mother and the skipping-rope and the moor with the sun on it and about
pale green points sticking up out of the black sod. And it was all so
alive that Mary talked more than she had ever talked before and Colin
both talked and listened as he had never done either before. And they
both began to laugh over nothings as children will when they are happy
together. And they laughed so that in the end they were making as much
noise as if they had been two ordinary healthy natural ten-year-old
creatures instead of a hard, little, unloving girl and a sickly boy who
believed that he was going to die.
They enjoyed themselves so much that they forgot the pictures and they
forgot about the time. They had been laughing quite loudly over Ben
Weatherstaff and his robin, and Colin was actually sitting up as if he
had forgotten about his weak back, when he suddenly remembered
something.
Do you know there is one thing we have never once thought of, he
said. We are cousins.
It seemed so queer that they had talked so much and never remembered
this simple thing that they laughed more than ever, because they had
got into the humor to laugh at anything. And in the midst of the fun
the door opened and in walked Dr. Craven and Mrs. Medlock.
Dr. Craven started in actual alarm and Mrs. Medlock almost fell back
because he had accidentally bumped against her.
Good Lord! exclaimed poor Mrs. Medlock with her eyes almost starting
out of her head. Good Lord!
What is this? said Dr. Craven, coming forward. What does it mean?
Then Mary was reminded of the boy Rajah again. Colin answered as if
neither the doctor s alarm nor Mrs. Medlock s terror were of the
slightest consequence. He was as little disturbed or frightened as if
an elderly cat and dog had walked into the room.
This is my cousin, Mary Lennox, he said. I asked her to come and
talk to me. I like her. She must come and talk to me whenever I send
for her.
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