English
WhenhisheadwasoutofsightColinturnedtoMary.
“Goandmeethim,”hesaid;andMaryflewacrossthegrasstothedoorundertheivy.
Dickonwaswatchinghimwithsharpeyes.Therewerescarletspotsonhischeeksandhelookedamazing,butheshowednosignsoffalling.
“Icanstand,”hesaid,andhisheadwasstillheldupandhesaiditquitegrandly.
“Itoldtheetha’couldassoonastha’stoppedbein’afraid,”answeredDickon.“An’tha’sstopped.”
“Yes,I’vestopped,”saidColin.
ThensuddenlyherememberedsomethingMaryhadsaid.
“AreyoumakingMagic?”heaskedsharply.
Dickon’scurlymouthspreadinacheerfulgrin.
“Tha’sdoin’Magicthysel’,”hesaid.“It’ssameMagicasmadethese‘ereworkouto’th’earth,”andhetouchedwithhisthickbootaclumpofcrocusesinthegrass.Colinlookeddownatthem.
“Aye,”hesaidslowly,“therecouldna’bebiggerMagicthanthatthere—therecouldna’be.”
Hedrewhimselfupstraighterthanever.
“I’mgoingtowalktothattree,”hesaid,pointingtooneafewfeetawayfromhim.
“I’mgoingtobestandingwhenWeatherstaffcomeshere.IcanrestagainstthetreeifIlike.
WhenIwanttositdownIwillsitdown,butnotbefore.Bringarugfromthechair.”
HewalkedtothetreeandthoughDickonheldhisarmhewaswonderfullysteady.
Whenhestoodagainstthetreetrunkitwasnottooplainthathesupportedhimselfagainstit,andhestillheldhimselfsostraightthathelookedtall.
WhenBenWeatherstaffcamethroughthedoorinthewallhesawhimstandingthereandheheardMarymutteringsomethingunderherbreath.
“Whatartsayin’?”heaskedrathertestilybecausehedidnotwanthisattentiondistractedfromthelongthinstraightboyfigureandproudface.
Butshedidnottellhim.Whatshewassayingwasthis:
“Youcandoit!Youcandoit!Itoldyouyoucould!Youcandoit!Youcandoit!Youcan!”
ShewassayingittoColinbecauseshewantedtomakeMagicandkeephimonhisfeetlookinglikethat.
ShecouldnotbearthatheshouldgiveinbeforeBenWeatherstaff.Hedidnotgivein.
Shewasupliftedbyasuddenfeelingthathelookedquitebeautifulinspiteofhisthinness.
HefixedhiseyesonBenWeatherstaffinhisfunnyimperiousway.
“Lookatme!”hecommanded.“Lookatmeallover!AmIahunchback?HaveIgotcrookedlegs?”
BenWeatherstaffhadnotquitegotoverhisemotion,buthehadrecoveredalittleandansweredalmostinhisusualway.
“Nottha’,”hesaid.“Nowto’th’sort.What’stha’beendoin’withthysel’—hidin’outo’sightan’lettin’folkthinktha’wascripplean’half-witted?”
“Half-witted!”saidColinangrily.“Whothoughtthat?”
“Lotso’fools,”saidBen.“Th’world’sfullo’jackassesbrayin’an’theyneverbraynowtbutlies.Whatdidtha’shutthysel’upfor?”
“EveryonethoughtIwasgoingtodie,”saidColinshortly.“I’mnot!”
AndhesaiditwithsuchdecisionBenWeatherstafflookedhimover,upanddown,downandup.
“Tha’die!”hesaidwithdryexultation.“Nowto’th’sort!Tha’sgottoomuchpluckinthee.
WhenIseedtheeputtha’legsonth’groundinsuchahurryIknowedtha’wasallright.
Sittheedownonth’rugabityoungMesteran’givemethyorders.”
Therewasaqueermixtureofcrabbedtendernessandshrewdunderstandinginhismanner.
MaryhadpouredoutspeechasrapidlyasshecouldastheyhadcomedowntheLongWalk.
Thechiefthingtoberemembered,shehadtoldhim,wasthatColinwasgettingwell—gettingwell.Thegardenwasdoingit.
Noonemustlethimrememberabouthavinghumpsanddying.
TheRajahcondescendedtoseathimselfonarugunderthetree.
“Whatworkdoyoudointhegardens,Weatherstaff?”heinquired.
“Anythin’I’mtoldtodo,”answeredoldBen.“I’mkep’onbyfavor—becauseshelikedme.”
“She?”saidColin.
“Tha’mother,”answeredBenWeatherstaff.
“Mymother?”saidColin,andhelookedabouthimquietly.“Thiswashergarden,wasn’tit?”
“Aye,itwasthat!”andBenWeatherstafflookedabouthimtoo.“Sheweremainfondofit.”
“Itismygardennow.Iamfondofit.
Ishallcomehereeveryday,”announcedColin.“Butitistobeasecret.
Myordersarethatnooneistoknowthatwecomehere.
Dickonandmycousinhaveworkedandmadeitcomealive.
Ishallsendforyousometimestohelp—butyoumustcomewhennoonecanseeyou.”
BenWeatherstaff’sfacetwisteditselfinadryoldsmile.
“I’vecomeherebeforewhennoonesawme,”hesaid.
“What!”exclaimedColin.
“When?”
“Th’lasttimeIwashere,”rubbinghischinandlookinground,“wasabouttwoyear’ago.”
“Butnoonehasbeeninitfortenyears!”criedColin.“Therewasnodoor!”
“I’mnoone,”saidoldBendryly.“An’Ididn’tcomethroughth’door.Icomeoverth’wall.Th’rheumaticsheldmebackth’lasttwoyear’.”
“Tha’comean’didabito’prunin’!”criedDickon.“Icouldn’tmakeouthowithadbeendone.”
“Shewassofondofit—shewas!”saidBenWeatherstaffslowly.“An’shewassuchaprettyyoungthing.
Shesaystomeonce,‘Ben,’saysshelaughin’,‘ifeverI’millorifIgoawayyoumusttakecareofmyroses.’
Whenshedidgoawayth’orderswasnoonewasevertocomenigh.ButIcome,”withgrumpyobstinacy.
“Overth’wallIcome—untilth’rheumaticsstoppedme—an’Ididabito’workonceayear.She’dgaveherorderfirst.”
“Itwouldn’thavebeenaswickasitisiftha’hadn’tdoneit,”saidDickon.“Ididwonder.”
“I’mgladyoudidit,Weatherstaff,”saidColin.“You’llknowhowtokeepthesecret.”
“Aye,I’llknow,sir,”answeredBen.“An,it’llbeeasierforamanwi’rheumaticstocomeinatth’door.”
OnthegrassnearthetreeMaryhaddroppedhertrowel.
Colinstretchedouthishandandtookitup.
Anoddexpressioncameintohisfaceandhebegantoscratchattheearth.
Histhinhandwasweakenoughbutpresentlyastheywatchedhim—Marywithquitebreathlessinterest—hedrovetheendofthetrowelintothesoilandturnedsomeover.
“Youcandoit!Youcandoit!”saidMarytoherself.“Itellyou,youcan!”
Dickon’sroundeyeswerefullofeagercuriousnessbuthesaidnotaword.BenWeatherstafflookedonwithinterestedface.
Colinpersevered.AfterhehadturnedafewtrowelfulsofsoilhespokeexultantlytoDickoninhisbestYorkshire.
“Tha’saidastha’dhavemewalkin’aboutheresameasotherfolk—an’tha’saidtha’dhavemediggin’.
Ithowttha’wasjustleein’topleaseme.
Thisisonlyth’firstdayan’I’vewalked—an’hereIamdiggin’.”
BenWeatherstaff’smouthfellopenagainwhenheheardhim,butheendedbychuckling.
“Eh!”hesaid,“thatsoundsasiftha’dgotwitsenow.Tha’rtaYorkshireladforsure.An’tha’rtdiggin’,too.How’dtha’liketoplantabito’somethin’?Icangettheearoseinapot.”
“Goandgetit!”saidColin,diggingexcitedly.“Quick!Quick!”
Itwasdonequicklyenoughindeed.BenWeatherstaffwenthiswayforgettingrheumatics.
Dickontookhisspadeanddugtheholedeeperandwiderthananewdiggerwiththinwhitehandscouldmakeit.
Maryslippedouttorunandbringbackawatering-can.
WhenDickonhaddeepenedtheholeColinwentonturningthesoftearthoverandover.
Helookedupatthesky,flushedandglowingwiththestrangelynewexercise,slightasitwas.
“Iwanttodoitbeforethesungoesquite—quitedown,”hesaid.
Marythoughtthatperhapsthesunheldbackafewminutesjustonpurpose.
BenWeatherstaffbroughttheroseinitspotfromthegreenhouse.
Hehobbledoverthegrassasfastashecould.Hehadbeguntobeexcited,too.
Hekneltdownbytheholeandbrokethepotfromthemould.
“Here,lad,”hesaid,handingtheplanttoColin.“Setitintheearththysel’sameasth’kingdoeswhenhegoestoanewplace.”
ThethinwhitehandsshookalittleandColin’sflushgrewdeeperashesettheroseinthemouldandhelditwhileoldBenmadefirmtheearth.
Itwasfilledinandpresseddownandmadesteady.
Marywasleaningforwardonherhandsandknees.
Soothadflowndownandmarchedforwardtoseewhatwasbeingdone.
NutandShellchatteredaboutitfromacherry-tree.
“It’splanted!”saidColinatlast.“Andthesunisonlyslippingovertheedge.Helpmeup,Dickon.Iwanttobestandingwhenitgoes.That’spartoftheMagic.”
AndDickonhelpedhim,andtheMagic—orwhateveritwas—sogavehimstrengththatwhenthesundidslipovertheedgeandendthestrangelovelyafternoonforthemthereheactuallystoodonhistwofeet—laughing.
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