Hodgson Burnett, Frances - The secret garden (2)

Mary's early life

Mary Lennox has English origins, her father works as captain in the army so she has always lived in India, with parents who are as rich as selfish. When Mary has 10 years old, her parents and all their servants are caught by a cholera epidemic, only Mary survives and she is found by a group of soldiers and she goes to an uncle who was widowed, Lord Craven. Mary is a lonely girl also because of her education, she arrives in London and from there leads to her new home in Yorkshire, Misselthwaite Manor, an isolated mansion on the moor. There lives the housekeeper works, Mrs Medlock, a stern woman who rules the house and Martha, a young maid. Mary is very impressed by the coldness of her uncle and the place, and she understand that the strange atmosphere is the same cause of the misfortune of Craven. Craven's wife, Lilias, died from a fall from the swing in her private garden, where she spent her days. The garden was then forgotten and its access is closed from that moment.

The secret garden

Mary is very curious and wants to find the hidden door to the garden and the key that can open it, but can't find it. Mary understands that the house has another secret: you often hear the sound of distant cries. With time Mary's life in the house gets better: the little girl gets used to the habitants of the house, Lord for example the old gardener Ben and Martha's brother, Dickon. Mary doesn't leave the search for the secret garden key and so she can find the access, hidden by wall of grass and the key under a stone. The garden is now dead and Mary and Dickon, who keeps the secret and explains how to cure it.

Colin's discovery

In the same period Mary also solves the second mystery: crying. In one of her explorations of the house, Mary finds a room habited by a boy of her age Ilying sick in bed. It is Colin, her cousin, keep in bed caused by a back disease and other physical problems. This has make the child unpleasant. Colin has hysterical attacks so he screams and cries without stopping. Mary understands that she can calm him: she goes to visit him every times and tells him about the beauty of moor and the secret garden. Lord Craven is on his way and Colin asks to the housekeeper to go outside. He gets out in a wheelchair because he hasn't walked for a long time. Mary and Dickon try to take Colin to see the garden, but they're seen by Ben. The gardener gets angry and then asks Colin if he has crooked legs and back. The boy stands up and little by little he can walk. Mary thinks Colin is not sick. Colin begins to go out more and more and helps Mary, Dickon and Ben, with the garden. Even Dickon's mother and Martha discover the garden. The woman decides to write a letter to Lord Craven telling him to come back for his son, but she doesn't explain the reasons.

A new beginning

Lord Craven having received the letter and dreamt his wife in the secret garden, decides to return. At home, Lord Craven goes to the secret garden, where he finds Mary and Colin. Touched, he understands that it is time to forget the past and start a new life with Mary and Colin.