chapter2-page_26-46

Chapter 2 Two days later Mary woke up and looked out

of the window. She sat up in bed. Look at the more, look at the more she called to Martha.

The rain had stopped and the clouds had disappeared. There was a deep blue sky above the moor.

Mary had never seen such a blue sky. Yes, said Martha cheerfully. Spring is coming. I thought

that it always rained in England, said Mary.

Oh, no, said Martha. Yorkshire is sunny. You'll like the moor in spring. You'll see the wonderful

flowers and the butterflies, the bees and the birds. You'll want to go out and stay there

all day.

Could I walk to the moor? asked Mary sadly.

I don't know, answered Martha. You haven't walked much. I don't think you could walk five

miles to our cottage. I would like to see your cottage. Martha looked at her a moment. The

little girl is not as bad -tempered as she used to be, she thought. Then she took up her

brush and began cleaning the fireplace.

I'll ask my mother about it, said Martha. Today is my day off and I'm going home. Oh,

I'm happy.

I like your mother, said Mary.

Everyone likes her, said Martha. She's sensible and hard -working and good -natured.

I like Dickon too, said Mary, and I've never seen him. Well, I've told you that the birds,

the rabbits, the wild sheep, the ponies, and the foxes like him too, said Martha. What

will Dickon think of you? He won't like me, said Mary. No one does.

But do you like yourself? She asked. Mary thought about it for a moment.

Not really, but I never thought of that before. Martha smiled. She gave Mary her breakfast and

then went home. She was going to help her mother with the housework. Mary felt lonely in the

house, so she went out into the garden. She ran around the fountain. She felt much better.

The sunshine made the gardens look different. Then she went into the kitchen garden and found

Ben Weatherstaff working there. Even he seemed more cheerful this morning.

Springtime is coming, he said. Can you smell it? Mary sniffed. She could smell something fresh

and damp. Things are growing deep down in the ground. The sun is warming them. You'll see

bits of green coming out of the earth very soon. Just watch them. I will, said Mary. At

that moment she saw the robin flying down towards them. He was very lively. He hopped

around Mary's feet and looked at her. Do you think he remembers me? asked Mary.

Of course, said Ben. He's never seen a little girl before, so he is trying to find out all

about you. Are things growing in the garden where he lives? asked Mary. What garden? Said

the gardener. He was bad -tempered again. The secret garden. Are all the flowers dead? Are

there any roses? Ask the robin, said Ben. He's the only one that has been in there for ten

years. Ten years is a long time, Mary said to herself. She had been born ten years ago.

She walked away slowly thinking. She had begun to light the gardens and the robin and Martha

and Dickon and their mother. She had not liked anyone before she came to Yorkshire. She was

walking beside the long wall of the secret garden. Then something exciting happened. She heard

a Twitter and she looked down. It was the robin. He was hopping about on the earth. He had

followed her. Mary was very happy to see him. The robin hopped under the bushes in the flower

bed. A dog had been digging a hole there, and the birds stopped to look for a worm in

the earth. Mary was watching him, and suddenly she saw something. It was something made of

metal, a ring perhaps. Mary put out her hand and picked it up, but it was not a ring. It

was an old key. It had been buried there for a long time. Mary stood up and looked at it.

Perhaps it has been buried for ten years, she said. Perhaps it's the key to the secret garden.

She looked at the key for a long time. She was thinking about the secret garden. If she

could find the door, maybe she could open it with the key and see the garden. If she liked

it, she could go into it every day, and she could play in there by herself, and nobody would

know where she was. Thinking about this made her very happy. She put the key in her pocket

and walked up and down. She looked at the wall carefully, but the only thing she could

see was the thick green leaves of the ivy. She was unhappy. She put the key in her pocket

and went back to the house. Next morning Martha was back at work. She was very happy and excited.

She was full of stories about her day at home. I helped Mother with the baking and washing,

she said. And then I made the children a little cake. They were very happy when they came

back from playing on the moor. In the evening we all sat around the fire, and Mother and

I mended their torn clothes and socks. I told them about you. They wanted to know all about

you and the ship that brought you from India.

"'I'll tell you more about India before you go home again,' said Mary. I'm sure they

would like to hear about riding on elephants and camels.

"'Oh, that would be wonderful, Miss,' said Martha. Did Dickon and your mother like to

hear about me? Yes, Dickon was very interested, but Mother was a little worried about you being

all alone in a place like this. Then Martha went out of the room and came back with something

in her hands.

"'I've brought you a present,' she said, with a cheerful smile.

"'A present,' exclaimed Mary. How could a cottage full of fourteen hungry people give anyone

a present? Mother bought it from a man who came to the door to sell things.

She said to me,

"'Martha, you brought home your pay and we need it, but I'm going to spend some of it

to buy that child a present.' And she bought this for you.

It was a skipping rope with red handles.

Mary had never seen a skipping rope before.

"'What is it for?' she asked.

"'Don't they have skipping ropes in India? Now watch me.'

And Martha ran into the middle of the room and began to skip.

And skip, and skip. She counted up to a hundred as she skipped.

Mary got up from her chair. She was excited.

"'It looks nice,' she said.

"'Your mother is a kind woman. Do you think I could ever skip like that?'

"'Just try,' said Martha, and gave her the skipping rope.

"'Mother says it will be good for you. She says it's the best toy that a child could have.

"'Skip outside in the fresh air. You'll become stronger.'"

Mary put on her coat and hat and took her skipping rope.

She opened the door to go out. Suddenly she turned back.

"'Martha, it was your money really,' she said.

"'Thank you.' She never thanked people, so she did not know how to do it.

"'Thank you,' she said again and held out her hand.

"'Martha shook her hand and laughed.

"'You're a strange little woman,' she said.

"'Now run off outside and play with your rope.'"

The skipping rope was a wonderful thing.

Mary counted and skipped, skipped and counted until her cheeks were red.

The sun was shining and a little wind was blowing.

She skipped through the gardens.

Then she saw Ben weather stuff.

He was digging and talking to his robin.

She wanted him to see her skip.

"'Well,' said Ben. "'Your cheeks look red and healthy.

"'Go on skipping, it's good for you.'"

Mary skipped around the gardens and the orchard.

Then she came to the wall of the secret garden.

She stopped and saw the little robin on a branch.

She was happy to see him.

"'You showed me where the key was yesterday,' she said.

"'You must show me the door today.'"

The robin flew on to the top of the wall and began singing.

Mary stepped forwards close to the robin.

Suddenly a strong wind blew.

It made the ivy leaves on the wall move.

When the leaves moved she saw a round knob under the dark green leaves.

It was the knob of a door.

Mary's heart was beating fast and her hands were shaking.

She was excited.

She pushed the leaves away and found a keyhole.

She put her hand in her pocket and took out the key.

She put the key in and turned it.

She looked behind her to see if anyone was coming.

No one was coming.

She took a deep breath and pushed the door.

It opened slowly.

Then she walked in and shut the door behind her.

She was standing inside the secret garden.

It was a lovely mysterious place.

There were old rose trees everywhere.

The walls, the other trees, even the grass was covered

with these grey branches of climbing roses.

The roses had jumped from one tree to another and made lovely bridges.

Mary looked at the grey branches.

There were no leaves or flowers on them.

Were they alive or dead?

She was inside the wonderful garden.

She had found a world of her own.

The sun was shining and the blue sky was soft and very pretty.

The robin flew down and hopped about or flew after her from one bush to another.

Everything was strange and silent.

But Mary did not feel lonely here.

I hope the roses are alive, she said to herself.

She walked around and looked at things.

Then she noticed something.

She saw some green shoots coming out of the black earth.

Yes, something is growing in the garden.

She whispered.

She walked around slowly.

She was looking for more green shoots.

She found many more of them and she was excited again.

It isn't a dead garden, she said to herself.

The roses may be dead but other things are alive.

Mary did not know anything about gardening.

But in some places the grass was very thick

and the green shoots did not have enough room to grow.

She pulled out the thick grass around the green shoots.

She made nice clear spaces around them.

Now they can breathe, she said.

I am going to work on the others too.

I'll do my best.

She worked away clearing the ground and enjoyed herself very much.

The exercise made her so hot that she took off her coat and hat.

She was smiling as she worked.

The robin was very happy too.

He hopped around Mary watching her do work in his garden.

Mary worked until lunch time.

When she went back home for lunch she had red cheeks and bright happy eyes.

She ate her food hungrily.

I wish I had a little spade, she said to Martha.

What do you want a spade for?

Asked Martha, laughing.

This is such a big lonely place, said Martha.

I have no one to talk to, only you and Ben Weatherstaff.

If I had a little spade I could make a little garden.

Mother said the same thing.

You'd enjoy digging and growing your own plants.

I saw a nice little spade in a shop in Thwaite.

They sell seeds too.

My brother Dickon can get them, if you like.

Oh thank you, Martha, Mary cried.

I've got some money that Mrs Medlock gave me.

Will you write and ask Dickon to buy them for me?

I will and he'll bring them to you himself.

Oh then I will see him, said Mary.

She was excited.

That afternoon Mary and Martha wrote a letter to Dickon.

Mary put some money in the envelope and gave it to Martha.

Mary spent nearly a week in the secret garden.

She liked being outside.

She could run faster and longer now.

She could skip up to a hundred.

She enjoyed working in the garden.

She found many more green shoots there.

Soon there would be flowers everywhere.

During that week she became more friendly with Ben Weatherstaff.

Do you have a garden of your own?

She asked him one day.

No, if you had one what would you plant?

Cabbages and potatoes and onions.

But if you wanted to make a flower garden what would you plant?

Sweet smelling things, mostly roses.

Do you like roses?

Asked Mary.

Well yes, I do.

A young lady taught me about roses.

She had a lot of roses in her garden and she loved them.

But that was ten years ago.

Where is she now?

Asked Mary.

She died.

What happened to the roses?

They were left in the garden.

If roses have no leaves and look grey and brown are they dead or alive?

Asked Mary.

When spring is here the sun and the rain will make the green shoots come out.

Suddenly he stopped and looked at Mary.

Why are you interested in roses?

Mary felt her face go red.

She was almost afraid to answer.

I want to have a garden of my own, she said.

There is nothing for me to do here.

I have nothing and no one.

Well that's true, said Ben slowly.

He said it in a strange way and Mary thought that he was a little sorry for her.

She had never felt sorry for herself.

She had only felt tired and bad tempered.

But now she thought that the world was changing and getting nicer.

She asked Ben other questions.

He answered every one of them in his strange way.

He did not seem cross and did not pick up his spade and leave her.

He said something about roses and it reminded her of the roses that were left in the garden.

Do you still go and see those other roses?

She asked.

Not this year, my legs are too stiff.

Mary skipped away slowly.

She thought that she liked old Ben weather staff.

Yes, she did like him.

She wanted to go into the wood at the end of the gardens and look for rabbits.

As she got nearer, she heard a low whistling sound.

Then she saw something very strange.

A boy was sitting under a tree, playing a wooden pipe.

He was a funny looking boy, about twelve.

His nose turned up and his cheeks were red and his eyes were blue.

A brown squirrel was watching him on the branch of the tree

and on the grass were two rabbits listening.

When the boy saw Mary, he held up his hand and spoke to her in a low voice.

Don't move, he said.

It will frighten them.

Mary stood still.

The boy stopped playing his pipe.

Very slowly he got up.

Then the squirrel ran back into the branches of the tree and the rabbits hopped away.

I'm dicken, the boy said.

I know you are Miss Mary.

I brought you the spade and the seeds.

He spoke to her in a very friendly way.

Mary felt a little shy at first.

Then she looked into his funny face with the red cheeks and round blue eyes

and she was not shy anymore.

They sat down on the branch.

Dickon showed her the seeds.

There are a lot of poppy seeds, he said.

He stopped and turned his head quickly.

He smiled.

I hear a robin, he's calling us.

Where's he?

The bird was sitting on a branch near them.

There he is, he's calling his friend, he said.

He's saying, I'm here, look at me, I want to chat.

Who's robin is he?

Ben weather staffs, but I think he knows me a little, said Mary.

Yes, he knows you, said dicken, in his low voice.

And he likes you.

Very slowly he moved closer to the branch and made a sound, almost like the robin's twitter.

The robin listened and then answered with the twitter.

Yes, he's saying he's your friend, said dicken and laughed.

Really, I'm so happy.

Do you understand everything birds say?

I think I do.

And they think I do, he said.

I've lived on them more with them for so long.

Sometimes I think I'm a bird or a fox or a rabbit.

He laughed and began to talk about the flower seeds again.

Suddenly he turned to Mary.

I can help you plant them, he said.

Where is the garden?

Mary did not know what to say.

She said nothing for a minute.

She felt very bad.

Her face turned red and pale.

Then she spoke very slowly.

Could you keep a secret?

It's a great secret, no one must find out.

Dicken looked puzzled, then he smiled.

I keep secrets all the time, he said.

I keep secrets for the other boys and for the wild animals.

I can keep yours too.

I've stolen a garden, she said quickly.

Nobody wants it.

Nobody cares for it.

Nobody ever goes into it.

Everything in it may be dead, I don't know.

They're letting it die, but I care about it.

Where is it, asked dicken gently.

Mary got up.

Come with me and I'll show you, she said.

She led dicken to the ivy covered wall.

They came to the door.

Mary pushed it open and they entered together.

Here it is, she said.

It's a secret garden.

Dicken walked around and looked at everything.

Well, he whispered.

It is a very strange and pretty place.

I never thought I'd see it.

Did you know about it, asked Mary?

Martha told me there was a garden that no one went to.

We used to wonder about it.

Will there be roses, asked Mary?

Are they all dead?

No, not all of them.

Look here.

He walked over to a rose tree.

He took a knife out of his pocket.

The shoots were hard, dry gray, but one was brownish green.

The dead woods must be cut out.

But this one here is alive, he smiled.

I'm glad it's alive, Martha cried out in her whisper.

I want them all to be alive.

They went around the garden and looked at every tree and every bush.

Dicken showed Mary wonderful things.

He was very strong and clever with his knife.

He knew how to cut the dry and dead wood away.

Soon Mary learned how to tell apart dead and alive branches.

Dicken also showed her how to use the fork.

They worked and talked.

Together they cut out the dead branches and cleared away the weed.

There's a lot of work to do here, said Dicken.

Will you come again and help me to do it?

Mary asked.

I'll come every day if you want me to, he answered.

He walked around and looked up in the trees and at the walls.

He was thinking.

But I don't want it to look like a garden as garden, he said.

It's nicer like this with things running wild.

Then let's not make it tidy, said Mary.

It wouldn't look like a secret garden if it was tidy.

Mary was very happy.

Dicken, Martha said you were nice and you really are, she said.

I like you.

I never thought I would like five people.

Dicken laughed.

You like only five people, he said.

Who are the others?

Your mother, Martha, the Robin and Ben Weatherstaff.

Dicken laughed.

Then Mary asked a question.

Do you like me?

Yes I do, he answered.

I like you and the Robin does too.

Mary had never been happier.

At lunchtime, Mary ran back home.

Her food was on the table and Martha was waiting for her.

She told her about her meeting Dicken, but she did not say anything about the secret garden.

She ate her lunch quickly because she wanted to go back to the garden.

When she rose from the table, Martha stopped her.

I've got something to tell you, she said.

Mr Craven came back this morning and said,

and I think he wants to see you.

Oh, said Mary.

Why?

He didn't want to see me when I came.

Well, Mrs Medlock says that Mother saw him in the village yesterday, said Martha.

She told him something about you, but I don't know what she said.

He's going away again tomorrow.

He won't be back until autumn or winter.

He wants to see you before he goes.

Mary was glad to hear that Mr Craven was going away.

She could take care of the garden until he returned.

The door opened and Mrs Medlock walked in.

She looked nervous and excited.

She looked at Mary.

Go and brush your hair.

She said, Martha help her put on her best dress.

Mr Craven wants to see her in his study room.

Mary was nervous.

Her heart was beating fast.

She got ready and followed Mrs Medlock down the corridors in silence.

Mrs Medlock took her to a different part of the house.

She had not been there before.

Mrs Medlock knocked at a door.

Someone said, come in, and they entered the room.

A man was sitting in an armchair in front of the fireplace.

This is Miss Mary, sir, said Mrs Medlock.

She went out and closed the door.

Mary stood waiting.

Mr Craven had high crooked shoulders.

His hair was black with some white in it.

He was not ugly, but he looked very sad.

Are you well, he asked?

Do they take good care of you?

Yes.

You are very thin, he said.

I am getting stronger and healthier, Mary answered.

I forgot you, he said.

I wanted to send you a teacher, but I forgot.

Please said Mary.

Please don't make me have a teacher.

That was what Martha's mother, Mrs Sowaby said.

She was worried about you.

She thought you should play outside.

She said you should get stronger before you have a teacher.

I want to play outside, Mary said quietly.

I feel stronger when I play.

Where do you play?

He asked.

Everywhere said Mary.

I skip and run.

I look for things that grow up out of the earth.

I don't do anything wrong.

Don't look so frightened, Mr Craven said in a worried voice.

You may do what you like.

I cannot look after you.

I am too ill and unhappy, but I want you to be happy and comfortable.

I don't know anything about children.

Mrs Sowaby said I should see you.

She thought you needed fresh air and freedom.

You can play outside as much as you like.

Is there anything you want?

Do you want toys, books, dolls?

Could I have a bit of garden?

Asked Mary, her voice shaking.

Mr Craven looked surprised.

I want to plant seeds to watch them grow, said Mary.

Mr Craven stared at Mary for a moment.

He got up and slowly walked across the room.

He was thinking.

Then he stopped and spoke with soft and kind eyes.

I once knew someone who loved growing things in the garden.

Yes, you can have as much of the garden as you want.

Now you must go.

I am tired.

He touched the bell to call Mrs Medlock.

Goodbye, I will be away all summer.

Mary ran back to her room.

She found Martha waiting there.

I can have a garden cried Mary.

I'm not going to have a teacher for a long time.

Mr Craven said that I can do what I like.

She ran quickly to the secret garden.

When she went through the door under the ivy,

she saw that Dickon was not there.

He had gone away.

And the secret garden was empty.

Only the robin was there, sitting on a rose tree.

He's gone.

She said unhappily.

Then she saw a piece of paper on the branch of the rose tree.

There was a drawing on it.

It was the picture of a bird sitting on a nest.

Under it, there was a note that said,

I will come back.