Summary

In Chapter 17, Mary wakes up in the middle of the night because Colin is screaming and throwing one of the temper tantrums he is famous for. Colin’s nurse comes to Mary and begs her to talk with him and try to calm him down. Mary goes to his room, but rather than speaking calmly to him, she yells at him, saying that everyone hates him and she hopes he screams himself to death. Since no one ever speaks this way to him, this shocks Colin and he stops. He tells Mary that he is certain his back is growing a hump and he will die soon, but she looks at his back and assures him that he is perfectly fine. Colin says that he would like to go outdoors if Mary and Dickon go with him. Mary talks to him about the...