第七章 你能保守秘密嗎

江蘇 秦 虞

瑪麗的陪伴給科林帶來了不可思議的改變，兩人成了相談甚歡的好友。 瑪麗向科林透露了她的小秘密——秘密花園。 他們之間會發生什么故事呢？

難詞探意

1. paddy /'p?di/ n. 發火；發怒

2. glum /ɡl?m/ adj. 悶悶不樂的

3. scowl /ska?l/ v. 怒視

4. smarmy /'smɑ?mi/ adj. 過分殷勤的；諂媚的

5. growl /ɡrɑ?l/ v. 怒吼

6. rajah /'rɑ?d??/ n. （舊時印度的）王侯

“Oh, Miss! Oh, Miss! ” Martha cried when Mary told her about Colin.

“What's wrong?” Mary asked.

“Mrs Medlock will think I've told you about him! I'm in such trouble now! ”

“Why?”

“I just will be! ” Martha said, pacing up and down. “Master Colin's probably in one of his paddies right now! Did he scream at you?”

“No. We just talked.”

Martha stopped pacing. “Talked? What, like you and me do?”

“Yes.”

“That's a first! ”

“What do you mean?”

“He can be a bit...erm...difficult sometimes.”

“Maybe he just needs fresh air like I did.”

“Oh no! We tried that! The worst fit he had was when we took him out and one of the gardening lads stared at him by mistake. Master Colin threw such a paddy that he was up all night with a terrible fever.”

“Well, if he threw a paddy with me I'd just walk out.”

Martha began her pacing again. “Oh, I bet he's in a state this morning! I'd best go help see to him.”

Mary ate her breakfast, deep in thought. What a strange place this was! Secret gardens and secret passageways. Boys crying in the night and boys who talked to animals. Remembering Dickon,she pushed her dish away and went to find her tools. The trouble was that it was pouring down with rain. There would be no gardening today.

A few minutes later, Martha came in. She had a strange look on her face. “Master Colin wants to see you,” she said.

“All right,” Mary said, glad that she had something to do.

“I just hope Mrs Medlock doesn't get to hear of this! ” Martha told Mary. “I'll be in the next room...with his nurse. If you need help.”

“I shan't need any help! ” Mary said. She didn't understand why Martha was making such a fuss. Colin was sitting upright against a mountain of pillows. “So you weren't a ghost! ”

“No.”

He grinned and pointed to some books spread out on his bed. “Look, I've been finding pictures of some of the things you told me.”

They sat and chatted. “India sounds such a magical place,” Colin said.

“Yes, it is.”

“Not like here. There's nothing magical about living here. It's like a prison.”

“I suppose if you stay in one room every day it does.”

“Exactly.”

He looked so glum. It made Mary want to cheer him up. “But there's magic here too.”

“What do you mean?”

Mary hitched closer. Could she trust him? She wondered. He wasn't the same as Dickon but...“There's a secret garden,” she whispered, “full of the most wonderful things.”

“What, here? At Misselthwaite? I've never heard of it! Why have I never heard of it?”

Mary put her fingers to her lips. “Shh! Nobody knows. Only I know where it is, and Dickon.”

“Dickon?”

“Martha's brother. He's amazing.” And she told Colin about Dickon and his way with animals.Then she described the garden. Every bit of it. Colin's face lit up. “It does sound wonderful.”

“It is,” Mary said. But then she grew worried. She plucked at the bedcover.“Colin, you won't tell anyone, will you? They'll spoil it otherwise. They'll stop me from going. Can you keep the secret about the garden?”

Colin shuffled upwards in bed. “Of course,” he said. He raised his eyebrows. “I've never had a secret before! ”

Mary sighed with relief.

◆◆◆

The rain didn't stop for several days but this time, instead of feeling bored and unhappy, Mary had Colin for company.

Martha couldn't believe the difference Mary had made to Master Colin's moods. “He's like a different boy! ” she said, following Mary down the corridor towards Colin's room. “I think you've put a spell on him.”

“He's just lonely, like I used to be,” Mary said, sounding very wise, “and when you are lonely it turns you a bit mean.”

Martha shook her head and went to chat to Colin's nurse, who couldn't believe the change in Master Colin either. “Listen to that,” the nurse said, as sounds of laughter were heard coming from Colin's bedroom.

“Incredible! ”Martha agreed.

“What's incredible?” Mrs Medlock asked, coming up behind the pair and startling them.

Martha was so shocked at seeing Mrs Medlock that she couldn't speak. Mrs Medlock pushed Colin's bedroom door open. “What's all this?” she cried. “What's that girl doing here?”

Master Colin scowled. “I asked her to come, Medlock! ” he told the housekeeper.

Her tone changed immediately. Her voice was soft and smarmy. “But Master Colin! Your cheeks are flushed! You must not get excited! The girl must leave at once! ”

“If anyone must leave at once it's you, Medlock! Get out! Go on! Shoo, you daft woman!Shoo! ”

“Master Colin! ”

“Did you hear what I just said?” Colin growled, puffing himself up. Mrs Medlock fled.

Mary began to giggle. “You sounded just like a proper little rajah then,” she told him.

Colin sniffed. “Good,” he said.

Activity A Reading for comprehension

Ⅰ. Understanding the main idea

What does Chapter 7 mainly talk about?

Ⅱ. Understanding the characters

1. With the company of Mary, what changes did Colin undergo in this chapter? Use some words to describe Colin according to the clues on the left.

2. What contributes to the changes of Colin?

Activity B Reading for writing

Ⅰ. Useful expressions for creating a novel

1. expressions to describe behavior

pace up and down 走來走去

scream at 尖聲喊叫

throw a paddy with sb 對某人發脾氣

make a fuss 大驚小怪

deep in thought 陷入沉思

cheer him up 使他振作起來

sigh with relief 松了一口氣

put her fingers to her lips 把手放到嘴邊

scowl 怒視

growl 怒吼

sniff 不以為然地說

2. expressions to describe facial expressions

grin 咧嘴笑

giggle 咯咯笑

look so glum 看起來悶悶不樂

light up 兩眼放光

raise his eyebrows （揚起眉毛）感到驚訝

Ⅱ. Summary writing

Write a summary of Chapter 7 with about 60 words. Remember to leave out unnecessary details.

Ⅲ. Continuation task

Do you think Mary and Colin would be good friends forever, or would they have any fight? Write an encounter between Mary and Colin.