Таинственный сад
IX. The Strangest House Anyone Ever Lived In
Allthattroubledherwasherwishthatsheknewwhetheralltherosesweredead,orifperhapssomeofthemhadlivedandmightputoutleavesandbudsastheweathergotwarmer.Shedidnotwantittobeaquitedeadgarden.Ifitwereaquitealivegarden,howwonderfulitwouldbe,andwhatthousandsofroseswouldgrowoneveryside!
Herskipping-ropehadhungoverherarmwhenshecameinandaftershehadwalkedaboutforawhileshethoughtshewouldskiproundthewholegarden,stoppingwhenshewantedtolookatthings.Thereseemedtohavebeengrasspathshereandthere,andinoneortwocornerstherewerealcovesofevergreenwithstoneseatsortallmoss-coveredflowerurnsinthem.
Asshecamenearthesecondofthesealcovesshestoppedskipping.Therehadoncebeenaflowerbedinit,andshethoughtshesawsomethingstickingoutoftheblackearth—somesharplittlepalegreenpoints.SherememberedwhatBenWeatherstaffhadsaidandshekneltdowntolookatthem.
“Yes,theyaretinygrowingthingsandtheymightbecrocusesorsnowdropsordaffodils,”shewhispered.
Shebentveryclosetothemandsniffedthefreshscentofthedampearth.Shelikeditverymuch.
“Perhapstherearesomeotheronescomingupinotherplaces,”shesaid.“Iwillgoalloverthegardenandlook.”
Shedidnotskip,butwalked.Shewentslowlyandkepthereyesontheground.Shelookedintheoldborderbedsandamongthegrass,andaftershehadgoneround,tryingtomissnothing,shehadfoundeversomanymoresharp,palegreenpoints,andshehadbecomequiteexcitedagain.
