Таинственный сад
IV. Martha
“There’sanotheront’othersideo’th’wallan’there’sth’orchardt’othersideo’that.”
“CanIgointhem?”askedMary.
“Iftha’likes.Butthere’snowttosee.”
Marymadenoresponse.Shewentdownthepathandthroughthesecondgreendoor.There,shefoundmorewallsandwintervegetablesandglassframes,butinthesecondwalltherewasanothergreendooranditwasnotopen.Perhapsitledintothegardenwhichnoonehadseenfortenyears.Asshewasnotatallatimidchildandalwaysdidwhatshewantedtodo,Marywenttothegreendoorandturnedthehandle.Shehopedthedoorwouldnotopenbecauseshewantedtobesureshehadfoundthemysteriousgarden—butitdidopenquiteeasilyandshewalkedthroughitandfoundherselfinanorchard.Therewerewallsallrounditalsoandtreestrainedagainstthem,andtherewerebarefruit-treesgrowinginthewinter-brownedgrass—buttherewasnogreendoortobeseenanywhere.Marylookedforit,andyetwhenshehadenteredtheupperendofthegardenshehadnoticedthatthewalldidnotseemtoendwiththeorchardbuttoextendbeyonditasifitenclosedaplaceattheotherside.Shecouldseethetopsoftreesabovethewall,andwhenshestoodstillshesawabirdwithabrightredbreastsittingonthetopmostbranchofoneofthem,andsuddenlyheburstintohiswintersong—almostasifhehadcaughtsightofherandwascallingtoher.
