Таинственный сад
XIV. A Young Rajah
“Whydoyoulookatmelikethat?”heaskedher.“Whatareyouthinkingabout?”
“Iamthinkingabouttwothings.”
“Whatarethey?Sitdownandtellme.”
“Thisisthefirstone,”saidMary,seatingherselfonthebigstool.“OnceinIndiaIsawaboywhowasaRajah.Hehadrubiesandemeraldsanddiamondsstuckalloverhim.HespoketohispeoplejustasyouspoketoMartha.Everybodyhadtodoeverythinghetoldthem—inaminute.Ithinktheywouldhavebeenkillediftheyhadn’t.”
“IshallmakeyoutellmeaboutRajahspresently,”hesaid,“butfirsttellmewhatthesecondthingwas.”
“Iwasthinking,”saidMary,“howdifferentyouarefromDickon.”
“WhoisDickon?”hesaid.“Whataqueername!”
Shemightaswelltellhim,shethoughtshecouldtalkaboutDickonwithoutmentioningthesecretgarden.ShehadlikedtohearMarthatalkabouthim.Besides,shelongedtotalkabouthim.Itwouldseemtobringhimnearer.
“HeisMartha’sbrother.Heistwelveyearsold,”sheexplained.“Heisnotlikeanyoneelseintheworld.HecancharmfoxesandsquirrelsandbirdsjustasthenativesinIndiacharmsnakes.Heplaysaverysofttuneonapipeandtheycomeandlisten.”
Thereweresomebigbooksonatableathissideandhedraggedonesuddenlytowardhim.
“Thereisapictureofasnake-charmerinthis,”heexclaimed.“Comeandlookatit.”
Thebookwasabeautifulonewithsuperbcoloredillustrationsandheturnedtooneofthem.
“Canhedothat?”heaskedeagerly.
“Heplayedonhispipeandtheylistened,”Maryexplained.
