the captives-第94节

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　I　should　have　waited　for　God　to　show　His　direction。　But　I　was　impatientand　if　you　were　unhappy〃　She　broke　off　and　for　a　moment　Maggie　thought　that　she　would　speak　no　more。　She　lay　there；　with　her　eyes　closed；　like　a　waxen　image。

She　went　on　again：　〃I've　always　loved　you；　Maggie；　from　the　very　first；　but　I　was　so　impatient　for　you　to　come　to　God。　I　thought　He　would　reveal　Himself　and　you　not　be　ready。　He　did　reveal　Himself；　but　not　as　I　had　thought。　He　came　that　night　and　took　Mr。　Warlock　with　Himthat　was　true；　Maggie；　that　night。　All　trueAll　true。　God　will　show　you　His　way。　It　will　be　revealed　to　you。　Heaven　and　its　glories。　God　and　His　dear　Son　。　。　。〃

She　stopped　again　and　lay　with　her　eyes　closed。

Maggie　timidly；　at　last；　said：

〃Aunt　Anne；　I　want　you　to　forgive　me　for　all　my　wickedness。　I　didn't　mean　to　be　wicked；　but　I　just　couldn't　say　my　feelings　out　loud。　I　was　shy　of　them　somehow。　I　still　am；　perhaps。　Maybe　I　always　will　be。　But　I　just　want　to　say　that　I　know　now　how　good　you　were　to　me　all　that　time　and　I'm　grateful　from　my　heart。〃

〃You'll　get　better　won't　you；　Aunt　Anne；　and　then　I'll　come　often？　I'm　shy　to　say　my　feelings；　but　I　love　you。　Aunt　Anne；　for　what　you've　been　to　me。〃

She　stopped。　There　was　a　deathly　stillness　in　the　chamber。　The　lamp　had　sunk　low　and　the　fire　was　a　gold　cavern。　Dusk　stole　on　stealthy　feet　from　wall　to　wall。　Aunt　Anne　did　not；　it　seemed；　breathe。　Her　hands　had　dropped　from　Maggie's　and　her　arms　lay　straight　upon　the　sheet。　Her　eyes　were　closed。

Suddenly　she　whispered：

〃Dear　Maggie　。　。　。　Maggie　。　。　。　My　Lord　and　my　God　。　。　。　My　Master　。　。　。〃

Then　very　faintly：　〃The　Lord　is　my　Shepherd　。　。　。　My　Shepherd　。　。　。　He　shall　lead　me　forth　。　。　。　beside　the　pastures　。　。　。　my　rod　and　my　staff　。　。　。　The　Lord　。　。　。〃

She　gave　a　little　sigh　and　her　head　rolled　to　one　side。

Maggie；　with　a　startled　fear；　was　suddenly　conscious　that　she　was　alone　in　the　room。　She　went　to　the　door　and　called　for　the　doctor。　As　they　gathered　about　the　bed　the　caverns　of　the　fire　fell　with　the　sharp　sound　of　a　closing　door。

Next　morning　Maggie　wrote　to　Paul　telling　him　that　her　aunt　was　dead；　that　the　funeral　would　be　in　two　days'　time；　and　that　she　would　stay　in　London　until　that　was　over。　She　had　not　very　much　time　just　then　to　think　of　the　house　and　the　dead　woman　in　it；　because　on　the　breakfast…table　there　was　this　letter　for　her。

23　CROMWELL　RD。；　KENSINGTON；　March　12；　1912。

DEAR　MRS。　TRENCHARD；

I　hear　that　you　have　come　to　London　to　visit　your　aunt。　I　have　been　hoping　for　some　time　past　to　have　an　opportunity　of　seeing　you。　I　am　sure　that　you　will　have　no　wish　at　all　to　see　me；　at　the　same　time　I　do　beg　you　to　give　me　half　an　hour　at　the　above　address。　Five　o'clock　to…morrow　would　be　a　good　time。　Please　ask　for　Miss　Warlock。

Believe　me；　Yours　faithfully；　AMY　WARLOCK。

Maggie　stared　at　the　signature；　then；　with　a　thickly　beating　heart；　decided　that　of　course　she　would　go。　She　was　not　afraid　but　Martin's　sister！　What　would　come　of　it？　The　house　was　strangely　silent；　Aunt　Elizabeth　sniffed　into　her　handkerchief　a　good　deal；　Mr。　Magnus；　his　face　strained　with　a　look　of　intense　fatigue；　went　out　about　some　business。　The　blinds　of　the　house　wore　down　and　all　the　rooms　were　bathed　in　a　green　twilight。

About　quarter　past　four　Maggie　went　down　into　the　Strand　and　found　a　cab。　She　gave　the　address　and　off　they　went。　Sitting　in　the　corner　of　the　cab　she　seemed　to　be　an　entirely　passive　spectator　of　events　that　were　being　played　before　her。　She　knew；　remotely；　that　Aunt　Anne's　death　had　deeply　affected　her；　that　coming　back　to　the　old　house　had　deeply　affected　her；　and　that　this　interview　with　Amy　Warlock　might　simply　fasten　on　her　the　fate　that　she　had　for　many　months　now　seen　in　front　of　her。　She　could　not　escape；　and　she　did　not　want　to　escape。

They　found　the　house；　a　very　grimy　looking　one；　in　the　interminable　Cromwell　Road。　Maggie　rang　a　jangling　bell；　and　the　door　was　ultimately　opened　by　a　woman　with　sleeves　turned　up　at　the　elbows　and　a　dirty　apron。

〃Is　Miss　Warlock　at　home？〃　The　woman　sniffed。

〃I　expect　so；〃　she　said。　〃Most　times　she　is。　What　name？〃

〃Mrs。　Trenchard；〃　Maggie　said。

She　was　admitted　into　a　hall　that　smelt　of　food　and　seemed　in　the　half…light　to　be　full　of　umbrellas。　The　woman　went　upstairs；　but　soon　returned　to　say　that　Miss　Warlock　would　see　the　lady。　Maggie　found　that　in　the　sitting…room　the　gas　was　dimly　burning。　There　was　the　usual　lodging…house　furniture；　and　on　a　faded　red　sofa　near　the　fire　old　Mrs。　Warlock　was　lying。　Maggie　could　not　see　her　very　clearly　in　the　half…light；　but　there　was　something　about　her　immobility　and　the　stiffness　of　her　head　（decorated　as　of　old　with　its　frilly　white　cap）　that　reminded　one　of　a　figure　made　out　of　wax。　Maggie　turned　to　find　Amy　Warlock　standing　close　to　her。

〃Mrs。　Thurston〃　Maggie　began；　hesitating。

〃You　may　not　know；〃　said　Amy　Warlock；　〃that　I　have　retained　my　maiden　name。　Sit　down；　won't　you？　It　is　good　of　you　to　have　come。〃

The　voice　was　a　little　more　genial　than　it　had　been　in　the　old　days。　Nevertheless　this　was　still　the　old　Amy　Warlock；　stiff；　masculine；　impenetrable。

〃I　hope　your　aunt　is　better；〃　she　said。

〃My　aunt　is　dead；〃　answered　Maggie。

〃Dear　me；　I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。　She　was　a　good　woman　and　did　many　kind　actions　in　her　time。〃

There　was　something　very　unpleasant　about　that　room；　with　the　yellow　light；　the　hissing　gas；　and　the　immobile　figure　on　the　sofa。　Maggie　looked　in　the　direction　of　old　Mrs。　Warlock

〃You　needn't　mind　mother；〃　said　Amy　Warlock。　〃For　some　time　now　she's　been　completely　paralysed。　She　can't　speak　or　move。　But　she　likes　to　be　downstairs；　to　see　the　world　a　bit。　It's　sad　after　the　way　that　she　used　to　enjoy　life。　Father's　death　was　a　great　shock　to　her。〃

It　was　sad。　Maggie　remembered　how　fond　she　had　been　of　her　food。　Like　a　waxen　image！　Like　a　waxen　image！　The　whole　room　was　ghoulish　and　unnatural。

〃I've　asked　you　to　come　and　see　me；　Mrs。　Trenchard；〃　continued　Miss　Warlock；　〃not　because　we　can　have　any　wish　to　meet；　I　am　sure。　We　have　never　liked　one　another。　But　I　have　something　on　my　conscience；　and　I　may　not　have　another　opportunity　of　speaking　to　you。　I　don't　suppose　you　have　heard　that　very　shortly　I　intend　to　enter　a　nunnery　at　Roehampton。〃

〃And　your　mother？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃Mother　will　go　into　a　Home；〃　answered　Miss　Warlock。

There　was　a　strange　little　sound　from　the　sofa　like　a　rat　nibbling　behind　the　wainscot。

〃I　must　tell　you；〃　said　Miss　Warlock；　speaking　apparently　with　some　difficulty；　〃that　I　have　done　you　a　wrong。　Shortly　after　my　father's　death　my　brother　wrote　to　you　from　Paris。〃

〃Wrote　to　me？〃　repeated　Maggie。

〃Yeswrote　to　you　through　me。　I　destroyed　the　letters。　He　wrote　then　five　times　in　rather　swift　succession。　I　destroyed　all　the　letters。〃

Maggie　said　nothing。

〃I　destroyed　the　letters；〃　continued　Amy　Warlock；　〃because　I　did　not　wish　you　and　my　brother　to　come　together。　I　did　not　wish　you　to；　simply　out　of　hatred　for　you　both。　I　thought　that　my　brother　killed　my　fatherwhomwhomI　loved。　I　knew　that　the　one　human　being　whom　Martin　had　ever　loved　beside　his　father　was　yourself。　He　did　love　you；　Mrs。　Trenchard；　more　truly　than　I　had　believed　it　in　his　power　to　love　any　one。　I　think　you　could　have　made　him　happytherefore　I　did　not　wish　you　to　meet　again。〃

There　was　a　pause。　Maggie　said　at　last：

〃Were　there　no　other　letters？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Warlock。　〃One　this　summer。　For　more　than　a　year　there　was　nothing；　then　this　summer；　a　little　one。　I　destroyed　that　too。〃

〃What　did　it　say？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃It　said　that　the　woman　to　whom　he　had　been　married　was　dead。　He　said　that　if　you　didn't　answer　this　letter　he　would　understand　that　you　would　not　want　to　hear　from　him　any　more。　He　had　been　very　ill。〃

〃Where　did　he　write　that？〃

〃In　Paris。〃

〃And　where　is　he　now？〃

〃I　don't　know。　I　have　heard　from　him　no　more。〃

Maggie　got　up　and　stood；　her　head　raised　as　though　listening　for　something。

〃You've　been　very　cruel；　Miss　Warlock；〃　she　said。

〃Perhaps　I　have；〃　said　Miss　Warlock。　〃But　you　cannot　judge　until　you　know　with　what　reason　I　hated　my　brother。　It　is　a　very　old　story。　However；　now　I　hate　no　one。　I　will　not　apologise　for　what　I　have　done。　I　do　not　want　your　forgiveness。　I　had　to　absolve　my　conscience。〃

〃And　you　have　no　idea　where　he　is　now？〃

〃I　have　no　idea。　He　may　be　dead　for　all　I　know。〃

Maggie　shivered。　〃If　you　have　any　more　information　you　will　give　it　me？〃

〃I　will　give　it　you。〃

〃This　is　my　address。〃　Maggie　gave　her　a　card。

They　said　good…day；　looking　for　one　moment；　face　to　face；　eye　to　eye。

Then　Maggie　turned　and　went。　Her　eyes　were　dim　so　that　she　stumbled　on　the　stairs。　In　the　street　she　walked；　caring　nothing　of　her　direction；　seeing　only　Martin。




CHAPTER　VIII

DEATH　OF　UNCLE　MATHEW


Grace；　during　the　days　that　Maggie　was　in　London；　regained　something　of　her　old　tranquillity。　It　was　wonderful　to　her　to　be　able　to　potter　about　the　house　once　more　mistress　of　all　that　she　surveyed　and　protected　from　every　watching　eye。　She　had　had；　from　her　very　earliest　years；　a　horror　of　being　what　she　called　〃overlooked。〃

She　had　a　habit　of　stopping；　when　she　had