the captives-第81节
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she had been doing them for years and years and years。 It was too bad that Maggie should suffer her to take them on her shoulders。 What did Maggie think she was a clergyman's wife for？ Did Maggie imagine that there were no responsibilities attached to her position？
Grace did not say these things； but she thought them。 She did not of course admit to herself that she wanted Maggie both to go and not to go。 She simply knew that there was a 〃grievance〃 and Maggie was responsible for it。 But at present she was silent 。 。 。
The next factor in the rapidly developing situation was Mr。 Toms。 One day early in April Maggie went for a little walk by herself along the lane that led to Marsden Wood。 Marsden Wood was the most sinister of all the woods； there had once been a murder there； but even had there not； the grim bleakness of the trees and bushes； the absence of all clear paths through its tangles and thickets made it a sinister place。 She turned at the very edge of the wood and set her face back towards Skeaton。
The day had been wild and windy with recurrent showers of rain； but now there was a break； the chilly April sun broke through the clouds and scattered the hedges and fields with primrose light。
Faintly and with a gentle rhythm the murmur of the sea came across the land and the air was sweet with the sea…salt and the fresh scent of the grass after rain。 Maggie stood for a moment； breathing in the spring air and watching the watery blue thread its timid way through banks of grey cloud。 A rich gleam of sunlight struck the path at her feet。
She saw then； coming towards her； a man and a woman。 The woman was ordinary enough； a middle…aged； prim； stiffly dressed person with a pale shy face； timid in her walk and depressed in mouth and eyes。 The man was a stout； short； thick…set fellow with a rosy smiling face。 At once Maggie noticed his smile。 He was dressed very smartly in a black coat and waist…coat and pepper…and…salt trousers。 His bowler was cocked a little to one side。 She passed them and the little round man； looking her full in the face； smiled so happily and with so radiant an amiability that she was compelled to respond。 The woman did not look at her。
Long after she had left them she thought of the little man's smile。 There was something that； in spite of herself； reminded her both of Uncle Mathew and Martin。 She felt a sudden and warm kinship； something that she had not known since her arrival in Skeaton。 Had she not struggled with herself every kind of reminiscence of her London life would have come crowding about her。 This meeting was like the first little warning tap upon the wall 。 。 。
On her return she spoke of it。
〃Oh；〃 said Paul； 〃that must have been poor little Mr。 Toms with his sister。〃
〃Poor？〃 asked Maggie。
〃Yes。 He's queer in his head； you know；〃 said Paul。 〃Quite harmless； but he has the strangest ideas。〃
Maggie noticed then that Grace shivered and the whole of her face worked with an odd emotion of horror and disgust。
〃He should have been shut up somewhere；〃 she said。 〃It's disgraceful letting him walk about everywhere just like any one else。〃
〃Shut up！〃 cried Maggie。 〃Oh； no！ I don't think any one ought to be shut up for anything。〃
〃My dear Maggie！〃 said Paul in his fatherly protecting voice。 〃No prisons？ Think what would become of us all。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Maggie impatiently； 〃I'm not practical of course； I don't know what one should do； but I do know that no one should be shut up。〃
〃Chut…chut〃 said Grace。
Now this 〃Chut； chut；〃 may seem a very little thing； but very little things are sometimes of great importance。 Marriages have been wrecked on an irritating cough and happy homes ruined by a shuffle。 Grace had said 〃Chut； chut；〃 for a great many years and to many people。 It expressed scorn and contempt and implied a vast store of superior knowledge。 Grace herself had no idea of the irritating nature of this exclamation； she would have been entirely amazed did you explain to her that it had more to do with her unpopularity in Skeaton than any other thing。 She had even said 〃Chut； chut；〃 to Mrs。 Constantine。
But she said it to Maggie more than to any other person。 When she had been in the house a few days she said to her brother：
〃Paul； Maggie's much younger than I had supposed。〃
〃Oh； do you think so？〃 said Paul。
〃Yes； I do。 She knows nothing about anything。 She's been nowhere。 She's seen nobody 。 。 。 Poor child。〃
It was the 〃poor child〃 position that she now； during these first weeks； adopted。 She was very； very kind to Maggie。 As she explained to Mrs。 Maxse； she really was very fond of hershe was a GOOD girl。 At the same time 。 。 。 Well！ 。 。 。 Mrs。 Maxse would understand that Paul can hardly have known what he was marrying。 Ignorance！ Carelessness！ Strange ideas！ Some one from the centre of Africa would have known more 。 。 。 and so on。 Nevertheless； she was a GOOD girl 。 。 。 Only she needed guidance。 Fancy； she had taken quite a fancy to poor Mr。 Toms！ Proposed to call on his sister。 Well； one couldn't help that。 Miss Toms was a regular communicant 。 。 。 Nevertheless 。 。 。 she didn't realise； that was it。 Of course； she had known all kinds of queer people in London。 Paul and Grace had rescued her。 The strangest people。 No； Maggie was an orphan。 She had an uncle； Grace believed； and two aunts who belonged to a strange sect。 Sex？ No； sect。 Very queer altogether。
Mrs。 Maxse went home greatly impressed。
〃The girl's undoubtedly queer；〃 she told her husband。
〃The parson's got a queer sort of wife；〃 Colonel Maxse told his friends in the Skeaton Conservative Club。 〃He rescued her from some odd sort of life in London。 No。 Don't know what it was exactly。 Always was a bit soft； Trenchard。〃
Maggie had no idea that Skeaton was discussing her。 She judged other people by herself。 Meanwhile something occurred that gave her quite enough to think about。
She had understood from Grace that it was expected of her that she should be at home on one afternoon in the week to receive callers。 She thought it a silly thing that she should sit in the ugly drawing…room waiting for people whom she did not wish to see and who did not wish to see her； but she was told that it was one of her duties； and so she would do it。 No one； however； had any idea of the terror with which she anticipated these Friday afternoons。 She had never been a very great talker； she had nothing much to say unless to some one in whom she was interested。 She was frightened lest something should happen to the tea； and she felt that they were all staring at her and asking themselves why her hair was cut short and why her clothes didn't fit better。 However； there it was。 It was her duty。
One Friday afternoon she was sitting alone； waiting。 The door opened and the maid announced Mrs。 Purdie。 Maggie remembered that she had been told that Mr。 Alfred Purdie was the richest man in Skeaton； that he had recently married； and was but now returned from his honeymoon。
Mrs。 Purdie entered and revealed herself as Caroline Smith。 For a moment； as Maggie looked upon that magnificent figure； the room turned about her and her eyes were dim。 She remembered； as though some one were reminding her from a long way off； that Caroline had once told her that she was considering the acceptance of a rich young man in Skeaton。
She remembered that at the time she had thought the coincidence of Caroline and Paul Trenchard strange。 But far stronger than any such memory was the renewed conviction that she had that fate did not intend to leave her alone。 She was not to keep the two worlds apart； she was not to be allowed to forget。
The sight of Caroline brought Martin before her so vividly that she could have cried out。 Instead she stood there； quietly waiting； and showed no sign of any embarrassment。
Caroline was dressed in peach…coloured silk and a little black hat。 She was not confused in the least。 She seized Maggie's hand and shook it； talking all the time。
〃Well now； I'm sure you're surprised to see me；〃 she said； 〃and perhaps you're not too glad either。 Alfred wanted to come too； but I said to him； 'No； Alfred； this will be just a little awkward at first； for Maggie Trenchard's got a grievance； and with some reason； too； so you'd better let me manage it alone the first meeting。' Wasn't I right？ Of course I was。 And you can just say right out now； Maggie； exactly what's in your mind。 It's not my fault that we're both in the same town。 I'm sure you'd much rather never set eyes on me again； and I'm sure I can quite understand if you feel like that。 But there it is。 I told you long ago in London that Alfred was after me； and I was in two minds about it…but of course I didn't dream you were going to marry a parson。 You could have knocked me down with less than a feather when I saw it in the Skeaton News； 'That can't be my Margaret Cardinal；' I said； and yet it seemed so strange the two names and all。 Well； and then I found it really WAS the same。 I WAS astonished。 You of all people the wife of a parson！ However； you know your own mind best； and I'm sure Mr。 Trenchard's a very lucky man。 So you can just start off and curse me； Maggie； as much as you like。〃
The strange thing was that as Maggie listened to this she fe
