the captives-第100部分

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〃He'll　never　get　well　here。〃

〃That's　what　I　think；〃　she　said。

〃Can't　you　carry　him　off　somewhere？　The　country's　the　place　for　him…　…somewhere　in　the　South。〃

Her　heart　leapt。

〃Oh；　Glebeshire！〃　she　cried。

〃Well；　that's　not　a　bad　place；〃　he　said。　〃That　would　pick　him　up。〃

At　once　she　thought；　night　and　day；　of　St。　Dreot's。　A　very　hunger　possessed　her　to　get　back　there。　And　why　not？　For　one　thing；　it　would　be　so　much　cheaper。　Her　money　would　not　last　for　ever；　and　Mrs。　Brandon　robbed　her　whenever　possible。　She　determined　that　she　would　manage　it。　At　last；　greatly　fearing　it；　she　mentioned　it　to　him；　and　to　her　surprise　he　did　not　scorn　it。

〃I　don't　care；〃　he　said；　looking　at　her　with　that　curious　puzzled　expression　that　she　often　saw　now　in　his　eyes；　〃I'm　sick　of　this　room。　That's　a　bargain；　Maggie；　you　can　put　me　where　you　like　until　I'm　well。　Then　I'm　off。〃

She　had　a　strange　superstition　that　Borhedden　was　fated　to　see　her　triumph。　She　had　wandered　round　the　world　and　now　was　returning　again　to　her　own　home。　She　remembered　a　Mrs。　Bolitho　who　had　had　the　farm　in　her　day。　She　wrote　to　her；　and　two　days　later　received　a　letter　saying　that　there　was　room　for　them　at　Borhedden　if　they　wished。

She　was　now　all　feverish　impatience。　Dr。　Abrams　said　that　Martin　could　be　moved　if　they　were　very　careful。　All　plans　were　made。　Mrs。　Brandon　and　the　ugly　little　doctor　both　seemed　quite　sorry　that　they　were　going；　and　Emily　even　sniffed　and　wiped　her　eye　with　the　corner　of　her　apron。　The　world　seemed　now　to　be　turning　a　different　face　to　Maggie。　Human　beings　liked　her　and　were　no　longer　suspicious　to　her　as　they　had　been　before。

She　felt　herself　how　greatly　she　had　changed。　It　was　as　though；　until　she　had　found　Martin　again；　everything　had　been　tied　up　in　her；　constrained。　She　had　been　some　one　lost　and　desolate。　Nevertheless；　how　difficult　these　days　were！　Through　all　this　time　she　spoke　to　him　no　affectionate　word　nor　touched　him　with　an　affectionate　gesture。　She　was　simply　a　good…humoured　companion；　laughing　at　him；　assuming；　through　it　all；　an　off…hand　indifference　that　meant　for　her　so　difficult　a　pretence　that　she　thought　he　must　discover　it。　He　did　not；　he　was　in　many　ways　more　simple　than　she。　She　laid　to　sleep　his　suspicions。　She　could　feel　his　relief　that　she　was　not　romantic；　that　she　wanted　nothing　whatever　from　him。　He　was　illtherefore　was　often　churlish。　He　tried　to　hurt　her　again　and　again　with　cruel　words　and　then　waited　to　see　whether　she　were　hurt。　She　never　showed　him。　He　treated　her　with　contempt；　often　not　answering　her　questions；　laughing　at　her　little　stupidities；　complaining　of　her　forgetfulness　and；　sometimes；　her　untidiness　telling　her　again　and　again　to　〃go　back　to　her　parson。〃

She　gave　no　sign。　She　fought　her　way。　But　it　hurt；　she　could　not　have　believed　that　anything　could　hurt　so　much。　She　was　being　always　drawn　to　him；　longing　to　put　her　arm　around　him；　to　dare　to　kiss　him；　risking　any　repulse。　He　seemed　so　young；　so　helpless；　so　unhappy。　Every　part　of　him　called　to　her；　his　hair；　his　eyes；　his　voice；　his　body。　But　she　held　herself　in；　she　never　gave　way；　she　was　resolute　in　her　plan。

On　their　last　evening　in　Lynton　Street；　for　five　minutes；　he　was　suddenly　kind　to　her；　almost　the　old　Martin　speaking　with　the　old　voice。　She　held　her　breath；　scarcely　daring　to　let　herself　know　how　happy　she　was。

〃What　do　you　think　about　God；　Maggie？〃　he　asked；　turning　on　the　sofa　and　looking　at　her。

〃Think　about　God？〃　she　said；　repeating　his　words。

〃Yes　。　。　。Is　there　one？〃

〃I　don't　know。　I　haven't　any　intelligence　about　those　things。〃

〃Is　there　immortality？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃I　hope　not。　Your　parson　thinks　there　is；　doesn't　he？〃

〃Of　course　he　does。〃

〃Did　he　have　lots　of　services　and　did　you　hare　to　go　to　them？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Poor　Maggiealways　having　to　go　to　them。　Well；　it's　queer。　Funny　if　there　isn't　anything　after　all　when　there's　been　such　a　fight　about　it　so　long。　Did　they　make　you　very　religious　at　Skeaton　or　wherever　the　place　was？〃

〃No；〃　said　Maggie。　〃They　thought　me　a　terrible　heathen。　Grace　was　terrified　of　me；　I　seemed　so　wicked　to　her。　She　thought　I　was　bewitching　Paul's　soul〃

〃Perhaps　you　were。〃

〃No。　So　little　did　I　that　he　hasn't　even　come　up　to　London　to　fetch　me。〃

〃Which　did　you　like　bestSkeaton　or　the　Chapel？〃

〃I　don't　know。　I　was　wrong　in　both　of　them。　They　were　just　opposite。〃　Maggie　waited　a　little。　Then　she　said：　〃Martin　there　must　be　something。　I　can　feel　it　as　though　it　were　behind　a　wall　somewhereI　can　hear　it　and　I　can't　see　anything。　Aunt　Anne　and　andyour　father；　and　Paul；　and　Mr。　Magnus　were　all　trying　。　。　。　It　feels　like　a　fight；　but　I　don't　know　who's　fighting　who。〃

Her　allusion　to　his　father　had　been　unfortunate。

〃It's　all　damned　rot　if　you　ask　me；〃　he　said；　turned　his　face　to　the　wall　and　wouldn't　say　another　word。

Next　morning　they　started。　Mrs。　Brandon's　bill　was　as　large　as　she　could　make　it　and　still　not　very　large。　Dr。　Abrams；　to　Maggie's　immense　surprise；　would　not　take　a　penny。

〃I'm　not　wantin'　money　just　now；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　robbing　a　rich　old　man　who　lives　near　here。　I'm　a　sort　of　highway　man；　you　know；　rob　the　rich　and　spend　it　how　I　like。　Now　don't　you　press　me　to　make　up　a　bill　or　I　shall　change　my　mind　and　give　you。　one　and　it　will　be　so　large　that　you　won't　be　able　to　go　down　to　Glebeshire。　How　would　you　like　that？　Oh；　don't　think　I'm　doing　it　from　fine　motives。　You're　both　a　couple　of　babies；　that's　what　you　are；　and　it　would　be　a　shame　to　rob　you。　How　you're　ever　going　to　get　through　the　world　don't　know。　The　Babes　in　the　Wood　weren't　in　it。　He　thinks　he's　wicked；　doesn't　he？〃

〃Yes；　he　does；〃　said　Maggie。

〃Wicked！　Why；　he　doesn't　know　what　wickedness　is。　A　couple　of　children。　Look　after　his　heart　or　he'll　be　popping　off　one　fine　morning。〃

Maggie　turned　pale。　〃Oh　no；〃　she　said；　her　voice　trembling。

〃He's　going　to　get　well。〃

Abrams　sniffed。　〃If　he　doesn't　drink　and　leads　a　healthy　life　he　may。　But　leopards　don't　change　their　spots。　He's　worrying　over　something。　What　is　it？〃

〃His　father's　death；〃　said　Maggie。　〃He　loved　his　father　more　than　any　one　and　he's　got　it　into　his　head　that　he　gave　him　a　shock　and　killed　him。〃

〃Well；　you　get　it　out　of　his　head；〃　said　Abrams。　〃He　won't　be　better　until　you　do。〃

Next　morning　they　were　at　Paddington；　Martin　very　feeble　but　indifferent　to　everything。　They　had　a　third…class　compartment　to　themselves　until　they　got　to　Exeter；　and　all　that　while　Martin　never　spoke　a　word。　During　this　time　Maggie　did　a　lot　of　quiet　thinking。　She　was　worried；　of　course；　about　many　things　but　especially　finances。　She　knew　very　little　about　money。　She　gathered　from　Martin　that　he　had　not　only　spent　ail　that　his　and　had　left　him；　but　had　gone　considerably　beyond　it；　that　he　was　badly　in　debt　and　saw　no　way　of　paying。　This　did　not　seem　to　worry　him　but　it　worried　Maggie。　Debts　seemed　to　her　awful　things；　and　she　could　not　imagine　how　any　one　lived　under　the　burden　of　them。　Supposing　Martin　were　ill　for　a　long　time；　how　would　they　two　live？　Her　little　stock　of　money　would　not　last　very　long。　She　must　get　work；　but　she　knew　more　about　the　world　after　her　years　at　Skeaton。　She　knew　how　ignorant　she　was；　how　uneducated　and　how　unsophiscated。　She　did　not　doubt　her　ability　to　fight　her　way；　but　there　might　be　weary　months　first；　and　meanwhile　what　of　Martin？

She　looked　at　him；　asleep　now　in　a　corner　of　the　carriage；　his　soft　hat　pulled　down　over　his　eyes；　his　head　sunk；　his　hands　heavy　and　idle　on　his　lap。　A　fear　caught　at　her　heart　as　she　watched　him；　he　looked；　indeed；　terribly　ill；　exhausted　with　struggle；　and　now；　with　all　the　bitterness　and　despair　drowned　in　sleep；　very　gentle　and　helpless。　She　bent　over　and　folded　the　rug　more　closely　round　his　knees。　Had　he　woken　then　and　seen　her　gaze！　Her　hand''　routed　for　an　instant　on　his；　then　she　withdrew　back　into　her　own　corner。

That　coming　back　into　Glebeshire　could　not　but　be　wonderful　to　her。　She　had　been　away　for　so　long　and　it　was　her　home。

The　tranquillity　and　peace　of　the　spring　evening　clothed　her　like　a　garment；　the　brown　valleys；　the　soft　green　of　the　fields；　the　mild　blue　of　the　sky　touched　her　until　she　could　with　difficulty　keep　back　her　tears。

〃Oh；　make　it　right！〃　she　whispered；　〃make　it　right！　Give　him　to　me　againI　do　love　him　so！〃

It　was　dusk　when　they　arrived　at　Clinton　St。　Mary's。

The　little　station　stood　open　to　all　the　winds　of　heaven　blowing　in　from　the　wide　expanses　of　St。　Mary's　Moor。　Maggie　remembered；　as　though　it　were　yesterday；　her　arrival　at　that　station　with　Aunt　Anne。　Yes；　she　had　grown　since　then。

A　trap　was　waiting　for　them。　Martin　was　still　very　silent；　but　he　liked　the　air　with　the　tang　of　the　sea　in　it；　and　he　asked　sometimes　about　the　names　of　places。　As　they　drew　nearer　and　nearer　to　all　the　oldremembered　scenes；　Maggie's　heart　beat　faster　and　fasterthis　lane；　that　field；　that　cottage。　And　then；　at　last；　there　was　the　Vicarage　perched　on　the　top　of　the　hill；　with　its　chimneys　like　cats'　ears！

She　thought　of　Uncle　Mathew。　The　sight　of　the　tranquil　evening　the　happiness　and　comfort　of　the　fields　enabled　her　to　think　of　him；　for　the　first　time；　quietly。　She　could　face　deliberately　his　death。　It　was　as　though　he　had　been　waiting　for　her　here　and　had　come　forward　to　reassure　her。

They　drove　through　the　quiet　little　village；　out　on　to　the　high　road；　then　down　a　side　lane；　the　hedges　brushing　against　the　sides　of　the　jingle；　then　through　the　gates；　into　the　yard；　with　Borhedden　Farm；　bright　with　its　lighted　windows；　waiting　for　them。

Mrs。　Bolitho　was　standing　in　the　porch　and　greeted　them　warmly。

〃You'll　be　just　starved；〃　she　said。　〃It's　wisht　work　driving　in　an　open　jingle　all　the　way　from　Clinton。　Supper's　just　about　ready。〃

They　were　shown　up　to　the　big　roomy　bedroom；　smelling　of　candles　and　clover　and　lavender。　Martin　stood　there　looking　about；　then

〃Oh；　Martin；　isn't　it　nice！〃　Maggie　cried。　〃I　do　hope　you'll　be　happy　here！〃

The　emotion　of　returning　home；　of　seeing　the　old　places；　sniffing　the　old　scents；　reviving　the　old　memories　was　too　much　for　her。　She　flung　her　arms　round　his　neck　and　kissed　him　on　the　lips。　For　a　moment；　for　a　wonderful　moment　it　seemed　that