English
Becauseitrainedallthenextweek,MarywenttotalktoColineverydayinsteadofvisitingthegarden.Butshewokeearlyonemorningtoseethesunshiningintoherroom,andsheranouttothesecretgardenatonce.
Shedidnotevenwaittohaveherbreakfast.Itwasbeautifullysunnyandwarm,andathousandmoreshootswerepushingtheirwayoutoftheground.Dickonwasalreadythere,digginghard,withthecrowandayoungfoxbesidehim.
‘Haveyouseentherobin?’heaskedMary.Thelittlebirdwasflyingbusilybackwardsandforwardsasfastashecould,carryingpiecesofdrygrass.
‘He’sbuildinganest!’whisperedMary.Theywatchedtherobinforamoment.ThenMarysaid,
‘Imusttellyousomething.YouprobablyknowaboutColinCraven,don’tyou?Well,I’vemethim,andI’mgoingtohelphimtogetbetter.’
‘That’sgoodnews.’TherewasabigsmileonDickon’shonestface.‘Weallknewhewasill.’
‘He’safraidhe’llhaveacrookedbacklikehisfather.Ithinkthat’swhat’smakinghimill.’
‘PerhapswecanbringhimhereandJethimrestunderthetrees.That’lldohimgood.That’swhatwe’lldo.’
TheyhadaJotofgardeningandplanningtodoandMarydidnothavetimetovisitColinthatday.Whenshecamebacktothehouseintheevening,MarthatoldherthattheservantshadhadtroublewithColin.
‘He’sbeenverybad-temperedallafternoonwithallofus,becauseyoudidn’tcome,miss,’
‘Well,Iwasbusy.He’llhavetolearnnottobesoselfish,’repliedMarycoldly.SheforgothowselfishshehadbeenwhenshewasillinIndia.‘I’llgoandseehimnow.’
Whenshewentintohisroom,hewaslyinginbed,lookingtired.Hedidnotturntolookather.
‘What’sthematterwithyou?’sheaskedcrossly.
‘Mybackachesandmyheadhurts.Whydidn’tyoucomethisafternoon?’
‘IwasworkinginthegardenwithDickon.’
‘Iwon’tletthatboycometothegardenifyoustaywithhiminsteadoftalkingtome!’
Marysuddenlybecameveryangry.‘IfyousendDickonaway,I’llnevercomeintothisroomagain!’
‘You’llhaveto,ifIsayso.I’llmaketheservantsbringyouinhere.’
‘Oh,willyou,prince!Butnoonecanmakemetalktoyou.Iwon’tlookatyou.I’llstareatthefloor!’
‘Youselfishgirl!’criedColin.
‘You’remoreselfishthanIam.You’rethemostselfishboyI’veevermet!’
‘I’mnotasselfishasyourfineDickon!HekeepsyouplayingoutsidewhenheknowsI’millandalone!’
Maryhadneverbeensofurious.‘Dickonisnicerthananyotherboyintheworld!He’slikeanangel!’
‘Anangel!Don’tmakemelaugh!He’sjustapoorcountryboy,withholesinhisshoes!’
‘He’sathousandtimesbetterthanyouare!’Colinhadneverarguedwithanyonelikehimselfinhislife,andinfactitwasgoodforhim.Butnowhewasbeginningtofeelsorryforhimself.
‘I’malwaysill,’hesaid,andstartedtocry.‘I’msuremybackisabitcrooked.AndI’mgoingtodie!’
‘No,you’renot!’saidMarycrossly.
Colinopenedhiseyesverywide.Nobodyhadsaidthattohimbefore.Hewasangry,butabitpleasedatthesametime.‘Whatdoyoumean?YouknowI’mgoingtodie!EverybodysaysI’mgoingtodie!’
‘Idon’tbelieveit!’saidMaryinhermostdisagreeablevoice,‘Youjustsaythattomakepeoplefeelsorryforyou.You’retoohorridtodie!’
Colinforgotabouthispainfulbackandsatupinbed,Getoutoftheroomatonce!’heshouted,andthrewabookather.
‘I’mgoing,’Maryshoutedinreply,‘andIwon’tcomeback!’Thedoorbangedshutbehindher.
Whenshereachedherownroom,shehaddecidednevertotellhimhergreatsecret.‘Hecanstayinhisroomanddieifhewants!’shethought.
Butsoonshebegantorememberhowillhehadbeen,andhowfrightenedhewas,frightenedthatonedayhisbackwouldbecomeascrookedashisfather’s.‘Perhaps…perhapsI’llgobackandseehimtomorrow!’
Thatnightshewaswokenbythemostterriblescreamsthatshehadeverheard.Servantswereopeningandshuttingdoorsandrunningabout.
‘It’sColin!’thoughtMary.‘He’llgoonscreaminguntilhemakeshimselfreallyill!Howselfishheis!Somebodyshouldstophim!’
JustthenMartharanintotheroom.‘Wedon’tknowwhattodo!’shecried.‘Helikesyou,miss!Comeandseeifyoucanmakehimcalmer,please!’
‘Well,I’mverycrosswithhim,’saidMary,andjumpedoutofbed.‘I’mgoingtostophim!’
‘That’sright,’saidMartha.‘Heneedssomeonelikeyou,toarguewith.It’llgivehimsomethingnewtothinkabout.’
MaryranintoColin’sroom,rightuptohisbed.
‘Stopscreaming!’sheshoutedfuriously.‘Stopatonce!Ihateyou!Everybodyhatesyou!You’lldieifyougoonscreaminglikethis,andIhopeyouwill!’
Thescreamsstoppedimmediately.ThiswasthefirsttimethatanyonehadspokensoangrilytoColin,andhewasshocked.Buthewentoncryingquietlytohimself.
‘Myback’sbecomingcrooked,Icanfeelit!IknowI’mgoingtodie!’Largetearsrandownhisface.
‘Don’tbestupid!’criedMary.‘There’snothingthematterwithyourhorridback!Martha,comehereandhelpmelookathisback!’
MarthaandMrsMedlockwerestandingatthedoor,staringatMary,theirmouthshalfopen.Theybothlookedveryfrightened.
Marthacameforwardtohelp,andMissMarylookedcarefullyatColin’sthinwhiteback,upanddown.Herfacewasseriousandangryatthesametime.Theroomwasveryquiet.
‘There’snothingwrongwithyourback!’shesaidatlast.‘Nothingatall!It’sasstraightasmine!’
OnlyColinknewhowimportantthosecrosslyspoken,childishwordswere.Allhislifehehadbeenafraidtoaskabouthisback,andhisterriblefearhadmadehimill.
Nowanangrylittlegirltoldhimhisbackwasstraight,andhebelievedher.Hewasnolongerafraid.
Theywerebothcalmernow.HegaveMaryhishand.‘Ithink–I’malmostsureIwilllive,ifwecangooutinthegardentogethersometimes.I’mverytirednow.WillyoustaywithmeuntilIgotosleep?’
Theservantswentoutveryquietly.
‘I’lltellyouallaboutthesecretgarden,’whisperedMary.‘Ithinkit’sfullofrosesandbeautifulflowers.Birdslikemakingtheirneststherebecauseit’ssoquietandsafe.Andperhapsourrobin…‘
ButColinwasalreadyasleep.
ThenextdayMarymetDickonasusualinthesecretgarden,andtoldhimaboutColin.MarylovedDickon’sYorkshiredialectandwastryingtolearnitherself.Shespokealittlenow.
‘WemungetpoorColinouthereinth’sunshine–an’weunknotlosenotimeaboutit!’
Dickonlaughed.‘Welldone!Ididn’tknowyoucouldspeakYorkshire!You’reright.WemustbringColintothegardenassoonaswecan,’
SothatafternoonshewenttoseeColin.
‘I’msorryIsaidI’dsendDickonaway,’hesaid.‘Ihatedyouwhenyousaidhewaslikeanangel!’
‘Well,he’safunnykindofangel,butheunderstandswildanimalsbetterthananyone.’Suddenly,Maryknewthatthiswastherightmomenttotellhim.Shecaughtholdofhishands.‘Colin,thisisimportant.Canyoukeepasecret?’
‘Yes-yes!’hewhisperedexcitedly.‘Whatisit?’
‘We’vefoundthedoorintothesecretgarden!’
‘OhMary!WillIlivelongenoughtoseeit?’
‘Ofcourseyouwill!Don’tbestupid!’saidMarycrossly.Hutitwasaverynaturalthingtosay,andtheybothlaughed.
ColintoldMrsMedlockandthedoctorthathewantedtogooutinhiswheelchair.Atfirstthedoctorwasworriedtheboywouldgettootired,butwhenheheardthatDickonwouldpushthewheelchair,heagreed.
‘Dickon’sasensibleboy,’hetoldColin.‘Butdon’tforgot-—’
‘I’vetoldyou,IwanttoforgetthatI’mill,’saidColininhisprince’svoice.‘Don’tyouunderstand?It’sbecausemycousinmakesmeforgetthatIfeelbetterwhenI’mwithher.’
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