14 Colin the Rajah

CHAPTER 14 Colin the Rajah Martha was very busy the next day. It was afternoon before Mary could talk to her. "I've found out who was crying last night," Mary said, "and I went to his room. It's Colin." Martha looked red with fright. "You shouldn't have done that!" she said tearfully. "You'll get me in trouble!" "It's all right," Mary said. "He was glad I came."

"Are you sure?" Martha asked. "When he's angry, he screams and throws the most terrible tantrums to frighten us." "He wasn't angry at me. We talked, and he showed me his mother's portrait. Then I sang him to sleep." Martha was amazed. "It's like you walked into the lion's den! He never lets strangers look at him. But if Mrs. Medlock finds out, she'll say I told you, and she'll send me away!" "Colin wants it to be our secret. He wants you to tell me when I can go and see him. Mrs. Medlock will have to obey him." Then Mary asked what was wrong with Colin. Martha had calmed down a bit. She began, "No one really knows. He began all wrong with his mother dying and his father raging with grief. The doctors were afraid Mr. Colin

had a weak back, so they kept him lying down all the time. He had to wear an iron brace." "He's very spoiled," Mary said, not realizing that she had been spoiled, too. "Well, he's had many colds and coughs," Martha said. "He had rheumatic fever once, and typhoid. Mother says all he needs is fresh air and running around, but he just lies in his room reading picture books and taking medicine. The last time he went out, he began sneezing. A new gardener looked at him, and Mr. Colin threw a terrible tantrum, yelling, 'He thinks I'm a hunchback!' Then he cried himself into a fever." "If he gets angry with me, I won't see him again," Mary said. "He'll see you if he wants," Martha smiled. "He always has his way." A bell rang, and Martha got up. "His nurse

wants me to watch him for a while," she said. "I hope he's in a good temper." She returned ten minutes later. "Well, you have bewitched him!" she said in amazement. "He's sitting up, and he wants you to come as quickly as you can." Mary hurried to Colin's room. In daylight, she saw how beautiful it was. The walls and rugs were richly colored, and the fire burned brightly. Colin's cheeks glowed in his pale face. "Martha's scared," Mary told him. "She thinks Mrs. Medlock will send her away if she finds out we've met." Colin frowned. "Tell Martha that everyone has to do what I please, and that I will send Medlock away if she gets angry when she brings you. I'll take care of everything," said Colin regally. Mary looked at him oddly. "I was just

reminded of a boy I once saw in India," she began. "He was a rajah—that's a royal prince. He talked to his people just like you do. They had to do whatever he said—they might have been killed if they didn't." She paused. "I was also thinking how different you are from Dickon, Martha's brother. He's twelve years old, and he can charm the birds and foxes and squirrels with his pipe, just like an Indian fakir or snake charmer." Colin was curious to hear more. Mary told him how Dickon knew all the creatures that lived on the moor. "But how can he like the moor?" Colin asked. "It's such a dreary place." "On the night I arrived," Mary said, "I hated it, too. But Martha talks about it, and Dickon tells me it's a beautiful place full of living things."

"I wish I could see it," Colin said, "but I can't go out because I'm going to die. Everybody says so." Mary didn't like the way Colin almost boasted about dying. She said in her most contrary way, "If everybody wished me to die, then I wouldn't do it! Besides, I don't believe everybody thinks you'll die. The doctor from London didn't. He made them take off the irons." "That's true," said Colin. "One time I heard him say, 'The lad might be fine if he makes up his mind. Put him in a humor to get well.'" Mary said, "Dickon could do it. He talks about living things—not about being sick and dying." Colin was enjoying himself so much that he forgot about his weak back. He sat up straight and said, "I just thought of