the captives-第102节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


od　thing　he　did　you　know　he　wasn't；　and　I'm　sure　you　can　remember　many　good　things。〃

〃It　isn't　that；〃　said　Maggie。　〃It　is　that　I　seem　to　have　done　everything　wrong　and　made　every　one　I　had　to　do　with　unhappy。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　said　Miss　Toms。　〃I'm　sure　if　they've　been　unhappy　it's　their　own　fault。　Isn't　the　evening　air　lovely？　At　times　like　these　I　wonder　that　Skeaton　can　dare　to　exist。　You'll　come　and　see　us　one　day；　won't　you？〃

〃I　thinkI　don't　know；〃　said　Maggie；　〃I　may　be　going　away。〃

Miss　Toms　gave　her　a　penetrating　look。

〃I　daresay　you're　right。　Skeaton's　not　the　place　for　you。　I　saw　that　the　first　time　we　met。　Well；　whatever　you　do；　don't　lose　your　pluck。　You're　yourself；　you　know；　and　you're　as　good　as　anybody　else。　Don't　you　forget　that。　Because　a　lot　of　people　say　a　thing　it　doesn't　mean　it's　true；　and　because　a　set　of　idiots　think　a　thing　shocking　it　doesn't　mean　that　it's　shocking。　Think　how　wrong　people　have　always　been　about　everything！〃

They　turned　down　a　side　lane　and　arrived　in　the　High　Street。　The　street　was　very　empty。　In　the　fading　light　a　large　pink　poster　attracted　Maggie's　attention。　She　went　close　to　it　and　read　the　announcement　of　the　Revival　services。

When　she　read　the　names　of　Thurston　and　Mr。　Crashaw　and　Miss　Avies　it　seemed　to　her　incredible；　and　then　at　the　same　time　as　something　that　she　had　always　expected。

〃Oh；〃　she　cried；　〃it's　coming　here！〃　She　was　strangely　startled　as　though　the　sign　of　Thurston's　name　was　strange　forewarning。

〃What's　coming？〃　asked　Miss　Toms。

She　read　the　notice。

〃I　don't　know　what　you　think；〃　said　Miss　Toms；　〃but　that　kind　of　thing's　humbug　if　you　ask　me。〃

〃Oh！〃　Maggie　cried。　〃It's　so　strange。　I　knew　those　people　in　London。　I　used　to　go　to　their　services。　And　now　they're　coming　here！〃

She　could　not　explain　to　Miss　Toms　the　mysterious　assurance　that　she　had　of　the　way　that　her　former　world　was　drawing　near　to　her　again。　She　could　see　now　that　never　for　a　moment　since　her　arrival　in　Skeaton　had　it　let　her　alone；　slowly　invading　her；　bit　by　bit　driving　in　upon　her；　forcing　her　to　retire　。　。　。

It　was　quite　dark　now。　Because　it　was　Sunday　evening　the　shops　were　closed。　Only　behind　some　of　the　curtained　windows　dim　lights　burned。　Very　clearly　the　sea　could　be　heard　breaking　upon　the　shore。　The　last　note　of　the　bell　from　the　Methodist　Chapel　echoed　across　the　roofs　and　stones。

〃Good…night；〃　said　Miss　Toms。

〃Good…night；〃　said　Maggie。

She　turned　back　towards　home　hearing；　as　she　went；　Thurston's　voice；　seeing　beyond　all　the　thick　shadow　of　Martin's　body；　keeping　pace　with　her；　as　it　seemed；　step　by　step　with　her　as　she　went。

She　turned　into　the　Rectory　drive。　She　heard　with　a　startled　shiver　the　long　gate　swing　screaming　behind　her；　she　could　smell　very　faintly　the　leaves　of　the　damp　cold　laurel　bushes　that　pressed　close　in　upon　her。　It　was　as　though　some　one　were　walking　with　her　and　whispering　in　her　ear：　〃They're　coming！　They're　coming！　They've　got　you！　They've　got　you！〃

She　opened　the　hall　door；　the　hall　was　all　dark；　some　one　was　there。　Maggie　gave　a　little　cry。　A　match　was　struck　and　revealed　the　white　face　of　Grace。　The　two　women　stared　at　one　another。

Grace　had　returned　from　Church；　she　was　wearing　her　ugly　black　hat　with　the　red　velvet。

〃It's　all　right；〃　said　Maggie；　〃I've　been　for　a　walk。〃

〃OhI　didn't　know；〃　gasped　Grace；　still　staring。　〃I　thoughtyes；　of　course。　Fancy；　you've　been　for　a　walk！〃

Still　staring　as　though　she　could　keep　Maggie　at　bay　only　by　the　power　of　her　vision　she　backed　on　to　Paul's　study　door；　turned　the　handle；　and　disappeared。　The　hall　was　in　darkness　again。　Maggie　stumbled　her　way　towards　the　staircase；　then；　seeing　Grace's　terrified　eyes；　filled　with　a　horror　that　she；　Maggie　Cardinal；　should　cause　any　one　to　look　at　her　like　that；　she　ran　clumsily　upstairs；　shutting　herself　into　her　bedroom。

During　the　next　fortnight　the　dominant　element　in　the　situation　was　Grace's　terror。　Skeaton　was　already　beginning　to　forget　the　story　of　the　suicide。　Maggie　was　marked　for　ever　now　as　〃queer　and　strange；〃　but　Paul　was　not　blamed；　he　was　rather；　pitied　and　even　liked　the　more。　But　Grace　could　not　forget。　Maggie　intended　perhaps　to　murder　her　in　revenge　for　her　uncle's　death；　well；　then；　she　must　be　murdered　。　。　。　She　would　not　leave　her　brother。　She　could　not　consider　the　future。　She　knew　that　she　could　not　live　in　the　same　house　with　Maggie　for　long；　but　she　would　not　go　and　Maggie　would　not　go　。　。　。　What　was　to　happen？

Poor　Grace；　the　tortures　that　she　suffered　during　those　weeks　will　not　be　understood　by　persons　with　self…confidence　and　a　hearty　contempt　for　superstition。

She　paid　the　penalty　now　for　the　ghosts　of　her　childhoodand　no　one　could　help　her。

Maggie　saw　that　Paul　was；　with　every　day；　increasingly　unhappy。　He　had　never　been　trained　to　conceal　his　feelings；　and　although　he　tried　now　he　succeeded　very　badly。　He　would　come　into　her　room　in　the　early　morning　hours　and　lie　down　beside　her。　He　would　put　his　arms　around　her　and　kiss　her；　and；　desperately；　as　though　he　were　doing　it　for　a　wager；　make　love　to　her。　She　felt；　desperate　also　on　her　side；　that　she　could　comfort　and　make　him　happy；　if　only　he　would　want　something　less　from　her　than　passion。　But　always　after　an　hour　or　a　little　more；　he　crept　away　again　to　his　own　room；　disappointed；　angered；　frustrated。　These　hours　were　the　stranger　because；　during　the　day；　he　showed　her　nothing　of　this　mood；　but　was　kindly　and　friendly　and　distant。

She　would　have　done　anything　for　him；　she　tried　sometimes　to　be　affectionate　to　him；　but　always；　at　once；　he　turned　upon　her　with　a　hungry；　impassioned　look　。　。　。

She　knew；　without　any　kind　of　doubt；　that　the　only　way　that　she　could　make　him　happy　again　was　to　leave　him。　His　was　not　a　nature　to　brood；　for　the　rest　of　his　days；　on　something　that　he　had　lost。

Only　once　did　he　make　any　allusion　to　the　coming　Revival　services。　He　burst　out　one　day；　at　luncheon：　〃The　most　scandalous　thing！〃　he　said。　〃We　had　them　here　once；　years　ago；　and　the　harm　they　did　no　one　would　believe。　I've　been　to　Tamar　about　it；　he　can　do　nothing；　unless　they　disturb　the　public　peace；　of　course。　He　had　the　impertinence　to　tell　me　that　they　behaved　very　well　last　time　they　were　here！〃

〃I　don't　like　that　man；〃　said　Grace。　〃I　don't　believe　he　makes　his　money　properly。　Look　at　the　clothes　Mrs。　Tamar　wears！　What　I　mean　is；　I　don't　like　his　wife　at　all。〃

〃It's　very　hard；〃　said　Paul；　his　voice　trembling　with　indignation；〃　that　when　men　and　women　have　been　working　for　years　to　bring　Christ　into　the　hearts　of　mankind　that　mountebanks　and　hypocrites　should　be　allowed　to　undo　the　work　in　the　space　of　a　night。　I　know　this　man　Thurston。　They've　had　letters　in　the　Church　Times　about　him。〃　〃Fancy！〃　said　Grace；　〃and　still　he　dares　show　his　face。〃

〃But　do　they　really　do　so　much　harm？〃　asked　Maggie。　〃I　should　have　thought　if　they　only　came　once　for　a　week　in　ten　years　they　couldn't　make　any　real　effect　on　anybody〃

〃Maggie；　dear；〃　said　Paul　gently；　〃you　don't　understand。〃

As　the　day　of　the　Revival　approached；　Maggie　knew　that　she　would　go　to　one　of　the　services。　She　was　now　in　a　strange　state　of　excitement。　The　shock　of　her　uncle's　death　had　undoubtedly　shaken　her　whole　balance；　moral；　physical；　and　mental。　The　fortnight　that　had　followed　it；　when　she　had　clung　like　a　man　falling　from　a　height　and　held　by　a　rocky　ledge　to　the　one　determination　not　to　look　either　behind　or　in　front　of　her；　had　been　a　strain　beyond　her　strength。

She　did　not　know；　she　did　not　feel　any　weakness；　she　felt　rather　a　curious　atmosphere　of　light　and　expectation　as　though　that　cry　to　Martin　in　her　bedroom　had　truly　been　answered。　And　she　felt　more　than　this。　Old　Magnus　had　once　said　to　her：　〃I　don't　know　what　religion　is　except　that　it　is　a　fightand　some　people　join　in　because　they　want　to；　some　are　forced　to　join　in　whether　they　want　to　or　no；　some　just　leave　it　alone；　and　some　（most）　don't　know　there's　one　going　on　at　all。　But　if　you　don't　join　in　you　seem　to　me　to　have　wasted　your　time。〃

She　had　not　understood　in　the　least　what　he　meant；　she　did　not　understand　now；　but；　thinking　of　his　words；　it　did　seem　to　her　that　she　was　sharing　in　some　conflict。　The　vast　armies　hidden　from　her　by　mist；　the　contested　ground　also　hidden；　but　the　clash　of　arms　clearly　to　be　heard。　Her　own　part　of　a　struggle　seemed　to　be　round　her　love　for　Martin；　it　was　as　though；　if　she　could　get　some　realisation　of　that；　she　would　have　won　her　way　to　a　vantage…point　whence　she　could　visualise　the　next　place。　She　did　not　think　this　out。　She　only　felt　in　her　heart　a　little　less　lonely；　a　little　less　wicked　and　selfish；　a　little　less　deserted；　as　though　she　were　drawing　nearer　to　some　hidden　fire　and　could　feel　the　first　warm　shadow　of　the　flames。

She　made　one　more　appeal　to　Grace　on　the　very　morning　of　the　first　day　of　the　Revival。

After　breakfast　Maggie　came　into　the　drawing…room　and　found　Grace　sitting　there　sewing。

She　stood；　timidly；　in　her　old　attitude；　her　hands　clasped　in　front　of　her；　like　a　child　saying　her　lesson。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Grace。〃

Grace　looked　up。　She　had　of　course　been　conscious　of　Maggie　ever　since　her　entrance　into　the　room。　Her　hands　had　t