The Secret Garden

her very pretty, but as she knewvery little of her she could scarcely

elf,as she had always done. If she had been older she wouldno doubt have been very anxious at being left alone

going to nice people, who would be polite to her and giveher

hehad five children nearly all the same age and they woreshabby clothes and were always quarreling and snatchingtoys from each other. Mary hated their untidy bung

blue eyes and a turned-up nose, and Maryhated him. She was playing by hers

and Basil came and stood near to watch her. Presently

nd pretendit is a rockery?" he said. "There i

boys. Go away!"For a moment Basil loo

s. He danced roundand round her an

uite contrary,How d

too;and the crosser Mary got, the more they sang "Mistress Mary,quite contrary"; and after that as long as she stayedwit

're glad of it.""I am glad of it, too," answered Mary. "Where is home?""She doesn't

ister Mabel was sentto her last year.

le. His name isMr. Archibald Craven.""I do

Basil answered. "You

heard father and mot

ountry and no one goes near him. He's so cross he won'

you,"said Mary; and she turned her back and stuck her f

uncle,Mr. Archibald Craven, who lived at Misselthwaite Manor,she looked so stony and stubbornly uninterested thatthey did not know what to think about her. They

awford said pityingly,afterward. "And

ng it.""Perhaps if her mother had carried her pretty faceand her pretty manners oftener into the nursery Marymight have learned some pretty ways too. It is very sad,now the poor beautiful thing is gone, to reme

he middle of the room."Mary made the long voyage to England under the care ofan officer's wife, who was taking her children to leavethem in a boarding-school. She was very much absorbedin her own little

t and a black bonnetwith purple velvet flowers which stuck up and trembledwhen she moved her head. Mary did not like her at all,but as s

plain little piece

, ma'am?" "Perhaps shewill improve as she grows older," the officer's wifesaid good-natur

he'll have to alter a good d

u ask me!" They thought Mary was notlistening because she was standing a

e well and was made very curious abouther uncle and the place he lived in.

n one. Perhaps ther

esand had had no Ayah, she had begun to feel lonel

ever seemed to belongto anyone even whe

ir fathers and mothers,but she had never

notice of her. She did not know that thiswas because she was a disagre

r people were, but she did no

fine bonnet. When the next day they setout on their journey to Yorkshire, she walked throughthe station to the railway carr

ngry to think people imagi

swhat she would have said if she had been asked. She hadnot wanted to go to London just when her sister Maria'sdaughter was going to be married, but she had a com

ared even to

Craven had said in his short, cold way. "Captain Lennoxw

go to Londonand bring her yourself."So she

ead or to look at,and she had folded her thin little black-gloved hands inher lap. Her black dress

rkshire word andmeans spoiled and pettish.) She had never seen a childwho sat so still without d

bout whereyou are going to," she said. "Do you

. She frowned because sheremembered that her father and mother had never talke

queer,unresponsive little face. She did not say a

to a queer place."Mary said nothing at all, and Mrs. Medlock looked ratherdis

way--and that'sgloomy enough, too. The house is six hundred years oldand it's on the edge o

for ages, and there's a big park roundit and gardens and trees with branch

othing else," sh

herself. It all soundedso unlike India,

ntend to look as if

unhappy, disagreeable

"Nothing," she answered. "I know nothing about such pla

, "but you are l

id Mary, "whether I care or not.""You ar

at Misselthwaite Manorfor I don't know

nd certain. He never troubles himself about no one."She sto

ed back," she said.

married."Mary's eyes turned toward her in spite of her intentionnot to seem to care.

ve womanshe continued with more interest. This wa

d he'd have walkedthe world over to

im, but she did,and people sai

ositively. "When she died--"Mary

she exclaimed, quit

"Riquet a la Houppe." It had been about a poorhunchback and a beautif

nswered. "And itmade him queerer

nd when he is at Misselthwaite he shuts himself up int

like something in a book and it did not makeMary feel cheerful. A house with a hundred rooms,nearly all

ld have begunto pour down in gray slanting lines and splash and streamdown the window-panes. If the pretty wife had been aliveshe might have made things cheerf

mustn't expect that therewill be people to talk to you. You'll have to playabout and look af

all not want to go poking about," said sour littleMary and just as suddenly as she had begun to be rathersorry for Mr. Ar

window of the railway carriage and gazed out at the grayrai

that the graynessgrew heavier and heav