the captives-第11部分

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r　than　they　did。　He　did　not　sound　at　all　conceited；　only　amused　with　a　little　gentle　melancholy　at　his　own　position。

〃I'm　glad　to　see　you　so　well；　Miss　Cardinal；〃　he　said　with　an　air　of　rather　old…fashioned　courtesy。　〃I　had　been　afraid　that　it　might　have　exhausted　you。　I　only　came　to　welcome　you。　I　must　return　at　once。　I　have　an　article　to　finish　before　midnight。〃

Aunt　Anne　smiled　gently：　〃No；　I'm　not　tired；　thank　you。　And　what　has　happened　while　I　have　been　away？〃

〃I　have　been　away　too；　as　you　know；〃　said　Mr。　Magnus；　〃but　I　understand　that　your　sister　has　been　very　busyquite　a　number〃

Aunt　Elizabeth　said　in　her　trembling　voice：　〃No。　NoAnneI　assure　you。　Nothing　at　all。　As　you　know；　the　Bible　Committee　wanted　to　discuss　the　new　scheme。　Last　Tuesday。　Mr。　Warlock；　Mr。　Simms；　young　Holliday；　Miss　Martin；　Mary　Hearst。　And　Sophie　Dunn。　AND　Mr。　Turner。　Nothing　at　all。　It　was　a　wet　day。　Last　Tuesday　afternoon。〃

〃Your　mother　is　quite　well；　I　hope；　Mr。　Warlock？〃　said　Aunt　Anne；　turning　to　the　young　man。　〃Yesshe's　all　right；〃　he　answered。　〃Just　the　same。　Amy　wants　you　to　go　and　see　her。　I　was　to　give　you　the　message；　if　you　could　manage　to…morrow　sometime；　or　she'd　come　here　if　it's　more　convenient。　There's　something　important；　she　says；　but　I　don't　suppose　it's　important　in　the　least。　You　know　what　she　is。〃

He　spoke；　laughing。　His　eyes　wandered　all　round　the　room　and　suddenly　settled　on　Maggie　with　a　startled　stare；　as　though　she　were　the　last　person　whom　he　had　expected　to　find　there。

〃Yes。　To…morrow　afternoon；　perhapsabout　three；　if　that　would　suit　her。　How　is　Amy？〃

〃Oh；　she's　all　right。　As　eager　to　run　the　world　as　everand　she　never　will　run　it　so　long　as　she　shows　her　cards　as　obviously　as　she　does。　I　tell　her　so。　But　it's　no　good。　She　doesn't　listen　to　me；　you　know。〃

Aunt　Anne；　with　the　incomparable　way　that　she　had；　brushed　all　this　very　gently　aside。　She　simply　said：　〃I'm　glad　that　she's　well。〃　Then　she　turned　to　the　other　gentleman：

〃Your　writing's　quite　satisfactory；　I　hope；　Mr。　Magnus。〃

She　spoke　as　though　it　had　been　a　cold　or　a　toothache。

He　smiled　his　melancholy　ironical　smile。　〃I　go　on；　you　know；　Miss　Cardinal。　After　all；　it's　my　bread　and　butter。〃

Maggie；　looking　at　him；　knew　that　this　was　exactly　the　way　that　he　did　not　regard　it；　and　felt　a　sudden　sympathy　towards　him　with　his　thin　hair；　his　large　spectacles　and　his　shabby　clothes。　But　her　look　at　him　was　the　last　thing　of　which　she　was　properly　conscious。　The　wall　beyond　the　fireplace；　that　had　seemed　before　to　her　dim　and　dark；　now　suddenly　appeared　to　lurch　forward；　to　bulge　before　her　eyes；　the　floor　with　its　old；　rather　shabby　carpet　rose　on　a　slant　as　though　it　was　rocked　by　an　unsteady　sea；　worst　of　all；　the　large　black　cat　swelled　like　a　balloon；　its　whiskers　distended　like　wire。　She　knew　that　her　eyes　were　burning；　that　her　forehead　was　cold；　and　that　she　felt　sick。　She　was　hungry；　and　at　the　same　time　was　conscious　that　she　could　eat　nothing。　Her　only　wish　was　to　creep　away　and　hide　herself　from　every　one。

However；　through　all　her　confusion　she　was　aware　of　her　determination　not　to　betray　to　them　that　she　was　ill。　〃If　only　the　cat　wouldn't　grow　so　fast；　I　believe　I　could　manage；〃　was　her　desperate　thought。　There　was　a　roaring　in　her　ears；　she　caught　suddenly　from　an　infinite　distance　the　voice　of　the　stout　young　man…　…〃She's　ill！　She's　fainting！〃

She　was　aware　that　she　struggled　to　face　him　with　fierce　protesting　eyes。　The　next　thing　she　knew　was　that　she　lay　for　the　second　time　that　afternoon　in　his　arms。　She　felt　that　he　laid　her；　clumsily　but　gently；　upon　the　sofa；　some　one　sprinkled　cold　water　on　her　forehead。　Deep　down　in　her　soul　she　hated　and　despised　herself　for　this　weakness　before　strangers。　She　closed　her　eyes　tightly；　desiring　to　conceal　not　so　much　the　others　as　herself　from　her　scornful　gaze。　She　heard　some　one　say　something　about　a　cup　of　tea；　and　she　wanted　it　suddenly　with　a　desperate；　fiery　desire；　but　she　would　not　speak；　no；　not　if　they　were　to　torture　her　with　thirst　for　days　and　daysto　that　extent　at　least　she　could　preserve　her　independence。

She　heard　her　Aunt　Elizabeth　say　something　like：　〃Poor　thing　strainlast　weekfathertoo　much。〃

She　gathered　all　her　energies　together　to　say　〃It　hasn't　been　too　much。　I'm　all　right；〃　but　they　brought　her　a　cup　of　tea；　and　before　that　she　succumbed。　She　drank　it　with　eager　greed；　then　lay　back；　her　eyes　closed；　and　slowly　the　bars　of　hot　iron　withdrew　from　her　forehead。　She　slept。

She　woke　to　a　room　wrapped　in　a　green　trembling　twilight。　She　was　alone　save　for　the　black　cat。　The　fire　crackled；　the　gas　was　turned　low；　and　the　London　murmur　beyond　the　window　was　like　the　hum　of　an　organ。　There　was　no　one　in　the　room；　she　felt；　as　she　lay　there；　an　increasing　irritation　at　her　weakness。　She　was　afraid　too　for　her　future。　Did　she　faint　like　this　at　the　earliest　opportunity　people　would　allow　her　no　chance　of　earning　her　living。　Where　was　that　fine　independent　life　upon　which；　outside　Borhedden　Farm；　she　had　resolved？　And　these　people；　her　aunts；　the　young　man；　the　thin　spectacled　man；　what　would　they　think　of　her？　They　would　name　it　affectation；　perhaps；　and　imagine　that　she　had　acted　in　such　a　way　that　she　might　gain　their　interest　and　sympathy。　Such　a　thought　sent　the　colour　flaming　to　her　cheeks；　she　sat　up　on　the　sofa。　She　would　go　to　them　at　once　and　show　them　that　she　was　perfectly　strong　and　well。

The　door　opened　and　Aunt　Elizabeth　came　in；　very　gently　as　though　she　were　going　to　steal　something。　She　was；　Maggie　saw　now；　so　little　as　to　be　almost　deformed；　with　a　soft　pale　face；　lined　and　wrinkled；　and　blue　watery　eyes。　She　wore　a　black　silk　wrapper　over　her　shoulders；　and　soft　black　slippers。　Alice　in　Wonderland　was　one　of　the　few　books　that　Maggie　had　read　in　her　childhood；　Aunt　Elizabeth　reminded　her　strongly　of　the　White　Queen　in　the　second　part　of　that　masterpiece。

〃Oh；　you're　not　asleep；　dear；〃　said　Aunt　Elizabeth。

〃No；　I'm　not；〃　said　Maggie。　〃I'm　perfectly　all　right。　I　can't　think　what　made　me　behave　like　that。　I've　never　done　such　a　thing　before。　I'm　ashamed！〃

〃It　was　very　natural；〃　said　Aunt　Elizabeth。　〃You　should　have　had　some　tea　at　once。　It　was　my　fault。　It's　late　now。　Nine　o'clock。　My　sister　suggests　bed。　Supper　in　bed。　Very　nice；　I　always　think；　after　a　long　journey。　It　will　be　fine　to…morrow；　I　expect。　We've　had　beautiful　weather　until　this　morning；　when　it　rained　for　an　hour。　Chicken　and　some　pudding。　There's　a　little　Australian　wine　that　my　sister　keeps　in　the　house　for　accidents。　I　liked　it　myself　when　I　had　it　once　for　severe　neuralgia。〃

She　suddenly；　with　a　half…nervous；　half…desperate　gesture；　put　out　her　hand　and　took　Maggie's。　Her　hand　was　soft　like　blanc…mange；　it　had　apparently　no　bones　in　it。

Maggie　was　touched　and　grateful。　She　liked　this　little　shy；　frightened　woman。　She　would　do　anything　to　please　her。

〃Don't　think；〃　she　said　eagerly；　〃that　I've　ever　fainted　like　that　before。　I　assure　you　that　I've　never　done　anything　so　silly。　You　mustn't　think　that　I'm　not　strong。　I'm　strong　as　a　horsefather　always　said　so。　I've　come　to　help　you　and　Aunt　Anne　in　any　way　I　can。　You　mustn't　think　that　I'm　going　to　be　in　the　way。　I　only　want　to　be　useful。〃

Aunt　Elizabeth　started　and　looked　at　the　door。　〃I　thought　I　heard　something；〃　she　said。　They　both　listened。

〃Perhaps　it　was　the　parrot；〃　said　Maggie。

Aunt　Elizabeth　smiled　bravely。

〃There　are　often　noises　in　an　old　house　like　this；〃　she　said。　The　black　cat　came　towards　them；　slowly；　with　immense　dignified　indifference。　He　swung　his　tail　as　though　to　show　them　that　he　cared　for　no　one。　He　walked　to　the　door　and　waited；　then　followed　them　out　of　the　room。

Maggie　found　that　her　bedroom　was　a　room　at　the　top　of　the　house；　very　white　and　clean；　with　a　smell　of　soot　and　tallow　candle　that　was　new　and　attractive。　There　was　a　large　text　in　bright　purple　over　the　bed〃The　Lord　cometh；　prepare　ye　the　way　of　the　Lord。〃　From　the　window　one　saw　roofs；　towers；　chimneys；　a　sweeping　arc　of　sky…lights　now　spun　and　sparkled　into　pathways　and　out　again；　driven　by　the　rumble　behind　them　that　never　ceased；　although　muffled　by　the　closed　window。

They　talked　together　for　a　little　while；　standing　near　the　window；　the　candle　wavering　in　Aunt　Elizabeth's　unsteady　hand。

〃We　thought　you'd　like　this　top　room。　It's　quieter　than　the　rest　of　the　house。　Sometimes　when　the　sweep　hasn't　been　the　soot　tumbles　down　the　chimney。　You　mustn't　mind　that。　Thomas　will　push　open　the　door　and　walk　in　at　times。　It's　his　way。〃

〃Thomas？〃　said　Maggie　bewildered。

〃Our　cat。　He　has　been　with　us　for　many　years　now。　Those　who　know　say　that　he　might　have　taken　prizes　once。　I　can't　tell　I'm　sure。　If　you　pull　that　bell　when　you　want　anything　Martha　will　come。　She　will　call　you　at　half…past　seven；　prayers　are　in　the　dining…room　at　a　quarter　past　eight。　Sometimes　the　wind　blows　through　the　wall…paper；　but　it　is　only　the　wind。〃

Maggie　drew　back　the　curtains　that　hid　the　glitter　of　the　lights。

〃Were　those　great　friends　of　yours；　those　gentlemen　this　evening？〃

〃The　one　who　wears　spectacles；　Mr。　Magnusyes；　he　is　a　very　old　friend。　He　is　devoted　to　my　sister。　He　writes　stories。〃

〃What；　in　the　papers？〃

〃No；　in　books。　Two　every　year。〃

〃And　the　other　one？〃

〃That　is　young　Mr。　Warlockhe　is　the　son　of　our　minister。〃

〃Does　he　live　near　here？〃

〃He　lives　just　now　with　his　parents。　Of　late　years　he　has　been　abroad。〃

〃He　doesn't　look　like　the　son　of　a　minister；〃　said　Maggie。

〃No；　I'm　afraid〃　Aunt　Elizabeth　suddenly　stopped。　〃His　father　has　been　minister　of　our　chapel　for　twenty　years。　He　is　a　great　and　wonderful　man。〃

〃Where　is　the　chapel？〃

〃Very　near　at　hand。　You　will　see　it　to…morrow。　To…morrow　is　Sunday。〃

There　was　a　long　pause。　Maggie　knew　that　now　was　the　time　when　she　should　say　something　friendly　and　affectionate。　She　could　say　nothing。　She　stared　at　her　aunt；　then　at　a　long　mirror　that　faced　her　bed；　then　at　the　lighted　sky。　She　felt　warmly　grateful；　eager　to　show　all　the　world　that　she　would　do　her　best；　that　she　was　ready　to　give　herself　to　this　new　life　with　all　her　soul　and　strengthshe　could　say　nothing。

They　waited。

At　last　her　aunt　said：

〃Good…night；　dear　Maggie。〃