English
Theyarrivedataverylargeoldhouse.Itlookeddarkandunfriendlyfromtheoutside.Inside,Marylookedaroundthebigshadowyhall,andfeltverysmallandlost.Theywentstraightupstairs.Marywasshowntoaroomwheretherewasawarmfireandfoodonthetable.
‘Thisisyourroom,’saidMrs.Medlock.‘Gotobedwhenyou’vehadsomesupper.Andremember,youmuststayinyourroom!Mr.Cravendoesn’twantyoutowanderalloverthehouse!’
WhenMarywokeupthenextmorning,shesawayoungservantgirlcleaningthefireplace.Theroomseemeddarkandratherstrange,withpicturesofdogsandhorsesandladiesonthewalls.
Itwasnotachild’sroomatall.Fromthewindowshecouldnotseeanytreesorhouses,onlywildland,whichlookedlikeakindofpurplesea.
‘Whoareyou?’sheaskedtheservantcoldly.
‘Martha,miss,’answeredthegirlwithasmile.
‘Andwhat’sthatoutside?’Marycontinued.
‘That’sthemoor,’smiledMartha.‘Doyoulikeit?’
‘No,’repliedMaryimmediately.‘Ihateit.’
‘That’sbecauseyoudon’tknowit.Youwilllikeit.Iloveit.It’slovelyinspringandsummerwhenthereareflowers.Italwayssmellssosweet.Theair’ssofresh,andthebirdssingsobeautifully,Ineverwanttoleavethemoor.’
Marywasfeelingverybad-tempered.‘You’reastrangeservant,’shesaid.‘InIndiawedon’thaveconversationswithservants.Wegiveorders,andtheyobey,andthat’sthat.’
MarthadidnotseemtomindMary’scrossness.
‘IknowItalktoomuch!’shelaughed.
‘Areyougoingtobemyservant?’askedMary.
‘Well,notreally.IworkforMrs.Medlock.I’mgoingtocleanyourroomandbringyouyourfood,butyouwon’tneedaservantexceptforthosethings.’
‘Butwho’sgoingtodressme?’
Marthastoppedcleaning,andstaredatMary.
‘That’canna’dressthese?’sheasked,shocked.
‘Whatdoyoumean?Idon’tunderstandyourlanguage!’
‘Oh,Iforgot.WeallspeaktheYorkshiredialecthere,butofcourseyoudon’tunderstandthe…Imeanttosay,can’tyouputonyourownclothes?’
‘Ofcoursenot!Myservantalwaysusedtodressme.’
‘Well!Ithinkyoushouldlearntodressyourself.Mymotheralwayssayspeopleshouldbeabletotakecareofthemselves,evenifthey’rerichandimportant.’
LittleMissMarywasfuriouswithMartha.‘It’sdifferentinIndiawhereIcomefrom!Youdon’tknowanythingaboutIndia,oraboutservants,oraboutanything!You...you...‘Shecouldnotexplainwhatshemeant.Suddenlyshefeltveryconfusedandlonely.Shethrewherselfdownonthebedandstartedcryingwildly.
‘Now,now,don’tcrylikethat,’Marthasaidgently.‘I’mverysorry.You’reright,Idon’tknowanythingaboutanything.Pleasestopcrying,miss.’
Shesoundedkindandfriendly,andMarybegantofeelbetterandsoonstoppedcrying.Marthawentontalkingasshefinishedhercleaning,butMarylookedoutofthewindowinaboredway,andpretendednottolisten.
‘I’vegotelevenbrothersandsisters,youknow,miss.There’snotmuchmoneyinourhouse.Andtheyalleatsomuchfood!Mothersaysit’sthegoodfreshaironthemoorthatmakesthemsohungry.MybrotherDickon,he’salwaysoutonthemoor.He’stwelve,andhe’sgotahorsewhichheridessometimes.’
‘Wheredidhegetit?’askedMary.Shehadalwayswantedananimalofherown,andsoshebegantofeelalittleinterestinDickon.
‘Oh,it’sawildhorse,buthe’sakindboy,andanimalslikehim,yousee.Nowyoumusthaveyourbreakfast,miss.Hereitisonthetable.’
‘Idon’twantit,’saidMary.‘I’mnothungry.’
‘What!’criedMartha.‘Mylittlebrothersandsisterswouldeatallthisinfiveminutes!’
‘Why?’askedMarycoldly.
‘Becausetheydon’tgetenoughtoeat,that’swhy,andthey’realwayshungry.You’reveryluckytohavethefood,miss.’Marysaidnothing,butshedranksometeaandatealittlebread.
‘Nowputacoatonandrunoutsidetoplay,’saidMartha.‘It’lldoyougoodtobeinthefreshair.’
Marylookedoutofthewindowatthecoldgreysky.‘WhyshouldIgooutonadaylikethis?’sheasked.
‘Well,there’snothingtoplaywithindoors,isthere?’
MaryrealizedMarthawasright.‘Butwhowillgowithme?’shesaid.
Marthastaredather.‘Nobody.You’llhavetolearntoplaybyyourself.Dickonplaysbyhimselfonthemoorsforhours,withthewildbirds,andthesheep,andtheotheranimals.’Shelookedawayforamoment.‘PerhapsIshouldn’ttellyouthis,but–butoneofthewalledgardensislockedup.Nobody’sbeeninitfortenyears.ItwasMrsCraven’sgarden,andwhenshediedsosuddenly,Mr.Cravenlockeditandburiedthekey–Oh,Imustgo,IcanhearMrs.Medlock’sbellringingforme.’
Marywentdownstairsandwanderedthroughthegreatemptygardens.Manyofthefruitandvegetablegardenshadwallsroundthem,buttherewerenolockeddoors.Shesawanoldmandigginginoneofthevegetablegardens,buthelookedcrossandunfriendly,soshewalkedon.
‘Howuglyitalllooksinwinter!’shethought.‘Butwhatamysterythelockedgardenis!Whydidmyuncleburythekey?Ifhelovedhiswife,whydidhehatehergarden?PerhapsI’llneverknow.Idon’tsupposeI’lllikehimifIevermeethim.Andhewon’tlikeme,soIwon’tbeabletoaskhim.’
Justthenshenoticedarobinsingingtoherfromatreeontheothersideofawall.‘Ithinkthattree’sinthesecretgarden!’shetoldherself.‘There’sanextrawallhere,andthere’snowayin.’
Shewentbacktowherethegardenerwasdigging,andspoketohim.Atfirstheansweredinaverybad-temperedway,butsuddenlytherobinflewdownnearthem,andtheoldmanbegantosmile.
Helookedadifferentpersonthen,andMarythoughthowmuchnicerpeoplelookedwhentheysmiled.Thegardenerspokegentlytotherobin,andtheprettylittlebirdhoppedonthegroundnearthem.
‘He’smyfriend,heis,’saidtheoldman.‘Therearen’tanyotherrobinsinthegarden,sohe’sabitlonely.’HespokeinstrongYorkshiredialect,soMaryhadtolistencarefullytounderstandhim.
Shelookedveryhardattherobin.‘I’mlonelytoo,’shesaid.Shehadnotrealizedthisbefore.
‘What’syourname?’sheaskedthegardener.
‘BenWeatherstaff.I’mlonelymyself.Therobin’smyonlyfriend,yousee.’
‘Ihaven’tgotanyfriendsatall,’saidMary.
Yorkshirepeoplealwayssaywhattheyarethinking,andoldBenwasaYorkshiremoorman.‘We’realike,youandme,’hetoldMary.‘We’renotprettytolookat,andwe’rebothverydisagreeable.’
NobodyhadeversaidthistoMarybefore.‘AmIreallyasuglyanddisagreeableasBen?’shewondered.
SuddenlytherobinflewtoatreenearMaryandstartedsingingtoher.Benlaughedloudly.
‘Well!’hesaid.‘Hewantstobeyourfriend!’
‘Oh!Wouldyoupleasebemyfriend?’shewhisperedtotherobin.Shespokeinasoft,quietvoiceandoldBenlookedatherinsurprise.
‘Yousaidthatreallynicely!’hesaid.‘YousoundlikeDickon,whenhetalkstoanimalsonthemoor.’
‘DoyouknowDickon?’askedMary.Butjustthentherobinflewaway.‘Ohlook,he’sflownintothegardenwithnodoor!Please,Ben,howcanIgetintoit?’
Benstoppedsmilingandpickeduphisspade.‘Youcan’t,andthat’sthat.It’snotyourbusiness.Nobodycanfindthedoor.Runawayandplay,willyou?Imustgetonwithmywork.’Andhewalkedaway.Hedidnotevensaygoodbye.
InthenextfewdaysMaryspentalmostallhertimeinthegardens.Thefreshairfromthemoormadeherhungry,–andshewasbecomingstrongerandhealthier.Onedayshenoticedtherobinagain.
Hewasontopofawall,singingtoher.‘Goodmorning!Isn’tthisfun!Comethisway!’heseemedtosay,ashehoppedalongthewallMarybegantolaughasshedancedalongbesidehim.‘Iknowthesecretgarden’sontheothersideofthiswall!’shethoughtexcitedly.‘Andtherobinlivesthere!Butwhere’sthedoor?’
ThateveningsheaskedMarthatostayandtalktoherbesidethefireaftersupper.Theycouldhearthewindblowingroundtheoldhouse,buttheroomwaswarmandcomfortable.Maryonlyhadoneideainherhead.
‘Tellmeaboutthesecretgarden,’shesaid.
‘Well,allrightthen,miss,butwearen’tsupposedtotalkaboutit,youknow.ItwasMrs.Craven’sfavoritegarden,andsheandMr.Cravenusedtotakecareofitthemselves.Theyspenthoursthere,readingandtalking.Veryhappy,theywere.Theyusedthebranchofanoldtreeasaseat.Butonedaywhenshewassittingonthebranch,itbroke,andshefell.Shewasverybadlyhurtandthenextdayshedied.That’swhyhehatesthegardensomuch,andwon’tletanyonegointhere.’
‘Howsad!’saidMary.‘PoorMrCraven!’Itwasthefirsttimethatshehadeverfeltsorryforanyone.
Justthen,asshewaslisteningtothewindoutside,sheheardanothernoise,inthehouse.
‘Canyouhearachildcrying?’sheaskedMartha.
Marthalookedconfused.‘Er–no,’shereplied.‘No,Ithink...itmustbethewind.’
Butatthatmomentthewindblewopentheirdoorandtheyheardthecryingveryclearly.
‘Itoldyou!’criedMary.
AtonceMarthashutthedoor.‘Itwasthewind,’sherepeated.Butshedidnotspeakinherusualnaturalway,andMarydidnotbelieveher.
Thenextdayitwasveryrainy,soMarydidnotgooutInsteadshedecidedtowanderroundthehouse,lookingintosomeofthehundredroomsthatMrsMedlockhadtoldherabout.
Shespentallmorninggoinginandoutofdark,silentrooms,whichwerefullofheavyfurnitureandoldpicturesShesawnoservantsatall,andwasonherwaybacktoherroomforlunch,whensheheardacry.‘It’sabitlikethecrythatIheardlastnight!’shethought.
Justthenthehousekeeper,MrsMedlock,appeared,withherkeysinherhand.
‘Whatareyoudoinghere?’sheaskedcrossly.
‘Ididn’tknowwhichwaytogo,andIheardsomeonecrying,’answeredMary.
‘Youdidn’thearanything!Gobacktoyourroomnow.Andifyoudon’tstaythere,I’lllockyouin!’
MaryhatedMrsMedlockforthis.Therewassomeonecrying,Iknowtherewas!’shesaidtoherself.‘ButI’lldiscoverwhoitissoon!’ShewasalmostbeginningtoenjoyherselfinYorkshire.
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