I. There Is No One Left

           WhenMaryLennoxwassenttoMisselthwaiteManortolivewithheruncleeverybodysaidshewasthemostdisagreeable-lookingchildeverseen.Itwastrue,too.Shehadalittlethinfaceandalittlethinbody,thinlighthairandasourexpression.Herhairwasyellow,andherfacewasyellowbecauseshehadbeenborninIndiaandhadalwaysbeenillinonewayoranother.HerfatherhadheldapositionundertheEnglishGovernmentandhadalwaysbeenbusyandillhimself,andhermotherhadbeenagreatbeautywhocaredonlytogotopartiesandamuseherselfwithgaypeople.Shehadnotwantedalittlegirlatall,andwhenMarywasbornshehandedherovertothecareofanAyah,whowasmadetounderstandthatifshewishedtopleasetheMemSahibshemustkeepthechildoutofsightasmuchaspossible.Sowhenshewasasickly,fretful,uglylittlebabyshewaskeptoutoftheway,andwhenshebecameasickly,fretful,toddlingthingshewaskeptoutofthewayalso.SheneverrememberedseeingfamiliarlyanythingbutthedarkfacesofherAyahandtheothernativeservants,andastheyalwaysobeyedherandgaveherherownwayineverything,becausetheMemSahibwouldbeangryifshewasdisturbedbyhercrying,bythetimeshewassixyearsoldshewasastyrannicalandselfishalittlepigaseverlived.TheyoungEnglishgovernesswhocametoteachhertoreadandwritedislikedhersomuchthatshegaveupherplaceinthreemonths,andwhenothergovernessescametotrytofillittheyalwayswentawayinashortertimethanthefirstone.