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TheSecretGarden第1页1LittleMissMaryNobodyseemedtocareaboutMary．ShewasborninIndia，whereherfatherwasaBritishofficial．Hewasbusywithhiswork，andhermother，whowasverybeautiful，spentallhertimegoingtoparties．SoanIndianwoman，Kamala，waspaidtotakecareofthelittlegirl．Marywasnotaprettychild．Shehadathinangryfaceandthinyellowhair．ShewasalwaysgivingorderstoKamala，whohadtoobey．Maryneverthoughtofotherpeople，butonlyofherself．Infact，shewasaveryselfish，disagreeable，bad-temperedlittlegirl．Oneveryhotmorning，whenshewasaboutnineyearsold，shewokeupandsawthatinsteadofKamalatherewasadifferentIndianservantbyherbed．‘Whatareyoudoinghere？’sheaskedcrossly．‘Goaway！AndsendKamalatomeatonce！’Thewomanlookedafraid．‘I'msorry，MissMary，she—she—shecan'tcome！’Somethingstrangewashappeningthatday．Someofthehouseservantsweremissingandeverybodylookedfrightened．ButnobodytoldMaryanything，andKamalastilldidnotcome．SoatlastMarywentoutintothegarden，andplayedbyherselfunderatree．Shepretendedshewasmakingherownflowergarden，andpickedlargeredflowerstopushintotheground．Allthetimeshewassayingcrosslytoherself，‘IhateKamala！I'llhitherwhenshecomesback！’Justthenshesawhermothercomingintothegarden，withayoungEnglishman．Theydidnotnoticethechild，wholistenedtotheirconversation．‘It'sverybad，isit？’hermotheraskedtheyoungmaninaworriedvoice．‘Verybad，’heansweredseriously．‘Peoplearedyinglikeflies．It'sdangeroustostayinthistown．Youshouldgotothehills，wherethere'snodisease．’‘Oh，Iknow！’shecried．‘Wemustleavesoon！’Suddenlytheyheardloudcriescomingfromtheservants’rooms，atthesideofthehouse．‘What'shappened？’criedMary'smotherwildly．‘Ithinkoneofyourservantshasjustdied．Youdidn'ttellmethediseaseishere，inyourhouse！’‘Ididn'tknow！’shescreamed．‘Quick，comewithme！’Andtogethertheyranintothehouse．NowMaryunderstoodwhatwaswrong．Theterriblediseasehadalreadykilledmanypeopleinthetown，andinallthehousespeopleweredying．InMary'shouseitwasKamalawhohadjustdied．Laterthatdaythreemoreservantsdiedthere．Allthroughthenightandthenextdaypeopleraninandoutofthehouse，shoutingandcrying．NobodythoughtofMary．Shehidinherbedroom，frightenedbythestrangeandterriblesoundsthatsheheardaroundher．Sometimesshecriedandsometimessheslept．Whenshewokethenextday，thehousewassilent．‘Perhapsthediseasehasgone，’shethought，‘andeverybodyiswellagain．IwonderwhowilltakecareofmeinsteadofKamala？Whydoesn'tsomeonebringmeTheSecretGarden第2页somefood？It'sstrangethehouseissoquiet．’Butjustthensheheardmen'svoicesinthehall．‘Howsad！’saidone．‘Thatbeautifulwoman！’‘Therewasachildtoo，wasn'tthere？’saidtheother．‘Althoughnoneofuseversawher．’Marywasstandinginthemiddleofherroomwhentheyopenedthedoorafewminuteslater．Thetwomenjumpedbackinsurprise．‘MynameisMaryLennox，’shesaidcrossly．‘Iwasasleepwheneveryonewasill，andnowI'mhungry．’‘It'sthechild，theonenobodyeversaw！’saidtheoldermantotheother．‘They'veallforgottenher！’‘WhywasIforgotten？’askedMaryangrily．‘Whyhasnobodycometotakecareofme？’Theyoungermanlookedatherverysadly．‘Poorchild！’hesaid．‘Yousee，there'snobodyleftaliveinthehouse．Sonobodycancome．’InthisstrangeandsuddenwayMarylearntthatbothhermotherandherfatherhaddied．Thefewservantswhohadnotdiedhadrunawayinthenight．NoonehadrememberedlittleMissMary．Shewasallalone．Becauseshehadneverknownherparentswell，shedidnotmissthematall．Sheonlythoughtofherself，asshehadalwaysdone．‘WherewillIlive？’shewondered．‘IhopeI'llstaywithpeoplewho'llletmedowhatIwant．’AtfirstshewastakentoanEnglishfamilywhohadknownherparents．Shehatedtheiruntidyhouseandnoisychildren，andpreferredplayingbyherselfinthegarden．Onedayshewasplayingherfavoritegame，pretendingtomakeagarden，whenoneofthechildren，Basil，offeredtohelp．‘Goaway！’criedMary．‘Idon'twantyourhelp！’ForamomentBasillookedangry，andthenhebegantolaughHedancedroundandroundMary，andsangafunnylittlesongaboutMissMaryandherstupidflowers．ThismadeMaryverycrossindeed．Noonehadeverlaughedathersounkindly．‘You'regoinghomesoon，’saidBasil．‘Andwe'reallverypleasedyou'releaving！’‘I'mpleasedtoo，’repliedMary．‘Butwhere'shome？’‘You'restupidifyoudon'tknowthat！’laughedBasil．England，ofcourse！You'regoingtolivewithyouruncle，Mr.ArchibaldGraven．’‘I'veneverheardofhim，’saidMarycoldly．‘ButIknowabouthimbecauseIheardFatherandMothertalking，’saidBasil．‘Helivesinabiglonelyoldhouse，andhasnofriends，becausehe'ssobad-tempered．He'sgotacrookedback，andhe'shorrid！’‘Idon'tbelieveyou！’criedMary．ButthenextdayBasil'sparentsexplainedthatshewasgoingtolivewithheruncleinYorkshire，inthenorthofEngland．Marylookedboredandcrossandsaidnothing．Afterthelongseajourney，shewasmetinLondonbyMr.Craven'shousekeeper，Mrs.Medlock．Togethertheytravellednorthbytrain．Mrs.MedlockTheSecretGarden第3页wasalargewoman，withaveryredfaceandbrightblackeyes．Marydidnotlikeher，butthatwasnotsurprising，becauseshedidnotusuallylikepeople．Mrs.MedlockdidnotlikeMaryeither．‘Whatadisagreeablechild！’thoughtthehousekeeper．‘ButperhapsIshouldtalktoher．’‘Icantellyouabitaboutyouruncleifyoulike，’shesaidaloud．‘Helivesinabigoldhouse，alongwayfromanywhere．Therearenearlyahundredrooms，butmostofthemareshutandlocked．There'sabigparkroundthehouse，andallkindsofgardens．Well，whatdoyouthinkofthat？’‘Nothing，