English
InthemiddleofthenightMarywokeup.Heavyrainhadstartedfallingagain,andthewindwasblowingviolentlyroundthewallsoftheoldhouse.
Suddenlysheheardcryingagain.Thistimeshedecidedtodiscoverwhoitwas.Sheleftherroom,andinthedarknessfollowedthecryingsound,roundcornersandthroughdoors,upanddownstairs,totheothersideofthebighouse.
Atlastshefoundtherightroom.Shepushedthedooropenandwentin.
Itwasabigroomwithbeautifuloldfurnitureandpictures.Inthelargebedwasaboy,wholookedtiredandcross,withathin,white,tearfulface.HestaredatMary.
‘Whoareyou?’hewhispered.‘Areyouadream?’
‘No,I’mnot.I’mMaryLennox.Mr.Craven’smyuncle.’
‘He’smyfather,’saidtheboy.‘I’mColinCraven.’
‘Nooneevertoldmehehadason!’saidMary,verysurprised.
‘Well,nooneevertoldmeyou’dcometolivehere.I’mill,yousee.Idon’twantpeopletoseemeandtalkaboutme.IfIlive,Imayhaveacrookedbacklikemyfather,butI’llprobablydie.’
‘Whatastrangehousethisis!’saidMary.‘Somanysecrets!Doesyourfathercomeandseeyouoften?’
‘Notoften.Hedoesn’tlikeseeingmebecauseitmakeshimremembermymother.ShediedwhenIwasborn,sohealmosthatesme,Ithink.’
‘Whydoyousayyou’regoingtodie?’askedMary.
‘I’vealwaysbeenill.I’venearlydiedseveraltimes,andmyback’sneverbeenstrong.MydoctorfeelssurethatI’mgoingtodie.Buthe’smyfather’scousin,andverypoor,sohe’dlikemetodie.Thenhe’dgetallthemoneywhenmyfatherdies.Hegivesmemedicineandtellsmetorest.WehadagranddoctorfromLondononce,whotoldmetogooutinthefreshairandtrytogetwell.ButIhatefreshair.Andanotherthing,alltheservantshavetodowhatIwant,becauseifI’mangry,Ibecomeill.’
Marythoughtshelikedthisboy,althoughheseemedsostrange.Heaskedherlotsofquestions,andshetoldhimallaboutherlifeinIndia.
‘Howoldareyou?’heaskedsuddenly.
‘I’mten,andsoareyou,’repliedMary,forgettingtobecareful,‘becausewhenyouwerebornthegardendoorwaslockedandthekeywasburied.AndIknowthatwastenyearsago.’
Colinsatupinbedandlookedveryinterested.‘Whatdoor?Wholockedit?Where’sthekey?Iwanttoseeit.I’llmaketheservantstellmewhereitis.They’lltakemethereandyoucancometoo.’
‘Oh,please!Don’t–don’tdothat!’criedMary.
Colinstaredather.‘Don’tyouwanttoseeit?’
‘Yes,butifyoumakethemopenthedoor,itwillneverbeasecretagain.Yousee,ifonlyweknowaboutit,ifwe–ifwecanfindthekey,wecangoandplaythereeveryday.Wecanhelpthegardencomealiveagain.Andnoonewillknowaboutit–exceptus!’
‘Isee,’saidColinslowly.‘Yes,I’dlikethat.It’llbeoursecret.I’veneverhadasecretbefore.’
‘Andperhaps,’addedMarycleverly,‘wecanfindaboytopushyouinyourwheelchair,ifyoucan’twalk,andwecangotheretogetherwithoutanyotherpeople.You’llfeelbetteroutside.IknowIdo.’
‘I’dlikethat,’hesaiddreamily.‘IthinkI’dlikefreshair,inasecretgarden.’
ThenMarytoldhimaboutthemoor,andDickon,andBenWeatherstaff,andtherobin,andColinlistenedtoitallwithgreatinterest.Hebegantosmileandlookmuchhappier.
‘Ilikehavingyouhere,’hesaid.‘Youmustcomeandseemeeveryday.ButI’mtirednow.’
‘I’llsingyouasong.MyservantKamalausedtodothatinIndia,’saidMary,andverysoonColinwasasleep.
ThenextafternoonMaryvisitedColinagain,andheseemedverypleasedtoseeher.HehadsenthisnurseawayandhadtoldnobodyaboutMary’svisit.Maryhadnottoldanybodyeither.
Theyreadsomeofhisbookstogether,andtoldeachotherstories.Theywereenjoyingthemselvesandlaughingloudlywhensuddenlythedooropened.DrCravenandMrsMedlockcamein.Theyalmostfelloverinsurprise.
‘What’shappeninghere?’askedDrCraven.
Colinsatupstraight.ToMaryhelookedjustlikeanIndianprince.‘Thisismycousin,MaryLennox,’hesaidcalmly.‘Ilikeher.Shemustvisitmeoften.’
‘Oh,I’msorry,sir,’saidpoorMrs.Medlocktothedoctor.‘Idon’tknowhowshediscoveredhim.Itoldtheservantstokeepitasecret.’
‘Don’tbestupid,Medlock,’saidtheIndianprincecoldly.‘Nobodytoldher.Sheheardmecryingandfoundmeherself.Bringourteaupnow.’
‘I’mafraidyou’regettingtoohotandexcited,myboy,’saidDrCraven.‘That’snotgoodforyou.Don’tforgetyou’reill.’
‘Iwanttoforget!’saidColin.‘I’llbeangryifMarydoesn’tvisitme!Shemakesmefeelbetter.’
DrCravendidnotlookhappywhenhelefttheroom.‘Whatachangeintheboy,sir!’saidthehousekeeper.‘He’susuallysodisagreeablewithallofus.Hereallyseemstolikethatstrangelittlegirl.Andhedoeslookbetter.’DrCravenhadtoagree.
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