Таємничий сад
XXVII. In The Garden
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Whilethesecretgardenwascomingaliveandtwochildrenwerecomingalivewithit,therewasamanwanderingaboutcertainfar-awaybeautifulplacesintheNorwegianfiordsandthevalleysandmountainsofSwitzerlandandhewasamanwhofortenyearshadkepthismindfilledwithdarkandheart-brokenthinking.Hehadnotbeencourageous;hehadnevertriedtoputanyotherthoughtsintheplaceofthedarkones.Hehadwanderedbybluelakesandthoughtthem;hehadlainonmountain-sideswithsheetsofdeepbluegentiansbloomingallabouthimandflowerbreathsfillingalltheairandhehadthoughtthem.Aterriblesorrowhadfallenuponhimwhenhehadbeenhappyandhehadlethissoulfillitselfwithblacknessandhadrefusedobstinatelytoallowanyriftoflighttopiercethrough.Hehadforgottenanddesertedhishomeandhisduties.Whenhetraveledabout,darknesssobroodedoverhimthatthesightofhimwasawrongdonetootherpeoplebecauseitwasasifhepoisonedtheairabouthimwithgloom.Moststrangersthoughthemustbeeitherhalfmadoramanwithsomehiddencrimeonhissoul.He,wasatallmanwithadrawnfaceandcrookedshouldersandthenamehealwaysenteredonhotelregisterswas,“ArchibaldCraven,MisselthwaiteManor,Yorkshire,England.”
HehadtraveledfarandwidesincethedayhesawMistressMaryinhisstudyandtoldhershemighthaveher“bitofearth.”HehadbeeninthemostbeautifulplacesinEurope,thoughhehadremainednowheremorethanafewdays.Hehadchosenthequietestandremotestspots.
