Таинственный сад
IV. Martha
Shewas,however,onlyanuntrainedYorkshirerusticwhohadbeenbroughtupinamoorlandcottagewithaswarmoflittlebrothersandsisterswhohadneverdreamedofdoinganythingbutwaitingonthemselvesandontheyoungeroneswhowereeitherbabiesinarmsorjustlearningtototteraboutandtumbleoverthings.
IfMaryLennoxhadbeenachildwhowasreadytobeamusedshewouldperhapshavelaughedatMartha’sreadinesstotalk,butMaryonlylistenedtohercoldlyandwonderedatherfreedomofmanner.Atfirstshewasnotatallinterested,butgradually,asthegirlrattledoninhergood-tempered,homelyway,Marybegantonoticewhatshewassaying.
“Eh!youshouldsee’emall,”shesaid.“There’stwelveofusan’myfatheronlygetssixteenshillingaweek.Icantellyoumymother’sputtoittogetporridgefor’emall.Theytumbleaboutonth’mooran’playtherealldayan’mothersaysth’airofth’moorfattens’em.Shesaysshebelievestheyeatth’grasssameasth’wildponiesdo.OurDickon,he’stwelveyearsoldandhe’sgotayoungponyhecallshisown.”
“Wheredidhegetit?”askedMary.
“Hefounditonth’moorwithitsmotherwhenitwasalittleonean’hebegantomakefriendswithitan’giveitbitso’breadan’pluckyounggrassforit.Anditgottolikehimsoitfollowshimaboutan’itletshimgetonitsback.Dickon’sakindladan’animalslikeshim.”
Maryhadneverpossessedananimalpetofherownandhadalwaysthoughtsheshouldlikeone.
