The secret garden — Chapter Three Meeting Martha

　　Mary didn"t understand what Martha was talking about. "What do you mean? Who"s going to dress me?"

　　Martha stared at her. "What? Can"t you dress yourself?"

　　"No. I never dressed myself in my life. My Ayi always dressed me," said Mary. She didn"t like this servant.

　　"Well," said Martha, "it"s time for you to learn! It will be good for you to take care of yourself. I think it"s amazing that rich people"s children don"t grow up to be very stupid.They can"t do anything for themselves. Their nurses are always dressing and washing them, just like dolls!"

　　"It is different in India," said Mary coldly.

　　"I"m sure it is," said Martha. She didn"t seem to know that servants weren"t supposed to talk this way. "It"s because there are so many black people in India, instead of nice, normal white people. When I heard you were coming from India, I thought you were black too!"

　　Now Mary was really angry. " What! " she shouted. " You thought I was a black person? How dare you! You daughter of a pig!"

　　Instead of looking sorry, however, Martha just looked angry. "Who are you calling names?" she said. "A young lady shouldn"t talk that way. I"ve always thought black people must be very nice. I heard that they are very religious. I was hoping to see one. When I came into your room this morning, I walked over to your bed to see you. And there you were. You"re not any blacker than I am! You"re just very yellow," Martha said. She seemed disappointed that Mary wasn"t an Indian.