the captives-第54节

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s　now。　Amy　always　hated　me。　She　was　really　religious　and　she　thought　I　was　a　hypocrite。　But　I　wasn't　altogether。　There　was　something　real　in　it　and　there　still　is。〃

〃Didn't　you　go　to　school？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃No；　that　was　the　mistake。　They　never　sent　me。　Father　loved　me　too　much　and　he　wanted　to　keep　me　always　with　him。　He　tried　to　teach　me　himself　but　I　never　learnt　anything。　I　always　knew　I　could　turn　them　round　my　little　finger。　I　always　knew　he'd　rather　do　anything　than　make　me　unhappy。　Sometimes　we　had　lovely　times　together；　sitting　in　the　dusk　in　the　front　of　the　fire。　Do　you　know；　Maggie；　I've　never　changed　in　my　love　for　father？　I've　changed　in　everything　else；　but　in　that　never。　Yet　I've　hurt　him　over　and　over　and　over　again。　I've　done　things　。　。　。〃　Here　he　broke　off。　To…day　was　to　be　happy；　they　must　build　up　their　walls　faster；　faster；　faster　to　keep　the　world　out。　He　would　think　of　nothing；　nothing　but　the　present。　The　wind　blew　and　the　heavy　drops　of　rain　fell；　one　and　one　and　one；　slowly　between　the　gusts。　Ho　drew　her　close　to　him。

〃Are　you　cold？〃

〃No；　Martin　dear。〃

〃I　suppose　we　should　turn　back。〃

〃Yes；　it's　getting　late。〃

〃It　will　seem　hours　until　to…morrow。〃

〃And　to　me　too。〃

They　were　at　the　end　of　the　Green　Park。　There　was　no　one　there。　They　kissed　and　clung　together　and　Maggie's　hand　was　warm　inside　his　coat。　Then　they　turned　back　and　entered　the　real　world　once　more　。　。　。

〃Now　we　must　have　our　matinee；〃　Martin　said。　Maggie　could　not　refuse　and　besides　she　herself　wanted　it　so　badly。　Also　the　three　weeks　were　drawing　to　a　close；　and　although　she　did　not　know　what　was　in　store　for　them；　she　felt；　in　some　mysterious　way；　that　trouble　was　coming。

〃Yes；　we'll　have　our　matinee；〃　she　said。

It　was　a　terrific　excitement　for　her；　apart　altogether　from　her　love　for　Martin。　She　had；　of　course；　never　been　to　a　theatre。　She　could　not　imagine　in　the　least　what　it　was　like。　It　so　happened；　by　a　wonderful　chance；　that　a　note　came　from　Katherine　Mark　asking　her　to　tea。　She　showed　this　to　the　aunts　and　said　that　she　would　accept　it。　She　wrote　to　Katherine　Mark　and　refused　and　told　Martin　that　for　that　Wednesday　afternoon　she　was　quite　free　until　at　least　seven　o'clock。　She　wove　these　deceits　with　strong　disgust。　She　hated　the　lies；　and　there　were　many；　many　times　when　she　was　on　the　edge　of　confessing　everything　to　the　aunts。　But　the　thought　of　what　would　follow　that　confession　held　her　back。　She　could　not　make　things　harder　for　Martin。

Nevertheless　she　wondered　why　when　she　felt；　in　herself；　no　shame　al　all　at　the　things　that　she　was　doing；　she　should　have　to　lie　to　cover　those　things　up。　But　everything　in　connection　with　the　Chapel　seemed　to　lie。The　place　was　wrapped　in　intrigue　and　double…　dealing。　How　long　would　it　be　before　she　and　Martin　were　out　of　it　all？

She　was　to　meet　him　by　one　of　the　lions　in　Trafalgar　Square。　She　bought　a　golden　chrysanthemum　which　she　stuck　into　the　belt　of　her　black　dress　and　she　wore　her　coral　necklace。　She　was　tired　of　black。　She　sometimes　thought　she　would　spend　all　her　Three　Hundred　Pounds　on　clothes　。　。　。　To…day；　as　soon　as　she　was　out　of　the　house　and　had　turned　the　corner　into　King　William　Street；　she　slipped　on　her　ring。　She　kissed　it　before　she　put　her　glove　on。　He　was　waiting　there　looking　like　a　happy　schoolboy；　that　way　that　she　loved　him　to　look。　That　slow　crooked　smile　of　his；　something　that　broke　up　his　whole　face　into　geniality　and　friendliness；　how　she　adored　him　when　he　looked　like　that！　He　was　wearing　clothes　of　some　rough　red…brown　stuff　and　a　black　knitted　tie

She　was　carrying　something；　a　little　parcel　in　tissue　paper。　She　pressed　it　into　his　hand　when　they　met。　He　opened　it；　just　like　a　boy；　chuckling；　his　eyes　shining；　his　fingers　tearing　the　paper　in　his　eagerness。　Her　present　was　a　round　locket　of　thin　plain　gold　and　inside　was　the　funniest　little　black　faded　photograph　of　Maggie；　her　head　only；　a　wild　untidy　head　of　hair；　a　fat　round　schoolgirl　face　a　village　snapshot　of　Maggie　taken　in　St。　Dreot's　when　she　was　about　fifteen。

〃It's　all　I　had；〃　she　said。　〃I　remembered　it　the　other　day　and　I　found　it。　A　travelling　photographer　took　it　one　day。　He　came　to　the　village　and　every　one　was　taken；　father　and　all。　It's　very　bad　but　it　was　the　only　one。〃

〃It's　wonderful；〃　said　Martin；　and　truly　it　was　wonderful。　It　had　caught　by　a　marvellous　chance；　in　spite　of　its　shabby　faded　darkness；　the　very　soul　of　Maggie。　Was　it　her　hair；　her　untidy　hair；　or　the　honesty　of　her　eyes；　or　the　strength　and　trustiness　of　her　mouth？　But　then　it　was　to　any　one　who　did　not　know　her　the　bad　dim　photograph　of　an　untidy　child；　to　any　one　who　did　know　her　the　very　stamp　and　witness　of　Maggie　and　all　that　she　was。　Maggie　had　spent　twenty…five　shillings　on　the　locket　（she　had　had　three　pounds　put　away　from　her　allowance　in　her　drawer）。

It　was　a　very　simple　locket；　thin　plain　gold　round　and　smooth；　but　good；　and　it　would　last。

〃You　darling；〃　whispered　Martin。　〃There　couldn't　have　been　anything　more　like　you　if　you'd　been　taken　by　the　grandest　photographer　in　London。〃

They　started　off　towards　Shaftesbury　Avenue　where　the　theatre　was；　and　as　they　went　a　funny　little　incident　occurred。　They　were　both　too　happy　to　talk　and　Maggie　was　too　happy　even　to　think。　Suddenly　she　was　aware　that　some　one　was　coming　towards　her　whom　she　knew。　She　looked　and　tugged　herself　from　that　world　of　Martin　and　only　Martin　in　which　she　was　immersed。　It　was　the　large；　smiling；　rosy…　cheeked；　white…haired　clergyman；　Mr。　Trenchard。　Yes；　certainly　it　was　he。　He　had　recognised　her　and　was　stopping　to　speak　to　her。　Martin　moved　on　a　little　and　stood　waiting　for　her。　She　was　confused　and　embarrassed　but　pleased　too　because　he　seemed　glad　to　see　her。　He　looked　the　very　picture　of　a　well…dressed；　kindly；　genial　friend　who　had　known　her　all　his　life。　He　was　wearing　a　beautifully　shining　top…hat　and　his　stiff　white　collar　gleamed。　Yes；　he　was　glad　to　see　her　and　he　said　so。　He　remembered　her　name。　〃Miss　Cardinal；〃　he　called　her。　How　had　she　been？　What　had　she　been　doing？　Had　she　seen　Mrs。　Mark？　He　was　staying　with　his　sister　at　Brown's　Hotel　in　Somewhereshe　didn't　catch　the　name　of　the　street。　His　sister　would　be　so　glad　if　she　would　come　and　see　them　one　day。　Would　she　come？　He　wouldn't　tie　her　down；　but　she　had　only　to　write　and　say　she　was　coming　。　。　。

He　took　her　hand　and　held　it　for　a　moment　and　looked　in　her　eyes　with　the　kindliest　friendliest　regard。　He　was　glad　to　have　seen　her。　He　should　tell　his　sister　。　。　。

He　was　gone　and　Maggie　really　could　not　be　sure　what　she　had　said。　Something　very　silly　she　could　be　certain。　Stupid　the　pleasure　that　his　few　words　had　given　her；　but　she　felt　once　again；　as　she　had　felt　in　Katherine　Mark's　drawing…room；　the　contact　with　that　other　world；　that　safe；　happy；　comfortable；　assured　world　in　which　everything　was　exactly　what　it　seemed。　She　was　glad　that　he　liked　her　and　that　his　sister　liked　her。　Then　she　could　not　be　so　wild　and　odd　and　uncivilised　as　she　often　was　afraid　that　she　was。　She　rejoined　Martin　with　a　little　added　glow　in　her　cheeks。

〃Who　was　that？〃　Martin　asked　her　rather　sharply。

She　told　him。

〃One　of　those　humbugging　parsons；〃　he　said。　〃He　stood　over　you　as　though　he'd　like　to　eat　you。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　sure　he's　not　a　humbug；〃　she　answered。

〃You'd　be　taken　in　by　anybody；〃　he　told　her。

〃Oh；　no；　I　shouldn't；〃　she　said。　〃Now　forget　him。〃

And　they　did。　By　the　time　they　had　reached　Piccadilly　Circus　they　were　once　more　deep；　deep　in　one　another。　They　were　back　in　their　dark　and　gleaming　wood。

The　Lyric　Theatre　was　their　destination。　Maggie　drew　a　breath　as　they　stepped　into　the　hall　where　there　stood　two　large　stout　commissionaires　in　blue　uniforms；　gold　buttons；　and　white　gloves。　People　pushed　past　them　and　hurried　down　the　stairs　on　either　side　as　though　a　theatre　were　a　Nothing。　Maggie　stood　there　fingering　her　gloves　and　feeling　lonely。　The　oil　painting　of　a　beautiful　lady　with　a　row　of　shining　teeth　faced　her。　There　were　also　some　palms　and　a　hole　in　the　wall　with　a　man　behind　it。

Soon　they　too　passed　down　the　stairs；　curtains　were　drawn　back；　and　Maggie　was　sitting；　quite　suddenly；　in　a　large　desert　of　gold　and　red　plush；　with　emptiness　on　every　side　of　it　and　a　hungry…looking　crowd　of　people　behind　a　wooden　partition　staring　at　her　in　such　a　way　that　she　felt　as　though　she　had　no　clothes　on。　She　gave　a　hurried　glance　at　these　people　and　turned　round　blushing。

〃Why　don't　they　sit　with　us？〃　she　whispered　to　Martin。

〃They're　the　Pit　and　we're　the　Stalls；〃　he　whispered　to　her；　but　that　comforted　her　very　little。

〃Won't　people　come　and　sit　where　we　are？〃　she　asked。

〃Oh　yes；　we're　early；〃　he　told　her。

Soon　she　was　more　composed　and　happier。　She　sat　very　close　to　Martin；　her　knee　against　his　and　his　hand　near　to　hers；　just　touching　the　outside　of　her　palm。　Her　ring　sparkled　and　the　three　little　pearls　smiled　at　her。　As　he　breathed　she　breathed　too；　and　it　seemed　to　her　that　their　bodies　rose　and　fell　as　one　body。　Without　looking　directly　at　him；　which　would；　she　knew；　embarrass　him　before　all　those　hungry　people　behind　her；　she　could　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye　see　the　ruddy　brown　of　his　cheek　and　t