chapter3-page_49-65

CHAPTER 3

That night, as Mary was sleeping in her bed, she was woken up by the sound of rain against

her window. It was raining hard and the wind was blowing around the walls of the old house.

Mary set up in bed and felt miserable and angry. She could not go to sleep again. She lay awake

and turned from side to side for about an hour. Then suddenly she heard something. She turned

her head toward the door and listened.

That's not the wind, she said to herself. It's different. It's that crying I heard before.

She listened for a few minutes and she was certain that it was not the wind. She got out of bed.

I'm going to find out what it is, she said. She took the candle that was by her bedside

and went softly out of the room. She followed the crying sound through the corridors and

doors. She turned corners and went up and downstairs. At last she found the right door.

She pushed it open and went in. She was now standing in the room. It was a big room with

beautiful old furniture in it. There was a low fire burning in the fireplace and a night

light burning by the side of a bed. There was a boy lying on the bed crying. The boy had

a sharp white face with big grey eyes. He looked tired and ill. Mary moved across the room with

her.

Who are you? He whispered. Are you a ghost?

No, I am not. Mary answered. Are you?

No, he replied. I am Colin. Colin Craven. Who are you?

I'm Mary Lennox. Mr. Craven is my uncle. He is my father, said Colin.

Your father, said Mary. She was very surprised. No one told me he had a son.

Come here, he said. He looked anxious.

She came close to the bed. He put out his hand and touched her arm.

Where did you come from? He asked. From my own room, I heard someone crying.

Why were you crying? Because I couldn't go to sleep and my head ached. Tell me your name

again.

Mary Lennox. Did no one ever tell you I had come to live here?

No, he answered. They were afraid to tell me.

Why? Asked Mary.

Because I don't want people to see me. I am always ill and I have to lie down.

My father won't let people talk about me either. If I live, I may have a crooked back.

But I'll probably die.

Oh, what a strange house this is, said Mary.

So many secrets.

Rooms are locked up and gardens are locked up. Have you been locked up too?

No, I stay in this room because I don't want to go out. I get too tired when I go outside.

Does your father come and see you?

Not often. He doesn't want to see me. My mother died when I was born.

He remembers her when he looks at me. It makes him very sad. He almost hates me.

Have you always been here? Asked Mary.

Nearly always. I used to wear an iron thing to keep my back straight.

But a doctor came from London to see me and said it was unnecessary.

He told them to take it off and keep me out in the fresh air.

I hate fresh air and I don't want to go out.

Do you want me to go away? Asked Mary.

No, said Colin. Sit down and talk. I want to hear about you.

Mary put down her candle on the table near the bed and sat down on the stool.

Colin asked her many questions.

How long had she been in the house? Where was her room?

What had she been doing? Did she dislike them more?

Where had she lived before she came to Yorkshire?

She answered all these questions and he listened.

She told him about India and about her voyage across the ocean.

She realized that he had not learned things like other children.

But he had learned to read when he was quite young and he loved to read.

How old are you? He asked.

I am ten answered Mary. And you are ten too.

How do you know that Colin said he was surprised?

Because when you were born the garden door was locked.

And it has been locked for ten years.

What garden door was locked? Who did it?

He was suddenly very much interested.

It was the garden that Mr Craven hates.

Said Mary nervously. He locked the door.

What sort of a garden is it?

No one has gone into it for ten years, said Mary carefully.

But it was too late to be careful.

Colin was like Mary. He was curious.

He asked many questions about the garden.

Where was it?

Had she found the door?

Had she asked the gardeners?

The gardeners won't talk about it, said Mary.

I'll make them talk about it.

Could you do that? Mary asked.

She was feeling nervous and frightened now.

She wanted him to forget the garden.

Everyone has to please me.

If I live, this house will belong to me one day.

They all know that.

Do you think you will live? She asked.

I don't think I will, he answered.

All my life I've heard people say I will die.

My doctor is my father's cousin. He is quite poor.

If I die, he will have everything when my father is dead.

I think he would like me to die.

Do you want to live?

No, he said.

But I don't want to die.

When I feel ill, I lie here and think about it until I cry and cry.

Let's talk about something else.

Talk about that garden.

Don't you want to see it?

Yes, answered Mary.

I want to see that garden, said Colin.

He was excited now, and his strange eyes began to shine like stars.

I'm going to make them open the door.

I will make them take me there.

Oh please don't do that, cried Mary.

If you make them open the door, it will never be a secret again.

A secret?

What do you mean?

If no one else knows about it, maybe we can find the door and go in.

Then we can play there every day and dig and plant seeds.

No one will know about it.

It will be our secret.

I've never had a secret, said Colin.

I'm sure that I can find a way to get in.

And if you can't walk, perhaps we can find a boy who can push you in your wheelchair.

We can go there alone.

It will always be a secret garden.

I'd like that, he said very slowly.

I think I'd like the fresh air in a secret garden.

Then Mary told him about the moor.

She told him about the robin and Ben Weatherstaff.

She was not afraid anymore.

Colin smiled.

I'm glad you came, he said.

So am I, said Mary.

I will come as often as I can.

I will look for the garden door every day.

Yes, you must.

And you can tell me about it.

Do you know Martha?

Yes, I know her very well, said Mary.

She looks after me when my nurse is away.

Martha will tell you when to come here.

So Martha knew about Colin.

Mary understood why she looked so worried when Mary had asked questions about the crying.

I have been here a long time, she said.

I'll go now.

You look sleepy.

Shut your eyes now.

I will hold your hand and sing you a song.

My servant used to do that for me in India.

And she sang quietly to him until his eyes shut.

Soon Colin was asleep.

The next day Mary did not see Martha until the afternoon.

When Martha came she told her about Colin.

Oh no, Miss Mary, she said.

You shouldn't have done that.

You'll get me in trouble.

I will lose my job.

You won't, said Mary.

Colin was happy.

We talked and talked.

Are you sure?

cried Martha.

He's a big boy, but he cries like a baby.

Sometimes he screams just to frighten us.

He asked me questions about India

and about the robin and the gardens.

He didn't want me to go.

I think he liked me.

What is the matter with him?

Nobody really knows, said Martha.

Mrs Craven died when he was born.

Mr Craven nearly went mad.

He didn't even look at the baby.

He said Colin was going to have a crooked back like him.

Everyone is worried that his back is weak.

They always make him lie down and they don't let him walk.

He used to wear a metal thing on his back,

but a doctor from London came and made them take it off.

He said that Colin was taking too much medicine.

He said that they shouldn't let him do what he wants all the time.

Do you think he will die?

asked Mary.

I don't know.

He never gets fresh air and lies in bed every day.

Mother says that's not good for him.

A bell rang and Martha got up.

She was out of the room for ten minutes.

When she came back, she had a surprised look on her face.

Well, he's in a good mood today.

He's sitting up on his sofa reading.

He wants to see you.

Mary wanted to go quickly.

She wanted to see Colin, but she wanted to see Dick and more.

When Mary entered Colin's room, she saw that it was even more beautiful in daylight.

There were colorful rugs and pictures and books everywhere.

Colin was sitting on the bed.

He was wearing a dressing gown.

Come in, he said.

I've been thinking about you all morning.

I've been thinking about you too, said Mary.

Martha is very frightened.

She says Mrs. Medlock will send her away because she will think that Martha told me about you.

Tell Martha to come here, he said.

She is in the next room.

Mary went and brought her back.

Poor Martha was shaking.

Martha, you did what I asked you to do, he said in a hard voice.

Mrs. Medlock does what I ask her.

If I ask you to bring Miss Mary to me, you must bring her.

Mrs. Medlock cannot send you away for that.

Thank you, sir, said Martha.

Now go.

Martha left the room.

Mary was looking at Colin.

What are you thinking about?

He asked.

Mary sat down on the big stool.

I saw a prince in India once.

He spoke to his people just like you spoke to Martha.

Everybody had to do everything he told them.

You are very different from Dickon.

Who is Dickon? he asked.

He is Martha's brother.

He is 12 years old, she explained.

He is not like anyone else in the world.

He plays on his pipe and the foxes, squirrels and birds come and listen.

He knows about everything that grows or lives on the moor.

Does he like the moor? asked Colin.

It's such a big boring place.

No, it's the most beautiful place, said Mary.

And she told him about the moor and the things that grow on it and the animals that live on it.

You never see anything if you are ill, said Colin.

He was sad.

You can't if you stay in a room, said Mary.

I couldn't go on the moor.

He said, how could I?

I am going to die.

Mary did not like the way Colin talked about dying.

She thought he was almost proud about it.

They are always talking about it, said Colin.

They think I don't hear them.

They wish I would die.

The servants and Dr. Craven too.

I think my father wishes it too.

I don't believe that he does, said Mary.

Colin lay back on the bed.

He was thinking.

The doctor from London.

Did he say you were going to die?

Asked Mary.

No, the doctor said, the boy may live if he decides to make him happy.

I know who could make you happy, said Mary.

I think Dickon could.

He's always talking about life things.

He never talks about dead things.

He always looks up in the sky to watch birds or looks down at the earth to see things growing.

Let's not talk about dying.

Let's talk about living.

Let's talk about Dickon.

And they talked.

Mary told Colin about Dickon's family and the cottage.

She told him about Dickon's mother and the skipping rope and the moor.

They had a great time.

They laughed and were happy.

They were like two normal, healthy children.

They were no longer the hard, unloving girl and the poor sick boy who thought that he was going to die.

They were enjoying themselves and laughing loudly when suddenly the door opened.

Dr. Craven and Mrs. Medlock walked in.

What's happening here?

Asked Dr. Craven.

Colin looked like the Indian prince again.

This is my cousin Mary Lennox, he said.

I asked her to come and talk to me.

I like her.

She must visit me often.

Oh sir, said Mrs. Medlock to the doctor.

I don't know how this happened.

I don't know who told her.

Nobody told her anything, said Colin.

She heard me crying and found me herself.

I am glad she came.

You are getting too excited, my boy.

Excitement is not good for you, the doctor said.

I am feeling better.

She makes me better.

I want to forget that I am dying.

She makes me forget it.

Dr. Craven did not look happy when he left the room.

He was puzzled.

The boy did look healthier.

It rained every day for a week.

Mary did not see the secret garden or dicken.

But she had a good time because she spent hours with Colin.

They talked and read books.

When the sky was finally blue again,

Mary woke up very early in the morning.

She could see the sunlight coming in through the blinds.

She jumped out of bed happily and ran to open the window.

She breathed in the fresh air.

It's warm, she said.

I can't wait.

I'm going to see the garden.

She had learned to get dressed by herself

and she put on her clothes in five minutes.

She ran downstairs, unlocked the door and stepped outside.

The sky was blue and pink and the grass was green.

It was springtime.

She ran towards the secret garden.

Things were growing everywhere.

She could see purple and yellow flowers blooming.

When Mary reached the hidden door under the ivy,

she heard a strange loud sound.

She looked up and saw a crow on top of the wall.

The crow made her a little nervous.

But when he flew away across the garden, she felt glad.

She went inside the garden and saw that he was there

sitting on an apple tree.

A little fox cub was sitting under the tree.

Both of them were watching Dickon, who was working on the grass.

Oh, Dickon, she cried out as she ran towards him.

How did you get here so early?

He laughed.

I couldn't stay in bed.

Spring is here and nature is alive.

When the sun came up, I ran here shouting and singing.

The garden was waiting for me.

Oh, Dickon said Mary, I'm so happy.

They ran around in the garden and found so many things.

There were leaf buds growing on the rose trees.

There were 10 ,000 new green shoots pushing through the earth.

The secret garden was full of happiness that morning.

Then suddenly something flew across the wall.

It was Ben where the star's robin.

He was carrying something in his beak.

We must not move and frighten him, said Dickon.

He has found a mate.

He's building a nest.

They sat down on the grass.

There is something I want to tell you, said Mary very softly.

Do you know about Colin?

Then she told him about how she met Colin.

Everybody knows about a little boy who is ill,

and that Mr Craven didn't like people to talk about him.

They say that he has his mother's eyes, so Mr Craven cannot see him.

Colin is afraid of having a crooked back.

He won't even sit up, said Mary.

He's always thinking about it and about death.

Oh, he shouldn't lie in bed thinking about things like that, said Dickon.

If we could get him here, he could watch the garden grow.

He would stop thinking about bad things, and he would get healthier.

I've been thinking about that too, said Mary.

We could bring him secretly.

You could push his wheelchair.

It would be good for him, said Dickon.

They had lots of work to do in the garden,

and Mary did not have time to visit Colin that day.

When she finally went back to the house in the evening,

she was excited to see him.

She wanted to tell him about Dickon's fox cub and the crow.

But when she opened the door of her room,

she saw that Martha was waiting for her.

She looked anxious.

I wish you had visited Colin today, said Martha.

He's been very bad -tempered all afternoon.

He waited for you all day.

Mary was angry.

She thought Colin was being selfish,

but she did not remember that she was a selfish little girl when she was in India.

She went into Colin's room.

He was lying in bed, and he did not turn his head toward her as she came in.

Mary walked up to him.

Why didn't you get up, she asked.

I did get up this morning, he said, without looking at her.

But you didn't come.

My back ached, so I told them to put me back in bed.

Why didn't you come?

I was working in the garden with Dickon, said Mary.

I won't let that boy come here if you stay with him instead of talking to me, he said.

Mary was very angry.

If you send Dickon away, I'll never come into this room again, she said.

You'll have to come if I say so.

I'll make the servants bring you.

Oh really, Mr. Prince.

They can bring me here, but they can't make me talk to you.

I won't even look at you.

I'll stare at the floor.

You're a selfish girl, cried Colin.

You're more selfish than I am.

You're the most selfish boy I've ever met.

Dickon is selfish, he keeps you playing outside when he knows that I am here all by myself.

He's nicer than any other boy in the world, she said.

He's like an angel, he's a thousand times better than you.

I'm not selfish, I'm always ill.

And besides, I'm going to die.

You're not, said Mary coldly.

You just say that to make people sorry.

I think you're proud of it.

Colin opened his eyes wide.

No one had said that to him before.

He was angry and pleased at the same time.

I'm not, he cried.

I am going to die.

You know I am.

Everybody says so.

He sat up in bed, get out of the room.

He shouted.

I'm going, said Mary, and I won't come back.

She walked out of the door and closed it behind her.

When she went back to her room, she thought about Colin.

He was ill and he was frightened.

She felt sorry for him.

Perhaps I will go and see him in the morning, she thought.

Mary woke up in the middle of the night.

She heard terrible screams.

Someone was crying and screaming.

She knew who it was.

It's Colin, she said.

It sounds awful.

She put her hands over her ears.

I don't know what to do.

I don't know what to do, she kept saying.

I can't stand it.

She got up.

Somebody should make him stop, she thought.

At that moment, her door opened and the nurse came in.

No one can do anything, he likes you, Miss.

Please come and try to calm him down.

Mary was very angry at Colin, but she said she would go.

She went to Colin's room.

She opened the door and ran to him.

Stop screaming, she shouted.

You stop now, I hate you.

Everybody hates you.

You will die if you go on like this, I hope you will.

Colin stopped screaming at once.

He turned around.

His face looked terrible, white and red.

Tears were running down his face and he was shaking.

I felt a lump in my back, he said.

I'll have a crooked back and then I will die.

There's nothing wrong with your back said Mary angrily.

Turn over and let me look at it.

The nurse helped Colin turn over.

Mary looked at his back carefully.

He was very thin.

There's nothing here, she said at last.

There are no lumps.

If you say there is a lump again, I will laugh.

Those angry childish words were very important to Colin.

All his life he had stayed in bed, thinking that he was ill.

No one had told him that he was not ill.

But now this angry little girl told him that his back was straight.

He believed her.

Colin turned to look at Mary.

Big tears were running down his face, but he was calm now.

Do you think I could live long enough to grow up?

He asked.

You will if you get lots of fresh air said the nurse.

The nurse made the bed and brought Colin and Mary some soup.

You can go to bed, Mary told her I'll look after him.

The nurse left.

Colin looked at Mary.

Would you like me to sing you that song again?

Mary whispered to Colin.

Have you found the way to the secret garden?

He asked.

Mary looked at his poor little tired face.

Yes, she answered.

I think I have found the way.

If you go to sleep, I will tell you tomorrow.

Oh, Mary, he said.

If we can go into the garden, I think I will live.

Yes, answered Mary.

Shut your eyes and I will tell you about the garden.

Colin closed his eyes.

Mary began to talk about the garden in a low voice.

She said that perhaps there were rose trees and birds and other animals in it.

Soon Colin was asleep.