While the secret garden was returning to life，a man with high，crooked shoulders was wandering round the most beautiful places in Europe．For ten years he had lived this lonely life，his heart full of sadness and his head full of dark dreams．Everywhere he．went，he carried his unhappiness with him like a black cloud．Other travellers thought he was half mad or a man who could not forget some terrible crime．His name was Archibald Craven．

　　But one day，as he sat by a mountain stream，he actually looked at a flower，and for the first time in ten years he realized how beautiful something living could be．The valley seemed very quiet as he sat there，staring at the flower．He felt strangely calm．

　　‘What is happening to me？’he whispered．‘I feel different —I almost feel I'm alive again！’

　　At that moment，hundreds of miles away in Yorkshire，Colin was seeing the secret garden for the first time，and saying，‘I'm going to live for ever and ever and ever！’But Mr Craven did not know this．

　　That night，in his hotel room，he slept better than usual．As the weeks passed，he even began to think a little about his home and his son．One evening in late summer，as he was sitting quietly beside a lake，he felt the strange calmness again．He fell asleep，and had a dream that seemed very real．He heard a voice calling him．It was sweet and clear and happy，the voice of his young wife．

　　‘Archie！Archie！Archie！’

　　‘My dear！’He jumped up．‘Where are you？’

　　‘In the garden！’called the beautiful voice．

　　And then the dream ended．In the morning，when he woke，he remembered the dream．

　　‘She says she's in the garden！’he thought．‘But the door's locked and the key's buried．’

　　That morning he received a letter from Susan Sowerby．In it she asked him to come home，but she did not give a reason．Mr Craven thought of his dream，and decided to return to England immediately．On the long journey back to Yorkshire，he was thinking about Colin．

　　‘I wonder how he is！I wanted to forget him，because he makes me think of his mother．He lived，and she died！But perhaps I've been wrong．Susan Sowerby says I should go home，so perhaps she thinks I can help him．’

　　When he arrived home，he found the housekeeper very confused about Colin's health．

　　‘He's very strange，sir，’said Mrs Medlock．‘ He looks better，it's true，but some days he eats nothing at all，and other days he eats just like a healthy boy．He used to scream even at the idea of fresh air，but now he spends all his time outside in his wheelchair，with Miss Mary and Dickon Sowerby．He's in the garden at the moment．’

　　‘In the garden！’repeated Mr Craven．Those were the words of the dream！He hurried out of the house and towards the place which he had not visited for so long．He found the door with the climbing plant over it，and stood outside，listening，for a moment．

　　‘Surely I can hear voices inside the garden？’he thought．‘Aren't there children whispering，laughing，running in there？Or am I going mad？’

　　And then the moment came，when the children could not stay quiet．There was wild laughing and shouting，and the door was thrown open．A boy ran out，a tall，healthy，handsome boy，straight into the man's arms．Mr Craven stared into the boy's laughing eyes．

　　‘Who—What？Who？’he cried．

　　Colin had not planned to meet his father like this．But perhaps this was the best way，to come running out with his cousin and his friend．

　　‘Father，’he said，‘I'm Colin．You can't believe it！I can't believe it myself．It was the garden，and Mary and Dickon and the magic，that made me well．We've kept it a secret up to now．Aren't you happy，Father？I'm going to live for ever and ever and ever！’

　　Mr Craven put his hands on the boy's shoulders．For a moment he could not speak．‘Take me into the garden，my boy，’he said at last，‘and tell me all about it．’

　　And in the secret garden，where the roses were at their best，and the butterflies were flying from flower to flower in the summer sunshine，they told Colin's father their story．Sometimes he laughed and sometimes he cried，but most of the time he just looked，unbelieving，into the handsome face of the son that he had almost forgotten．

　　‘Now，’said Colin at the end，‘it isn't a secret any more．I'll never use the wheelchair again．I'm going to walk back with you，Fatherto the house．’

　　And so，that afternoon，Mrs Medlock，Martha，and the other servants had the greatest shock of their lives．Through the gardens towards the house came Mr Craven，looking happier than they had ever seen him．And by his side，with his shoulders straight，his head held high and a smile on his lips，walked young Colin！

　　8 克莱文先生回家了

　　当秘密花园恢复着生机的时候，一个高大、驼背的男人正在欧洲最美的地方游荡。10年来他就是过着这种孤独的生活，他的心中充满了悲凉，脑海也为黑暗的恶梦所占据。他每到一处，情绪总是忧郁的，像被一团黑色的云笼罩着。别的游客觉得他是半个疯子，或是个无法忘掉某种恐怖罪行的人。他的名字就是阿奇伯德·克莱文。

　　但是有一天，当他坐在山谷中的一条小溪旁时，他注视着一朵花，10年来他第一次意识到生命可以是这么美丽。山谷非常幽静，他坐在那儿，凝视着那朵花，心中异常的平静。

　　“我怎么了？”他低声说，“我感觉不一样了——我几乎觉得自己又活了！”

　　也就在那一刻，在几百英里外的约克郡，柯林第一次见到了秘密花园，正在说着，“我会永远永远活下去！”但克莱文先生并不知道这些。

　　那天夜里，在旅店的房间里，他睡得比平时香。几周过去了，他甚至开始有点想家，有点想他的儿子。一个夏末的晚上，他静静地坐在湖边，再次感到那种奇异的平静。他睡着了，做了一个非常真切的梦。他听见一个声音在叫他，声音甜美、清晰而欢快，那是他年轻的妻子的声音。

　　“阿奇！阿奇！阿奇！”

　　“亲爱的！”他跳起来，“你在哪儿？”

　　“在花园里！”那美丽的声音说。

　　然后梦就醒了。他早晨醒来时，还记得那个梦。

　　“她说她在花园里！”他思索着，“可是门是锁着的，钥匙也埋起来了。”

　　那天上午他收到了苏珊·索尔比的信。信上她请他回去，却没说明为什么。克莱文先生想起他的梦，决定立刻动身回英国。在回约克郡的漫长路途中，他想起了柯林。

　　“不知道他怎么样了！我想忘记他，因为他总是让我想起他的妈妈。他活着，可她却死了！也许是我错了。苏珊·索尔比说我应该回家，也许她是想让我帮助柯林。”

　　他回到家里，发现管家对柯林的身体状况大为不解。

　　“他很怪，先生，”梅洛太太说，“他看上去好些了。真的，可有时他什么都不吃，有时又吃得像健康的孩子一样。以前只要提到新鲜空气他就要尖叫，可现在他每天都坐着轮椅去外面，跟玛丽小姐和狄肯·索尔比一起。这会儿他在花园里呢。”

　　“在花园里！”克莱文先生重复着。那正是梦中听到的话！他冲出房子，奔向他很久都没再去过的地方。他找到被藤蔓遮蔽的门，站在外面，听了一会儿。

　　“我真的听到里面有声音吗？”他想，“难道那不是孩子们在里面低语、嬉笑、奔跑吗？还是我快要发疯了？”

　　当孩子们难以保持安静时，这一刻终于到来了。开心的笑声和欢叫声中，门被撞开了，一个高高的、健康漂亮的男孩跑了出来，正好撞进他的怀里。克莱文先生直愣愣地看着孩子欢笑的眼睛。

　　“谁呀——什么？这是谁呀？”他叫起来。

　　柯林没想到会这样见到他的父亲。但是同他的表妹和朋友一起跑出来，也许这才是最好的方式。

　　“爸爸。”他说，“我是柯林。您不会相信的！连我自己都不能相信。是花园、玛丽、狄肯和魔法使我康复的。我们一直保守着这个秘密。爸爸，你不高兴吗？我要永远永远地活下去！”

　　克莱文先生把手放在孩子肩上，好一会儿说不出话来。最后他说：“带我到花园里去，告诉我这一切是怎么回事。”

　　在秘密花园中，玫瑰花盛开着，蝴蝶在夏日的阳光下、在花丛中飞舞，他们向柯林的父亲讲述着他们的故事。他时而开怀大笑，时而落泪，更多的时间只是注视着他儿子那英俊的脸庞，不相信这就是他几乎遗忘的那个孩子。

　　“现在，”柯林最后说道，“这不再是秘密了。我再也用不着轮椅了。爸爸，我要和你一起走——走回家去。”

　　于是那天下午，梅洛太太、玛莎，还有其他的用人都感受到有生以来从未有过的惊奇，克莱文先生从花园走向房子，脸上露出他们从未见到过的幸福神态。而走在他身边，昂首挺胸、面带微笑的正是年轻的柯林！