the captives-第103节

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〃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　trembled　and　her　heart　leapt　furiously。

〃Why；　Maggie〃　she　said。

〃I'm　afraid　I'm　disturbing　you；〃　said　Maggie；　〃but　we　haven't　really　said　anything　to　one　another　for　the　last　fortnight。　I　don't　suppose　that　you　want　me　to　say　anything　now；　but　things　get　worse　and　worse　if　no　one　says　anything；　don't　they？〃　Now　that　she　had　begun　she　went　on　quickly：　〃I　wanted　to　say；　Grace；　how　sorry　I　am　for　the　trouble　and　unhappiness　that　you　and　Paul　have　had　during　the　last　fortnight　through　me。　I've　been　nothing　but　a　trouble　to　you　since　I　first　came　here；　but　it　wasn't　that　that　I　wanted　to　say。　I　couldn't　bear　that　you　should　think　that　I　was　just　selfishly　full　of　my　own　affairs　and　didn't　understand　how　you　and　Paul　must　feel　about　about　my　uncle。　Not　that　I　mean；〃　she　went　on　rather　fiercely；　raising　her　head；　〃that　he　was　to　blame。　No　one　ever　understood　him。　He　could　have　done　great　things　ififsome　one　had　looked　after　him　a　little。　But　he　hadn't　any　one。　That　was　my　fault。　I　didn't　want　you　and　Paul　to　think　I　don't　blame　myself。　I　do　all　the　time。　I　can't　promise　to　be　better　in　the　future　because　I've　promised　so　often　and　I　never　am。　But　I　am　sorry。〃

Grace　said　nothing　for　a　moment。　Her　hands　trembled　more　than　ever。　Then；　without　looking　up；　she　murmured　as　though　to　her　sewing：

〃Oh　no。　Maggie　。　。　。　　no　one　blames　you；　I'm　sure。〃

There　was　another　pause；　then　Grace　said：

〃I　think　I'm　not　well。　No；　I　can't　be　well　because　I'm　not　sleeping；　although　I've　taken　aspirin　more；　I'm　sure；　than　I　ought　to。　What　I　mean　is　that　they　say　it's　bad　for　your　heart。　Of　course　things　have　been　very　unfortunate；　from　the　beginning　one　might　say；　but　I'm　sure　it's　not　been　any　one's　fault　exactly。　What　I　mean　is　that　these　things　never　are　。　。　。　No；　they　aren't　really。　I　expect　we　all　want　a　change。〃

〃What　are　you　frightened　of　me　for；　Grace；〃　asked　Maggie。

Grace　started　as　though　Maggie　had　indeed　dropped　a　bomb　at　her　feet。　She　looked　up　at　Maggie；　wildly；　her　eyes　staring　about　the　room　as　though　she　were　looking　for　some　exit　of　escape。

〃Frightened？〃　she　repeated。

〃Yes；　you　are；〃　said　Maggie。　〃That's　what　worries　me　most。　No　one's　ever　been　frightened　of　me　beforeat　least　I　don't　think　any　one　has。〃　Maggie　laughed。　〃Why；　Grace；　it　seems　so　funny　any　one　being　frightened　of　me。　I　couldn't　hurt　any　one　if　I　wanted　to；　and　I'm　sure　I　never　want　to　unless　it's　Mrs。　Maxse。　Be　angry　with　me　as　much　as　you　like；　Grace；　but　don't　be　frightened　of　me。　Why；　that's　ridiculous！〃

It　was　the　worst　word　to　have　chosen。　Grace　flushed　a　dull　unwholesome　purple。

〃I'm　sorry　you　think　me　ridiculous；　Maggie；〃　she　said。　〃Perhaps　I　am。　I'm　sure　I　don't　know。　Yes；　perhaps　I　am。　What　I　mean　is　that　what's　ridiculous　to　one　is　not　ridiculous　to　another。　You're　a　strange　girl；　Maggie；　and　you　and　I　will　never　get　on。　No；　never。　But　all　I　ask　is　that　you　should　make　Paul　happy。　That　is　enough　for　me。　I　care　for　nothing　else。　He　isn't　very　happy　just　now。　What　I　mean　is　that　any　one　can　see　he　isn't　eating　his　meals　properly。〃

〃Oh；　Grace；〃　cried　Maggie。　〃I　didn't　mean　that　you　were　ridiculous。　I　meant　that　any　one　being　frightened　of　me　was　ridiculous。　Anyway；　I'm　very　sorry　that　I've　made　you　and　Paul　unhappy。　That's　all。〃

She　turned　and　went。

It　was　the　most　lovely　of　April　days；　soft；　primrose…coloured；　the　sea…breeze　gently　tempered　by　mist…veiled　sun。　Maggie　sat　at　her　bedroom　window　overlooking　the　drive　and　the　blue…grey　field　that　ran　to　the　woods。　She　knew　that　there　would　be　no　difficulty　about　her　escape　to　the　Revival　meeting。　Paul　had　arranged　that　there　should　be　an　evening　service　at　the　Church　at　the　same　hour；　an　act　of　rather　Un…Christian　defiance。　Maggie　sat　there；　looking　down　in　a　condition　of　strange　bewildering　excitement　on　to　the　laurel　bushes。　It　was　wonderful　to　think　that　in　another　half…hour　she　would　see　Miss　Avies　once　more；　hear　those　wild　hymns　again；　catch　the　stridency　of　Thurston's　voice；　all　these　things　spoke　of　Martin。　She　felt　as　though　he　were　stealing　towards　her　out　of　the　dusk；　it　was　as　though；　without　any　reason；　she　expected　to　find　him　at　the　service　。　。　。　although　she　knew　that　he　could　not　be　there。

She　heard　the　Church　bell　begin　to　ring；　then　the　hall…door　opened　and　Paul　came　out。　He　had　on　his　soft　black　hat；　he　was　carrying　his　Bible　and　prayer…book　under　his　arm。　He　stood；　for　a　moment；　beside　the　hall…door　as　though　he　were　listening　or　expecting　something。　She　had　a　strange　impulse　to　run　down　to　him；　so　strong　was　it　that　she　got　up　and　moved　to　the　door。　Then　slowly　she　came　back　to　the　window　and　stood　looking　down　upon　him。　Suddenly；　as　though　he　felt　her　gaze；　he　glanced　up；　saw　her；　and　waved　to　her。　She　waved　back　to　him。　He　turned　and　walked　quickly　away；　she　heard　the　gate　swing；　screaming　behind　him。

She　waited　for　a　little；　then　put　on　her　hat　and　coat　and　went　out。　She　knew　the　Flower　Street　Hall；　a　place　occasionally　used　by　touring　Companies；　Wandering　Lecturers；　Charitable　Concerts；　and　other　casual　festivals。　It　was　at　the　far　end　of　the　town　towards　the　end　of　the　Promenade。

The　town；　dim　in　the　first　dusk；　hummed　with　loiterers；　girls　released　from　the　shops　walking　with　their　young　men；　middle…aged　couples　sauntering　out　to　take　a　last　whiff　of　the　sea　before　going　in　to　the　evening　meal；　one　or　two　visitors　from　the　Hotel　strolling　across　to　the　beach　to　watch　the　first　evening　stars　and　the　rising　moon。　Pianos　were　playing；　children　shouting　over　the　last　game　of　the　day；　all　hushed　into　a　coloured　mild　tranquillity。　In　the　fields　beyond　the　houses　the　quiet　was　absolute。

Maggie　found　the　building。　The　facade　was　blazing　with　electric　light。　A　huge　poster；　of　the　now　familiar　pink；　declared：

　GRAND　RELIGIOUS　FESTIVAL。　All　are　invited。　IS　ALL　WELL　WITH　YOU；　BROTHER？

There　was　a　crowd　about　the　doors；　and　continually；　with　giggles　and　shamefaced　laughter；　couples　broke　away　and　climbed　the　steps　into　the　Hall。　Maggie；　feeling　that　all　eyes　were　upon　her；　entered　the　building。　In　the　vestibule　two　grave…faced　women　in　black　bonnets　handed　papers　with　prayers　and　hymns　to　every　newcomer。　Maggie　took　hers；　a　door　was　opened　in　front　of　her；　and　she　went　in。　The　auditorium　was　a　large　one；　semicircular　in　shape；　with　tiers　of　seats　rising　circus…fashion　to　a　ceiling　decorated　with　silver　stars　and　pink　naked　cherubs。　The　stage　had　upon　it　a　table；　some　chairs；　and　a　reading…desk　draped　in　crimson　cloth。　Below　the　stage　was　a　small　orchestra；　consisting　of　two　fiddles；　a　cornet；　drum；　and　a　piano。　There　was　also　what　seemed　to　Maggie　a　small　choir；　some　women　dressed　in　white　and　some　men　in　black　coats　and　white　bow　ties。　Across　the　stage　were　suspended　broad　white　bands　of　cloth　with　〃Come　to　Jesus！〃　〃Come　now！〃　〃He　is　waiting　for　you！〃　in　big　black　letters。

The　hall　seemed　very　full；　and　was　violently　illuminated　with　electric　light。　Maggie　took　this　in　as　she　stood　very　timidly　just　inside　the　door。　A　steward　came　forward　and　showed　her　a　corner…　seat。　She　saw；　then；　with　a　dramatic　flash　of　recognition；　Thurston　and　Mr。　Crashaw　sitting　behind　the　table；　then；　with　a　still　stranger　emotion；　Miss　Avies　as　one　of　the　white…robed　choir。　The　sight　of　those　three　familiar　faces　seemed　to　close；　finally　and　definitely；　the　impression　that　she　had　had　during　all　those　last　weeks。　They　had　〃got〃　her　again；　and　yet　not　they；　but　the　power　behind　them。　It　seemed　only　five　minutes　ago　that　she　had　sat　in　the　London　Chapel　and　heard　old　Crashaw　scream　〃Punishment！　Punishment！　Punishment！〃　She　turned　half　in　her　seat　as　though　she　expected　to　see　Aunt　Anne　and　Aunt　Elizabeth　sitting　one　on　either　side　of　her。　She　looked　at　Thurston；　he　had　coarsened　very　much　since　she　had　seen　him　last。　He　was　fatter；　his　cheeks　stained　with　an　unnaturally　high　colour；　his　eyes　brighter　and　sharper　and　yet　sensual　too。　He　was　smarter　than　he　had　been；　his　white　bow　tie　stiff　and　shapely；　his　cuffs　clean　and　shining；　his　hair　very　carefully　brushed　back　from　his　high　and　bony　forehead。　His　sharp　eyes　darted　all　over　the　building；　and　Maggie　felt　as　though　at　any　moment　she　would　be　discovered。　Crashaw　looked　more　like　a　decrepit　monkey　than　ever；　huddled　up　in　his　chair；　his　back　bow…shaped。　He　breathed　into　his　hands　as　though　he　wanted　to　warm　them；　and　looked　at　nobody。　Miss　Avies　Maggie　could　not　see　clearly。

Her　eyes　wandered　over　the　audience。　She　saw　many　townspeople　whom　she　knew；　and　she　realised；　for　the　first　time；　that　tomorrow　everywhere　it　would　be　said　that　the　Rector's　wife　had　been　at　the　Revival　meeting。

And　how　different　an　audience　from　the　old　London　one。　Every　one　had　come　on　this　occasion　to　see　a　show；　and　it　was　certainly　a　show　that　they　were　going　to　see。　Maggie　had　entered　during　a　pause；　and　all　the　faces　that　were　there　wore　that　look　of　expectation　that　demands　the　rising　of　the　curtain。　Soon；　Maggie　felt；　they　would　stamp　and　whistle　did　the　play　not　begin。

Thurston　rose　and　announced：

〃My　brothers；　we　will　sing　hymn　No。　14　on　the　paper。〃

Maggie　looked　and　discovered　that　it　was