The Secret Garden

Mary awakens the next morning to the sound of a young housemaid clearing the cinders out of the fireplace. The housemaid introduces herself as Martha Sowerby. She is there to tidy Mary’s room and wait on her a bit. Accustomed to being dressed like a doll, Mary is shocked to learn that Martha isn’t going to dress her. When Martha hears this, she forgets herself and replies in broad Yorkshire, “Canna’ tha’ dress thysen!” (16). This is only the second time Mary has heard the Yorkshire dialect, and she doesn’t understand it. Martha quickly translates: Can’t you get dressed by yourself? Indignant, Mary replies that she has never dressed herself because her Ayah always dressed her. Martha replies that it’s time Mary learned. While helping Mary dress herself, Martha chatters about her family. She has 11 younger siblings. Mary is particularly fascinated to hear about 12-year-old Dickon, who tames wild animals.

After breakfast, Martha sends Mary out to amuse herself in the gardens, telling Mary that one of the walled gardens is locked up. When Mary asks why, Martha explains that it was the late Mrs. Craven’s special garden, and when she died, the heartbroken Mr. Craven locked the door and buried the key.