Таинственный сад
XXV. The Curtain
”
“That’swhatIwasthinking,”saidMary.“Noonewoulddaretofollowus.Therearegallerieswhereyoucouldrun.Wecoulddoourexercises.ThereisalittleIndianroomwherethereisacabinetfullofivoryelephants.Thereareallsortsofrooms.”
“Ringthebell,”saidColin.
Whenthenursecameinhegavehisorders.
“Iwantmychair,”hesaid.“MissMaryandIaregoingtolookatthepartofthehousewhichisnotused.Johncanpushmeasfarasthepicture-gallerybecausetherearesomestairs.ThenhemustgoawayandleaveusaloneuntilIsendforhimagain.”
Rainydayslosttheirterrorsthatmorning.Whenthefootmanhadwheeledthechairintothepicture-galleryandleftthetwotogetherinobediencetoorders,ColinandMarylookedateachotherdelighted.AssoonasMaryhadmadesurethatJohnwasreallyonhiswaybacktohisownquartersbelowstairs,Colingotoutofhischair.
“Iamgoingtorunfromoneendofthegallerytotheother,”hesaid,“andthenIamgoingtojumpandthenwewilldoBobHaworth’sexercises.”
Andtheydidallthesethingsandmanyothers.Theylookedattheportraitsandfoundtheplainlittlegirldressedingreenbrocadeandholdingtheparrotonherfinger.
“Allthese,”saidColin,“mustbemyrelations.Theylivedalongtimeago.Thatparrotone,Ibelieve,isoneofmygreat,great,great,greataunts.Shelooksratherlikeyou,Mary—notasyoulooknowbutasyoulookedwhenyoucamehere.Nowyouareagreatdealfatterandbetterlooking.”
“Soareyou,”saidMary,andtheybothlaughed.
