Таинственный сад
XIII. “I Am Colin”
SometimesIhavebeentakentoplacesattheseaside,butIwon’tstaybecausepeoplestareatme.Iusedtowearanironthingtokeepmybackstraight,butagranddoctorcamefromLondontoseemeandsaiditwasstupid.Hetoldthemtotakeitoffandkeepmeoutinthefreshair.IhatefreshairandIdon’twanttogoout.”
“Ididn’twhenfirstIcamehere,”saidMary.“Whydoyoukeeplookingatmelikethat?”
“Becauseofthedreamsthataresoreal,”heansweredratherfretfully.“SometimeswhenIopenmyeyesIdon’tbelieveI’mawake.”
“We’rebothawake,”saidMary.Sheglancedroundtheroomwithitshighceilingandshadowycornersanddimfire-light.“Itlooksquitelikeadream,andit’sthemiddleofthenight,andeverybodyinthehouseisasleep—everybodybutus.Wearewideawake.”
“Idon’twantittobeadream,”theboysaidrestlessly.
Marythoughtofsomethingallatonce.
“Ifyoudon’tlikepeopletoseeyou,”shebegan,“doyouwantmetogoaway?”
Hestillheldthefoldofherwrapperandhegaveitalittlepull.
“No,”hesaid.“Ishouldbesureyouwereadreamifyouwent.Ifyouarereal,sitdownonthatbigfootstoolandtalk.Iwanttohearaboutyou.”
Maryputdownhercandleonthetablenearthebedandsatdownonthecushionedstool.Shedidnotwanttogoawayatall.Shewantedtostayinthemysterioushidden-awayroomandtalktothemysteriousboy.
“Whatdoyouwantmetotellyou?”shesaid.
