CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"I WILL LIVE FOREVER!"

The next morning Mary slept very late. When Martha brought her breakfast, she said, "Well, Miss Mary, I don't believe it. This morning Master Colin asked me, 'Would you please ask Miss Mary if she'll come and see me, when she can?' Imagine him saying 'please'!"

Mary wanted to go straight to the garden. But suddenly she decided to go and see Colin. She felt that she could trust him with the secret of the garden.

When she entered Colin's room she had her coat and hat with her. She intended to go to the garden after speaking with him. "I'm glad you came," he said. He looked very tired. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Well, I'm going to see Dickon soon. I ... I thought I'd tell you something. About the garden."

"What is it?" Colin looked excited.

Mary felt a little afraid again. "Can I trust you? Really, really trust you? I trusted Dickon with the secret. Will you promise never to tell anyone?"

"I promise, Mary," whispered Colin. He saw she was very serious.

"I've found the door to the garden. I really found it weeks ago. I wasn't sure if I could trust you, so I didn't say anything. Dickon and I have been working in it, and in summer there will be roses and many other beautiful things."

Colin's eyes were as big as plates. "Mary!" he cried. "Oh, will I see it? Will I live to get into it?" He grabbed her hands and pulled her towards him.

"Don't be ridiculous!" said Mary. "Of course you'll live to get into it!"

And Colin saw how silly he was, and began to laugh. Mary laughed with him. She told him about what the secret garden was really like. She told him about the wonderful work they were doing there. Soon, they looked like two ordinary children, whispering and laughing. Colin felt better than he ever had in his life.

They began to make plans for Colin's visit to the garden. "I have an idea," said Colin. "I must see this garden—tomorrow, if the weather's good. Oh, let it be good! Dickon can push me in my wheel chair. I'll tell all the gardeners to keep away from the place where the secret garden is. I'll just say I want to be left alone. I'm sure it will work!"

Meanwhile, the doctor arrived at the house. He hated these visits. He expected the boy to be alone, and still angry and upset. He usually was, the morning after his tantrums. But Mrs Medlock had different news for him. "Doctor, you'll never believe it. That sour faced little girl, who's almost as bad as Colin, has calmed him. Last night she did what all of us are afraid to do. She just ran into the room and yelled at him to stop. She said he was being ridiculous! Now, this afternoon—well, you have to see for yourself. Come upstairs."

The doctor saw Colin and Mary talking and laughing. Colin actually looked happy! They were looking at some pictures of flowers.

"These large, purple flowers are called delphiniums," said Colin.

"We've got some of those in the garden already!" said Mary.

Then they saw the doctor and stopped speaking.

"Well, my boy, you are looking better after your long night," said the doctor.

"I'm feeling much better. I want some fresh air, so I'm going out in my chair tomorrow, if the weather's nice," said Colin boldly.

The doctor was shocked. Colin had said that he hated fresh air. "Well, all right, but it must be warm tomorrow. And you must dress warmly," he said nervously.

"Never mind, doctor. You may go away now. I do not need any medicine. My cousin makes me better. When I go outside, a very strong boy I know can push my chair," said Colin.

"Who is this boy?" asked the doctor.

"He's Dickon!" said Mary.

The doctor smiled. Everyone knew Dickon. "Well, if Dickon goes with you it will be all right."

When the doctor left he went straight to Mrs Medlock. "Sarah, I don't believe it. You were right. That little girl has tamed him, like you tame a wild animal! I didn't have to give him any sleeping pills, or do anything for him."

"I know. I'm very relieved," said Mrs Medlock.

After a while, Mary left Colin and went to the garden, where she worked happily with Dickon for hours. They had agreed that tomorrow was to be the day of the adventure—if the sun shone.

Unfortunately, Mary, Colin, and Dickon's plan had to wait more than a week. First Colin got a cold, and the weather was also bad. It was cool and windy every day for ten days. Normally, such a situation would have made Colin terribly angry and upset. But Mary came to see him every day, and he and Mary had such pleasant conversations. They almost always talked about the garden. Mary told him what was growing there. Like Mary, he was also interested in the roses. The rose vines and bushes were becoming greener every day. When summer came, there would be roses of every color—pink, red, white, and yellow. Many other kinds of flowers were growing, too.

During this time Colin met Dickon. Mary had wondered what the two boys would think of each other. But she saw she didn't need to worry. Colin just stared and stared at Dickon with amazement in his eyes. He had never talked to another boy before. But Dickon was so natural, and not at all embarrassed, that Colin didn't feel shy at all. After that, every day Dickon came to the room for a short time.

Finally the weather got better. Ten days after Colin's terrible night, he awakened. He was happy it was morning, which surprised him a little. He usually hated being awake. He could see the warm sun shining outside! This afternoon, if his and Mary's plan worked, he would see the mysterious garden.

Colin rang his bell. When his nurse came in, he said, "Nurse, ask Mary Lennox if she will have breakfast with me here. And go and find Mr Roach, the gardener. I want to speak to him."

The nurse was surprised, but she did as Colin asked.

Half an hour later, Mary and Colin were eating breakfast together. Colin was surprised to find that he was hungry. "You'll become fatter, just like I did," said Mary. "I used to never want my food, and now I'm always hungry."

Soon Mr Roach, the gardener, appeared. He had no idea what Master Colin could want, and he was curious about him. He had never seen the boy, but he'd heard stories of the boy's terrible temper and his illnesses. That morning, Colin was sitting in a chair. He had on a red gown that made him look a little like a prince. "So you are Roach, are you?" Colin said. "I want you to do some things."

"Very good, sir," said Roach. He wondered what the boy would ask.

"This afternoon I am going out in my chair. I will go out every day, if the weather is good. I want you to make sure everyone stays away from the long path by the garden walls. Do you understand? I will go out at two o'clock, and everyone is to stay away until I say they may return to work."

"Very good, sir. It will be done," said Roach. He was glad the boy hadn't told him to chop all the trees down, or something like that!

"You may go now, Roach," said Colin. He acted just like a Prince of England! Mr Roach almost wanted to laugh.

Mary stayed with Colin for the rest of the morning. The nurse would dress Colin at one thirty. Then Dickon would come up and meet them in Colin's room at two o'clock, Mary wasn't worried that Colin wouldn't like Dickon. Everyone did.

They became more and more excited as the time went by. Finally the nurse came in to dress Colin. She noticed that, instead of lying there, Colin tried to help her a little. And he talked to Mary the whole time. Then they helped him get into his wheel chair.

The strongest servant in the house carried Colin and the chair downstairs. Mary saw Dickon waiting for them. He looked excited.

When everything was ready, Colin said to the servants, "You may go now." They did so, but they were trying not to laugh at the little Prince!

Outside it was a beautiful spring day. The wind was warm, the sun shone, the sky was a soft blue. Colin looked around him and breathed deeply. "There are so many birds singing!" he said. "They're all busy building their nests, and laying their eggs. And just listen to those bees. They're making honey," said Dickon.

While they walked Dickon showed Colin many sorts of flowers. Many of them were now growing in the secret garden.

Soon they reached the wall where the door to the secret garden was. Mr Roach had kept his promise. No one was around. "I don't see the door," said Colin. He was breathing fast, and his eyes were shining with excitement.

"It's hidden—it's right here. Quickly, now! Push him in, Dickon—fast!" whispered Mary.

And Dickon pushed Colin into the garden. Colin had covered his eyes with his hands. When he took them away, he cried out in joy.

To Colin, the garden was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. The rose vines on the wall were green and healthy. Flowers of every color were growing, and the grass was soft, green, and fresh. There was a sound of birds singing, and delicious smells filled the air. It was sweet and quiet, and the sun was warm on his face.

Mary and Dickon stared at Colin in amazement. They noticed the boy's white face filling with pink color, as he took deep breaths.

"Mary!" he cried. "Dickon! I will get well! I will! The garden's magic will help me. And I will live forever and ever and ever!"

(end of section)