the captives-第96节

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santly。　For　some　reason　she　did　not　dare　to　ask　him　whether　he　were　not　happier　now　that　Maggie　was　away。　She　did　not　dare。　There　was　not　the　complete　confidence　that　there　had　been。　Paul　was　strange　a　little；　bewitched　by　Maggie's　strangeness　。　。　。　There　was　something　there　that　Grace　did　not　understand。　So　she　said　nothing；　but　she　tried　to　convey　to　him；　in　the　peculiar　warmth　of　her　good…night　kiss；　what　she　felt。

Then　Maggie　returned。　She　came　back　in　her　black　clothes　and　with　her　pale　face。　Her　aunt　had　died。　She　was　more　alone　even　than　before。　She　was　very　quiet；　and　agreed　to　everything　that　Grace　said。　Nevertheless；　although　she　agreed；　she　was　more　antagonistic　than　she　had　been。　She　had　now　something　that　intensely　preoccupied　her。　Grace　could　see　that　she　was　always　thinking　about　something　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　Skeaton　or　Paul　or　the　house。　She　was　more　absent…minded　than　ever；　forgot　everything；　liked　best　to　sit　in　her　bedroom　all　alone。

〃Oh；　she's　mad！〃　said　Grace。　〃She's　really　mad！　Just　fancy　if　she　should　go　right　off　her　head！〃　Grace　was　now　so　desperately　frightened　that　she　lay　awake　at　night；　sweating；　listening　to　every　sound。　〃If　she　should　come　and　murder　me　one　night；〃　she　thought。　Another　thought　she　had　was：　〃It's　just　as　though　she　sees　some　one　all　the　time　who　isn't　there。〃

Then　came　13th　March；　that　dreadful　day　that　would　be　never　forgotten　by　Grace　so　long　as　she　lived。　During　the　whole　of　the　past　week　Skeaton　had　been　delivered　up　to　a　tempest　of　wind　and　rain。　The　High　Street；　emptied　of　human　beings；　had　glittered　and　swayed　under　the　sweeping　storm。　The　Skeaton　sea；　possessing　suddenly　a　life　of　its　own；　had　stormed　upon　the　Skeaton　promenade；　and　worried　and　lashed　and　soaked　that　hideous　structure　to　within　an　inch　of　its　unnatural　life。　Behind　the　town　the　woods　had　swayed　and　creaked；　funeral　black　against　the　grey　thick　sky。　Across　the　folds　the　rain　fell　in　slanting　sheets　with　the　sibilant　hiss　of　relentless　power　and　resolve。

After　luncheon；　on　this　day　the　13th；　Maggie　disappeared　into　the　upper　part　of　the　house　and　Grace　settled　down　on　the　drawing…room　sofa　to　a　nice　little　nap。　She　fell　asleep　to　the　comforting　patter　of　rain　upon　the　windows　and　the　howling　of　the　storm　down　the　chimney。　She　dreamt；　as　she　often　did；　about　food。

She　was　awakened；　with　a　sudden　start；　by　a　sense　of　apprehension。　This　happened　to　her　now　so　often　that　there　was　nothing　strange　in　it；　but　she　jumped　up；　with　beating　heart；　from　the　sofa；　crying　out：　〃What's　happened？　What's　the　matter？〃

She　realised　that　the　room　had　grown　darker　since　she　fell　asleep；　and　although　it　was　early　still　there　was　a　sort　of　grey　twilight　that　stood　out　against　a　deeper　dusk　in　the　garden　beyond。

〃What　is　it？〃　she　said　again；　and　then　saw　that　Jenny；　the　maid；　was　standing　in　the　doorway。

〃Well；　Jenny？〃　she　asked；　trying　to　recover　some　of　her　dignity。

〃It's　a　man；　mum；〃　said　the　little　girl。　（Grace　had　got　her　cheap　from　an　orphanage。）　〃A　gentleman；　mum。　He's　asking　for　Mrs。　Trenchard。　'E　give　me　'is　card。　Oh；　mum；　'e　is　wet　too！〃

She　had　scarcely　finished；　and　Grace　had　only　taken　the　card；　when　Mathew　Cardinal　came　forward　out　of　the　hall。　He　was　a　dim　and　mysterious　figure　in　that　half…light；　but　Grace　could　see　that　he　was　more　battered　and　shabby　than　on　his　last　visit。　His　coat　collar　was　turned　up。　She　could　only　very　vaguely　see　his　face；　but　it　seemed　to　her　strangely　white　when　before　it　had　been　so　grossly　red。

She　was　struck　by　his　immobility。　Partly　perhaps　because　she　had　been　roused　from　sleep　and　was　yet　neither　clear　nor　resolved；　he　seemed　to　her　some　nightmare　figure。　This　was　the　man　who　was　responsible　for　all　the　trouble　and　scandal；　this　was　the　man　who　threatened　to　drive　Paul　and　herself　from　her　home；　this　was　the　blackguard　who　had　not　known　how　to　behave　in　decent　society。　But　behind　that　was　the　terror　of　the　mystery　that　enveloped　Maggiethe　girl's　uncle；　the　man　who　had　shared　in　her　strange　earlier　life；　and　made　her　what　she　now　was。　As　he　stood　there；　motionless；　silent；　the　water　dripping　from　his　clothes；　Grace　was　as　frightened　as　though　he　had　already　offered　her　personal　violence　or　held　a　pistol　to　her　head。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　asked　hoarsely；　stepping　back　to　the　sofa。　Jenny　had　left　the　room。

〃I　want　to　see　my　niece；〃　he　answered；　still　without　moving。　She　recognised　then；　strangely；　in　his　voice　a　terror　akin　to　her　own。　He　also　was　afraid　of　something。　Of　what？　It　was　not　that　his　voice　shook　or　that　his　tongue　faltered。　But　he　was　terrified　。　。　。　She　could　feel　his　heart　thumping　behind　the　words。

〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　said。　〃You　can't　see　her。　She's　upstairs　resting。〃

She　did　not　know　whence　the　resolution　had　come　that　he　was　not；　in　any　case；　to　see　Maggie；　she　did　not　know　what　catastrophe　she　anticipated　from　their　meeting。　She　was　simply　resolved；　as　though　acting　under　the　blind　orders　of　some　other　power；　that　Maggie　should　not　see　him　and　that　he　should　leave　the　house　at　once。

〃I　must　see　her；〃　he　said；　and　the　desperate　urgency　in　his　voice　would　have　touched　any　one　less　terrified　than　Grace。　〃I　must。〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　answered。　The　fear　in　his　voice　seemed　now　to　give　her　superiority　over　him。　〃It's　impossible。〃

〃Oh　no；〃　he　said。　〃If　she's　here　it　can't　be　impossible。　She'd　want　to　see　me。　We　have　things　。　。　。　　I　must　。　。　。　　You　don't　understand；　Miss　Trenchard。〃

〃I　only　know；〃　said　Grace；　〃that　after　what　occurred　on　your　last　visit　here；　Mr。　Cardinal；　Maggie　said　that　she　would　never　see　you　again。〃

〃That's　a　lie！〃　he　said。

She　made　no　answer。　Then　at　last　he　said　pitifully：

〃She　didn't　really　say　that；　did　she？〃

〃Yes。　I'm　sorry。　But　you　can　understand　after　what　occurred〃

He　came　suddenly　forward；　the　water　trickling　from　him　on　to　the　carpet。

〃You　swear　that's　true？〃

She　could　see　now　his　face　and　realised　that　he　was；　indeed；　desperatebreathless　as　though　he　had　been　running　from　some　one。

〃Yes；　that's　true；〃　she　answered。

〃Maggie　said　that。〃

〃Those　were　Maggie's　words。〃

〃Oh；　well；　I'm　done　。　。　。〃　He　turned　away　from　her　as　though　her　announcement　had　settled　something　about　which　he　had　been　in　doubt。　〃It　isn't　like　Maggie　。　。　。　But　still　she　hasn't　written。　She　saw　I　was　hard　up　last　time。　All　I　deserve　。　。　。　All　I　deserve。〃　He　turned　round　to　Grace　again。　〃I　can't　quite　believe　it；　Miss　Trenchard。　It　doesn't　sound　like　Maggie；　but　perhaps　you've　influenced　her　。　。　。　That's　likely。　If　she　should　change　her　mind　I'm　at　the　'Sea　Dog。'　Not　much　of　a　place。　Quiet　though。　Yes；　well。　You　might　tell　her　not　to　bother。　I'm　finished；　you　see；　Miss　Trenchard。　Yes；　down。　You'll　be　glad　to　hear　it；　I've　no　doubt。　Well；　I　mustn't　stay　talking。　I　wish　Maggie　were　happier　though。　She　isn't　happy；　is　she？〃

The　question　was　so　abrupt　that　Grace　was　startled。

〃I　should　hope　soMr。　Cardinal；〃　she　said。

〃Oh；　no；　she　isn't。　I　know。　Always　this　religion　she　gets　into。　If　it　isn't　one　sort　it's　another。　But　she's　a　good　girl。　Don't　you　forget　that。　Well；　I　must　be　going。　Good　day。　Good　day。〃

He　was　actually　gone；　leaving　a　little　pool　of　water　on　the　carpet　behind　him。　Grace　sat　down　on　the　sofa　again。　What　a　horrible　man！　What　a　horrible　man！　But　she　had　been　wrong　to　say　that　about　Maggie。　Yes；　she　had。　But　he　had　taken　her　by　surprise。　Oh　dear！　How　her　heart　was　beating！　And　how　strange　he　had　looked。　She　could　scarcely　breathe。　She　sat　there　lost　in　stupefied　wonder。　At　last　tea　came　in；　and　with　it　Paul　and　Maggie。　Grace　felt　ashamed　and　frightened。　Why　was　Maggie　always　making　her　do　things　of　which　she　was　ashamed？　It　was　as　though　the　girl　had　power　over　her　。　。　。　absurd；　of　course。　Nevertheless；　as　she　poured　out　the　tea　she　was　haunted　by　that　man's　eyes。　Yes；　he　had　undoubtedly　been　very　unhappy。　Yes；　in　great　trouble。

Maggie　sat　quietly　there。　Paul　was　preoccupied　with　a　letter　that　must；　he　had　decided；　be　written　to　The　Church　Times。　It　was　a　letter　about　Churchwardens　and　their　growing　independence。　He　finished　his　tea　hurriedly；　but　before　he　left　the　room；　looking　at　Maggie　rather　wistfully；　suddenly　he　bent　down　and　kissed　her。　She　glanced　up　at　him；　smiling。

〃Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you；　Grace？〃　she　asked。

Then；　as　it　were　without　her　own　desire；　Grace　was　compelled　to　speak。　〃There's　something　I　ought　to　tell　you〃　she　began　awkwardly。　Then　she　stopped。　Maggie　was　troubled。　She　knew　that　when　Grace　was　uncomfortable　every　one　else　was　uncomfortable。

〃What　have　I　done　now？〃　she　said　rather　sharply。

〃It's　nothing　that　you've　done；〃　answered　Grace　also　sharply。　〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；　Maggie；　why　you　should　always　think　that　I'm　scolding　you。　No；　I　don't　indeed。　It's　nothing　that　you've　done。　Your　uncle　came　to　see　you　this　afternoon。〃

〃Uncle　Mathew？〃　Maggie　jumped　up　from　her　chair。　〃Came　here？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　wanted　to　see　me？　Oh；　Grace；　why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃

〃I　have　told　you　。　。　。　There's　nothing　to　make　a　fuss　about；　Maggie。　Really；　you　needn't　look　like　thatas　though　I　were　always　doing　something　wrong。　I　only　did　it　for　your　sake。〃

〃For　my　sake？　But　why？　I　wanted　to　see　him。　I　was　trying　to　see　him　in　London。　Oh；　Grace；　w