library, there s thousands o books there.
Mary did not ask where the library was, because she was suddenly
inspired by a new idea. She made up her mind to go and find it herself.
She was not troubled about Mrs. Medlock. Mrs. Medlock seemed always to
be in her comfortable housekeeper s sitting-room downstairs. In this
queer place one scarcely ever saw anyone at all. In fact, there was no
one to see but the servants, and when their master was away they lived
a luxurious life below stairs, where there was a huge kitchen hung
about with shining brass and pewter, and a large servants hall where
there were four or five abundant meals eaten every day, and where a
great deal of lively romping went on when Mrs. Medlock was out of the
way.
Mary s meals were served regularly, and Martha waited on her, but no
one troubled themselves about her in the least. Mrs. Medlock came and
looked at her every day or two, but no one inquired what she did or
told her what to do. She supposed that perhaps this was the English way
of treating children. In India she had always been attended by her
Ayah, who had followed her about and waited on her, hand and foot. She
had often been tired of her company. Now she was followed by nobody and
was learning to dress herself because Martha looked as though she
thought she was silly and stupid when she wanted to have things handed
to her and put on.
Hasn t tha got good sense? she said once, when Mary had stood
waiting for her to put on her gloves for her. Our Susan Ann is twice
as sharp as thee an she s only four year old. Sometimes tha looks
fair soft in th head.
Mary had worn her contrary scowl for an hour after that, but it made
her think several entirely new things.
She stood at the window for about ten minutes this morning after Martha
had swept up the hearth for the last time and gone downstairs. She was
thinking over the new idea which had come to her when she heard of the
library. She did not care very much about the library itself, because
she had read very few books; but to hear of it brought back to her mind
the hundred rooms with closed doors. She wondered if they were all
really locked and what she would find if she could get into any of
42