Таинственный сад

           (OneofthelongconcealedcharmsofBenWeatherstaffwasthatinhisboyhoodhehadoncerunawaytoseaandhadmadevoyages.Sohecouldreplylikeasailor.)

           “Iamgoingtotryascientificexperiment,”explainedtheRajah.“WhenIgrowupIamgoingtomakegreatscientificdiscoveriesandIamgoingtobeginnowwiththisexperiment.”

           “Aye,aye,sir!”saidBenWeatherstaffpromptly,thoughthiswasthefirsttimehehadheardofgreatscientificdiscoveries.

           ItwasthefirsttimeMaryhadheardofthem,either,butevenatthisstageshehadbeguntorealizethat,queerashewas,Colinhadreadaboutagreatmanysingularthingsandwassomehowaveryconvincingsortofboy.Whenhehelduphisheadandfixedhisstrangeeyesonyouitseemedasifyoubelievedhimalmostinspiteofyourselfthoughhewasonlytenyearsold—goingoneleven.Atthismomenthewasespeciallyconvincingbecausehesuddenlyfeltthefascinationofactuallymakingasortofspeechlikeagrown-upperson.

           “ThegreatscientificdiscoveriesIamgoingtomake,”hewenton,“willbeaboutMagic.Magicisagreatthingandscarcelyanyoneknowsanythingaboutitexceptafewpeopleinoldbooks—andMaryalittle,becauseshewasborninIndiawheretherearefakirs.IbelieveDickonknowssomeMagic,butperhapshedoesn’tknowheknowsit.Hecharmsanimalsandpeople.Iwouldneverhavelethimcometoseemeifhehadnotbeenananimalcharmer—whichisaboycharmer,too,becauseaboyisananimal.