the captives-第12部分

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rengthshe　could　say　nothing。

They　waited。

At　last　her　aunt　said：

〃Good…night；　dear　Maggie。〃

〃Good…night；　Aunt　Elizabeth。〃

She　stole　away；　leaving　the　candle　upon　the　chest　of　drawers；　the　cat　followed　her；　swinging　his　tail。

Left　alone；　Maggie　felt　the　whole　sweep　of　her　excitement。　She　was　exhausted；　her　body　felt　as　though　it　had　been　trampled　upon；　she　was　so　tired　that　she　could　scarcely　drag　her　clothes　from　her；　but　the　exaltation　of　her　spirit　was　beyond　and　above　all　this。　Half　undressed　she　stood　before　the　long　mirror。　She　had　never　before　possessed　a　long　looking…glass；　and　now　she　seemed　to　see　herself　as　she　really　was　for　the　first　time。　Was　she　very　ugly　and　unattractive？　Yes；　she　must　be　with　that　stumpy　body；　those　thick　legs　and　arms；　that　short　nose　and　large　mouth。　And　she　did　not　know　what　to　do　to　herself　to　make　herself　attractive。　Other　girls　knew　but　she　had　never　had　any　one　who　could　tell　her。　Perhaps　she　would　make　girl　friends　now　who　would　show　her。

But；　after　all；　she　did　not　care。　She　was　herself。　People　who　did　not　like　her　could　leave　heryes　they　could；　and　she　would　not　stir　a　finger　to　fetch　them　back。

Then；　deep　down　in　her　soul；　she　knew　that　she　wanted　success；　a　magnificent　life；　a　great　future。　Nay　more；　she　expected　it。　She　had　force　and　strength；　and　she　would　compel　life　to　give　her　what　she　wanted。　She　laughed　at　herself　in　the　glass。　She　was　happy；　almost　triumphant；　and　for　no　reason　at　all。

She　went　to　her　windows　and　opened　them；　there　came　up　to　her　the　tramping　progress　of　the　motor…omnibuses。　They　advanced；　like　elephants　charging　down　a　jungle；　nearer；　nearer；　nearer。　Before　the　tramp　of　one　had　passed　another　was　advancing；　and　then　upon　that　anotherceaselessly；　advancing　and　retreating。

In　her　nightdress　she　leaned　out　of　the　window；　poised；　as　it　seemed　to　her；　above　a　swaying　carpet　of　lights。

Life　seemed　to　hold　every　promise　in　store　for　her。

She　crossed　to　her　bed；　drew　the　clothes　about　her　and；　forgetting　her　supper；　forgetting　all　that　had　happened　to　her；　her　journey；　her　fainting；　the　young　man；　Edward　the　parrot；　she　fell　into　a　slumber　as　deep；　as　secure；　as　death　itself。




CHAPTER　IV

THE　CHAPEL


Maggie　woke　next　morning　to　a　strange　silence。　Many　were　the　silent　mornings　that　had　greeted　her　at　St。　Dreots；　but　this　was　silence　with　a　difference；　it　was　the　silence；　she　was　instantly　aware；　of　some　one　whose　very　soul　was　noise　and　tumult。　She　listened；　and　the　sudden　chirping　of　some　sparrows　beyond　her　window　only　accentuated　the　sense　of　expectation。　She　had　never；　in　all　her　days；　been　so　conscious　of　Sunday。

She　was　almost　afraid　to　move　lest　she　should　break　the　spell。

She　lay　in　bed　and　thought　of　the　preceding　evening。　Her　fainting　fit　seemed　to　her　now　more　than　ever　unfortunate；　it　had　placed　her　at　a　disadvantage　with　them　all。　She　could　imagine　the　stout　young　man　returning　to　his　home　and　saying：　〃Their　niece　has　arrived。　Seems　a　weak　little　thing。　Fainted　right　off　there　in　the　drawing…　room。〃　Or　her　aunts　saying　anxiously　to　one　another：　〃Well；　I　didn't　know　she　was　as　delicate　as　that。　I　hope　she　won't　be　always　ill；〃　。　。　。　and　she　wasn't　delicateno　one　stronger。　She　had　never　fainted　before。　The　silliness　of　it！

The　next　thing　that　disturbed　her　was　the　comfort　and　arrangement　of　everything。　Certainly　the　drawing…room　had　not　been　very　orderly；　full　of　old　things　badly　placed；　but　this　bedroom　was　clean　and　tidy；　and　the　supper　last　night；　so　neat　on　its　tray　with　everything　that　she　could　want！　She　could　feel　the　order　and　discipline　of　the　whole　house。　And　she　had　never；　in　all　her　life；　been　either　orderly　or　disciplined。　She　had　never　been　brought　up　to　be　so。　How　could　you　be　orderly　when　there　were　holes　in　the　bedroom　ceiling　and　the　kitchen　floor；　holes　that　your　father　would　never　trouble　to　have　mended？

Her　aunts　would　wish　her　to　help　in　the　house　and　she　would　forget　things。　There　passed　before　her；　in　that　Sunday　quiet；　a　terrible　procession　of　the　things　that　she　would　forget。　She　knew　that　she　would　not　be　patient　under　correction；　especially　under　the　correction　of　her　Aunt　Anne。　Already　she　felt　in　her　a　rebellion　at　her　aunt's　aloofness　and　passivity。　After　all；　why　should　she　treat　every　one　as　though　she　were　God？　Maggie　felt　that　there　was　in　her　aunt's　attitude　something　sentimental　and　affected。　She　hated　sentiment　and　affectation　in　any　one。　She　was　afraid；　too；　that　Anne　bullied　Aunt　Elizabeth。　Maggie　was　sorry　for　Aunt　Elizabeth　but；　with　all　the　arrogance　of　the　young；　a　little　despised　her。　Why　did　she　tremble　and　start　like　that？　She　should　stand　up　for　herself　and　not　mind　what　her　sister　said　to　her。　Finally；　there　was　something　about　the　house　for　which　Maggie　could　not　quite　account；　some　uneasiness　or　expectation；　as　though　one　knew　that　there　was　some　one　behind　the　door　and　was　therefore　afraid　to　open　it。　It　may　have　been　simply　London　that　was　behind　it。　Maggie　was　ready　to　attribute　anything　to　the　influence　of　that　tremendous　power；　but　her　own　final　impression　was　that　the　people　in　this　house　had　for　too　long　a　time　been　brooding　over　something。　〃It　would　do　my　aunts　a　lot　of　good　to　move　somewhere　else；〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃As　Aunt　Anne　loves　the　country　so　much　I　can't　think　why　she　doesn't　live　there。〃　There　were　many　things　that　she　was　to　learn　before　the　end　of　the　day。

Her　thoughts　were　interrupted　by　a　little　whirr　and　clatter；　which；　thin　and　distant　though　it　was；　penetrated　into　her　room。　The　whirr　was　followed　by　the　voice；　clear；　self…confident　and　cheerful；　of　a　cuckoo。　Maggie　was　in　an　instant　out　of　bed；　into　the　passage　and　standing；　in　her　nightdress；　before　a　high；　old　cuckoo…clock　that　stood　at　the　top　of　the　stairs。　The　wooden　bird；　looking　down　at　her　in　friendly　fashion；　〃cuckooed〃　eight　times；　flapped　his　wings　at　her　and　disappeared。　It　is　a　sufficient　witness　to　Maggie's　youth　and　inexperience　that　she　was　enraptured　by　this　event。　It　was　not　only　that　she　had　never　seen　a　cuckoo…clock　before；　she　had；　for　that　matter；　never　heard　of　the　existence　of　such　a　thing。　It　gave　her　greater　happiness　than　any　bare　mechanical　discovery　could　have　done。　The　bird　seemed　to　have　come　to　her；　in　the　friendliest　way；　to　remove　some　of　the　chilly　passivity　of　the　house。　Her　greatest　fear　since　her　arrival　had　been　that　this　was　a　house　〃in　which　nothing　was　ever　going　to　happen；〃　and　that　〃she　would　never　get　out　of　it。〃　〃It　will　be　just　as　it　has　been　all　my　life；　seeing　nothing；　doing　nothingonly　instead　of　father　it　will　be　the　aunts。〃　The　bird　seemed　to　promise　her　adventure　and　excitement。　To　most　people　it　would　have　been　only　a　further　sign　of　an　old…fashioned　household　far　behind　the　times。　To　Maggie　it　was　thrilling　and　encouraging。　He　would　remind　her　every　hour　of　the　day　of　the　possibility　of　fun　in　a　world　that　was　full　of　surprises。　She　heard　suddenly　a　step　behind　her　and　a　dry　voice　saying：

〃Your　hot　water；　Miss　Maggie。〃

She　turned　round；　blushing　at　being　caught　staring　up　at　a　cuckoo…　clock　like　a　baby　in　her　nightdress；　to　face　the　wrinkled　old　woman　who　the　night　before　had　brought　her；　with　a　grudging　countenance；　her　supper。　Maggie　had　thought　then　that　this　old　Martha　did　not　like　her　and　resented　the　extra　work　that　her　stay　in　the　house　involved；　she　was　now　more　than　ever　sure　of　that　dislike。

〃I　thought　I　was　to　be　called　at　half…past　seven。〃

〃Eight　on　Sundays；〃　said　the　old　woman。　〃I　hope　you're　better　this　morning；　miss。〃

Maggie　felt　this　to　be　deeply　ironical　and　flushed。

〃I'm　quite　well；　thank　you；〃　she　said　stiffly。　〃What　time　is　breakfast　on　Sundays？〃

〃The　prayer…bell　rings　at　a　quarter　to　nine；　miss。〃

They　exchanged　no　more　conversation。

At　a　quarter　to　nine　a　shrill；　jangling　bell　rang　out　and　Maggie　hurried　down　the　dark　staircase。　She　did　not　know　where　the　dining…　room　was；　but　by　good　chance　she　caught　sight　of　Aunt　Elizabeth's　little　body　moving　hurriedly　down　the　passage　and　hastened　after　her。　She　arrived　only　just　in　time。　There；　standing　in　a　row　before　four　chairs；　their　faces　red　and　shining；　their　hands　folded　in　front　of　them；　were　the　domestics；　there；　with　a　little　high　desk　in　front　of　her；　on　the　other　side　of　the　long　dining…room　table　was　Aunt　Anne；　here；　near　the　door；　were　two　chairs　obviously　intended　for　Aunt　Elizabeth　and　Maggie。

Maggie　in　her　haste　pushed　the　door；　and　it　banged　loudly　behind　her；　in　the　silent　room　the　noise　echoed　through　the　house。　It　was　followed　by　a　piercing　scream　from　Edward；　whom；　Maggie　concluded；　it　had　awakened。　All　this　confused　her　very　much　and　gave　her　anything　but　a　religious　state　of　mind。

What　followed　resembled　very　much　the　ceremonies　with　which　her　father　had　been　accustomed　to　begin　the　day；　except　that　her　father；　with　one　eye　on　the　bacon；　had　gabbled　at　frantic　pace　through　the　prayers　and　Aunt　Anne　read　them　very　slowly　and　with　great　beauty。　She　read　from　the　Gospel　of　St。　John：　〃These　things　I　command　you；　that　ye　love　one　another　。　。　。〃；　but　the　clear；　sweet　tones　of　her　voice　gave　no　conviction　of　a　love　for　mankind。

Maggie　looking　from　that　pale　remote　face　to　the　roughened　cheeks　and　plump　body　of　the　kitchen…maid　felt　that　here　there　could　be　no　possible　bond。　When　they　knelt　down　she　was　conscious；　as　she　had　been　since　she　was　a　tiny　child；　of　two　thingsthe　upturned　heels　of　the　servants'　boots　and　the　discomfort　to　her　own　knees。　These　two　facts　had　always　hindered　her　religious　devotions；　and　they　hindered　them　now。　There　had　always　been　to　her　something　irresistibly　comic　in　those　upturned　heels；　the　dull　flat　surfaces　of　these　cheap　shoes。　In　the　kitchen…maid's　there　were　the　signs　of　wear；　Martha's　were　new　and　shining；　the　house…maid's　were　smart　and　probably　creaked　abominably。　The　bodies　above　them　sniffed　and　rustled　and　sighed。　The　vacant；　stupid　faces　of　the　shoes　were　Aunt　Anne's　only　audience。　Maggie　wondered　what　the　owners　of　those　shoes　felt　about　the　house。　Had　they　a　sense　of　irritation　too　or　did　they　perhaps　think　about　nothing　at　all　save　their　food；　their　pay　and　their　young　man　or　their　night　out？　The　pain　to　her　knees　pierced　her　thoughts；　the　prayers　were　very　long？Aunt