Dr. Craven had been waiting some time at the house when they returned
to it. He had indeed begun to wonder if it might not be wise to send
someone out to explore the garden paths. When Colin was brought back to
his room the poor man looked him over seriously.
You should not have stayed so long, he said. You must not overexert
yourself.
I am not tired at all, said Colin. It has made me well. Tomorrow I
am going out in the morning as well as in the afternoon.
I am not sure that I can allow it, answered Dr. Craven. I am afraid
it would not be wise.
It would not be wise to try to stop me, said Colin quite seriously.
I am going.
Even Mary had found out that one of Colin s chief peculiarities was
that he did not know in the least what a rude little brute he was with
his way of ordering people about. He had lived on a sort of desert
island all his life and as he had been the king of it he had made his
own manners and had had no one to compare himself with. Mary had indeed
been rather like him herself and since she had been at Misselthwaite
had gradually discovered that her own manners had not been of the kind
which is usual or popular. Having made this discovery she naturally
thought it of enough interest to communicate to Colin. So she sat and
looked at him curiously for a few minutes after Dr. Craven had gone.
She wanted to make him ask her why she was doing it and of course she
did.
What are you looking at me for? he said.
I m thinking that I am rather sorry for Dr. Craven.
So am I, said Colin calmly, but not without an air of some
satisfaction. He won t get Misselthwaite at all now I m not going to
die.
I m sorry for him because of that, of course, said Mary, but I was
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