Chapter 164.docx

Chapter 164.docx

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Chapter164

Chapter16

"IWON'T!

"SAIDMARY

TheyfoundagreatdealtodothatmorningandMarywaslateinreturningtothehouseandwasalsoinsuchahurrytogetbacktoherworkthatshequiteforgotColinuntilthelastmoment.

　　"TellColinthatIcan'tcomeandseehimyet,"shesaidtoMartha."I'mverybusyinthegarden."Marthalookedratherfrightened.

　　"Eh!

MissMary,"shesaid,"itmayputhimalloutofhumorwhenItellhimthat."ButMarywasnotasafraidofhimasotherpeoplewereandshewasnotaself-sacrificingperson.

　　"Ican'tstay,"sheanswered."Dickon'swaitingforme;"andsheranaway.

　　Theafternoonwasevenlovelierandbusierthanthemorninghadbeen.Alreadynearlyalltheweedswereclearedoutofthegardenandmostoftherosesandtreeshadbeenprunedordugabout.DickonhadbroughtaspadeofhisownandhehadtaughtMarytouseallhertools,sothatbythistimeitwasplainthatthoughthelovelywildplacewasnotlikelytobecomea"gardener'sgarden"itwouldbeawildernessofgrowingthingsbeforethespringtimewasover.

　　"There'llbeappleblossomsan'cherryblossomsoverhead,"Dickonsaid,workingawaywithallhismight.

　　"An'there'llbepeachan'plumtreesinbloomagainstth'

　　walls,an'th'grass'llbeacarpeto'flowers."Thelittlefoxandtherookwereashappyandbusyastheywere,andtherobinandhismateflewbackwardandforwardliketinystreaksoflightning.

　　Sometimestherookflappedhisblackwingsandsoaredawayoverthetree-topsinthepark.EachtimehecamebackandperchednearDickonandcawedseveraltimesasifhewererelatinghisadventures,andDickontalkedtohimjustashehadtalkedtotherobin.OncewhenDickonwassobusythathedidnotanswerhimatfirst,Sootflewontohisshouldersandgentlytweakedhisearwithhislargebeak.WhenMarywantedtorestalittleDickonsatdownwithherunderatreeandoncehetookhispipeoutofhispocketandplayedthesoftstrangelittlenotesandtwosquirrelsappearedonthewallandlookedandlistened.

　　"Tha'sagoodbitstrongerthantha'was,"Dickonsaid,lookingatherasshewasdigging."Tha'sbeginningtolookdifferent,forsure."Marywasglowingwithexerciseandgoodspirits.

　　"I'mgettingfatterandfattereveryday,"shesaidquiteexultantly."Mrs.Medlockwillhavetogetmesomebiggerdresses.Marthasaysmyhairisgrowingthicker.

　　Itisn'tsoflatandstringy."Thesunwasbeginningtosetandsendingdeepgold-coloredraysslantingunderthetreeswhentheyparted.

　　"It'llbefinetomorrow,"saidDickon."I'llbeatworkbysunrise.""SowillI,"saidMary.

　　Sheranbacktothehouseasquicklyasherfeetwouldcarryher.ShewantedtotellColinaboutDickon'sfoxcubandtherookandaboutwhatthespringtimehadbeendoing.

　　Shefeltsurehewouldliketohear.Soitwasnotverypleasantwhensheopenedthedoorofherroom,toseeMarthastandingwaitingforherwithadolefulface.

　　"Whatisthematter?

"sheasked."WhatdidColinsaywhenyoutoldhimIcouldn'tcome?

""Eh!

"saidMartha,"Iwishtha'dgone.Hewasnighgoin'

　　intooneo'histantrums.There'sbeenanicetodoallafternoontokeephimquiet.Hewouldwatchtheclockallth'time."Mary'slipspinchedthemselvestogether.ShewasnomoreusedtoconsideringotherpeoplethanColinwasandshesawnoreasonwhyanill-temperedboyshouldinterferewiththethingshelikedbest.Sheknewnothingaboutthepitifulnessofpeoplewhohadbeenillandnervousandwhodidnotknowthattheycouldcontroltheirtempersandneednotmakeotherpeopleillandnervous,too.

　　WhenshehadhadaheadacheinIndiashehaddoneherbesttoseethateverybodyelsealsohadaheadacheorsomethingquiteasbad.Andshefeltshewasquiteright;butofcoursenowshefeltthatColinwasquitewrong.

　　Hewasnotonhissofawhenshewentintohisroom.

　　Hewaslyingflatonhisbackinbedandhedidnotturnhisheadtowardherasshecamein.ThiswasabadbeginningandMarymarcheduptohimwithherstiffmanner.

　　"Whydidn'tyougetup?

"shesaid.

　　"IdidgetupthismorningwhenIthoughtyouwerecoming,"heanswered,withoutlookingather."Imadethemputmebackinbedthisafternoon.MybackachedandmyheadachedandIwastired.Whydidn'tyoucome?

""IwasworkinginthegardenwithDickon,"saidMary.

　　Colinfrownedandcondescendedtolookather.

　　"Iwon'tletthatboycomehereifyougoandstaywithhiminsteadofcomingtotalktome,"hesaid.

　　Maryflewintoafinepassion.Shecouldflyintoapassionwithoutmakinganoise.Shejustgrewsourandobstinateanddidnotcarewhathappened.

　　"IfyousendDickonaway,I'llnevercomeintothisroomagain!

"sheretorted.

　　"You'llhavetoifIwantyou,"saidColin.

　　"Iwon't!

"saidMary.

　　"I'llmakeyou,"saidColin."Theyshalldragyouin.""Shallthey,Mr.Rajah!

"saidMaryfiercely."Theymaydragmeinbuttheycan'tmakemetalkwhentheygetmehere.

　　I'llsitandclenchmyteethandnevertellyouonething.

　　Iwon'tevenlookatyou.I'llstareatthefloor!

"Theywereaniceagreeablepairastheyglaredateachother.

　　Iftheyhadbeentwolittlestreetboystheywouldhavesprungateachotherandhadarough-and-tumblefight.

　　Asitwas,theydidthenextthingtoit.

　　"Youareaselfishthing!

"criedColin.

　　"Whatareyou?

"saidMary."Selfishpeoplealwayssaythat.

　　Anyoneisselfishwhodoesn'tdowhattheywant.

　　You'remoreselfishthanIam.You'rethemostselfishboyIeversaw.""I'mnot!

"snappedColin."I'mnotasselfishasyourfineDickonis!

HekeepsyouplayinginthedirtwhenheknowsIamallbymyself.He'sselfish,ifyoulike!

"Mary'seyesflashedfire.

　　"He'snicerthananyotherboythateverlived!

"shesaid.

　　"He's--he'slikeanangel!

"Itmightsoundrathersillytosaythatbutshedidnotcare.

　　"Aniceangel!

"Colinsneeredferociously."He'sacommoncottageboyoffthemoor!

""He'sbetterthanacommonRajah!

"retortedMary.

　　"He'sathousandtimesbetter!

"Becauseshewasthestrongerofthetwoshewasbeginningtogetthebetterofhim.Thetruthwasthathehadneverhadafightwithanyonelikehimselfinhislifeand,uponthewhole,itwasrathergoodforhim,thoughneitherhenorMaryknewanythingaboutthat.

　　Heturnedhisheadonhispillowandshuthiseyesandabigtearwassqueezedoutandrandownhischeek.

　　Hewasbeginningtofeelpatheticandsorryforhimself--notforanyoneelse.

　　"I'mnotasselfishasyou,becauseI'malwaysill,andI'msurethereisalumpcomingonmyback,"hesaid.

　　"AndIamgoingtodiebesides.""You'renot!

"contradictedMaryunsympathetically.

　　Heopenedhiseyesquitewidewithindignation.

　　Hehadneverheardsuchathingsaidbefore.Hewasatoncefuriousandslightlypleased,ifapersoncouldbebothatonetime.

　　"I'mnot?

"hecried."Iam!

YouknowIam!

Everybodysaysso.""Idon'tbelieveit!

"saidMarysourly."Youjustsaythattomakepeoplesorry.Ibelieveyou'reproudofit.

　　Idon'tbelieveit!

Ifyouwereaniceboyitmightbetrue--butyou'retoonasty!

"InspiteofhisinvalidbackColinsatupinbedinquiteahealthyrage.

　　"Getoutoftheroom!

"heshoutedandhecaughtholdofhispillowandthrewitather.Hewasnotstrongenoughtothrowitfaranditonlyfellatherfeet,butMary'sfacelookedaspinchedasanutcracker.

　　"I'mgoing,"shesaid."AndIwon'tcomeback!

"Shewalkedtothedoorandwhenshereacheditsheturnedroundandspokeagain.

　　"Iwasgoingtotellyouallsortsofnicethings,"shesaid."DickonbroughthisfoxandhisrookandIwasgoingtotellyouallaboutthem.NowIwon'ttellyouasinglething!

"Shemarchedoutofthedoorandcloseditbehindher,andtheretohergreatastonishmentshefoundthetrainednursestandingasifshehadbeenlisteningand,moreamazingstill--shewaslaughing.Shewasabighandsomeyoungwomanwhooughtnottohavebeenatrainednurseatall,asshecouldnotbearinvalidsandshewasalwaysmakingexcusestoleaveColintoMarthaoranyoneelsewhowouldtakeherplace.Maryhadneverlikedher,andshesimplystoodandgazedupatherasshestoodgigglingintoherhandkerchief..

　　"Whatareyoulaughingat?

"sheaskedher.

　　"Atyoutwoyoungones,"saidthenurse."It'sthebestthingthatcouldhappentothesicklypamperedthingtohavesomeonetostanduptohimthat'sasspoiledashimself;"andshelaughedintoherhandkerchiefagain.

　　"Ifhe'dhadayoungvixenofasistertofightwithitwouldhavebeenthesavingofhim.""Ishegoingtodie?

""Idon'tknowandIdon'tcare,"saidthenurse.

　　"Hystericsandtemperarehalfwhatailshim.""Whatarehysterics?

"askedMary.

　　"You'llfindoutifyouworkhimintoatantrumafterthis--butatanyrateyou'vegivenhimsomethingtohavehystericsabout,andI'mgladofit."Marywentbacktoherroomnotfeelingatallasshehadfeltwhenshehadcomeinfromthegarden.ShewascrossanddisappointedbutnotatallsorryforColin.

　　Shehadlookedforwardtotellinghimagreatmanythingsandshehadmeanttotrytomakeuphermindwhetheritwouldbesafetotrusthimwiththegreatsecret.

　　Shehadbeenbeginningtothinkitwouldbe,butnowshehadchangedhermindentirely.Shewouldnevertellhimandhecouldstayinhisroomandnevergetanyfreshairanddieifheliked!

Itwouldservehimright!

ShefeltsosourandunrelentingthatforafewminutesshealmostforgotaboutDickonandthegreenveilcreepingovertheworldandthesoftwindblowingdownfromthemoor.

　　Marthawaswaitingforherandthetroubleinherfacehadbeentemporarilyreplacedbyinterestandcuriosity.

　　Therewasawoodenboxonthetableanditscoverhadbeenremovedandrevealedthatitwasfullofneatpackages.

　　"Mr.Cravensentittoyou,"saidMartha."Itlooksasifithad