of　its　greatest　charms。　Nothing　must　spoil　that。　　No　one　must　ever　suspect　that　they　had　a　secret。　　People　must　think　that　he　was　simply　going　out　with　Mary　and　Dickon　because　he　liked　them　and　did　not　object　to　their　looking　at　him。　They　had　long　and　quite　delightful　talks　about　their　route。　They　would　go　up　this　path　and　down　that　one　and　cross　the　other　and　go　round　among　the　fountain　flower…beds　as　if　they　were　looking　at　the　〃bedding…out　plants〃　the　head　gardener；　Mr。　Roach；　had　been　having　arranged。　That　would　seem　such　a　rational　thing　to　do　that　no　one　would　think　it　at　all　mysterious。　　They　would　turn　into　the　shrubbery　walks　and　lose　themselves　until　they　came　to　the　long　walls。　　It　was　almost　as　serious　and　elaborately　thought　out　as　the　plans　of　march　made　by　geat　generals　in　time　of　war。
  Rumors　of　the　new　and　curious　things　which　were　occurring　in　the　invalid's　apartments　had　of　course　filtered　through　the　servants'　hall　into　the　stable　yards　and　out　among　the　gardeners；　but　notwithstanding　this；　Mr。　Roach　was　startled　one　day　when　he　received　orders　from　Master　Colin's　room　to　the　effect　that　he　must　report　himself　in　the　apartment　no　outsider　had　ever　seen；　as　the　invalid　himself　desired　to　speak　to　him。
  〃Well；　well；〃　he　said　to　himself　as　he　hurriedly　changed　his　coat；　〃what's　to　do　now？　His　Royal　Highness　that　wasn't　to　be　looked　at　calling　up　a　man　he's　never　set　eyes　on。〃
  Mr。　Roach　was　not　without　curiosity。　　He　had　never　caught　even　a　glimpse　of　the　boy　and　had　heard　a　dozen　exaggerated　stories　about　his　uncanny　looks　and　ways　and　his　insane　tempers。　　The　thing　he　had　heard　oftenest　was　that　he　might　die　at　any　moment　and　there　had　been　numerous　fanciful　descriptions　of　a　humped　back　and　helpless　limbs；　given　by　people　who　had　never　seen　him。
  〃Things　are　changing　in　this　house；　Mr。　Roach；〃　said　Mrs。　Medlock；　as　she　led　him　up　the　back　staircase　to　the　corridor　on　to　which　opened　the　hitherto　mysterious　chamber。
  〃Let's　hope　they're　changing　for　the　better；　Mrs。　Medlock；〃　he　answered。
  〃They　couldn't　well　change　for　the　worse；〃　she　continued；　〃and　queer　as　it　all　is　there's　them　as　finds　their　duties　made　a　lot　easier　to　stand　up　under。　　Don't　you　be　surprised；　Mr。　Roach；　if　you　find　yourself　in　the　middle　of　a　menagerie　and　Martha　Sowerby's　Dickon　more　at　home　than　you　or　me　could　ever　be。〃
  There　really　was　a　sort　of　Magic　about　Dickon；　as　Mary　always　privately　believed。　　When　Mr。　Roach　heard　his　name　he　smiled　quite　leniently。
  〃He'd　be　at　home　in　Buckingham　Palace　or　at　the　bottom　of　a　coal　mine；〃　he　said。　　〃And　yet　it's　not　impudence；　either。　　He's　just　fine；　is　that　lad。〃
  It　was　perhaps　well　he　had　been　prepared　or　he　might　have　been　startled。　　When　the　bedroom　door　was　opened　a　large　crow；　which　seemed　quite　at　home　perched　on　the　high　back　of　a　carven　chair；　announced　the　entrance　of　a　visitor　by　saying　〃CawCaw〃　quite　loudly。　In　spite　of　Mrs。　Medlock's　warning；　Mr。　Roach　only　just　escaped　being　sufficiently　undignified　to　jump　backward。
  The　young　Rajah　was　neither　in　bed　nor　on　his　sofa。　He　was　sitting　in　an　armchair　and　a　young　lamb　was　standing　by　him　shaking　its　tail　in　feeding…lamb　fashion　as　Dickon　knelt　giving　it　milk　from　its　bottle。　　A　squirrel　was　perched　on　Dickon's　bent　back　attentively　nibbling　a　nut。　The　little　girl　from　India　was　sitting　on　a　big　footstool　looking　on。
  〃Here　is　Mr。　Roach；　Master　Colin；〃　said　Mrs。　Medlock。
  The　young　Rajah　turned　and　looked　his　servitor　overat　least　that　was　what　the　head　gardener　felt　happened。
  〃Oh；　you　are　Roach；　are　you？〃　he　said。　　〃I　sent　for　you　to　give　you　some　very　important　orders。〃
  〃Very　good；　sir；〃　answered　Roach；　wondering　if　he　was　to　receive　instructions　to　fell　all　the　oaks　in　the　park　or　to　transform　the　orchards　into　water…gardens。
  〃I　am　going　out　in　my　chair　this　afternoon；〃　said　Colin。　〃If　the　fresh　air　agrees　with　me　I　may　go　out　every　day。　When　I　go；　none　of　the　gardeners　are　to　be　anywhere　near　the　Long　Walk　by　the　garden　walls。　　No　one　is　to　be　there。　I　shall　go　out　about　two　o'clock　and　everyone　must　keep　away　until　I　send　word　that　they　may　go　back　to　their　work。〃
  〃Very　good；　sir；〃　replied　Mr。　Roach；　much　relieved　to　hear　that　the　oaks　might　remain　and　that　the　orchards　were　safe。　〃Mary；〃　said　Colin；　turning　to　her；　〃what　is　that　thing　you　say　in　India　when　you　have　finished　talking　and　want　people　to　go？〃
  〃You　say；　‘You　have　my　permission　to　go；'〃　answered　Mary。
  The　Rajah　waved　his　hand。
  〃You　have　my　permission　to　go；　Roach；〃　he　said。　〃But；　remember；　this　is　very　important。〃
  〃CawCaw！〃　remarked　the　crow　hoarsely　but　not　impolitely。
  〃Very　good；　sir。　　Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Roach；　and　Mrs。　Medlock　took　him　out　of　the　room。
  Outside　in　the　corridor；　being　a　rather　good…natured　man；　he　smiled　until　he　almost　laughed。
  〃My　word！〃　he　said；　〃he's　got　a　fine　lordly　way　with　him；　hasn't　he？　You'd　think　he　was　a　whole　Royal　Family　rolled　into　onePrince　Consort　and　all。〃。
  〃Eh！〃　protested　Mrs。　Medlock；　〃we've　had　to　let　him　trample　all　over　every　one　of　us　ever　since　he　had　feet　and　he　thinks　that's　what　folks　was　born　for。〃
  〃Perhaps　he'll　grow　out　of　it；　if　he　lives；〃　suggested　Mr。　Roach。
  〃Well；　there's　one　thing　pretty　sure；〃　said　Mrs。　Medlock。　〃If　he　does　live　and　that　Indian　child　stays　here　I'll　warrant　she　teaches　him　that　the　whole　orange　does　not　belong　to　him；　as　Susan　Sowerby　says。　　And　he'll　be　likely　to　find　out　the　size　of　his　own　quarter。〃
  Inside　the　room　Colin　was　leaning　back　on　his　cushions。
  〃It's　all　safe　now；〃　he　said。　　〃And　this　afternoon　I　shall　see　itthis　afternoon　I　shall　be　in　it！〃
  Dickon　went　back　to　the　garden　with　his　creatures　and　Mary　stayed　with　Colin。　　She　did　not　think　he　looked　tired　but　he　was　very　quiet　before　their　lunch　came　and　he　was　quiet　while　they　were　eating　it。　　She　wondered　why　and　asked　him　about　it。
  〃What　big　eyes　you've　got；　Colin；〃　she　said。　　〃When　you　are　thinking　they　get　as　big　as　saucers。　　What　are　you　thinking　about　now？〃
  〃I　can't　help　thinking　about　what　it　will　look　like；〃　he　answered。
  〃The　garden？〃　asked　Mary。
  〃The　springtime；〃　he　said。　　〃I　was　thinking　that　I've　really　never　seen　it　before。　　I　scarcely　ever　went　out　and　when　I　did　go　I　never　looked　at　it。　　I　didn't　even　think　about　it。〃
  〃I　never　saw　it　in　India　because　there　wasn't　any；〃　said　Mary。
  Shut　in　and　morbid　as　his　life　had　been；　Colin　had　more　imagination　than　she　had　and　at　least　he　had　spent　a　good　deal　of　time　looking　at　wonderful　books　and　pictures。
  〃That　morning　when　you　ran　in　and　said　‘It's　come！　It's　come！；　you　made　me　feel　quite　queer。　　It　sounded　as　if　things　were　coming　with　a　great　procession　and　big　bursts　and　wafts　of　music。　　I've　a　picture　like　it　in　one　of　my　bookscrowds　of　lovely　people　and　children　with　garlands　and　branches　with　blossoms　on　them；　everyone　laughing　and　dancing　and　crowding　and　playing　on　pipes。　　That　was　why　I　said；　‘Perhaps　we　shall　hear　golden　trumpets'　and　told　you　to　throw　open　the　window。〃
  〃How　funny！〃　said　Mary。　　〃That's　really　just　what　it　feels　like。　　And　if　all　the　flowers　and　leaves　and　green　things　and　birds　and　wild　creatures　danced　past　at　once；　what　a　crowd　it　would　be！　I'm　sure　they'd　dance　and　sing　and　flute　and　that　would　be　the　wafts　of　music。〃
  They　both　laughed　but　it　was　not　because　the　idea　was　laughable　but　because　they　both　so　liked　it。
  A　little　later　the　nurse　made　Colin　ready。　　She　noticed　that　instead　of　lying　like　a　log　while　his　clothes　were　put　on　he　sat　up　and　made　some　efforts　to　help　himself；　and　he　talked　and　laughed　with　Mary　all　the　time。
  〃This　is　one　of　his　good　days；　sir；〃　she　said　to　Dr。　Craven；　who　dropped　in　to　inspect　him。　　〃He's　in　such　good　spirits　that　it　makes　him　stronger。〃
  〃I'll　call　in　again　later　in　the　afternoon；　after　he　has　come　in；〃　said　Dr。　Craven。　　〃I　must　see　how　the　going　out　agrees　with　him。　　I　wish；〃　in　a　very　low　voice；　〃that　he　would　let　you　go　with　him。〃
  〃I'd　rather　give　up　the　case　this　moment；　sir；　than　even　stay　here　while　it's　suggested；〃　answered　the　nurse。　With　sudden　firmness。
  〃I　hadn't　really　decided　to　suggest　it；〃　said　the　doctor；　with　his　slight　nervousness。　　〃We'll　try　the　experiment。　Dickon's　a　lad　I'd　trust　with　a　new…born　child。〃
  The　strongest　footman　in　the　house　carried　Colin　down　stairs　and　put　him　in　his　wheeled　chair　near　which　Dickon　waited　outside。　　After　the　manservant　had　arranged　his　rugs　and　cushions　the　Rajah　waved　his　hand　to　him　and　to　the　nurse。
  〃You　have　my　permission　to　go；〃　he　said；　and　they　both　disappeared　quickly　and　it　must　be　confessed　giggled　when　they　were　safely　inside　the　house。
  Dickon　began　to　push　the　wheeled　chair　slowly　and　steadily。　Mistress　Mary　walked　beside　it　and　Colin　leaned　back　and　lifted　his　face　to　the　sky。　　The　arch　of　it　looked　very　high　and　the　small　snowy　clouds　seemed　like　white　birds　floating　on　outspread　wings　below　its　crystal　blueness。　The　wind　swept　in　soft　big　breaths　down　from　the　moor　and　was　strange　with　a　wild　clear　scented　sweetness。　Colin　kept　lifting　his　thin　chest　to　draw　it　in；　and　his　big　eyes　looked　as　if　it　were　they　which　were　listeninglistening；　instead　of　his　ears。
  〃There　are　so　many　sounds　of　singing　and　humming　and　calling　out