the captives-第108节

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〃Well；　you'd　better　get　back　there　to…night〃

〃I'm　staying　in　London　for　a　day　or　two。〃

〃Where？〃

〃Here。　I've　got　a　bedroom　upstairs。〃

〃You　can　do　what　you　damn　well　please；〃　he　said。　〃It　doesn't　matter　to　me。　I'm　going　away　from　here　to…morrow　morning。〃　Then；　after　another　pause；　he　said：

〃What　sort　of　a　man's　your　husband？〃

〃A　clergyman；〃　she　answered。

〃　A　clergyman　。　。　。　good　Lord！〃　He　laughed　grimly。　〃Still　religious；　I　see。〃

All　this　time　she　was　thinking　how　ill　he　was。　Every　breath　that　he　drew　seemed　to　hurt　him。　His　eyes　were　dull　and　expressionless。　He　moved　his　hands；　sometimes；　with　a　groping　movement　as　though　he　could　not　see。　He　drank　his　tea　thirstily；　eagerly。

At　last　he　had　finished。　He　bent　forward；　leaning　on　his　hands；　looking　her　steadily　in　the　face　for　the　first　time。

〃It　was　clever　of　you　to　do　this；〃　he　said；　〃damn　clever。　I　was　hungry；　I　don't　mind　confessing　。　。　。　but　that's　the　last　of　it。　Do　you　hear？　I　can　look　after　myself。　I　know。　You're　feeling　sorry　for　me。　Think　I'm　in　a　dirty　room　with　no　one　to　look　after　me。　Think　I'm　ill。　I　bet　Amy　told　you　I　was　ill。　'Oh；　poor　fellow；'　you　thought；　'I　must　go　and　look　after　him。'　Well；　I'm　not　a　poor　fellow　and　I　don't　want　looking　after。　I　can　manage　for　myself　very　nicely。　And　I　don't　want　any　women　hanging　round。　I'm　sick　of　women；　and　that's　flat。〃

〃I'm　not　pretending　it's　not　all　my　own　fault。　It　is。　ALL　my　own　fault；　but　I　don't　want　any　one　coming　round　and　saying　so。　AND　I　don't　want　any　pity。　You've　had　a　nice　romantic　idea　in　your　head；　saving　the　sinner　and　all　the　rest　of　it。　Well；　you　can　get　back　to　your　parson。　He's　the　sort　for　that　kind　of　stuff。〃

〃Indeed　I　haven't；〃　said　Maggie。　〃I　don't　care　whether　you're　a　sinner　or　not。　You're　being　too　serious　about　it　all；　Martin。　We　were　old　friends。　When　I　heard　you　were　in　London　I　came　to　see　you。　That's　all。　I　may　as　well　stay　here　as　anywhere　else。　Aunt　Anne's　dead　andandUncle　Mathew　too。　There's　nowhere　else　for　me　to　go。　I　don't　pity　you。　Why　should　I？　You　think　too　much　about　yourself；　Martin。　It　wasn't　to　be　clever　that　I　got　these　things。　I　was　hungry；　and　I　didn't　want　to　eat　in　an　A。B。C。　shop。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　he　said；　turning　away　from　the　table。

He　stood　up；　fumbling　in　his　pocket。　He　produced　a　pipe　and　some　tobacco　out　of　a　paper　packet。　As　he　filled　it　she　saw　that　his　hand　was　trembling。

He　turned　finally　upon　her。

〃Whatever　your　plan　was　it's　failed；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　going　to　bed　straight　away　now。　And　to…morrow　morning　early　I'm　off。　Thank　you　for　the　meal　andgood…night　and　good…bye。〃

He　gave　her　one　straight　look。　She　looked　up　at　him；　calmly。　He　dropped　his　eyes；　then；　clumsily　he　walked　off；　opened　his　bedroom　door；　closed　it　behind　him；　and　was　gone。

She　sat　there；　staring　in　front　of　her；　thinking。　What　was　she　to　do　now？　At　least　she　might　clear　up。　She　had　nowhere　to　wash　the　things。　She　would　put　them　ready　for　the　morning。　She　tidied　the　table；　put　the　plates　and　cups　together；　then；　overcome　by　a　sudden　exhaustion；　she　sat　down　on　the　sofa。

She　realised　then　the　fight　that　the　day　had　been。　Yes；　a　fight！　。　。　。　and　she　was　still　only　at　the　beginning　of　it。　If　he　really　went　away　in　the　morning　what　could　she　do？　She　could　not　follow　him　all　round　London。　But　she　would　not　despair　yet。　No；　she　was　far　from　despair。　But　she　was　tired；　tired　to　death。

She　sat　on　there　in　a　kind　of　dream。　There　were　no　sounds　in　the　house。　The　fire　began　to　drop　very　low。　There　were　no　more　coals。　The　room　began　to　be　very　chilly。　She　laid　her　head　back　on　the　sofa；　she　was　half　asleep。　She　was　dreamingPaul　was　there　and　Gracethe　Skeaton　sandsthe　Revival　procession　with　the　lanterns　the　swish　of　the　sea　。　。　。

Suddenly　she　was　wide　awake。　The　lamp　had　burnt　down　to　a　low　rim　of　light。　Martin　was　coughing　in　the　other　room。　Coughing！　She　had　never　heard　such　a　cough；　something　inhuman　and　strange。　She　stood　up；　her　hands　clutched。　She　waited。　Then；　as　it　continued；　growing　fiercer　and　fiercer；　so　that　in　spite　of　the　closed　door　it　seemed　to　be　in　the　very　room　with　her；　she　could　bear　it　no　longer。

She　opened　the　door　and　went　in。　The　room　was　lit　by　a　candle　placed　on　a　chair　beside　the　bed。　Martin　was　sitting　up；　his　hands　clenched；　his　face　convulsed。　The　cough　went　onchoking；　convulsing；　as　though　some　terrible　enemy　had　hands　at　his　windpipe。　He　grasped　the　bedclothes；　his　eyes；　frightened　and　dilated；　staring　in　front　of　him。

She　went　to　him。　He　did　not　look　at　her；　but　whispered　in　a　voice　that　seemed　to　come　from　miles　away：

〃Bottle　。　。　。　over　there　。　。　。　glass。〃

She　saw　on　the　wash…hand　stand　a　bottle　with　a　medicine　glass　behind　it。　She　read　the　directions；　poured　out　the　drops；　took　it　over　and　gave　it　to　him。　He　swallowed　it　down。　She　put　out　her　arm　to　steady　him　and　felt　his　whole　body　tremble　beneath　her　hand。　Gradually　he　was　quieter。　Utterly　exhausted　he　slipped　back；　his　head　on　the　pillow。

She　drew　her　chair　close　to　the　bed。　He　was　too　exhausted　to　speak　and　did　not　look　at　her　at　all。　After　a　while　she　put　her　hand　on　his　forehead　and　stroked　it。　He　did　not　draw　away　from　her。　Slowly　his　head　turned　towards　her。　He　lay　there　in　the　crook　of　her　arm；　she　bending　forward　over　him。

Her　heart　beat。　She　tried　not　to　be　conscious　of　his　closeness　to　her；　but　her　hand　trembled　as　it　touched　his　cheek。

Still　he　did　not　move　away。　After；　as　it　seemed　to　her；　a　long　time　he　was　asleep。　She　listened　to　his　breathing；　and　only　then；　when　she　knew　that　he　could　not　hear；　she　whispered：

〃Oh；　Martin；　I　love　you　so！　Dear　Martin；　I　love　you　so　much！〃

She　blew　out　the　candle　and；　her　arm　beneath　his　head；　sat　there；　watching。




CHAPTER　II

HOBGOBLINS


The　dawn　had　made　the　dark　room　grey　when　Maggie；　stiff　and　sore　from　the　strained　position　in　which　she　had　been　sitting；　went　up　to　her　room。　She　had　intended　not　to　go　to　bed；　but　weariness　overcame　her；　she　lay　down　on　her　bed；　dressed　as　she　was；　and　fell　into　a　deep；　exhausted　slumber。

When　she　woke　it　was　broad　daylight。　She　was　panic…stricken。　How　could　she　have　slept？　And　now　he　might　have　gone。　She　washed　her　face　and　hands　in　the　horrible　little　tin　basin；　brushed　her　hair；　and　then；　with　beating　heart；　went　downstairs。　His　sitting…room　was　just　as　she　had　left　it；　the　unwashed　plates　piled　together；　the　red　cloth　over　the　window；　the　dead　ashes　of　the　fire　in　the　grate。　Very　gently　she　opened　his　bedroom　door。　He　was　still　in　bed。　She　went　over　to　him。　He　was　asleep；　muttering；　his　hands　clenched　on　the　counterpane。　His　cheeks　were　flushed。　To　her　inexperienced　eyes　he　looked　very　ill。

She　touched　him　on　the　shoulder　and　with　a　start　he　sprang　awake；　his　eyes　wide　open　with　terror；　and　he　crying：

〃What　is　it？　No　。　。　。　no　。　。　。　don't。　Don't。〃

〃It's　all　right；　Martin。　It's　I；　Maggie；〃　she　said。

He　stared　at　her；　then　dropping　back　on　to　the　pillow；　he　muttered　wearily　as　though　he　were　worn　out　after　a　long　struggle：

〃I'm　bad　。　。　。　It's　my　chest。　There's　a　doctor。　They'll　tell　you　。　。　。　He's　been　here　before。〃

She　went　into　the　other　room　and　rang　the　bell。　After　a　time　Mrs。　Brandon　herself　appeared。

〃I'm　afraid　Mr。　Warlock　is　very　ill；〃　said　Maggie；　trying　to　keep　her　voice　from　trembling。　〃He's　asked　me　to　fetch　the　doctor　who's　been　here　to　see　him　before。　Can　you　tell　me　who　he　is　and　where　he　lives？〃

Mrs。　Brandon's　bright　and　inquisitive　eyes　moved　round　the　room；　taking　in　the　blue　china；　the　hyacinth　and　the　lamp。　〃Certingly；〃　she　said。　〃That　must　be　Dr。　Abrams。　'E　lives　in　Cowley　Street；　No。　4Dr。　Emanuel　Abrams。　A　good　doctor　when　'e's　sober；　and　the　morning's　the　best　time　to　be　sure　of　'im。　Certingly　'e's　been　in　to　see　your　friend　several　times。　They've　been　merry　together　more　than　once。〃

〃Where　is　Cowley　Street？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃First　to　the　right　when　you　get　out　of　the　'ouse；　and　then　second　to　the　left　again。　No。　4's　the　number。　It's　most　likely　'e'll　be　asleep。　Yes；　Dr。　Abrams；　that's　the　name。　'E's　attended　a　lot　in　this　'ouse。　Wot　a　pretty　flower！　Cheers　the　room　up　I　must　say。　Will　you　be　wanting　another　fire？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Maggie。　〃Could　Emily　see　to　that　while　I'm　away？〃

〃Certingly；〃　said　Mrs。　Brandon；　looking　at　Maggie　with　a　curious　confidential　smilea　hateful　smile；　but　there　was　no　time　to　think　about　it。

Maggie　went　out。　She　found　Cowley　Street　without　any　difficulty。　Dr。　Abrams　was　up　and　having　his　breakfast。　His　close；　musty　room　smelt　of　whisky　and　kippers。　He　himself　was　a　little；　fat　round　Jew；　very　red　in　the　face；　very　small　in　the　eye；　very　black　in　the　hair；　and　very　dirty　in　the　hands。

He　was　startled　by　Maggie's　appearancevery　different　she　was　from　his　usual　patients。

〃Looked　just　a　baby；〃　he　informed　Mrs。　Brandon　afterwards。

〃Mrs。　Warlock？〃　he　asked。

〃No；〃　said　Maggie　defiantly。　〃I'm　a　friend　of　Mr。　Warlock's。〃

〃Ah；　yesquite　so。〃　He　wiped　his　mouth；　disappeared　into　another　room；　returned　with　a　shabby　black　bag　and　a　still　shabbier　top　hat；　and　declared　himself　ready　to　start。

〃It's　pneumonia；〃　he　told　her　as　they　went　along。　〃Had　it　three　weeks　ago。　Of　course　if　he　was　out　in　yesterday's　fog　that　finished　him。〃

〃He　was　out；〃　said　Magg