n　the　velvet　which　covered　it　there　was　a　hole；　and　out　of　the　hole　peeped　a　tiny　head　with　a　pair　of　tightened　eyes　in　it。
  Mary　crept　softly　across　the　room　to　look。　　The　bright　eyes　belonged　to　a　little　gray　mouse；　and　the　mouse　had　eaten　a　hole　into　the　cushion　and　made　a　comfortable　nest　there。　Six　baby　mice　were　cuddled　up　asleep　near　her。　　If　there　was　no　one　else　alive　in　the　hundred　rooms　there　were　seven　mice　who　did　not　look　lonely　at　all。
  〃If　they　wouldn't　be　so　frightened　I　would　take　them　back　with　me；〃　said　Mary。
  She　had　wandered　about　long　enough　to　feel　too　tired
  to　wander　any　farther；　and　she　turned　back。　　Two　or　three　times　she　lost　her　way　by　turning　down　the　wrong　corridor　and　was　obliged　to　ramble　up　and　down　until　she　found　the　right　one；　but　at　last　she　reached　her　own　floor　again；　though　she　was　some　distance　from　her　own　room　and　did　not　know　exactly　where　she　was。
  〃I　believe　I　have　taken　a　wrong　turning　again；〃　she　said；　standing　still　at　what　seemed　the　end　of　a　short　passage　with　tapestry　on　the　wall。　　〃I　don't　know　which　way　to　go。　How　still　everything　is！〃
  It　was　while　she　was　standing　here　and　just　after　she　had　said　this　that　the　stillness　was　broken　by　a　sound。　It　was　another　cry；　but　not　quite　like　the　one　she　had　heard　last　night；　it　was　only　a　short　one；　a　fretful　childish　whine　muffled　by　passing　through　walls。
  〃It's　nearer　than　it　was；〃　said　Mary；　her　heart　beating　rather　faster。　　〃And　it　is　crying。〃
  She　put　her　hand　accidentally　upon　the　tapestry　near　her；　and　then　sprang　back；　feeling　quite　startled。　　The　tapestry　was　the　covering　of　a　door　which　fell　open　and　showed　her　that　there　was　another　part　of　the　corridor　behind　it；　and　Mrs。　Medlock　was　coming　up　it　with　her　bunch　of　keys　in　her　hand　and　a　very　cross　look　on　her　face。
  〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　she　said；　and　she　took　Mary　by　the　arm　and　pulled　her　away。　　〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃
  〃I　turned　round　the　wrong　corner；〃　explained　Mary。　〃I　didn't　know　which　way　to　go　and　I　heard　some　one　crying。〃　She　quite　hated　Mrs。　Medlock　at　the　moment；　but　she　hated　her　more　the　next。
  〃You　didn't　hear　anything　of　the　sort；〃　said　the　housekeeper。　〃You　come　along　back　to　your　own　nursery　or　I'll　box　your　ears。〃
  And　she　took　her　by　the　arm　and　half　pushed；　half　pulled　her　up　one　passage　and　down　another　until　she　pushed　her　in　at　the　door　of　her　own　room。
  〃Now；〃　she　said；　〃you　stay　where　you're　told　to　stay　or　you'll　find　yourself　locked　up。　　The　master　had　better　get　you　a　governess；　same　as　he　said　he　would。　You're　one　that　needs　some　one　to　look　sharp　after　you。　I've　got　enough　to　do。〃
  She　went　out　of　the　room　and　slammed　the　door　after　her；　and　Mary　went　and　sat　on　the　hearth…rug；　pale　with　rage。　She　did　not　cry；　but　ground　her　teeth。
  〃There　was　some　one　cryingthere　wasthere　was！〃　she　said　to　herself。
  She　had　heard　it　twice　now；　and　sometime　she　would　find　out。　She　had　found　out　a　great　deal　this　morning。　　She　felt　as　if　she　had　been　on　a　long　journey；　and　at　any　rate　she　had　had　something　to　amuse　her　all　the　time；　and　she　had　played　with　the　ivory　elephants　and　had　seen　the　gray　mouse　and　its　babies　in　their　nest　in　the　velvet　cushion。
  CHAPTER　VII
  THE　KEY　TO　THE　GARDEN
  Two　days　after　this；　when　Mary　opened　her　eyes　she　sat　upright　in　bed　immediately；　and　called　to　Martha。
  〃Look　at　the　moor！　Look　at　the　moor！〃
  The　rainstorm　had　ended　and　the　gray　mist　and　clouds　had　been　swept　away　in　the　night　by　the　wind。　　The　wind　itself　had　ceased　and　a　brilliant；　deep　blue　sky　arched　high　over　the　moorland。　　Never；　never　had　Mary　dreamed　of　a　sky　so　blue。　　In　India　skies　were　hot　and　blazing；　this　was　of　a　deep　cool　blue　which　almost　seemed　to　sparkle　like　the　waters　of　some　lovely　bottomless　lake；　and　here　and　there；　high；　high　in　the　arched　blueness　floated　small　clouds　of　snow…white　fleece。　　The　far…reaching　world　of　the　moor　itself　looked　softly　blue　instead　of　gloomy　purple…black　or　awful　dreary　gray。
  〃Aye；〃　said　Martha　with　a　cheerful　grin。　　〃Th'　storm's　over　for　a　bit。　　It　does　like　this　at　this　time　o'　th'　year。　　It　goes　off　in　a　night　like　it　was　pretendin'　it　had　never　been　here　an'　never　meant　to　come　again。　That's　because　th'　springtime's　on　its　way。　　It's　a　long　way　off　yet；　but　it's　comin'。〃
  〃I　thought　perhaps　it　always　rained　or　looked　dark　in　England；〃　Mary　said。
  〃Eh！　no！〃　said　Martha；　sitting　up　on　her　heels　among　her　black　lead　brushes。　　〃Nowt　o'　th'　soart！〃
  〃What　does　that　mean？〃　asked　Mary　seriously。　　In　India　the　natives　spoke　different　dialects　which　only　a　few　people　understood；　so　she　was　not　surprised　when　Martha　used　words　she　did　not　know。
  Martha　laughed　as　she　had　done　the　first　morning。
  〃There　now；〃　she　said。　　〃I've　talked　broad　Yorkshire　again　like　Mrs。　Medlock　said　I　mustn't。　‘Nowt　o'　th'　soart'　means　‘nothin'…of…the…sort；'〃　slowly　and　carefully；　〃but　it　takes　so　long　to　say　it。　　Yorkshire's　th'　sunniest　place　on　earth　when　it　is　sunny。　　I　told　thee　tha'd　like　th'　moor　after　a　bit。　　Just　you　wait　till　you　see　th'　gold…colored　gorse　blossoms　an'　th'　blossoms　o'　th'　broom；　an'　th'　heather　flowerin'；　all　purple　bells；　an'　hundreds　o'　butterflies　flutterin'　an'　bees　hummin'　an'　skylarks　soarin'　up　an'　singin'。　You'll　want　to　get　out　on　it　as　sunrise　an'　live　out　on　it　all　day　like　Dickon　does。〃　〃Could　I　ever　get　there？〃　asked　Mary　wistfully；　looking　through　her　window　at　the　far…off　blue。　It　was　so　new　and　big　and　wonderful　and　such　a　heavenly　color。
  〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Martha。　　〃Tha's　never　used　tha'　legs　since　tha'　was　born；　it　seems　to　me。　　Tha'　couldn't　walk　five　mile。　　It's　five　mile　to　our　cottage。〃
  〃I　should　like　to　see　your　cottage。〃
  Martha　stared　at　her　a　moment　curiously　before　she　took　up　her　polishing　brush　and　began　to　rub　the　grate　again。　She　was　thinking　that　the　small　plain　face　did　not　look　quite　as　sour　at　this　moment　as　it　had　done　the　first　morning　she　saw　it。　　It　looked　just　a　trifle　like　little　Susan　Ann's　when　she　wanted　something　very　much。
  〃I'll　ask　my　mother　about　it；〃　she　said。　　〃She's　one　o'　them　that　nearly　always　sees　a　way　to　do　things。　It's　my　day　out　today　an'　I'm　goin'　home。　　Eh！　I　am　glad。　Mrs。　Medlock　thinks　a　lot　o'　mother。　　Perhaps　she　could　talk　to　her。〃
  〃I　like　your　mother；〃　said　Mary。
  〃I　should　think　tha'　did；〃　agreed　Martha；　polishing　away。
  〃I've　never　seen　her；〃　said　Mary。
  〃No；　tha'　hasn't；〃　replied　Martha。
  She　sat　up　on　her　heels　again　and　rubbed　the　end　of　her　nose　with　the　back　of　her　hand　as　if　puzzled　for　a　moment；　but　she　ended　quite　positively。
  〃Well；　she's　that　sensible　an'　hard　workin'　an'　goodnatured　an'　clean　that　no　one　could　help　likin'　her　whether　they'd　seen　her　or　not。　　When　I'm　goin'　home　to　her　on　my　day　out　I　just　jump　for　joy　when　I'm　crossin'　the　moor。〃
  〃I　like　Dickon；〃　added　Mary。　　〃And　I've　never　seen　him。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　Martha　stoutly；　〃I've　told　thee　that　th'　very　birds　likes　him　an'　th'　rabbits　an'　wild　sheep　an'　ponies；　an'　th'　foxes　themselves。　　I　wonder；〃　staring　at　her　reflectively；　〃what　Dickon　would　think　of　thee？〃
  〃He　wouldn't　like　me；〃　said　Mary　in　her　stiff；　cold　little　way。　　〃No　one　does。〃
  Martha　looked　reflective　again。
  〃How　does　tha'　like　thysel'？〃　she　inquired；　really　quite　as　if　she　were　curious　to　know。
  Mary　hesitated　a　moment　and　thought　it　over。
  〃Not　at　allreally；〃　she　answered。　　〃But　I　never　thought　of　that　before。〃
  Martha　grinned　a　little　as　if　at　some　homely　recollection。
  〃Mother　said　that　to　me　once；〃　she　said。　　〃She　was　at　her　wash…　tub　an'　I　was　in　a　bad　temper　an'　talkin'　ill　of　folk；　an'　she　turns　round　on　me　an'　says：　‘Tha'　young　vixen；　tha'！　There　tha'　stands　sayin'　tha'　doesn't　like　this　one　an'　tha'　doesn't　like　that　one。　　How　does　tha'　like　thysel'？'　It　made　me　laugh　an'　it　brought　me　to　my　senses　in　a　minute。〃
  She　went　away　in　high　spirits　as　soon　as　she　had　given　Mary　her　breakfast。　　She　was　going　to　walk　five　miles　across　the　moor　to　the　cottage；　and　she　was　going　to　help　her　mother　with　the　washing　and　do　the　week's　baking　and　enjoy　herself　thoroughly。
  Mary　felt　lonelier　than　ever　when　she　knew　she　was　no　longer　in　the　house。　　She　went　out　into　the　garden　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　the　first　thing　she　did　was　to　run　round　and　round　the　fountain　flower　garden　ten　times。　She　counted　the　times　carefully　and　when　she　had　finished　she　felt　in　better　spirits。　　The　sunshine　made　the　whole　place　look　different。　　The　high；　deep；　blue　sky　arched　over　Misselthwaite　as　well　as　over　the　moor；　and　she　kept　lifting　her　face　and　looking　up　into　it；　trying　to　imagine　what　it　would　be　like　to　lie　down　on　one　of　the　little　snow…white　clouds　and　float　about。　She　went　into　the　first　kitchen…garden　and　found　Ben　Weatherstaff　working　there　with　two　other　gardeners。　The　change　in　the　weather　seemed　to　have　done　him　good。　He　spoke　to　her　of　his　own　accord。　　〃Springtime's　comin；'〃　he　said。　　〃Cannot　tha'　smell　it？〃
  Mary　sniffed　and　thought　she　could。
  〃I　smell　something　nice　and　fresh　and　damp；〃　she　said。
  〃That's　th'　good　rich　earth；〃　he　answered；　digging　away。　〃It's　in　a　good　humor　makin'　ready　to　grow　things。　It's　glad　when　plantin'　time　comes。　　It's　dull　in　th'　winter　when　it's　got　nowt　to　do。　　In　th'　flower