5 Meeting Colin

　　In the middle of the night Mary woke up．Heavy rain had started falling again，and the wind was blowing violently round the walls of the old house．Suddenly she heard crying again．This time she decided to discover who it was．She left her room，and in the darkness followed the crying sound，round corners and through doors，up and down stairs，to the other side of the big house．At last she found the right room．She pushed the door open and went in．

　　It was a big room with beautiful old furniture and pictures．In the large bed was a boy，who looked tired and cross，with a thin，white，tearful face．He stared at Mary．

　　‘Who are you？’he whispered．‘Are you a dream？’

　　‘No，I'm not．I'm Mary Lennox．Mr Craven's my uncle．’

　　‘He's my father，’said the boy．‘I'm Colin Craven．’

　　‘No one ever told me he had a son！’said Mary，very surprised．

　　‘Well，no one ever told me you'd come to live here．I'm ill，you see．I don't want people to see me and talk about me．If I live，I may have a crooked back like my father，but I'll probably die．’

　　‘What a strange house this is！’said Mary．‘So many secrets！Does your father come and see you often？’

　　‘Not often．He doesn't like seeing me because it makes him remember my mother．She died when I was born，so he almost hates me，I think．’

　　‘Why do you say you're going to die？’asked Mary．

　　‘I've always been ill．I've nearly died several times，and my back's never been strong．My doctor feels sure that I'm going to die．But he's my father's cousin，and verv poor，so he'd like me to die．Then he'd get all the money when my father dies．He gives me medicine and tells me to rest．We had a grand doctor from London once，who told me to go out in the fresh air and try to get well．But I hate fresh air．And another thing，all the servants have to do what I want，because if I'm angry，I become ill．’

　　Mary thought she liked this boy，although he seemed so strange．He asked her lots of questions，and she told him all about her life in India．

　　‘How old are you？’he asked suddenly．

　　‘I'm ten，and so are you，’replied Mary，forgetting to be careful，‘because when you were born the garden door was locked and the key was buried．And I know that was ten years ago．

　　Colin sat up in bed and looked very interested．‘What door？Who locked it？Where's the key？I want to see it．I'll make the servants tell me where it is．They'll take me there and you can come too．’

　　‘Oh，please！Don'tdon't do that！’cried Mary．

　　Colin stared at her．‘Don't you want to see it？’

　　‘Yes，but if you make them open the door，it will never be a secret again．You see，if only we know about it，if weif we can find the key，we can go and play there every day．We can help the garden come alive again．And no one will know about itexcept us！’

　　‘I see，’said Colin slowly．‘Yes，I'd like that．It'll be our secret．I've never had a secret before．’

　　‘And perhaps，’added Mary cleverly，‘we can find a boy to push you in your wheelchair，if you can't walk，and we can go there together without any other people．You'll feel better outside．I know I do．’

　　‘I'd like that，’he said dreamily．‘I think I'd like fresh air，in a secret garden．’

　　Then Mary told him about the moor，and Dickon，and Ben Weatherstaff，and the robin，and Golin listened to it all with great interest．He began to smile and look much happier．

　　‘I like having you here，’he said．‘You must come and see me every day．But I'm tired now．’

　　‘I'll sing you a song．My servant Kamala used to do that in India，’said Mary，and very soon Colin was asleep．

　　The next afternoon Mary visited Colin again，and he seemed very pleased to see her．He had sent his nurse away and had told nobody about Mary's visit．Mary had not told anybody either．They read some of his books together，and told each other stories．They were enjoying themselves and laughing loudly when suddenly the door opened．Dr Craven and Mrs Medlock came in．They almost fell over in surprise．

　　‘What's happening here？’asked Dr Craven．

　　Colin sat up straight．To Mary he looked just like an Indian prince．‘This is my cousin，Mary Lennox，’he said calmly．‘I like her．She must visit me often．’

　　‘Oh，I'm sorry，sir，’said poor Mrs Medlock to the doctor．‘I don't know how she discovered him．I told the servants to keep it a secret．’

　　‘Don't be stupid，Medlock，’said the Indian prince coldly．‘Nobody told her．She heard me crying and found me herself．Bring our tea up now．’

　　‘I'm afraid you're getting too hot and excited，my boy，’said Dr Craven．‘That's not good for you．Don't forget you're ill．’

　　‘I want to forget！’said Colin．‘I'll be angry if Mary doesn't visit me！She makes me feel better．’

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

　　‘What a change in the boy，sir！’said the housekeeper．‘He's usually so disagreeable with all of us．He really seems to like that strange little girl．And he does look better．’Dr Craven had to agree．

　　5 见到柯林

　　半夜的时候，玛丽醒了。天又开始下雨了，狂风在房子周围猛烈地刮着。突然，她又听见了哭声，这次她决定要搞清楚那个人是谁。她走出房间，在黑暗中循着哭泣的声音，绕过墙角，穿过一扇扇门，上下楼梯，来到这所大房子的另一侧。终于她找到了那个房间，推开门，走了进去。

　　那是个很大的房间，摆着古旧的家具和油画，非常漂亮。在一张大床上躺着一个男孩，看上去疲惫、烦躁。他的脸颊消瘦、苍白，挂满了泪痕。他瞪大眼睛看着玛丽。

　　“你是谁？”他小声问。“我是在做梦吧？”

　　“不，不是。我是玛丽·莲诺丝。克莱文先生是我舅舅。”

　　“他是我父亲，”那个男孩说道。“我叫柯林·克莱文。”

　　“从来没有人告诉过我他有个儿子！”玛丽说，觉得十分蹊跷。

　　“嗯，也没人告诉我你在这儿住。你看到了，我病了。我不想让人们看见我议论我，要是我活下来，我可能会像父亲一样成为驼背，但是我可能会死的。”

　　“这所房子真是奇怪啊！”玛丽说。“这么多秘密！你父亲常来看你吗？”

　　“不常来。他不喜欢见到我，因为我让他想起妈妈。她是生我的时候死的，所以他八成是恨我，我这么想。”

　　“你为什么说自己会死呢？”玛丽问。

　　“我一直在生病。我已经死过几次了，而且我的脊背向来就很弱。我的医生肯定我会死的。他是我父亲的表弟，而且很穷，所以他巴不得我死呢。那样等我父亲去世以后，所有的钱就都归他了。他给我药吃，让我休息，有一回我们从伦敦请了个有名的大夫，他让我到外面呼吸新鲜空气，尽量休养好。可我不喜欢新鲜空气。还有一件事，所有的用人都必须照我的想法去做，因为要是我一生气，我就会生病的。”

　　虽然他看上去有些怪怪的，可玛丽觉得自己挺喜欢这个孩子。他问了她很多问题，而她就给他讲在印度的生活。

　　“你几岁了？”他突然问道。

　　“我10岁了，你也是，”玛丽回答，一时说漏了嘴，“因为你出生时花园的门就被锁上，钥匙也被埋起来了，我知道那是10年前的事。”

　　柯林从床上坐起来，一副好奇的样子。“什么门？谁把它锁上的？钥匙在哪儿？我要看看。我要让用人告诉我它在什么地方。他们会带我和你去的。”

　　“哦，别这样！请别这样！”玛丽大声说。

　　柯林瞪着她。“难道你不想看看它吗？”

　　“想，可要是你让他们打开门，它就再也不是个秘密了。你想，如果只有我们知道这事，如果我们——如果我们能找到那把钥匙，我们就能每天都去那儿玩儿了。我们还能让花园重新充满生机，而且谁也不会知道——只有我们！”

　　“我明白了，”柯林慢条斯理地说。“好吧，我愿意这样。它是我们的秘密，我从来没有过自己的秘密。”

　　“也许，”玛丽机敏地接着说道，“在你走不动的时候，我们也能找个男孩子用轮椅推着你，我们可以一起去那儿，再也没有别人了。你到外面就会感觉好些的。我就是这样，所以我知道。”

　　“我愿意这样做，”他憧憬着，说，“我想我会喜欢一座秘密花园里的新鲜空气的。”

　　玛丽接着又给他讲荒原，讲狄肯，讲本·威瑟斯塔夫，还有那只知更鸟。柯林非常新奇地听着这一切，他开始有了笑容，样子开心多了。

　　“我喜欢你在这儿，”他说。“你得每天来看我，可我这会儿有点儿累了。”

　　“我给你唱个歌吧。在印度时我的用人卡玛拉就常这样。”玛丽说。柯林很快就睡着了。

　　第二天下午，玛丽又来看柯林。一见到她，柯林显得很高兴。他已经支走了他的护士，也没有告诉其他人玛丽来过。玛丽同样谁也没有告诉。他们一起看柯林的书，互相讲故事。就在他们自得其乐，放声大笑的时候，门突然开了。克莱文医生和梅洛太太走了进来，他们都很是吃惊。

　　“怎么回事？”克莱文医生问道。

　　柯林坐直身子。在玛丽看来，他就像是个印度王子。“这是我的表妹，玛丽·莲诺丝，”他平静地说，“我喜欢她，她必须经常来看我。”

　　“哦，真抱歉，先生，”可怜的梅洛太太对医生说。“我不知道她是怎么找到他的，我告诉过用人们要保密的。”

　　“别傻了，梅洛太太，”印度王子冷冷地说，“谁也没告诉她，她听见我哭就自己找来了。现在去给我们沏点茶来。”

　　“我恐怕你在发热，过于激动，孩子，”克莱文医生说。“这对你可不好，别忘了你有病。”

　　“我就想忘掉！”柯林说。“要是不让玛丽来看我我就要生气了！她让我觉得好多了。”

　　克莱文医生离开的时候似乎很不高兴。

　　“这孩子变多了，先生！”管家说。“他总是跟我们合不来，他好像真的喜欢这个古怪的小姑娘，而且他看着的确好些了。”克莱文医生不得不同意她的话。