the captives-第70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！



At　the　use　of　her　Christian　name　Maggie　blushed　with　pleasure。

〃I　couldn't　come；〃　she　said。　〃I　didn't　want　to　untiluntiluntil　some　things　had　settled　themselves。〃

〃Welland　they　have？〃　asked　Katherine。

〃Yesthey　have；〃　said　Maggie。

〃What's　been　the　matter？〃　asked　Katherine。

〃I　was　worried　about　something；　and　then　I　was　ill；〃　said　Maggie。

〃And　you're　not　worried　now？〃　said　Katherine。

〃I'm　not　going　to　give　in　to　it；　anyway；〃　said　Maggie。　〃As　soon　as　I'm　well；　I'm　off。　I'll　find　some　work　somewhere。〃

〃I've　got　a　plan；〃　said　Katherine。　〃It　came　into　my　head　the　moment　I　saw　you　sitting　there。　Will　you　come　and　stay　with　us　for　a　little？〃

That　sense　that　Maggie　had　had　when　she　saw　Katherine　of　fate　having　a　hand　in　all　of　this　deepened　now　and　coloured　her　thoughts；　so　that　she　could　feel　no　surprise　but　only　a　curious　instinct　that　she　had　been　through　all　this　scene　before。

〃Stay　with　you！〃　she　cried。　〃Oh；　I　should　love　to！〃

〃That's　good；〃　said　Katherine。　〃Your　aunts　won't　mind；　will　they？〃

〃They　can't　keep　me；〃　said　Maggie。　〃I'm　free。　But　they　won't　want　to。　Our　time　together　is　over〃

〃I'll　come　and　fetch　you　to…morrow；〃　said　Katherine。　〃You　shall　stay　with　us　until　you're　quite　well；　and　then　we'll　find　some　work　for　you。〃

〃Why　are　you　good　to　me　like　this？〃　Maggie　asked。

〃I'm　not　good　to　you；〃　Katherine　answered；　laughing。　〃It's　simply　selfish。　It　will　be　lovely　for　me　having　you　with　me。〃

〃Oh；　you　don't　know；〃　said　Maggie；　throwing　up　her　head。

〃No；　I　don't　think　I'll　come。　I'm　frightened。　I'm　not　what　you　think。　I'm　untidy　and　careless　and　can't　talk　to　strangers。　Perhaps　I'll　lose　you　altogether　as　a　friend　if　I　come。〃

〃You'll　never　do　that；〃　said　Katherine；　suddenly　bending　forward　and　kissing　her。　〃I　don't　change　about　people。　It's　because　I　haven't　any　imagination；　Phil　says。〃

〃I　shall　make　mistakes；〃　Maggie　said。　〃I've　never　been　anywhere。　But　I　don't　care。　I　can　look　after　myself。〃

The　thought　of　her　three　hundred　pounds　（which　were　no　longer　three　hundred）　encouraged　her。　She　kissed　Katherine。

〃I　don't　change　either；〃　she　said。

She　had　a　strange　conversation　with　Aunt　Anne　that　night；　strange　as　every　talk　had　always　been　because　of　things　left　unsaid。　They　faced　one　another　across　the　fireplace　like　enemies　who　might　have　been　lovers；　there　had　been　from　the　very　first　moment　of　this　meeting　a　romantic　link　between　them　which　had　never　been　defined。　They　had　never　had　it　out　with　one　another；　and　they　were　not　going　to　have　it　out　now；　but　Maggie；　who　was　never　sentimental；　wondered　at　the　strange　mixture　of　tenderness；　pity；　affection；　irritation　and　hostility　that　she　felt。

〃Aunt　Anne；　I'm　going　away　to…morrow；〃　said　Maggie。

〃To…morrow！〃　Aunt　Anne　looked　up　with　her　strange　hostile　arrogance。　〃Oh　no；　Maggie。　You're　not　well　yet。〃

〃Mrs。　Mark；〃　said　Maggie；　〃the　lady　I　told　you　about；　is　coming　in　a　motor　to　fetch　me。　She　will　take　me　straight　to　her　house；　and　then　I　shall　go　to　bed。〃

Aunt　Anne　said　nothing。

〃You　know　that　it's　better　for　me　to　go；〃　said　Maggie。　〃We　can't　live　together　any　more　after　what　happened。　You　and　Aunt　Elizabeth　have　been　very　very　good　to　me；　but　you　know　now　that　I'm　a　disappointment。　I　haven't　ever　fitted　into　the　life　here。　I　never　shall。〃

〃The　life　here　is　over；〃　said　Aunt　Anne。　〃Everything　is　overthe　house　is　dead。　Of　course　you　must　go。　If　you　feel　anger　with　me　now　or　afterwards　remember　that　I　have　lost　every　hope　or　desire　I　ever　had。　I　don't　want　your　pity。　I　want　no　one's　pity。　I　wanted　once　your　affection；　but　I　wanted　it　on　my　own　terms。　That　was　wrong。　I　do　not　want　your　affection　any　longer；　you　were　never　the　girl　I　thought　you。　You're　a　strange　girl；　Maggie；　and　you　will　have；　I　am　afraid；　a　very　unhappy　life。〃

〃No；　I　will　not；〃　said　Maggie。　〃I　will　have　a　happy　life。〃

〃That　is　for　God　to　say；〃　said　Aunt　Anne。

〃No；　it　is　not；〃　said　Maggie。　〃I　can　make　my　own　happiness。　God　can't　touch　it；　if　I　don't　let　Him。〃

〃Maggie；　you're　blasphemous；〃　said　Aunt　Anne；　but　not　in　anger。

〃I'm　not；〃　said　Maggie。　〃When　I　came　here　first　I　didn't　believe　in　God；　but　nowI'm　not　sure。　There's　something　strange；　which　may　be　God　for　all　I　know。　I'm　going　to　find　out。　If　He　has　the　doing　of　everything　then　He's　taken　away　all　I　cared　for；　and　I'm　not　going　to　give　Him　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　that　it　hurt；　if　He　didn't　do　it；　then　it　doesn't　matter。〃

〃You'll　believe　in　Him　before　you　die；　Maggie；〃　said　Aunt　Anne。　〃It's　in　you；　and　you　won't　escape　it。　I　thought　it　was　I　who　was　to　bring　you　to　Him；　but　I　was　going　too　fast。　The　Lord　has　His　own　time。　You'll　come　to　Him　afterwards。〃

〃Oh；〃　cried　Maggie。　〃I'm　so　glad　I'm　going　somewhere　where　it　won't　be　always　religion；　where　they'll　think　of　something　else　than　the　Lord　and　His　Coming。　I　want　real　life；　banks　and　motor…cars　and　shops　and　clothes　and　work　。　。　。〃

She　stopped　suddenly。

Aunt　Anne　was　doing　what　Maggie　had　never　seen　her　do　before；　even　in　the　worst　bouts　of　her　painshe　was　crying　。　。　。　cold　solitary　lonely　tears　that　crept　slowly；　reluctantly　down　her　thin　cheeks。

〃I　meant　to　do　well。　In　everything　I　have　done　ill　。　。　。　Everything　has　failed　in　my　hands〃

Once　again；　as　long　before　at　St。　Dreot's；　Maggie　could　do　nothing。

There　was　a　long　miserable　silence；　then　Aunt　Anne　got　up　and　went　away。

Next　day　Katherine　came　in　a　beautiful　motor…car　to　fetch　Maggie。　Maggie　had　packed　her　few　things。　Bound　her　neck　next　her　skin　was　the　ring　with　three　pearls　。　。　。

She　said　good…bye　to　the　house：　her　bedroom　beneath　which　the　motor…　omnibuses　clanged；　the　sitting…room　with　the　family　group；　the　passage　with　the　Armed　Men；　the　dark　hall　with　the　green　baize　door　。　。　。　then　good…bye　to　Aunt　Elizabeth　（two　kisses）；　Aunt　Anne　（one　kiss）；　Martha；　Thomas　the　cat；　the　parrot　。　。　。　all；　everything；　good…bye；　good…bye；　good…bye！

May　I　never　see　any　of　you　again。　Never；　never；　never；　never！　。　。　。

She　was　helped　into　the　car；　rugs　were　wrapped　round　her；　there　was　a　warm　cosy　smell　of　rich　leather；　a　little　clock　ticked　away；　a　silver　vase　with　red　and　blue　flowers　winked　at　her；　and　Katherine　was　there　close　beside　her　。　。　。

Never　again；　never　again！　And　yet　how　strange；　as　they　turned　the　corner　of　the　street　down　into　the　Strand；　Maggie　felt　a　sudden　pang　of　regret；　of　pathos；　of　loneliness；　as　though　she　were　leaving　something　that　had　loved　her　dearly；　and　leaving　it　without　a　word　of　friendliness。

〃Poor　dear！〃　She　wanted　to　return；　to　tell　it　。　。　。　to　tell　it　what？　She　had　made　her　choice。　She　was　plunging　now　into　the　other　half　of　the　world；　and　plunging　not　quite　alone；　because　she　was　taking　Martin　with　her。

〃I　do　hope　you　won't　mind；　dear；〃　said　Katherine。　〃My　cousin　Paul　the　clergyman　you　met　onceis　staying　with　us。　He　and　his　sister。　No　one　else。〃

〃Oh；　I　shan't　mind；〃　said　Maggie。　Her　fingers；　inside　her　blouse；　tightly　clutched　the　little　pearl　ring。




CHAPTER　II

PLUNGE　INTO　THE　OTHER　HALF


For　a　week　Maggie　was　so　comfortable　that　she　could　think　of　nothing　but　that。　It　must　be　remembered　that　she　had　never　before　known　what　comfort　was；　never　at　St。　Dreot's；　never　at　Aunt　Anne's；　and　these　two　places　had　been　the　background　of　all　her　life。

She　had　never　conceived　of　the　kind　of　way　that　she　now　lived。　Her　bedroom　was　so　pretty　that　it　made　her　almost　cry　to　look　at　it：　the　wall…paper　scattered　with　little　rosy　trees；　the　soft　pink　cretonne　on　the　chairs；　the　old　bureau　with　a　sheet　of　glass　covering　its　surface　that　was　her　dressing…table；　the　old　gold　mirrorall　these　things　were　wonders　indeed。　She　was　ordered　to　have　breakfast　in　bed；　servants　looked　after　her　with　a　kindliness　and　ease　and　readiness　to　help　that　she　had　never　dreamed　of　as　possible。　The　food　was　wonderful；　there　was　the　motor　ready　to　take　her　for　a　drive　in　the　afternoon；　and　there　was　the　whole　house　at　her　service；　soft　and　cosy　and　ordered　so　that　it　seemed　to　roll　along　upon　its　own　impulse　without　any　human　agency。

〃I　believe　if　every　one　went　away　and　left　it；〃　she　thought；　〃it　would　go　on　in　exactly　the　same　way。〃

Figures　gradually　took　their　places　in　front　of　this　background。　The　principals　at　first　were　Katherine　and　Philip；　Henry　and　Millicent；　Katherine's　brother　and　sister；　Mr。　Trenchard　senior；　Katherine's　father；　Lady　Rachel　Seddon；　Katherine's　best　friend；　and　Mr。　Faunder；　Katherine's　uncle。　She　saw　at　once　that　they　all　revolved　around　Katherine；　if　Katherine　were　not　there　they　would　not　hold　together　at　all。　They　were　all　so　differentso　different　and　yet　so　strangely　alike。　There　was；　for　instance；　Millicent　Trenchard；　whom　Maggie　liked　best　of　them　all　after　Katherine。　Millie　was　a　young　woman　of　twenty…one；　pretty；　gay；　ferociously　independent；　enthusiastic　about　one　thing　after　another；　with　hosts　of　friends；　male　and　female；　none　of　whom　she　took　very　seriously。　The　love　of　her　life；　she　told　Maggie　almost　at　once；　was　Katherine。　She　would　never　love　any　one；　man　or　woman；　so　much　again。　She　lived　with　her　mother　and　father　in　an　old　house　in　Westminster；　and　Maggie　understood　that　there　had　been　some　trouble　about　Katherine's　marriage；　so　that；　although　it　happened　three　years　ago；　Mrs。