The secret garden

62 THE SECRET GARDENShe was beginning to like Martha,seemed a good many people to like when youwere not used to liking. She thought of the robinas one of the people. She went to her walk outsidethe long, ivy-covered wall over which she couldtoo. Thatsee the tree-tops; and the second time she walkedup and down the most interesting and excitingthing happened to her, and it was all through BenWeatherstaff's robin.She heard a chirp and a twitter, and when shelooked at the bare flower-bed at her left side therehe was hopping about and pretending to peckthings out of the earth to persuade her that he hadnot followed her. But she knew he had followedher and the surprise so filled her with delight thatshe almost trembled a little." You do remember me !'she cried out." You do ! You are prettier than anything elsein the world !'She chirped, and talked, and coaxed and hehopped, and flirted his tail and twittered. Itwas as if he were talking. His red waistcoat waslike satin and he puffed his tiny breast out and wasso fine and so grand and so pretty that it was reallyas if he were showing her how important and likea human person a robin could be.Mistress Maryforgot that she had ever been contrary in her lifewhen he allowed her to draw closer and closer to