Chapter 22 Whe The Sun Went Down.docx

Chapter 22 Whe The Sun Went Down.docx

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Chapter22WheTheSunWentDown

Chapter22WheTheSunWentDown

WhenhisheadwasoutofsightColinturnedtoMary.

　　"Goandmeethim,"hesaid;andMaryflewacrossthegrasstothedoorundertheivy.

　　Dickonwaswatchinghimwithsharpeyes.Therewerescarletspotsonhischeeksandhelookedamazing,butheshowednosignsoffalling.

　　"Icanstand,"hesaid,andhisheadwasstillheldupandhesaiditquitegrandly.

　　"Itoldtheetha'couldassoonastha'stoppedbein'

　　afraid,"answeredDickon."An'tha'sstopped.""Yes,I'vestopped,"saidColin.

　　ThensuddenlyherememberedsomethingMaryhadsaid.

　　"AreyoumakingMagic?

"heaskedsharply.

　　Dickon'scurlymouthspreadinacheerfulgrin.

　　"Tha'sdoin'Magicthysel',"hesaid."It'ssameMagicasmadethese'ereworkouto'th'earth,"andhetouchedwithhisthickbootaclumpofcrocusesinthegrass.

　　Colinlookeddownatthem.

　　"Aye,"hesaidslowly,"therecouldna'bebiggerMagicthanthatthere--therecouldna'be."Hedrewhimselfupstraighterthanever.

　　"I'mgoingtowalktothattree,"hesaid,pointingtooneafewfeetawayfromhim."I'mgoingtobestandingwhenWeatherstaffcomeshere.IcanrestagainstthetreeifIlike.WhenIwanttositdownIwillsitdown,butnotbefore.Bringarugfromthechair."HewalkedtothetreeandthoughDickonheldhisarmhewaswonderfullysteady.Whenhestoodagainstthetreetrunkitwasnottooplainthathesupportedhimselfagainstit,andhestillheldhimselfsostraightthathelookedtall.

　　WhenBenWeatherstaffcamethroughthedoorinthewallhesawhimstandingthereandheheardMarymutteringsomethingunderherbreath.

　　"Whatartsayin'?

"heaskedrathertestilybecausehedidnotwanthisattentiondistractedfromthelongthinstraightboyfigureandproudface.

　　Butshedidnottellhim.Whatshewassayingwasthis:

　　"Youcandoit!

Youcandoit!

Itoldyouyoucould!

　　Youcandoit!

Youcandoit!

Youcan!

"ShewassayingittoColinbecauseshewantedtomakeMagicandkeephimonhisfeetlookinglikethat.ShecouldnotbearthatheshouldgiveinbeforeBenWeatherstaff.

　　Hedidnotgivein.Shewasupliftedbyasuddenfeelingthathelookedquitebeautifulinspiteofhisthinness.

　　HefixedhiseyesonBenWeatherstaffinhisfunnyimperiousway.

　　"Lookatme!

"hecommanded."Lookatmeallover!

AmIahunchback?

HaveIgotcrookedlegs?

"BenWeatherstaffhadnotquitegotoverhisemotion,buthehadrecoveredalittleandansweredalmostinhisusualway.

　　"Nottha',"hesaid."Nowto'th'sort.What'stha'

　　beendoin'withthysel'--hidin'outo'sightan'lettin'

　　folkthinktha'wascripplean'half-witted?

""Half-witted!

"saidColinangrily."Whothoughtthat?

""Lotso'fools,"saidBen."Th'world'sfullo'

　　jackassesbrayin'an'theyneverbraynowtbutlies.

　　Whatdidtha'shutthysel'upfor?

""EveryonethoughtIwasgoingtodie,"saidColinshortly.

　　"I'mnot!

"AndhesaiditwithsuchdecisionBenWeatherstafflookedhimover,upanddown,downandup.

　　"Tha'die!

"hesaidwithdryexultation."Nowto'th'

　　sort!

Tha'sgottoomuchpluckinthee.WhenIseedtheeputtha'legsonth'groundinsuchahurryIknowedtha'

　　wasallright.Sittheedownonth'rugabityoungMesteran'givemethyorders."Therewasaqueermixtureofcrabbedtendernessandshrewdunderstandinginhismanner.MaryhadpouredoutspeechasrapidlyasshecouldastheyhadcomedowntheLongWalk.

　　Thechiefthingtoberemembered,shehadtoldhim,wasthatColinwasgettingwell--gettingwell.Thegardenwasdoingit.Noonemustlethimrememberabouthavinghumpsanddying.

　　TheRajahcondescendedtoseathimselfonarugunderthetree.

　　"Whatworkdoyoudointhegardens,Weatherstaff?

"heinquired.

　　"Anythin'I'mtoldtodo,"answeredoldBen."I'mkep'

　　onbyfavor--becauseshelikedme.""She?

"saidColin.

　　"Tha'mother,"answeredBenWeatherstaff.

　　"Mymother?

"saidColin,andhelookedabouthimquietly.

　　"Thiswashergarden,wasn'tit?

""Aye,itwasthat!

"andBenWeatherstafflookedabouthimtoo."Sheweremainfondofit.""Itismygardennow.Iamfondofit.Ishallcomehereeveryday,"announcedColin."Butitistobeasecret.

　　Myordersarethatnooneistoknowthatwecomehere.

　　Dickonandmycousinhaveworkedandmadeitcomealive.

　　Ishallsendforyousometimestohelp--butyoumustcomewhennoonecanseeyou."BenWeatherstaff'sfacetwisteditselfinadryoldsmile.

　　"I'vecomeherebeforewhennoonesawme,"hesaid.

　　"What!

"exclaimedColin.

　　"When?

""Th'lasttimeIwashere,"rubbinghischinandlookinground,"wasabouttwoyear'ago.""Butnoonehasbeeninitfortenyears!

"criedColin.

　　"Therewasnodoor!

""I'mnoone,"saidoldBendryly."An'Ididn'tcomethroughth'door.Icomeoverth'wall.Th'rheumaticsheldmebackth'lasttwoyear'.""Tha'comean'didabito'prunin'!

"criedDickon.

　　"Icouldn'tmakeouthowithadbeendone.""Shewassofondofit--shewas!

"saidBenWeatherstaffslowly.

　　"An'shewassuchaprettyyoungthing.Shesaystomeonce,`Ben,'saysshelaughin',`ifeverI'millorifIgoawayyoumusttakecareofmyroses.'Whenshedidgoawayth'

　　orderswasnoonewasevertocomenigh.ButIcome,"withgrumpyobstinacy."Overth'wallIcome--untilth'

　　rheumaticsstoppedme--an'Ididabito'workonceayear.

　　She'dgaveherorderfirst.""Itwouldn'thavebeenaswickasitisiftha'

　　hadn'tdoneit,"saidDickon."Ididwonder.""I'mgladyoudidit,Weatherstaff,"saidColin.

　　"You'llknowhowtokeepthesecret.""Aye,I'llknow,sir,"answeredBen."An,it'llbeeasierforamanwi'rheumaticstocomeinatth'door."OnthegrassnearthetreeMaryhaddroppedhertrowel.

　　Colinstretchedouthishandandtookitup.Anoddexpressioncameintohisfaceandhebegantoscratchattheearth.

　　Histhinhandwasweakenoughbutpresentlyastheywatchedhim--Marywithquitebreathlessinterest--hedrovetheendofthetrowelintothesoilandturnedsomeover.

　　"Youcandoit!

Youcandoit!

"saidMarytoherself.

　　"Itellyou,youcan!

"Dickon'sroundeyeswerefullofeagercuriousnessbuthesaidnotaword.BenWeatherstafflookedonwithinterestedface.

　　Colinpersevered.AfterhehadturnedafewtrowelfulsofsoilhespokeexultantlytoDickoninhisbestYorkshire.

　　"Tha'saidastha'dhavemewalkin'aboutheresameasotherfolk--an'tha'saidtha'dhavemediggin'.Ithowttha'wasjustleein'topleaseme.Thisisonlyth'

　　firstdayan'I'vewalked--an'hereIamdiggin'."BenWeatherstaff'smouthfellopenagainwhenheheardhim,butheendedbychuckling.

　　"Eh!

"hesaid,"thatsoundsasiftha'dgotwitsenow.

　　Tha'rtaYorkshireladforsure.An'tha'rtdiggin',too.

　　How'dtha'liketoplantabito'somethin'?

Icangettheearoseinapot.""Goandgetit!

"saidColin,diggingexcitedly.

　　"Quick!

Quick!

"Itwasdonequicklyenoughindeed.BenWeatherstaffwenthiswayforgettingrheumatics.Dickontookhisspadeanddugtheholedeeperandwiderthananewdiggerwiththinwhitehandscouldmakeit.Maryslippedouttorunandbringbackawatering-can.WhenDickonhaddeepenedtheholeColinwentonturningthesoftearthoverandover.Helookedupatthesky,flushedandglowingwiththestrangelynewexercise,slightasitwas.

　　"Iwanttodoitbeforethesungoesquite--quitedown,"hesaid.

　　Marythoughtthatperhapsthesunheldbackafewminutesjustonpurpose.BenWeatherstaffbroughttheroseinitspotfromthegreenhouse.Hehobbledoverthegrassasfastashecould.Hehadbeguntobeexcited,too.

　　Hekneltdownbytheholeandbrokethepotfromthemould.

　　"Here,lad,"hesaid,handingtheplanttoColin.

　　"Setitintheearththysel'sameasth'kingdoeswhenhegoestoanewplace."ThethinwhitehandsshookalittleandColin'sflushgrewdeeperashesettheroseinthemouldandhelditwhileoldBenmadefirmtheearth.Itwasfilledinandpresseddownandmadesteady.Marywasleaningforwardonherhandsandknees.Soothadflowndownandmarchedforwardtoseewhatwasbeingdone.

　　NutandShellchatteredaboutitfromacherry-tree.

　　"It'splanted!

"saidColinatlast."Andthesunisonlyslippingovertheedge.Helpmeup,Dickon.Iwanttobestandingwhenitgoes.That'spartoftheMagic."AndDickonhelpedhim,andtheMagic--orwhateveritwas--sogavehimstrengththatwhenthesundidslipovertheedgeandendthestrangelovelyafternoonforthemthereheactuallystoodonhistwofeet--laughing.