the captives-第46节

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〃You're　no　burden；　dear。〃　Aunt　Elizabeth　looked　uneasily　round　the　room。　〃Your　aunt　depends　on　you。〃

〃Depends　on　me　for　what？〃

〃For　everything。〃

〃Then　she　oughtn't　to；　Aunt　Elizabeth；　I've　said　it　again　and　again。　I'm　not　fit　for　any　one　to　depend　on。　I'm　forgetful　and　careless　and　untidy。　You　know　I　am。　And　I'm　different　from　every　one　here。　I'm　very　grateful　to　Aunt　Anne；　but　I'm　not　good　enough　for　her　to　depend　on。〃

Aunt　Elizabeth　blinked　nervously。

〃She's　got　very　little。　You　mustn't　take　away　all　she　has。〃

〃I'm　not　all　she　has；〃　answered　Maggie；　knowing　that　she　was　becoming　excited　and　cross。　〃I　don't　belong　to　any　one　except　myself。〃　〃And　Martin〃　her　soul　whispered。　Then　she　added；　suddenly　moved　by　remorse　as　she　looked　at　Aunt　Elizabeth's　meek　and　trembling　face；　〃You're　so　good　to　me；　both　of　you；　and　I'm　so　bad。　I'll　give　you　anything　but　my　freedom。〃

〃You　talk　so　strangely；　dear；〃　said　Aunt　Elizabeth。　〃But　there　are　so　many　things　I　don't　understand。〃

Maggie　took　the　letter　up　to　her　bedroom　and　there　read　it　a　number　of　times。　It　all　seemed　wonderful　to　her；　the　stamped　blue　address；　the　rich　white　square　notepaper；　and　above　all　the　beautiful　handwriting。　She　thought　of　her　own　childish　scrawl　and　blushed；　she　even　sat　down；　there　and　then；　at　her　dressing…table　and；　with　a　pencil；　began　to　imitate　some　of　the　letters。

On　Friday！　To…day　was　Tuesday。　Bryanston　Square。　Wherever　was　Bryanston　Square；　and　how　would　she　find　it？　She　determined　to　ask　Caroline　Smith。

She　had　not　long　to　wait　for　her　opportunity。　On　Wednesday　evening　about　half…past　five　Miss　Smith　poked　her　head　into　the　Cardinal　drawing…room　to　discover　Maggie　sitting　with　her　hands　on　her　lap　looking　down　on　to　the　street。

〃Are　your　aunts　anywhere？〃　asked　Caroline。

〃No；〃　said　Maggie。　〃Aunt　Anne's　in　bed　and　Aunt　Elizabeth's　at　Miss　Pyncheon's。〃

〃That's　right；〃　said　Caroline；　〃because　I　haven't　seen　you；　darling；　for　ages。〃

〃The　day　before　yesterday；〃　said　Maggie。

〃You're　a　literal　pet；〃　said　Caroline　kissing　her。　〃I　always　exaggerate；　of　course；　and　it's　so　sweet　of　you　to　tell　me　about　it。〃　She　rushed　off　to　the　fire　and　spread　out　her　blue　skirt　and　dangled　her　feet。

〃Isn't　it　cold　and　dark？　You　funny　dear；　not　to　have　the　blinds　down　and　to　sit　staring　into　the　beastly　street　like　that　。　。　。　I　believe　you're　in　love。〃

Maggie　came　to　herself　with　a　start；　got　up　and　slowly　went　over　to　the　fire。

〃Caroline；　where's　Bryanston　Square？〃

〃Oh；　you　pet；　don't　you　know　where　Bryanston　Square　is？〃

cried　Caroline　suddenly　fixing　her　bright　eyes　upon　Maggie　with　burning　curiosity。

〃If　I　did　I　wouldn't　ask；〃　said　Maggie。

〃Quite　rightneither　you　would。　Well；　it's　near　Marble　Arch。〃

〃But　I　don't　know　where　the　Marble　Arch　is。〃

〃Lord！〃　cried　Caroline。　〃And　she's　been　in　London　for　months。　You　really　are　a　pet。　Well；　what　you'd　better　do　is　to　get　into　the　first　taxi　you　see　and　just　say　'Bryanston　Square。'〃

How　stupid　of　her！　She　might　have　thought　of　that　for　herself。

〃Is　there　a　park　near　Bryanston　Square？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes。　Of　courseHyde　Park。〃

〃And　is　it　open　at　six？〃

〃Of　course。　You　can't　shut　Hyde　Park。〃

〃Oh！〃

Maggie　pursued　her　thoughts。　Caroline　watched　her　with　intense　curiosity。

〃What　do　you　want　with　a　Park；　you　darling？〃　she　asked　at　last。

〃Oh；　nothing；〃　said　Maggie；　slowly。　Then　she　went　on；　laughing：　〃I've　been　asked　out　to　teafor　the　first　time　in　my　life。　And　I'm　terribly　frightened。〃

〃How　exciting！〃　said　Caroline　clapping　her　hands。　〃Who's　it　with？〃

〃It's　a　Mrs。　Mark。　She　was　a　Miss　Trenchard。　She　used　to　live　in　Glebeshire。　She's　going　to　find　me　some　work　to　do。〃

〃Work！〃　cried　Caroline。　〃Aren't　you　going　to　stay　with　your　aunts　then？〃

〃I　want　to　be　independent；〃　said　Maggie　slowly。

〃Well！〃　said　Caroline；　amazed。

Could　Maggie　have　seen　just　then　into　Miss　Smith's　mind　and　could　she　only　have　realised　that；　with　Miss　Smith；　every　action　and　intention　in　the　human　heart　pivoted　upon　love…affairs　and　love…　affairs　only；　she　might　have　been　warned　and　have　saved　much　later　trouble。　She　was　intent　on　her　own　plans　and　was　thinking　of　Caroline　only　as　a　possible　agent。

〃Caroline；〃　she　asked；　〃would　you　take　a　note　for　me　to　some　one？〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Caroline。　〃Who　is　it？〃

〃Martin　Warlock；〃　said　Maggie。

At　the　name　she　suddenly　blushed　crimson。　She　knew　that　Caroline　was　looking　at　her　with　eager　curiosity。　She　suspected　then　that　she　had　done　something　foolish　and　would　have　given　anything　to　recall　her　words；　but　to　recall　them　now　seemed　only　to　make　it　the　more　suspicious。

〃It's　only　something　his　sister　wanted　to　know；〃　she　said　casually。　〃I　thought　you'd　be　seeing　him　soon。　I　hardly　ever　do。〃

〃Yes；　I'm　going　up　there　to…night；〃　said　Caroline　staring　at　Maggie。　〃Well；　I'll　give　it　you　before　you　go；〃　then　she　went　on　as　casually　as　she　could。　〃What's　been　happening　lately？〃

〃Of　course　you　know　all　about　the　excitement；〃　said　Caroline　sitting　back　in　the　faded　arm…chair　with　her　blue　dress　spread　all　about　her　like　a　cloud。

〃What　excitement？〃　said　Maggie；　pulling　herself　up；　with　a　desperate　struggle；　from　her　own　private　adventures。

〃What！　you　don't　know　？〃　Caroline　exclaimed　in　an　awed　whisper。

〃Know　what？〃　Maggie　asked；　rather　crossly；　repenting　more　and　more　of　asking　Caroline　to　carry　her　note。

〃Why；　where　DO　you　live？　。　。　。　All　about　Mr。　Warlock　and　his　visions！〃

〃I've　heard　nothing　at　all；〃　said　Maggie。

This　was　unexpected　joy　to　Caroline；　who　had　never　imagined　that　there　would　be　any　one　so　near　the　Inner　Saints　as　Maggie　who　yet　knew　nothing　about　these　recent　events。

〃Do　you　really　know　nothing　about　it？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Maggie。

〃Aren't　you　wonderful？〃　said　Caroline。　〃What　happened　was　this。　About　three　weeks　ago　Mr。　Warlock　had　a　vision　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　He　saw　God　at　about　three　in　the　morning。〃

〃How　did　he　see　God？〃　asked　Maggie；　awed　in　spite　of　herself。

Caroline's　voice　dropped　to　a　mysterious　whisper。　〃He　just　woke　up　and　there　God　was　at　the　end　of　the　bed。　Of　course　he's　not　spoken　to　me　about　it；　but　apparently　there　was　a　blaze　of　light　and　Something　in　the　middle。　And　then　a　voice　spoke　and　told　Mr。　Warlock　that　on　the　last　night　of　this　year　everything　would　be　fulfilled。〃

〃What　did　He　mean？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃Different　people　think　He　meant　different　things；〃　said　Caroline。　〃Of　course　there's　most　fearful　excitement　about　it。　Mr。　Warlock's　had　two　since。〃

〃Two　what？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃Two　visions。　Just　like　the　first。　The　blazing　light　and　the　voice　and　telling　him　that　the　last　night　of　the　year's　to　be　the　time。〃　Caroline　then　began　to　be　carried　away　by　her　excitement。　She　talked　faster　and　faster。　〃Oh！　You　don't　know　what　a　state　every　one's　in！　It's　causing　all　sorts　of　divisions。　First　there　are　all　his　own　real　believers。　Miss　Pyncheon；　your　aunts；　and　the　others。　My　father's　one。　They　all　believe　every　word　he　says。　They're　all　quite　certain　that　the　last　day　of　this　year　is　to　be　the　time　of　the　Second　Coming。　They　won't　any　of　them；　look　a　minute　further　than　that。　Father　doesn't　care　a　bit　now　what　mother　does　with　the　money　because；　he　says；　we　shan't　want　any　next　year。　Mother　isn't　so　sure　so　she's　taking　as　much　care　of　it　as　ever；　and　of　course　it's　nice　for　her　now　to　have　it　all　in　her　own　hands。　They're　all　of　them　doing　everything　to　make　themselves　ready。　It　doesn't　matter　how　aggravating　you　are；　father　never　loses　his　temper　now。　He's　so　sweet　that　it's　maddening。　Haven't　you　noticed　how　good　your　aunts　are？〃

〃They're　always　the　same；〃　said　Maggie。

〃Well。　I　expect　they're　different　really。　Then　there's　the　middle…　class　like　Mr。　Thurston　and　Miss　Avies　who　pretend　to　believe　all　that　Mr。　Warlock　says；　but　of　course；　they　don't　believe　a　word　of　it；　and　they　hope　that　this　will　prove　his　ruin。　They　know　there　won't　be　any　Second　Coming　on　New　Year's　Eve；　and　then　they　think　he　will　be　finished　and　they'll　be　able　to　get　rid　of　him。　So　they're　encouraging　him　to　believe　in　all　this；　and　then　when　the　moment　comes　they'll　turn　on　him！〃

〃Beasts！〃　said　Maggie　suddenly。

〃Well；　I　daresay　you're　right；〃　said　Caroline。　〃Only　it　does　make　me　laugh；　all　of　it。　Thurston　and　Miss　Avies　have　all　their　plans　made；　only　now　they're　quarrelling　because　Thurston　wants　to　marry　Amy　Warlock　and　Miss　Avies　meant　him　to　marry　her！〃

〃Is　Mr。　Thurston　going　to　marry　Miss　Warlock？〃　cried　Maggie。

〃So　they　say；〃　said　Caroline　again　watching　Maggie　curiously。　〃Well；　anyway；　Miss　Avies　is　the　strongest　of　the　lot　really。　I'd　back　her　against　anybody。　I'm　terrified　of　her　myself；　I　tell　you　frankly。　She'd　wring　any　one's　neck　for　twopence。　Oh　yes；　she　would！　。　。　。　Then　there　are　the　third　lot　who　simply　don't　believe　in　Mr。　Warlock's　visions　at　all　and　just　laugh　at　him。　People　like　Miss　Smythe　and　Mrs。　Bellaston。　A　lot　of　them　are　leaving　the　chapel。　Mr。　Warlock　won't　listen　to　anybody。　He's　getting　stranger　and　stranger；　and　his　heart's　so　bad　they　say　he　might　die　any　day　if　he　had　a　shock。　Then　he's　always　quarrelling　with　Martin。〃

Caroline　suddenly　stopped。　She　looked　at　Maggie。

〃Martin's　a　terrible　trial　to　his　father；〃　she　sa