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ButtheywereobligedtowaitmorethanaweekbecausefirsttherecamesomeverywindydaysandthenColinwasthreatenedwithacold,whichtwothingshappeningoneaftertheotherwouldnodoubthavethrownhimintoaragebutthattherewassomuchcarefulandmysteriousplanningtodoandalmosteverydayDickoncamein,ifonlyforafewminutes,totalkaboutwhatwashappeningonthemoorandinthelanesandhedgesandonthebordersofstreams.
Thethingshehadtotellaboutotters’andbadgers’andwater-rats’houses,nottomentionbirds’nestsandfield-miceandtheirburrows,wereenoughtomakeyoualmosttremblewithexcitementwhenyouheardalltheintimatedetailsfromananimalcharmerandrealizedwithwhatthrillingeagernessandanxietythewholebusyunderworldwasworking.
“They’resameasus,”saidDickon,“onlytheyhavetobuildtheirhomeseveryyear.An’itkeeps‘emsobusytheyfairscuffletoget‘emdone.”
Themostabsorbingthing,however,wasthepreparationstobemadebeforeColincouldbetransportedwithsufficientsecrecytothegarden.
Noonemustseethechair-carriageandDickonandMaryaftertheyturnedacertaincorneroftheshrubberyandentereduponthewalkoutsidetheiviedwalls.
Aseachdaypassed,Colinhadbecomemoreandmorefixedinhisfeelingthatthemysterysurroundingthegardenwasoneofitsgreatestcharms.Nothingmustspoilthat.
Noonemusteversuspectthattheyhadasecret.
PeoplemustthinkthathewassimplygoingoutwithMaryandDickonbecausehelikedthemanddidnotobjecttotheirlookingathim.
Theyhadlongandquitedelightfultalksabouttheirroute.
Theywouldgoupthispathanddownthatoneandcrosstheotherandgoroundamongthefountainflower-bedsasiftheywerelookingatthe“bedding-outplants”theheadgardener,Mr.Roach,hadbeenhavingarranged.
Thatwouldseemsucharationalthingtodothatnoonewouldthinkitatallmysterious.
Theywouldturnintotheshrubberywalksandlosethemselvesuntiltheycametothelongwalls.
Itwasalmostasseriousandelaboratelythoughtoutastheplansofmarchmadebygeatgeneralsintimeofwar.
Rumorsofthenewandcuriousthingswhichwereoccurringintheinvalid’sapartmentshadofcoursefilteredthroughtheservants’hallintothestableyardsandoutamongthegardeners,butnotwithstandingthis,Mr.RoachwasstartledonedaywhenhereceivedordersfromMasterColin’sroomtotheeffectthathemustreporthimselfintheapartmentnooutsiderhadeverseen,astheinvalidhimselfdesiredtospeaktohim.
“Well,well,”hesaidtohimselfashehurriedlychangedhiscoat,“what’stodonow?HisRoyalHighnessthatwasn’ttobelookedatcallingupamanhe’sneverseteyeson.”
Mr.Roachwasnotwithoutcuriosity.Hehadnevercaughtevenaglimpseoftheboyandhadheardadozenexaggeratedstoriesabouthisuncannylooksandwaysandhisinsanetempers.
Thethinghehadheardoftenestwasthathemightdieatanymomentandtherehadbeennumerousfancifuldescriptionsofahumpedbackandhelplesslimbs,givenbypeoplewhohadneverseenhim.
“Thingsarechanginginthishouse,Mr.Roach,”saidMrs.Medlock,assheledhimupthebackstaircasetothecorridorontowhichopenedthehithertomysteriouschamber.
“Let’shopethey’rechangingforthebetter,Mrs.Medlock,”heanswered.
“Theycouldn’twellchangefortheworse,”shecontinued;“andqueerasitallisthere’sthemasfindstheirdutiesmadealoteasiertostandupunder.
Don’tyoubesurprised,Mr.Roach,ifyoufindyourselfinthemiddleofamenagerieandMarthaSowerby’sDickonmoreathomethanyouormecouldeverbe.”
TherereallywasasortofMagicaboutDickon,asMaryalwaysprivatelybelieved.WhenMr.Roachheardhisnamehesmiledquiteleniently.
“He’dbeathomeinBuckinghamPalaceoratthebottomofacoalmine,”hesaid.“Andyetit’snotimpudence,either.He’sjustfine,isthatlad.”
Itwasperhapswellhehadbeenpreparedorhemighthavebeenstartled.
Whenthebedroomdoorwasopenedalargecrow,whichseemedquiteathomeperchedonthehighbackofacarvenchair,announcedtheentranceofavisitorbysaying“Caw—Caw”quiteloudly.
InspiteofMrs.Medlock’swarning,Mr.Roachonlyjustescapedbeingsufficientlyundignifiedtojumpbackward.
TheyoungRajahwasneitherinbednoronhissofa.
Hewassittinginanarmchairandayounglambwasstandingbyhimshakingitstailinfeeding-lambfashionasDickonkneltgivingitmilkfromitsbottle.
AsquirrelwasperchedonDickon’sbentbackattentivelynibblinganut.
ThelittlegirlfromIndiawassittingonabigfootstoollookingon.
“HereisMr.Roach,MasterColin,”saidMrs.Medlock.
TheyoungRajahturnedandlookedhisservitorover—atleastthatwaswhattheheadgardenerfelthappened.
“Oh,youareRoach,areyou?”hesaid.“Isentforyoutogiveyousomeveryimportantorders.”
“Verygood,sir,”answeredRoach,wonderingifhewastoreceiveinstructionstofellalltheoaksintheparkortotransformtheorchardsintowater-gardens.
“Iamgoingoutinmychairthisafternoon,”saidColin.
“IfthefreshairagreeswithmeImaygoouteveryday.
WhenIgo,noneofthegardenersaretobeanywhereneartheLongWalkbythegardenwalls.Nooneistobethere.
Ishallgooutabouttwoo’clockandeveryonemustkeepawayuntilIsendwordthattheymaygobacktotheirwork.”
“Verygood,sir,”repliedMr.Roach,muchrelievedtohearthattheoaksmightremainandthattheorchardsweresafe.
“Mary,”saidColin,turningtoher,“whatisthatthingyousayinIndiawhenyouhavefinishedtalkingandwantpeopletogo?”
“Yousay,‘Youhavemypermissiontogo,’”answeredMary.
TheRajahwavedhishand.
“Youhavemypermissiontogo,Roach,”hesaid.“But,remember,thisisveryimportant.”
“Caw—Caw!”remarkedthecrowhoarselybutnotimpolitely.
“Verygood,sir.Thankyou,sir,”saidMr.Roach,andMrs.Medlocktookhimoutoftheroom.
Outsideinthecorridor,beingarathergood-naturedman,hesmileduntilhealmostlaughed.
“Myword!”hesaid,“he’sgotafinelordlywaywithhim,hasn’the?You’dthinkhewasawholeRoyalFamilyrolledintoone—PrinceConsortandall.”
“Eh!”protestedMrs.Medlock,“we’vehadtolethimtrampleallovereveryoneofuseversincehehadfeetandhethinksthat’swhatfolkswasbornfor.”
“Perhapshe’llgrowoutofit,ifhelives,”suggestedMr.Roach.
“Well,there’sonethingprettysure,”saidMrs.Medlock.
“IfhedoesliveandthatIndianchildstayshereI’llwarrantsheteacheshimthatthewholeorangedoesnotbelongtohim,asSusanSowerbysays.
Andhe’llbelikelytofindoutthesizeofhisownquarter.”
InsidetheroomColinwasleaningbackonhiscushions.
“It’sallsafenow,”hesaid.“AndthisafternoonIshallseeit—thisafternoonIshallbeinit!”
DickonwentbacktothegardenwithhiscreaturesandMarystayedwithColin.
Shedidnotthinkhelookedtiredbuthewasveryquietbeforetheirlunchcameandhewasquietwhiletheywereeatingit.
Shewonderedwhyandaskedhimaboutit.
“Whatbigeyesyou’vegot,Colin,”shesaid.“Whenyouarethinkingtheygetasbigassaucers.Whatareyouthinkingaboutnow?”
“Ican’thelpthinkingaboutwhatitwilllooklike,”heanswered.
“Thegarden?”askedMary.
“Thespringtime,”hesaid.“IwasthinkingthatI’vereallyneverseenitbefore.IscarcelyeverwentoutandwhenIdidgoIneverlookedatit.Ididn’teventhinkaboutit.”
“IneversawitinIndiabecausetherewasn’tany,”saidMary.
Shutinandmorbidashislifehadbeen,Colinhadmoreimaginationthanshehadandatleasthehadspentagooddealoftimelookingatwonderfulbooksandpictures.
“Thatmorningwhenyouraninandsaid‘It’scome!It’scome!,youmademefeelquitequeer.
Itsoundedasifthingswerecomingwithagreatprocessionandbigburstsandwaftsofmusic.
I’veapicturelikeitinoneofmybooks—crowdsoflovelypeopleandchildrenwithgarlandsandbrancheswithblossomsonthem,everyonelaughinganddancingandcrowdingandplayingonpipes.
ThatwaswhyIsaid,‘Perhapsweshallheargoldentrumpets’andtoldyoutothrowopenthewindow.”
“Howfunny!”saidMary.“That’sreallyjustwhatitfeelslike.
Andifalltheflowersandleavesandgreenthingsandbirdsandwildcreaturesdancedpastatonce,whatacrowditwouldbe!
I’msurethey’ddanceandsingandfluteandthatwouldbethewaftsofmusic.”
Theybothlaughedbutitwasnotbecausetheideawaslaughablebutbecausetheybothsolikedit.
AlittlelaterthenursemadeColinready.
Shenoticedthatinsteadoflyinglikealogwhilehisclotheswereputonhesatupandmadesomeeffortstohelphimself,andhetalkedandlaughedwithMaryallthetime.
“Thisisoneofhisgooddays,sir,”shesaidtoDr.Craven,whodroppedintoinspecthim.“He’sinsuchgoodspiritsthatitmakeshimstronger.”
“I’llcallinagainlaterintheafternoon,afterhehascomein,”saidDr.Craven.“Imustseehowthegoingoutagreeswithhim.Iwish,”inaverylowvoice,“thathewouldletyougowithhim.”
“I’drathergiveupthecasethismoment,sir,thanevenstayherewhileit’ssuggested,”answeredthenursewithsuddenfirmness.
“Ihadn’treallydecidedtosuggestit,”saidthedoctor,withhisslightnervousness.“We’lltrytheexperiment.Dickon’saladI’dtrustwithanew-bornchild.”
ThestrongestfootmaninthehousecarriedColindownstairsandputhiminhiswheeledchairnearwhichDickonwaitedoutside.
Afterthemanservanthadarrangedhisrugsandcushions,theRajahwavedhishandtohimandtothenurse.
“Youhavemypermissiontogo,”hesaid,andtheybothdisappearedquicklyanditmustbeconfessedgiggledwhentheyweresafelyinsidethehouse.
Dickonbegantopushthewheeledchairslowlyandsteadily.
MistressMarywalkedbesideitandColinleanedbackandliftedhisfacetothesky.
Thearchofitlookedveryhighandthesmallsnowycloudsseemedlikewhitebirdsfloatingonoutspreadwingsbelowitscrystalblueness.
Thewindsweptinsoftbigbreathsdownfromthemoorandwasstrangewithawildclearscentedsweetness.
Colinkeptliftinghisthinchesttodrawitin,andhisbigeyeslookedasifitweretheywhichwerelistening—listening,insteadofhisears.
“Therearesomanysoundsofsingingandhummingandcallingout,”hesaid.“Whatisthatscentthepuffsofwindbring?”
“It’sgorseonth’moorthat’sopenin’out,”answeredDickon.“Eh!Th’beesareatitwonderfultoday.”
Notahumancreaturewastobecaughtsightofinthepathstheytook.
Infacteverygardenerorgardener’sladhadbeenwitchedaway.
Buttheywoundinandoutamongtheshrubberyandoutandroundthefountainbeds,followingtheircarefullyplannedrouteforthemeremysteriouspleasureofit.
ButwhenatlasttheyturnedintotheLongWalkbytheiviedwallstheexcitedsenseofanapproachingthrillmadethem,forsomecuriousreasontheycouldnothaveexplained,begintospeakinwhispers.
“Thisisit,”breathedMary.“ThisiswhereIusedtowalkupanddownandwonderandwonder.”
“Isit?”criedColin,andhiseyesbegantosearchtheivywitheagercuriousness.“ButIcanseenothing,”hewhispered.“Thereisnodoor.”
“That’swhatIthought,”saidMary.
Thentherewasalovelybreathlesssilenceandthechairwheeledon.
“ThatisthegardenwhereBenWeatherstaffworks,”saidMary.
“Isit?”saidColin.
AfewyardsmoreandMarywhisperedagain.
“Thisiswheretherobinflewoverthewall,”shesaid.
“Isit?”criedColin.“Oh!Iwishhe’dcomeagain!”
“Andthat,”saidMarywithsolemndelight,pointingunderabiglilacbush,“iswhereheperchedonthelittleheapofearthandshowedmethekey.”
ThenColinsatup.
“Where?Where?There?”hecried,andhiseyeswereasbigasthewolf’sinRedRiding-Hood,whenRedRiding-Hoodfeltcalledupontoremarkonthem.Dickonstoodstillandthewheeledchairstopped.
“Andthis,”saidMary,steppingontothebedclosetotheivy,“iswhereIwenttotalktohimwhenhechirpedatmefromthetopofthewall.
Andthisistheivythewindblewback,”andshetookholdofthehanginggreencurtain.
“Oh!isit—isit!”gaspedColin.
“Andhereisthehandle,andhereisthedoor.Dickonpushhimin—pushhiminquickly!”
AndDickondiditwithonestrong,steady,splendidpush.
ButColinhadactuallydroppedbackagainsthiscushions,eventhoughhegaspedwithdelight,andhehadcoveredhiseyeswithhishandsandheldthemthereshuttingouteverythinguntiltheywereinsideandthechairstoppedasifbymagicandthedoorwasclosed.
NottillthendidhetakethemawayandlookroundandroundandroundasDickonandMaryhaddone.
Andoverwallsandearthandtreesandswingingspraysandtendrilsthefairgreenveiloftenderlittleleaveshadcrept,andinthegrassunderthetreesandthegrayurnsinthealcovesandhereandthereeverywhereweretouchesorsplashesofgoldandpurpleandwhiteandthetreeswereshowingpinkandsnowabovehisheadandtherewereflutteringofwingsandfaintsweetpipesandhummingandscentsandscents.
Andthesunfellwarmuponhisfacelikeahandwithalovelytouch.
AndinwonderMaryandDickonstoodandstaredathim.
Helookedsostrangeanddifferentbecauseapinkglowofcolorhadactuallycreptalloverhim—ivoryfaceandneckandhandsandall.
“Ishallgetwell!Ishallgetwell!”hecriedout.“Mary!Dickon!Ishallgetwell!AndIshallliveforeverandeverandever!”
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