English
NobodyseemedtocareaboutMary.ShewasborninIndia,whereherfatherwasaBritishofficial.
Hewasbusywithhiswork,andhermother,whowasverybeautiful,spentallhertimegoingtoparties.SoanIndianwoman,Kamala,waspaidtotakecareofthelittlegirl.
Marywasnotaprettychild.Shehadathinangryfaceandthinyellowhair.ShewasalwaysgivingorderstoKamala,whohadtoobey.
Maryneverthoughtofotherpeople,butonlyofherself.Infact,shewasaveryselfish,disagreeable,bad-temperedlittlegirl.
Oneveryhotmorning,whenshewasaboutnineyearsold,shewokeupandsawthatinsteadofKamalatherewasadifferentIndianservantbyherbed.
‘Whatareyoudoinghere?’sheaskedcrossly.‘Goaway!AndsendKamalatomeatonce!’
Thewomanlookedafraid.‘I’msorry,MissMary,she–she–shecan’tcome!’
Somethingstrangewashappeningthatday.Someofthehouseservantsweremissingandeverybodylookedfrightened.ButnobodytoldMaryanything,andKamalastilldidnotcome.SoatlastMarywentoutintothegarden,andplayedbyherselfunderatree.
Shepretendedshewasmakingherownflowergarden,andpickedlargeredflowerstopushintotheground.Allthetimeshewassayingcrosslytoherself,
‘IhateKamala!I’llhitherwhenshecomesback!’
Justthenshesawhermothercomingintothegarden,withayoungEnglishman.Theydidnotnoticethechild,wholistenedtotheirconversation.
‘It’sverybad,isit?’hermotheraskedtheyoungmaninaworriedvoice.
‘Verybad,’heansweredseriously.‘Peoplearedyinglikeflies.It’sdangeroustostayinthistown.Youshouldgotothehills,wherethere’snodisease.’
‘Oh,Iknow!’shecried.‘Wemustleavesoon!’
Suddenlytheyheardloudcriescomingfromtheservants’rooms,atthesideofthehouse.
‘What’shappened?’criedMary’smotherwildly,
‘Ithinkoneofyourservantshasjustdied.Youdidn’ttellmethediseaseishere,inyourhouse!’
‘Ididn’tknow!’shescreamed.‘Quick,comewithme!’Andtogethertheyranintothehouse.
NowMaryunderstoodwhatwaswrong.Theterriblediseasehadalreadykilledmanypeopleinthetown,andinallthehousespeopleweredying.InMary’shouseitwasKamalawhohadjustdied.Laterthatdaythreemoreservantsdiedthere.
Allthroughthenightandthenextdaypeopleraninandoutofthehouse,shoutingandcrying.NobodythoughtofMary.
Shehidinherbedroom,frightenedbythestrangeandterriblesoundsthatsheheardaroundher.Sometimesshecriedandsometimessheslept.
Whenshewokethenextday,thehousewassilent.
‘Perhapsthediseasehasgone,’shethought,‘andeverybodyiswellagain.IwonderwhowilltakecareofmeinsteadofKamala?Whydoesn’tsomeonebringmesomefood?It’sstrangethehouseissoquiet.’
Butjustthensheheardmen’svoicesinthehall.
‘Howsad!’saidone.‘Thatbeautifulwoman!’
‘Therewasachildtoo,wasn’tthere?’saidtheother.‘Althoughnoneofuseversawher.’
Marywasstandinginthemiddleofherroomwhentheyopenedthedoorafewminuteslater.Thetwomenjumpedbackinsurprise.
‘MynameisMaryLennox,’shesaidcrossly.‘Iwasasleepwheneveryonewasill,andnowI’mhungry.’
‘It’sthechild,theonenobodyeversaw!’saidtheoldermantotheother.‘They’veallforgottenher!’
‘WhywasIforgotten?’askedMaryangrily.‘Whyhasnobodycometotakecareofme?’
Theyoungermanlookedatherverysadly.‘Poorchild!’hesaid.‘Yousee,there’snobodyleftaliveinthehouse.Sonobodycancome.’
InthisstrangeandsuddenwayMarylearntthatbothhermotherandherfatherhaddied.
Thefewservantswhohadnotdiedhadrunawayinthenight.NoonehadrememberedlittleMissMary.Shewasallalone.
Becauseshehadneverknownherparentswell,shedidnotmissthematall.Sheonlythoughtofherself,asshehadalwaysdone.
‘WherewillIlive?’shewondered.‘IhopeI’llstaywithpeoplewho’llletmedowhatIwant.’
AtfirstshewastakentoanEnglishfamilywhohadknownherparents.Shehatedtheiruntidyhouseandnoisychildren,andpreferredplayingbyherselfinthegarden.
Onedayshewasplayingherfavouritegame,pretendingtomakeagarden,whenoneofthechildren,Basil,offeredtohelp.
‘Goaway!’criedMary.‘Idon’twantyourhelp!’
ForamomentBasillookedangry,andthenhebegantolaugh.HedancedroundandroundMary,andsangafunnylittlesongaboutMissMaryandherstupidflowers.ThismadeMaryverycrossindeed.Noonehadeverlaughedathersounkindly.
‘You’regoinghomesoon,’saidBasil.‘Andwe’reallverypleasedyou’releaving!’
‘I’mpleasedtoo,’repliedMary.‘Butwhere’shome?’
‘You’restupidifyoudon’tknowthat!’laughedBasil.‘England,ofcourse!You’regoingtolivewithyouruncle,Mr.ArchibaldCraven.’
‘I’veneverheardofhim,’saidMarycoldly.
‘ButIknowabouthimbecauseIheardFatherandMothertalking,’saidBasil.‘Helivesinabiglonelyoldhouse,andhasnofriends,becausehe’ssobad-tempered.He’sgotacrookedback,andhe’shorrid!’
‘Idon’tbelieveyou!’criedMary.ButthenextdayBasil’sparentsexplainedthatshewasgoingtolivewithheruncleinYorkshire,inthenorthofEngland.Marylookedboredandcrossandsaidnothing.
Afterthelongseajourney,shewasmetinLondonbyMrCraven’shousekeeper,Mrs.Medlock.Togethertheytravellednorthbytrain.
MrsMedlockwasalargewoman,withaveryredfaceandbrightblackeyes.Marydidnotlikeher,butthatwasnotsurprising,becauseshedidnotusuallylikepeople.MrsMedlockdidnotlikeMaryeither.
‘Whatadisagreeablechild!’thoughtthehousekeeper.‘ButperhapsIshouldtalktoher.’
‘Icantellyouabitaboutyouruncleifyoulike,’shesaidaloud.‘Helivesinabigoldhouse,alongwayfromanywhere.Therearenearlyahundredrooms,butmostofthemareshutandlocked.There’sabigparkroundthehouse,andallkindsofgardens.Well,whatdoyouthinkofthat?’
‘Nothing,’repliedMary.‘Itdoesn’tmattertome.’
MrsMedlocklaughed.‘You’reahardlittlegirl!Well,ifyoudon’tcare,MrCravendoesn’teither.Heneverspendstimeonanyone.He’sgotacrookedback,yousee,andalthoughhe’salwaysbeenrich,hewasneverreallyhappyuntilhemarried.’
‘Married?’repeatedMaryinsurprise.
‘Yes,hemarriedasweet,prettygirl,andhelovedherdeeply.Sowhenshedied—’
‘Oh!Didshedie?’askedMary,interested.
‘Yes,shedid.Andnowhedoesn’tcareaboutanybody.Ifhe’sathome,hestaysinhisroomandseesnobody.Hewon’twanttoseeyou,soyoumuststayoutofhiswayanddowhatyou’retold.’
Marystaredoutofthetrainwindowatthegreyskyandtherain.Shewasnotlookingforwardtolifeatheruncle’shouse.
Thetrainjourneylastedallday,anditwasdarkwhentheyarrivedatthestation.Thentherewasalongdrivetogettothehouse.
Itwasacold,Indynight,anditwasrainingheavily.AfterawhileMarybegantohearastrange,wildnoise.Shelookedoutofthewindow,butcouldseenothingexceptthedarkness.
‘What’sthatnoise?’sheaskedMrs.Medlock.‘It’s–It’snotthesea,isit?’
‘No,that’sthemoor.It’sthesoundthewindmakes,blowingacrossthemoor.’
‘Whatisamoor?’
‘It’sjustmilesandmilesofwildland,withnotreesorhouses.Youruncle’shouseisrightontheedgeofthemoor.’
Marylistenedtothestrange,frighteningsound.‘Idon’tlikeit,’shethought.‘Idon’tlikeit.’Shelookedmoredisagreeablethanever.
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