Таинственный сад
VI. “There Was Someone Crying—there Was!”
Shehadneverbeentaughttoaskpermissiontodothings,andsheknewnothingatallaboutauthority,soshewouldnothavethoughtitnecessarytoaskMrs.Medlockifshemightwalkaboutthehouse,evenifshehadseenher.
Sheopenedthedooroftheroomandwentintothecorridor,andthenshebeganherwanderings.Itwasalongcorridoranditbranchedintoothercorridorsanditledherupshortflightsofstepswhichmountedtoothersagain.Thereweredoorsanddoors,andtherewerepicturesonthewalls.Sometimestheywerepicturesofdark,curiouslandscapes,butoftenesttheywereportraitsofmenandwomeninqueer,grandcostumesmadeofsatinandvelvet.Shefoundherselfinonelonggallerywhosewallswerecoveredwiththeseportraits.Shehadneverthoughttherecouldbesomanyinanyhouse.Shewalkedslowlydownthisplaceandstaredatthefaceswhichalsoseemedtostareather.ShefeltasiftheywerewonderingwhatalittlegirlfromIndiawasdoingintheirhouse.Somewerepicturesofchildren—littlegirlsinthicksatinfrockswhichreachedtotheirfeetandstoodoutaboutthem,andboyswithpuffedsleevesandlacecollarsandlonghair,orwithbigruffsaroundtheirnecks.Shealwaysstoppedtolookatthechildren,andwonderwhattheirnameswere,andwheretheyhadgone,andwhytheyworesuchoddclothes.Therewasastiff,plainlittlegirlratherlikeherself.Sheworeagreenbrocadedressandheldagreenparrotonherfinger.Hereyeshadasharp,curiouslook.
“Wheredoyoulivenow?”saidMaryaloudtoher.“Iwishyouwerehere.
