I Am Colin PDF

3 "lam Colin" Frances Hodgson Burnet (sVID Warm-up A secret room, a secret garden or even a secret hiding place is very exciting to think about! What makes a secr...

3 "lam Colin" Frances Hodgson Burnet (sVID Warm-up A secret room, a secret garden or even a secret hiding place is very exciting to think about! What makes a secret place special? Discuss in groups. Write down all the reasonsfor this on a chart paper and makea poster. Add pictures.Tc) coM) the sound of rain beating AUD) Mary was awakened in the night by sound of the wind kept her against her window. The mournful her sit up in bed and turn her awake. Suddenly, something made head towards the door. wind," she said in a loud whisper. "It is different. It is "That isn't the the crying Iheard before." came a faint sound of fretful crying The door of her room was ajar and few minutes and became sure. down the corridor. She listened for a out what it is," she said. There was a candle by her "Iam going to find out of the room. bedside. She took it up and went softly (ANM) was too excited to mind. The coridor looked very long and dark, but she feeling her way. Her heart was She went on with her dim light, almost hear it. The faint crving beating so loud that she fancied she could Yes, there was a door! went on and led her through several passages. Someone was crying glimmner of light was coming fron beneath the door. A pushed open the door. in that room, and it was quite ayoung Someone. She 17 It was a big room with old, handsome furniture. A low fire was glowing faintly inthe fireplace and anight light burning by the side of a bed, and on the bed was lying a boy, crying fitfully. The boy had a sharp, delicate face with hair tumbling over his forehead, in heavy locks. Helooked like a boy whohad been ill, but he was crying more as if he were tired and cross. Mary stood near the door with her candle in her hand. The light attracted the bov's attention and he turned his head and stared at her, his grey eyes opening so wide that they seemed immense. Do you think Mary had "Who are you?" he said at last in a half-frightened been to this room before? CR whisper. "Are you a ghost?" "No, I am not," Mary said, whispering as well. "Are you one?" He stared and stared at her. Mary could not help noticing his eyes-they were dark grey and looked too big for his face. "No," he replied. "Iam Colin. Who are you?" "Iam Mary Lennox. Mr Craven is my uncle." "He is my father," said the boy. "Your father!" gasped Mary. "No one ever told me he had aboy! Why didn't they?" (AUD) "Come here," hesaid, keeping his strange eyes fixed on her. She came close to the bed and he put out his hand and touched her. "You are real, aren't you?" he said. "I have such real dreams sometimes, you might be one of them," "Iwill pinch youa little if you like, to show you how real Iam," Mary said. "Where did you come from?" he asked. "From my own room. The wind moaned so I couldn't go to sleep and I heard someone crying and wanted to find out who it was. What were you crying for?" "Because Icouldn't go to sleep either and my head ached. Tell me your name again." "Mary ennox. Did no one ever tell you I had come to live here?" "No," he answered. "They dare not." "Why?" asked Mary. "Because Ishould have been afraid you would see me. Iwon't let people see me. My father won't let people talk about me, either." "Oh, what a queer house this is!" Mary said. "Everything is a kind of secret. Rooms are locked up and gardens are locked up and you! Have you been locked up?" Was Colin happy or sad about not having any "No. Istay in this room because I don't want to visitors? HCR) be moved. It tires me too much." "Have-have you been here always?" Mary stammered. "Nearly always. Sometimes Ihave been taken to the seaside, but Iwon't stay because people stare at me. A grand doctor came from London to see me and told them to keep me out in the fresh air. Ihate fresh air and Idon't want to go out." "I didn't either when first Icamne here," said Mary. "How old are vou?" he asked.  (AUD "Tam ten and so are you," replied Mary. "How doyou know that?" was locked. And it haS Decause when you were born, the garden been ten years since then." surprised voice. "Who locked it? What garden?" Colin demanded ina the key, "Mr Craven locked the door to the garden and buried answered Mary. "Where was the key buried? Colin half sat up, leaning on his elbows. he exclaimed, suddenly very much interested. "No one knowswhere he buried the key," was Mary's careful answer. But it was too late to be careful. He was too much like herself. He too had nothing to think about and the idea of a hidden garden attracted him. He asked question after question. Where was it? Had she never looked for the door? Had she never asked the gardeners? "They won't talk about it," said Mary. "I think they have been told not to answer questions." "Iwould make them," said Colin. "Could you?" Mary faltered, beginning to feel frightened. "Everyone is obliged to please me," he said. "Iwill make them take me there and I will let you go too. Don't you want to see the garden?" "Yes," answered Mary, in a low voice. "I want to see that garden," he went on persistently. "I want the key dug up and thedoor unlocked. I will make them open the garden and take me there in my chair." He had become quite excited. 20 Mary's hands chutched cach other. Everything Why would everything would be spoiled--everything! be spoiled? Explain your answer. "Oh, don't do that!" she cried out. "Why?" he exclaimed, surprised. "You said you wanted to see it." "Ido," she answered almost with a sob in her throat, "but if you make (AUD) them open the door it will never be a secret again." He leaned forvward. "A secret," he said. "What do you mean? Tell me." Mary's words almost tumbled over one another. "You see," she panted, "if no one knows but ourselvesif there was a door, hidden somewhere under the ivy- we could slip through it together and shut it behind us and no one knew anyone was insideand vwe calledit our garden-we could play there and watch nicer it would be if it the roses grow-Oh, don't you see how much was a secret?" expression on Colin dropped back on his pillow and there was an odd his face. "Inever had a secret," he said. to get in sometime. And then-I "I feel almost sure I can find out how push you in your chairwe could go alome and it would always be could continued. a secret garden, " Mary looking dreamy. "I should-likethat," he said very slowly, his eyes should like that. Ishould not mind fresh air in a secret garden." "I About the Author was a British Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849 - 1924) remembered Can you fnd the American author and playwright. She is bestLittle Princess author's picture? Paste it here. Garden, A for the three nOvels TheSecret written for children. and Little Lord Fauntleroy-which were for adults. She also wrote anumber of novels