　she　heard　a　tiny　rustling　sound。　　It　made　her　jump　and　look　around　at　the　sofa　by　the　fireplace；　from　which　it　seemed　to　come。　　In　the　corner　of　the　sofa　there　was　a　cushion；　and　in　the　velvet　which　covered　it　there　was　a　hole；　and　out　of　the　hole　peeped　a　tiny　head　with　a　pair