WhenMaryLennoxwassenttoMisselthwaiteManortolivewithheruncleeverybodysaidshewasthemostdisagreeable-lookingchildeverseen.Itwastrue,too. Shehadalittlethinfaceandalittlethinbody,thinlighthairandasourexpression. Herhairwasyellow,andherfacewasyellowbecauseshehadbeenborninIndiaandhadalwaysbeenillinonewayoranother. HerfatherhadheldapositionundertheEnglishGovernmentandhadalwaysbeenbusyandillhimself,andhermotherhadbeenagreatbeautywhocaredonlytogotopartiesandamuseherselfwithgaypeople. Shehadnotwantedalittlegirlatall,andwhenMarywasbornshehandedherovertothecareofanAyah,whowasmadetounderstandthatifshewishedtopleasetheMemSahibshemustkeepthechildoutofsightasmuchaspossible. Sowhenshewasasickly,fretful,uglylittlebabyshewaskeptoutoftheway,andwhenshebecameasickly,fretful,toddlingthingshewaskeptoutofthewayalso. SheneverrememberedseeingfamiliarlyanythingbutthedarkfacesofherAyahandtheothernativeservants,andastheyalwaysobeyedherandgaveherherownwayineverything,becausetheMemSahibwouldbeangryifshewasdisturbedbyhercrying,bythetimeshewassixyearsoldshewasastyrannicalandselfishalittlepigaseverlived. TheyoungEnglishgovernesswhocametoteachhertoreadandwritedislikedhersomuchthatshegaveupherplaceinthreemonths,andwhenothergovernessescametotrytofillittheyalwayswentawayinashortertimethanthefirstone. SoifMaryhadnotchosentoreallywanttoknowhowtoreadbooksshewouldneverhavelearnedherlettersatall. Onefrightfullyhotmorning,whenshewasaboutnineyearsold,sheawakenedfeelingverycross,andshebecamecrosserstillwhenshesawthattheservantwhostoodbyherbedsidewasnotherAyah. “Whydidyoucome?”shesaidtothestrangewoman.“Iwillnotletyoustay.SendmyAyahtome.” Thewomanlookedfrightened,butsheonlystammeredthattheAyahcouldnotcomeandwhenMarythrewherselfintoapassionandbeatandkickedher,shelookedonlymorefrightenedandrepeatedthatitwasnotpossiblefortheAyahtocometoMissieSahib. Therewassomethingmysteriousintheairthatmorning. Nothingwasdoneinitsregularorderandseveralofthenativeservantsseemedmissing,whilethosewhomMarysawslunkorhurriedaboutwithashyandscaredfaces. ButnoonewouldtellheranythingandherAyahdidnotcome. Shewasactuallyleftaloneasthemorningwenton,andatlastshewanderedoutintothegardenandbegantoplaybyherselfunderatreeneartheveranda. Shepretendedthatshewasmakingaflower-bed,andshestuckbigscarlethibiscusblossomsintolittleheapsofearth,allthetimegrowingmoreandmoreangryandmutteringtoherselfthethingsshewouldsayandthenamesshewouldcallSaidiewhenshereturned. “Pig!Pig!DaughterofPigs!”shesaid,becausetocallanativeapigistheworstinsultofall. Shewasgrindingherteethandsayingthisoverandoveragainwhensheheardhermothercomeoutontheverandawithsomeone. Shewaswithafairyoungmanandtheystoodtalkingtogetherinlowstrangevoices. Maryknewthefairyoungmanwholookedlikeaboy. ShehadheardthathewasaveryyoungofficerwhohadjustcomefromEngland. Thechildstaredathim,butshestaredmostathermother. Shealwaysdidthiswhenshehadachancetoseeher,becausetheMemSahib—Maryusedtocallherthatoftenerthananythingelse—wassuchatall,slim,prettypersonandworesuchlovelyclothes. Herhairwaslikecurlysilkandshehadadelicatelittlenosewhichseemedtobedisdainingthings,andshehadlargelaughingeyes. Allherclotheswerethinandfloating,andMarysaidtheywere“fulloflace.” Theylookedfulleroflacethaneverthismorning,buthereyeswerenotlaughingatall. Theywerelargeandscaredandliftedimploringlytothefairboyofficer’sface. “Isitsoverybad?Oh,isit?”Maryheardhersay. “Awfully,”theyoungmanansweredinatremblingvoice.“Awfully,Mrs.Lennox.Yououghttohavegonetothehillstwoweeksago.” TheMemSahibwrungherhands. “Oh,IknowIought!”shecried.“Ionlystayedtogotothatsillydinnerparty.WhatafoolIwas!” Atthatverymomentsuchaloudsoundofwailingbrokeoutfromtheservants’quartersthatsheclutchedtheyoungman’sarm,andMarystoodshiveringfromheadtofoot.Thewailinggrewwilderandwilder.“Whatisit?Whatisit?”Mrs.Lennoxgasped. “Someonehasdied,”answeredtheboyofficer.“Youdidnotsayithadbrokenoutamongyourservants.” “Ididnotknow!”theMemSahibcried.“Comewithme!Comewithme!”andsheturnedandranintothehouse. Afterthat,appallingthingshappened,andthemysteriousnessofthemorningwasexplainedtoMary. Thecholerahadbrokenoutinitsmostfatalformandpeopleweredyinglikeflies. TheAyahhadbeentakenillinthenight,anditwasbecauseshehadjustdiedthattheservantshadwailedinthehuts. Beforethenextdaythreeotherservantsweredeadandothershadrunawayinterror. Therewaspaniconeveryside,anddyingpeopleinallthebungalows. DuringtheconfusionandbewildermentoftheseconddayMaryhidherselfinthenurseryandwasforgottenbyeveryone. Nobodythoughtofher,nobodywantedher,andstrangethingshappenedofwhichsheknewnothing. Maryalternatelycriedandsleptthroughthehours. Sheonlyknewthatpeoplewereillandthatsheheardmysteriousandfrighteningsounds. Onceshecreptintothedining-roomandfounditempty,thoughapartlyfinishedmealwasonthetableandchairsandplateslookedasiftheyhadbeenhastilypushedbackwhenthedinersrosesuddenlyforsomereason. Thechildatesomefruitandbiscuits,andbeingthirstyshedrankaglassofwinewhichstoodnearlyfilled. Itwassweet,andshedidnotknowhowstrongitwas. Verysoonitmadeherintenselydrowsy,andshewentbacktohernurseryandshutherselfinagain,frightenedbycriessheheardinthehutsandbythehurryingsoundoffeet. Thewinemadehersosleepythatshecouldscarcelykeephereyesopenandshelaydownonherbedandknewnothingmoreforalongtime. Manythingshappenedduringthehoursinwhichshesleptsoheavily,butshewasnotdisturbedbythewailsandthesoundofthingsbeingcarriedinandoutofthebungalow. Whensheawakenedshelayandstaredatthewall.Thehousewasperfectlystill. Shehadneverknownittobesosilentbefore. Sheheardneithervoicesnorfootsteps,andwonderedifeverybodyhadgotwellofthecholeraandallthetroublewasover. ShewonderedalsowhowouldtakecareofhernowherAyahwasdead. TherewouldbeanewAyah,andperhapsshewouldknowsomenewstories. Maryhadbeenrathertiredoftheoldones. Shedidnotcrybecausehernursehaddied. Shewasnotanaffectionatechildandhadnevercaredmuchforanyone. Thenoiseandhurryingaboutandwailingoverthecholerahadfrightenedher,andshehadbeenangrybecausenooneseemedtorememberthatshewasalive. Everyonewastoopanic-strickentothinkofalittlegirlnoonewasfondof. Whenpeoplehadthecholeraitseemedthattheyrememberednothingbutthemselves. Butifeveryonehadgotwellagain,surelysomeonewouldrememberandcometolookforher. Butnoonecame,andasshelaywaitingthehouseseemedtogrowmoreandmoresilent. Sheheardsomethingrustlingonthemattingandwhenshelookeddownshesawalittlesnakeglidingalongandwatchingherwitheyeslikejewels. Shewasnotfrightened,becausehewasaharmlesslittlethingwhowouldnothurtherandheseemedinahurrytogetoutoftheroom. Heslippedunderthedoorasshewatchedhim. “Howqueerandquietitis,”shesaid.“Itsoundsasiftherewerenooneinthebungalowbutmeandthesnake.” Almostthenextminutesheheardfootstepsinthecompound,andthenontheveranda. Theyweremen’sfootsteps,andthemenenteredthebungalowandtalkedinlowvoices. Noonewenttomeetorspeaktothemandtheyseemedtoopendoorsandlookintorooms.“Whatdesolation!”sheheardonevoicesay.“Thatpretty,prettywoman!Isupposethechild,too. Iheardtherewasachild,thoughnooneeversawher.” Marywasstandinginthemiddleofthenurserywhentheyopenedthedoorafewminuteslater. Shelookedanugly,crosslittlethingandwasfrowningbecauseshewasbeginningtobehungryandfeeldisgracefullyneglected. Thefirstmanwhocameinwasalargeofficershehadonceseentalkingtoherfather. Helookedtiredandtroubled,butwhenhesawherhewassostartledthathealmostjumpedback. “Barney!”hecriedout.“Thereisachildhere!Achildalone!Inaplacelikethis!Mercyonus,whoisshe!” “IamMaryLennox,”thelittlegirlsaid,drawingherselfupstiffly. Shethoughtthemanwasveryrudetocallherfather’sbungalow“Aplacelikethis!” “IfellasleepwheneveryonehadthecholeraandIhaveonlyjustwakenedup.Whydoesnobodycome?” “Itisthechildnooneeversaw!”exclaimedtheman,turningtohiscompanions.“Shehasactuallybeenforgotten!” “WhywasIforgotten?”Marysaid,stampingherfoot.“Whydoesnobodycome?” TheyoungmanwhosenamewasBarneylookedatherverysadly.Maryeventhoughtshesawhimwinkhiseyesasiftowinktearsaway. “Poorlittlekid!”hesaid.“Thereisnobodylefttocome.” ItwasinthatstrangeandsuddenwaythatMaryfoundoutthatshehadneitherfathernormotherleft;thattheyhaddiedandbeencarriedawayinthenight,andthatthefewnativeservantswhohadnotdiedalsohadleftthehouseasquicklyastheycouldgetoutofit,noneofthemevenrememberingthattherewasaMissieSahib.Thatwaswhytheplacewassoquiet. Itwastruethattherewasnooneinthebungalowbutherselfandthelittlerustlingsnake. 
