could　run　faster；　and　longer；　and　she　could　skip　up　to　a　hundred。　　The　bulbs　in　the　secret　garden　must　have　been　much　astonished。　Such　nice　clear　places　were　made　round　them　that　they　had　all　the　breathing　space　they　wanted；　and　really；　if　Mistress　Mary　had　known　it；　they　began　to　cheer　up　under　the　dark　earth　and　work　tremendously。　　The　sun　could　get　at　them　and　warm　them；　and　when　the　rain　came　down　it　could　reach　them　at　once；　so　they　began　to　feel　very　much　alive。
  Mary　was　an　odd；　determined　little　person；　and　now　she　had　something　interesting　to　be　determined　about；　she　was　very　much　absorbed；　indeed。　　She　worked　and　dug　and　pulled　up　weeds　steadily；　only　becoming　more　pleased　with　her　work　every　hour　instead　of　tiring　of　it。　It　seemed　to　her　like　a　fascinating　sort　of　play。　She　found　many　more　of　the　sprouting　pale　green　points　than　she　had　ever　hoped　to　find。　　They　seemed　to　be　starting　up　everywhere　and　each　day　she　was　sure　she　found　tiny　new　ones；　some　so　tiny　that　they　barely　peeped　above　the　earth。　There　were　so　many　that　she　remembered　what　Martha　had　said　about　the　〃snowdrops　by　the　thousands；〃　and　about　bulbs　spreading　and　making　new　ones。　　These　had　been　left　to　themselves　for　ten　years　and　perhaps　they　had　spread；　like　the　snowdrops；　into　thousands。　　She　wondered　how　long　it　would　be　before　they　showed　that　they　were　flowers。　Sometimes　she　stopped　digging　to　look　at　the　garden　and　try　to　imagine　what　it　would　be　like　when　it　was　covered　with　thousands　of　lovely　things　in　bloom。　　During　that　week　of　sunshine；　she　became　more　intimate　with　Ben　Weatherstaff。　She　surprised　him　several　times　by　seeming　to　start　up　beside　him　as　if　she　sprang　out　of　the　earth。　The　truth　was　that　she　was　afraid　that　he　would　pick　up　his　tools　and　go　away　if　he　saw　her　coming；　so　she　always　walked　toward　him　as　silently　as　possible。　　But；　in　fact；　he　did　not　object　to　her　as　strongly　as　he　had　at　first。　Perhaps　he　was　secretly　rather　flattered　by　her　evident　desire　for　his　elderly　company。　　Then；　also；　she　was　more　civil　than　she　had　been。　　He　did　not　know　that　when　she　first　saw　him　she　spoke　to　him　as　she　would　have　spoken　to　a　native；　and　had　not　known　that　a　cross；　sturdy　old　Yorkshire　man　was　not　accustomed　to　salaam　to　his　masters；　and　be　merely　commanded　by　them　to　do　things。
  〃Tha'rt　like　th'　robin；〃　he　said　to　her　one　morning　when　he　lifted　his　head　and　saw　her　standing　by　him。　〃I　never　knows　when　I　shall　see　thee　or　which　side　tha'll　come　from。〃
  〃He's　friends　with　me　now；〃　said　Mary。
  〃That's　like　him；〃　snapped　Ben　Weatherstaff。　　〃Makin'　up　to　th'　women　folk　just　for　vanity　an'　flightiness。　There's　nothin'　he　wouldn't　do　for　th'　sake　o'　showin'　off　an'　flirtin'　his　tail…feathers。　He's　as　full　o'　pride　as　an　egg's　full　o'　meat。〃
  He　very　seldom　talked　much　and　sometimes　did　not　even　answer　Mary's　questions　except　by　a　grunt；　but　this　morning　he　said　more　than　usual。　　He　stood　up　and　rested　one　hobnailed　boot　on　the　top　of　his　spade　while　he　looked　her　over。
  〃How　long　has　tha'　been　here？〃　he　jerked　out。
  〃I　think　it's　about　a　month；〃　she　answered。
  〃Tha's　beginnin'　to　do　Misselthwaite　credit；〃　he　said。　〃Tha's　a　bit　fatter　than　tha'　was　an'　tha's　not　quite　so　yeller。　　Tha'　looked　like　a　young　plucked　crow　when　tha'　first　came　into　this　garden。　　Thinks　I　to　myself　I　never　set　eyes　on　an　uglier；　sourer　faced　young　'un。〃
  Mary　was　not　vain　and　as　she　had　never　thought　much　of　her　looks　she　was　not　greatly　disturbed。
  〃I　know　I'm　fatter；〃　she　said。　　〃My　stockings　are　getting　tighter。　　They　used　to　make　wrinkles。　There's　the　robin；　Ben　Weatherstaff。〃
  There；　indeed；　was　the　robin；　and　she　thought　he　looked　nicer　than　ever。　　His　red　waistcoat　was　as　glossy　as　satin　and　he　flirted　his　wings　and　tail　and　tilted　his　head　and　hopped　about　with　all　sorts　of　lively　graces。　He　seemed　determined　to　make　Ben　Weatherstaff　admire　him。　But　Ben　was　sarcastic。
  〃Aye；　there　tha'　art！〃　he　said。　　〃Tha'　can　put　up　with　me　for　a　bit　sometimes　when　tha's　got　no　one　better。　Tha's　been　reddenin'　up　thy　waistcoat　an'　polishin'　thy　feathers　this　two　weeks。　　I　know　what　tha's　up　to。　Tha's　courtin'　some　bold　young　madam　somewhere　tellin'　thy　lies　to　her　about　bein'　th'　finest　cock　robin　on　Missel　Moor　an'　ready　to　fight　all　th'　rest　of　'em。〃
  〃Oh！　look　at　him！〃　exclaimed　Mary。
  The　robin　was　evidently　in　a　fascinating；　bold　mood。　He　hopped　closer　and　closer　and　looked　at　Ben　Weatherstaff　more　and　more　engagingly。　　He　flew　on　to　the　nearest　currant　bush　and　tilted　his　head　and　sang　a　little　song　right　at　him。
  〃Tha'　thinks　tha'll　get　over　me　by　doin'　that；〃　said　Ben；　wrinkling　his　face　up　in　such　a　way　that　Mary　felt　sure　he　was　trying　not　to　look　pleased。　　〃Tha'　thinks　no　one　can　stand　out　against　theethat's　what　tha'　thinks。〃
  The　robin　spread　his　wingsMary　could　scarcely　believe　her　eyes。　　He　flew　right　up　to　the　handle　of　Ben　Weatherstaff's　spade　and　alighted　on　the　top　of　it。　Then　the　old　man's　face　wrinkled　itself　slowly　into　a　new　expression。　　He　stood　still　as　if　he　were　afraid　to　breatheas　if　he　would　not　have　stirred　for　the　world；　lest　his　robin　should　start　away。　　He　spoke　quite　in　a　whisper。
  〃Well；　I'm　danged！〃　he　said　as　softly　as　if　he　were　saying　something　quite　different。　　〃Tha'　does　know　how　to　get　at　a　chaptha'　does！　Tha's　fair　unearthly；　tha's　so　knowin'。〃
  And　he　stood　without　stirringalmost　without　drawing　his　breathuntil　the　robin　gave　another　flirt　to　his　wings　and　flew　away。　　Then　he　stood　looking　at　the　handle　of　the　spade　as　if　there　might　be　Magic　in　it；　and　then　he　began　to　dig　again　and　said　nothing　for　several　minutes。
  But　because　he　kept　breaking　into　a　slow　grin　now　and　then；　Mary　was　not　afraid　to　talk　to　him。
  〃Have　you　a　garden　of　your　own？〃　she　asked。
  〃No。　I'm　bachelder　an'　lodge　with　Martin　at　th'　gate。〃
  〃If　you　had　one；〃　said　Mary；　〃what　would　you　plant？〃
  〃Cabbages　an'　'taters　an'　onions。〃
  〃But　if　you　wanted　to　make　a　flower　garden；〃　persisted　Mary；　〃what　would　you　plant？〃
  〃Bulbs　an'　sweet…smellin'　thingsbut　mostly　roses。〃
  Mary's　face　lighted　up。
  〃Do　you　like　roses？〃　she　said。
  Ben　Weatherstaff　rooted　up　a　weed　and　threw　it　aside　before　he　answered。
  〃Well；　yes；　I　do。　　I　was　learned　that　by　a　young　lady　I　was　gardener　to。　　She　had　a　lot　in　a　place　she　was　fond　of；　an'　she　loved　'em　like　they　was　childrenor　robins。　I've　seen　her　bend　over　an'　kiss　'em。〃　He　dragged　out　another　weed　and　scowled　at　it。　　〃That　were　as　much　as　ten　year'　ago。〃
  〃Where　is　she　now？〃　asked　Mary；　much　interested。
  〃Heaven；〃　he　answered；　and　drove　his　spade　deep　into　the　soil；　〃'cording　to　what　parson　says。〃
  〃What　happened　to　the　roses？〃　Mary　asked　again；　more　interested　than　ever。
  〃They　was　left　to　themselves。〃
  Mary　was　becoming　quite　excited。
  〃Did　they　quite　die？　Do　roses　quite　die　when　they　are　left　to　themselves？〃　she　ventured。
  〃Well；　I'd　got　to　like　'eman'　I　liked　heran'　she　liked　'em；〃　Ben　Weatherstaff　admitted　reluctantly。　〃Once　or　twice　a　year　I'd　go　an'　work　at　'em　a　bitprune　'em　an'　dig　about　th'　roots。　　They　run　wild；　but　they　was　in　rich　soil；　so　some　of　'em　lived。〃
  〃When　they　have　no　leaves　and　look　gray　and　brown　and　dry；　how　can　you　tell　whether　they　are　dead　or　alive？〃　inquired　Mary。
  〃Wait　till　th'　spring　gets　at　'emwait　till　th'　sun　shines　on　th'　rain　and　th'　rain　falls　on　th'　sunshine　an'　then　tha'll　find　out。〃
  〃Howhow？〃　cried　Mary；　forgetting　to　be　careful。　〃Look　along　th'　twigs　an'　branches　an'　if　tha'　see　a　bit　of　a　brown　lump　swelling　here　an'　there；　watch　it　after　th'　warm　rain　an'　see　what　happens。〃　He　stopped　suddenly　and　looked　curiously　at　her　eager　face。　　〃Why　does　tha'　care　so　much　about　roses　an'　such；　all　of　a　sudden？〃　he　demanded。
  Mistress　Mary　felt　her　face　grow　red。　　She　was　almost　afraid　to　answer。
  〃II　want　to　play　thatthat　I　have　a　garden　of　my　own；〃　she　stammered。　　〃Ithere　is　nothing　for　me　to　do。　I　have　nothingand　no　one。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　Ben　Weatherstaff　slowly；　as　he　watched　her；　〃that's　true。　　Tha'　hasn't。〃
  He　said　it　in　such　an　odd　way　that　Mary　wondered　if　he　was　actually　a　little　sorry　for　her。　　She　had　never　felt　sorry　for　herself；　she　had　only　felt　tired　and　cross；　because　she　disliked　people　and　things　so　much。　But　now　the　world　seemed　to　be　changing　and　getting　nicer。　If　no　one　found　out　about　the　secret　garden；　she　should　enjoy　herself　always。
  She　stayed　with　him　for　ten　or　fifteen　minutes　longer　and　asked　him　as　many　questions　as　she　dared。　　He　answered　every　one　of　them　in　his　queer　grunting　way　and　he　did　not　seem　really　cross　and　did　not　pick　up　his　spade　and　leave　her。　He　said　something　about　roses　just　as　she　was　going　away　and　it　reminded　her　of　the　ones　he　had　said　he　had　been　fond　of。
  〃Do　you　go　and　see　those　other　roses　now？〃　she　asked。
  〃Not　been　this　year。　　My　rheumatics　has　made　me　too　stiff　in　th'　joints。〃
  He　said　it　in　his　grumbling　voice；　and　then　quite　suddenly　he　seemed　to　get　angry　with　her；　though　she　did　not　see　why　he　should。
  〃Now　look　here！〃　he　said　sharply。　　〃Don't　tha'　ask　so　many　questions。　　Tha'rt　th'　worst　wench　for　askin'　questions　I've　ever　come　a　cross。　　Get　thee　gone　an'　play　thee。　　I've　done　talkin'　for　today。〃
  And　he　said　it　so　crossly　that　she　knew　there　wa