English
OfcourseMarydidnotwakenearlythenextmorning.
Shesleptlatebecauseshewastired,andwhenMarthabroughtherbreakfastshetoldherthatthoughColinwasquitequiethewasillandfeverishashealwayswasafterhehadwornhimselfoutwithafitofcrying.
Maryateherbreakfastslowlyasshelistened.
“Hesayshewishestha’wouldpleasegoandseehimassoonastha’can,”Marthasaid.
“It’squeerwhatafancyhe’stooktothee.
Tha’didgiveithimlastnightforsure—didn’ttha?Nobodyelsewouldhavedaredtodoit.Eh!Poorlad!
He’sbeenspoiledtillsaltwon’tsavehim.
Mothersaysasth’twoworstthingsascanhappentoachildisnevertohavehisownway—oralwaystohaveit.Shedoesn’tknowwhichisth’worst.
Tha’wasinafinetempertha’self,too.
ButhesaystomewhenIwentintohisroom,‘PleaseaskMissMaryifshe’llpleasecomean,talktome?’Thinko’himsayingplease!Willyougo,Miss?”
“I’llrunandseeDickonfirst,”saidMary.“No,I’llgoandseeColinfirstandtellhim—IknowwhatI’lltellhim,”withasuddeninspiration.
ShehadherhatonwhensheappearedinColin’sroomandforasecondhelookeddisappointed.Hewasinbed.Hisfacewaspitifullywhiteandthereweredarkcirclesroundhiseyes.
“I’mgladyoucame,”hesaid.“MyheadachesandIachealloverbecauseI’msotired.Areyougoingsomewhere?”
Marywentandleanedagainsthisbed.
“Iwon’tbelong,”shesaid.“I’mgoingtoDickon,butI’llcomeback.Colin,it’s—it’ssomethingaboutthegarden.”
Hiswholefacebrightenedandalittlecolorcameintoit.
“Oh!Isit?”hecriedout.
“IdreamedaboutitallnightIheardyousaysomethingaboutgraychangingintogreen,andIdreamedIwasstandinginaplaceallfilledwithtremblinglittlegreenleaves—andtherewerebirdsonnestseverywhereandtheylookedsosoftandstill.
I’lllieandthinkaboutituntilyoucomeback.”
InfiveminutesMarywaswithDickonintheirgarden.
Thefoxandthecrowwerewithhimagainandthistimehehadbroughttwotamesquirrels.
“Icameoverontheponythismornin’,”hesaid.“Eh!heisagoodlittlechap—Jumpis!Ibroughtthesetwoinmypockets.
Thishereonehe’scalledNutan’thishereotherone’scalledShell.”
Whenhesaid“Nut”onesquirrelleapedontohisrightshoulderandwhenhesaid“Shell”theotheroneleapedontohisleftshoulder.
WhentheysatdownonthegrasswithCaptaincurledattheirfeet,SootsolemnlylisteningonatreeandNutandShellnosingaboutclosetothem,itseemedtoMarythatitwouldbescarcelybearabletoleavesuchdelightfulness,butwhenshebegantotellherstorysomehowthelookinDickon’sfunnyfacegraduallychangedhermind.
ShecouldseehefeltsorrierforColinthanshedid.
Helookedupattheskyandallabouthim.
“Justlistentothembirds—th’worldseemsfullof‘em—allwhistlin’an’pipin’,”hesaid.
“Lookat‘emdartin’about,an’hearkenat‘emcallin’toeachother.
Comespringtimeseemslikeasifallth’world’scallin’.
Theleavesisuncurlin’soyoucansee‘em—an’,myword,th’nicesmellsthereisabout!”Sniffingwithhishappyturned-upnose.
“An’thatpoorladlyin’shutupan’seein’solittlethathegetstothinkin’o’thingsassetshimscreamin’.Eh!My!
Wemungethimouthere—wemungethimwatchin’anlistenin’an’sniffin’upth’airan’gethimjustsoakedthroughwi’sunshine.An’wemunnotlosenotimeaboutit.”
WhenhewasverymuchinterestedheoftenspokequitebroadYorkshirethoughatothertimeshetriedtomodifyhisdialectsothatMarycouldbetterunderstand.
ButshelovedhisbroadYorkshireandhadinfactbeentryingtolearntospeakitherself.Soshespokealittlenow.
“Aye,thatwemun,”shesaid(whichmeant“Yes,indeed,wemust”).
“I’lltelltheewhatus’lldofirst,”sheproceeded,andDickongrinned,becausewhenthelittlewenchtriedtotwisthertongueintospeakingYorkshireitamusedhimverymuch.“He’stookagraidelyfancytothee.
HewantstoseetheeandhewantstoseeSootan’Captain.
WhenIgobacktothehousetotalktohimI’llaxhimiftha’canna’comean’seehimtomorrowmornin’—an’bringtha’creatureswi’thee—an’then—inabit,whenthere’smoreleavesout,an’happenabudortwo,we’llgethimtocomeoutan’tha’shallpushhiminhischairan’we’llbringhimherean’showhimeverything.”
Whenshestoppedshewasquiteproudofherself.ShehadnevermadealongspeechinYorkshirebeforeandshehadrememberedverywell.
“Tha’muntalkabito’YorkshirelikethattoMesterColin,”Dickonchuckled.
“Tha’llmakehimlaughan’there’snowtasgoodforillfolkaslaughin’is.
Mothersaysshebelievesashalfahour’sgoodlaugheverymornin’‘udcureachapaswasmakin’readyfortyphusfever.”
“I’mgoingtotalkYorkshiretohimthisveryday,”saidMary,chucklingherself.
ThegardenhadreachedthetimewheneverydayandeverynightitseemedasifMagicianswerepassingthroughitdrawinglovelinessoutoftheearthandtheboughswithwands.
Itwashardtogoawayandleaveitall,particularlyasNuthadactuallycreptontoherdressandShellhadscrambleddownthetrunkoftheapple-treetheysatunderandstayedtherelookingatherwithinquiringeyes.
ButshewentbacktothehouseandwhenshesatdownclosetoColin’sbedhebegantosniffasDickondidthoughnotinsuchanexperiencedway.
“Yousmelllikeflowersand—andfreshthings,”hecriedoutquitejoyously.“Whatisityousmellof?It’scoolandwarmandsweetallatthesametime.”
“It’sth’windfromth’moor,”saidMary.
“Itcomeso’sittin’onth’grassunderatreewi’Dickonan’wi’Captainan’Sootan’Nutan’Shell.
It’sth’springtimean’outo’doorsan’sunshineassmellssograidely.”
Shesaiditasbroadlyasshecould,andyoudonotknowhowbroadlyYorkshiresoundsuntilyouhaveheardsomeonespeakit.Colinbegantolaugh.
“Whatareyoudoing?”hesaid.“Ineverheardyoutalklikethatbefore.Howfunnyitsounds.”
“I’mgivin’theeabito’Yorkshire,”answeredMarytriumphantly.
“Icanna’talkasgraidelyasDickonan’Marthacanbuttha’seesIcanshapeabit.
Doesn’ttha’understandabito’Yorkshirewhentha’hearsit?
An’tha’aYorkshireladthysel’bredan’born!Eh!
Iwondertha’rtnotashamedo’thyface.”
AndthenshebegantolaughtooandtheybothlaugheduntiltheycouldnotstopthemselvesandtheylaugheduntiltheroomechoedandMrs.Medlockopeningthedoortocomeindrewbackintothecorridorandstoodlisteningamazed.
“Well,uponmyword!”shesaid,speakingratherbroadYorkshireherselfbecausetherewasnoonetohearherandshewassoastonished.“Whoeverheardth’like!Whoeveronearthwouldha’thoughtit!”
Therewassomuchtotalkabout.ItseemedasifColincouldneverhearenoughofDickonandCaptainandSootandNutandShellandtheponywhosenamewasJump.
MaryhadrunroundintothewoodwithDickontoseeJump.
Hewasatinylittleshaggymoorponywiththicklockshangingoverhiseyesandwithaprettyfaceandanuzzlingvelvetnose.
Hewasratherthinwithlivingonmoorgrassbuthewasastoughandwiryasifthemuscleinhislittlelegshadbeenmadeofsteelsprings.
HehadliftedhisheadandwhinniedsoftlythemomenthesawDickonandhehadtrotteduptohimandputhisheadacrosshisshoulderandthenDickonhadtalkedintohisearandJumphadtalkedbackinoddlittlewhinniesandpuffsandsnorts.
DickonhadmadehimgiveMaryhissmallfronthoofandkissheronhercheekwithhisvelvetmuzzle.
“DoeshereallyunderstandeverythingDickonsays?”Colinasked.
“Itseemsasifhedoes,”answeredMary.“Dickonsaysanythingwillunderstandifyou’refriendswithitforsure,butyouhavetobefriendsforsure.”
Colinlayquietalittlewhileandhisstrangegrayeyesseemedtobestaringatthewall,butMarysawhewasthinking.
“IwishIwasfriendswiththings,”hesaidatlast,“butI’mnot.Ineverhadanythingtobefriendswith,andIcan’tbearpeople.”
“Can’tyoubearme?”askedMary.
“Yes,Ican,”heanswered.“It’sfunnybutIevenlikeyou.”
“BenWeatherstaffsaidIwaslikehim,”saidMary.
“Hesaidhe’dwarrantwe’dbothgotthesamenastytempers.Ithinkyouarelikehimtoo.
Weareallthreealike—youandIandBenWeatherstaff.
Hesaidwewereneitherofusmuchtolookatandwewereassouraswelooked.
ButIdon’tfeelassourasIusedtobeforeIknewtherobinandDickon.”
“Didyoufeelasifyouhatedpeople?”
“Yes,”answeredMarywithoutanyaffectation.“IshouldhavedetestedyouifIhadseenyoubeforeIsawtherobinandDickon.”
Colinputouthisthinhandandtouchedher.
“Mary,”hesaid,“IwishIhadn’tsaidwhatIdidaboutsendingDickonaway.IhatedyouwhenyousaidhewaslikeanangelandIlaughedatyoubut—butperhapsheis.”
“Well,itwasratherfunnytosayit,”sheadmittedfrankly,“becausehisnosedoesturnupandhehasabigmouthandhisclotheshavepatchesalloverthemandhetalksbroadYorkshire,but—butifanangeldidcometoYorkshireandliveonthemoor—iftherewasaYorkshireangel—Ibelievehe’dunderstandthegreenthingsandknowhowtomakethemgrowandhewouldknowhowtotalktothewildcreaturesasDickondoesandthey’dknowhewasfriendsforsure.”
“Ishouldn’tmindDickonlookingatme,”saidColin;“Iwanttoseehim.”
“I’mgladyousaidthat,”answeredMary,“because—because—”
Quitesuddenlyitcameintohermindthatthiswastheminutetotellhim.Colinknewsomethingnewwascoming.
“Becausewhat?”hecriedeagerly.
Marywassoanxiousthatshegotupfromherstoolandcametohimandcaughtholdofbothhishands.
“CanItrustyou?ItrustedDickonbecausebirdstrustedhim.CanItrustyou—forsure—forsure?”sheimplored.
Herfacewassosolemnthathealmostwhisperedhisanswer.
“Yes—yes!”
“Well,Dickonwillcometoseeyoutomorrowmorning,andhe’llbringhiscreatureswithhim.”
“Oh!Oh!”Colincriedoutindelight.
“Butthat’snotall,”Marywenton,almostpalewithsolemnexcitement.“Therestisbetter.Thereisadoorintothegarden.Ifoundit.Itisundertheivyonthewall.”
IfhehadbeenastronghealthyboyColinwouldprobablyhaveshouted“Hooray!Hooray!Hooray!”buthewasweakandratherhysterical;hiseyesgrewbiggerandbiggerandhegaspedforbreath.
“Oh!Mary!”hecriedoutwithahalfsob.“ShallIseeit?ShallIgetintoit?ShallIlivetogetintoit?”andheclutchedherhandsanddraggedhertowardhim.
“Ofcourseyou’llseeit!”snappedMaryindignantly.“Ofcourseyou’lllivetogetintoit!Don’tbesilly!”
Andshewassoun-hystericalandnaturalandchildishthatshebroughthimtohissensesandhebegantolaughathimselfandafewminutesafterwardshewassittingonherstoolagaintellinghimnotwhatsheimaginedthesecretgardentobelikebutwhatitreallywas,andColin’sachesandtirednesswereforgottenandhewaslisteningenraptured.
“Itisjustwhatyouthoughtitwouldbe,”hesaidatlast.“Itsoundsjustasifyouhadreallyseenit.YouknowIsaidthatwhenyoutoldmefirst.”
Maryhesitatedabouttwominutesandthenboldlyspokethetruth.
“Ihadseenit—andIhadbeenin,”shesaid.“Ifoundthekeyandgotinweeksago.ButIdaren’ttellyou—Idaren’tbecauseIwassoafraidIcouldn’ttrustyou—forsure!”
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