That was the first of many beautiful afternoons in the secret garden. Colin was brought there by Dickon and Mary every day, and he saw all the changes that happened there during the spring and early summer. Ben Weatherstaff, now in the secret, joined them as often as he could.
秘密花园里第一次有这么多美妙的下午。迪肯和玛丽每天都会带柯林到花园里，他在那里见证着花园里一草一木在春夏季的生长。本·威瑟斯塔夫也会尽量在花园里陪他们。
One day Colin spoke to all of them. 'Listen, everybody. I think there's something like magic that makes gardens grow and things happen. Perhaps if i believe in it, the magic will make me strong. Let's all sit down in a circle and ask the magic to work.'
某天，柯林对他们所有人说。“大家听我说，我觉得这有类似于魔法的东西，让花园开满了花，让万物生长。我也相信，魔法会让我健康起来。现在我们可以坐成一圈，感受下魔法。”
So they all sat on the grass in a circle, Dickon with his crow, his fox and the two squirrels, Mary, Colin and Ben. Colin repeated these word several times. 'The sun's shining. That's the magic. Being strong! That's the magic. Magic! Help me! Magic! Help me!'
他们在草地上坐成一圈，迪肯挨着乌鸦，狐狸，和两只松鼠，接着是玛丽，柯林和本。柯林反复念着：“阳光普照是魔法。健康成长亦是魔法。魔法，帮帮我！魔法，帮帮我！”
At last, Colin stopped. 'Now i'm going to walk round the garden,' he said, and took Dickon' arm. Slowly he walked from one wall to another, followed closely by Mary and Ben. And when he had walked all the way round,' he said, 'You see! i can walk now! The magic worked!'
柯林终于停了下来。他挽着迪肯的手说“现在我要在花园里走一圈”。柯林缓缓地从一面墙走到另一面墙，玛丽和本紧紧跟着他。当一圈走完时，他说：“看，我能走路了，魔法起作用了。”
'It's wonderful!' cried Mary, 'your father will think he is dreaming when he sees you.'
“真的是！”玛丽激动地说，“你父亲要是见到你时，他一定以为自己是在做梦。”
'I won't tell him yet. I'm going to keep a secret from everybody. I'll come to the garden and walk and run a little more every day until i'm as healthy as any other boy. Then, when my father comes home, i'll walk up to him and say,"Here i am, Father. You see? I'm not going to die."'
“我还不想告诉他，我也不想让其他人知道。我每天都会来花园里走会或跑会到完全康复。然后，当父亲回家时，我走到他面前说：‘父亲，我是柯林，我不用担心随时会死了。’”
Now began a difficult time for Colin and Mary. Dickon told his mother about it one evening as he was digging the cottage garden.
现在柯林和玛丽的日子有点难过。一天晚上，迪肯给白菜地翻土时，跟他妈妈说了秘密花园里的事。
'You see, mother, they don't want the doctor or the servants to guess that Colin can walk and is getting better. So they have to pretend he's still ill and just as disagreeable as he used to be!'
“你明白吗？ 妈妈，他们不想让医生，也不想让仆人知道，柯林能走路了，渐渐好起来了。所以他们就得装他还病着，还和以前一样难相处。”
'If they're running about all day in the fresh air, that'll make them hungry, i should think.'
“我想要是他们在户外跑跑跳跳一整天的话，他们都会很饿的。”
'Yes, that's the problem. They're both getting fatter and healthier, and they really enjoy their food now. But they have to send some of it back to the kitchen, uneaten. If they eat it all, people will realize how healthy they are! sometimes they're very hungry.'
“是的，这确实是个问题。他们两个都正在长身体，会比以前吃得多，但他们还得剩些不吃，让仆人端走。要是他们都吃完的话，仆人就知道他们都很健康了。所以他们有时真的很饿。”
'I know what we can do,' said Mrs Sowerby. 'You can take some fresh milk and some of my newly baked bread to the garden in the mornings. If they have that, it'll do them a lot of good! What a game those children are playing!' And she laughed until tears came to her eyes.
“我知道我能做些什么了”索比尔夫人说。“早上你能带些鲜牛奶和刚出炉的面包到花园里。他们有这些吃的，会好很多的。你们这些孩子究竟在花园里玩什么呢？”她笑出了泪。
One afternoon when they were all working in the garden, the door opened, and a woman came quietly in.
一天下午，他们正在花园里忙时，门被打开了，一个女人蹑手蹑脚地走了进来。
'It's mother,' cried Dickon, and ran towards her. 'I told her where the door was, because i knew she would keep the secret.'
“妈妈”迪肯一边喊，一边朝她跑。“我跟她说过花园的门在哪，我妈妈会保密的。”
Colin held out his hand to her. 'I've wanted to see you for a long time.' he said.
柯林向索比尔夫人伸出手，说：“我很早就想见您了”
'Dear boy,' Susan Sowerby whispered, holding his hand. 'You're so like your mother.'
“好孩子”苏珊·索比尔握着柯林的手，轻声说。“你长得真像你妈妈。”
'Do you think,' asked Colin carefully, 'that will make my father like me?'
柯林小心翼翼地问：“您……您觉得我父亲会喜欢我吗？”
'I'm sure it will,' she answered warmly. 'He must see you - he must come home now.'
“他一定会的”她说话声很温柔。“他现在就得回家，来见见你。”
'You see how healthy the boy is, Susan?' asked old Ben. 'Look how strong and straight his legs are now!'
“苏珊，你看，这孩子多健康啊！”本说。“现在他双腿有力，可以走路了。”
'Yes,' she laughed, 'playing and working outside, and eating good Yorkshire food, has made him strong. And Miss Mary too,' she added, turning to Mary. 'Mrs Medlock heard that your mother was a pretty woman. You'll soon be as pretty as she was.'
“是的。”她含笑道。“在户外跑跑跳跳，和约克郡健康的食物，让他健康成长。还有玛丽小姐也是。”她看向玛丽说：“听梅得洛克夫人说，你妈妈是个美人。你长大了也会是美人的。”
'Do you believe in magic?' Colin asked her.
“您相信魔法吗？”柯林问她。
'I do,' she answered. 'but everybody gives it a different name. It makes the sun shine and the seeds grow - and it has made you healthy.'
"我相信。"她说。"但每个人的说法都不一样。阳光普照，让万物生长 - 也让你健康成长。"
She sat down on the grass and stayed for a while, talking and laughing with the children in the quiet, sunny garden. When she stood up to leave, Colin suddenly put out a hand to her.
'I wish - you were my mother.' he whispered.
她在无人打扰的花园里，坐在阳光下的草地上，和孩子们聊了一会。在她起身要走时，柯林突然伸手拉住她，小声说："真希望…真希望您是我妈妈。"
Mrs Sowerby put her arms round him and held him to her. 'Dear boy! You're as close to your mother as you could be, here in her garden. And your father'll come back soon.'
索比尔夫人伸手抱着他。“孩子，你离你妈妈很近，现在就在她花园，你父亲也快要回来了。”
更多译文：
《秘密花园》译文
PS:本书为牛津系列简易读物，由英国作家克莱尔·韦斯特根据美国女作家弗朗西斯·霍奇森·伯内特的同名小说改写。
英文选自书虫原著，译文笔者仅个人兴趣而翻译。故本文谢绝转载和各种商业用途，并承诺出现任何责任由作者承担，必要时可删除文章。