the captives-第25部分

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。　They　went　in　silence。

Maggie　longed　for　a　word　of　approval；　a　short　sentence　such　as　〃How　nice　you're　looking；　Maggie；〃　or　〃I　like　your　dress；　Maggie；〃　or　〃That's　a　new　dress；　dearI　like　it；〃　would　be　enough。　After　that　Maggie　felt　that　she　could　face　a　multitude　of　wild　and　savage　Warlocks；　that　she　could　walk　into　the　Warlock　drawing…room　with　a　fine　brave　carriage；　above　all；　that　she　would　feel　a　sudden　warm　affection　for　her　aunt　that　would　make　all　their　future　life　together　easy。

But　Aunt　Anne　said　nothing。　She　looked　exactly　as　she　had　looked　upon　her　first　appearance　at　St。　Dreots；　so　thin　and　tall；　with　her　pale　tapering　face　and　her　eyes　staring　before　her　as　though　they　saw　nothing。

Maggie；　as　they　turned　up　into　Garrick　Street；　said：

〃I　hope　you　like　my　new　dress；　aunt。〃

Aunt　Anne　turned　to　her　for　a　moment；　smiled　gently　and　then　vaguely；　as　though　her　mind　were　elsewhere；　answered：

〃I　liked　your　old　dress　better；　dear。〃

Maggie's　face　flamed；　her　temper　flared　into　her　eyes。　For　a　moment　she　had　wild　thoughts　of　breaking　into　open　rebellion。　She　hated　her　dress；　she　hated　London；　above　all；　she　hated　Aunt　Anne。　That　lady's　happy　unconsciousness　that　anything　had　occurred　drove　the　girl　into　furious　irritation。　Well；　it　was　hopeless　then；　Mr。　Magnus　could　say　what　he　pleased；　her　aunt　did　not　care　for　hershe　would　not　mind　did　she　fall　dead　in　the　street　before　her。　The　words　in　Maggie's　mind　were：　〃You　don't　look　at　me。　I'm　not　a　human　being　to　you　at　all。　But　I　won't　live　with　you。　I'll　go　my　own　way。　You　can't　keep　me　if　you　never　speak　to　me　nor　think　of　me。〃　But　in　some　dark　fashion　that　strange　impassivity　held　her。　Aunt　Anne　had　her　power　。　。　。

They　climbed　the　dim　crooked　staircase　behind　the　antiquary's　wall。　They　rang　the　Warlock　bell　and　were　admitted。　Maggie　did　not　know　what　it　was　that　she　had　expected；　but　it　was　certainly　not　the　pink；　warm　room　of　Mrs。　Warlock。

The　heavy　softly　closing　door　hemmed　them　in；　the　silent　carpet　folded　about　their　steps；　the　canary　twittered；　the　fire　spurted　and　crackled。　But　at　once　the　girl's　heart　went　out　to　old　Mrs。　Warlock；　she　looked　so　charming　in　her　white　cap　and　blue　bow；　her　eyes　were　raised　so　gently　to　Maggie's　face　and　her　little　hand　was　so　soft　and　warm。

The　meeting　between　Anne　Cardinal　and　Mrs。　Warlock　was　very　gracious。　Aunt　Anne　gravely　pressed　the　old　lady's　hand；　looked　at　her　with　her　grave　distant　eyes；　then　very　carefully　and　delicately　sat　down。

Amy　Warlock　came　in；　Maggie　had　met　her　before　and　disliked　her。　Conversation　dealt　decently　and　carefully　with　the　weather；　the　canary　and　Maggie's　discovery　of　London。　Maggie　was　compelled　to　confess　that　she　was　afraid　that　she　had　not　discovered　London　at　all。　She　felt　Amy　Warlock's　sharp　eyes　upon　them　all　and；　as　always　when　she　was　in　company　that　was；　she　thought；　suspicious　of　her；　she　became　hot　and　uncomfortable；　she　frowned　and　spoke　in　short；　almost　hostile；　sentences。

〃They're　laughing　at　my　new　clothes；〃　she　thought；　〃I　wish　I'd　worn　my　old　ones　。　。　。　and　anyway　these　hurt　me。〃　She　sat　up　very　stiffly；　her　hands　on　her　lap；　her　eyes　staring　at　the　little　bright　water…colour　on　the　wall　opposite。　Mrs。　Warlock；　like　a　trickling；　dancing　brook；　continued　her　talk：

〃Of　course　there's　the　country。　I　was　brought　up　as　a　girl　just　outside　Salisbury　。　。　。　So　many；　many　years　agoI　always　tell　my　boy　that　I'm　such　an　old　woman　now　that　I　don't　belong　to　his　world　at　all。　Just　to　sit　here　and　see　the　younger　generation　go　past。　Don't　regret　your　youth；　Miss　Cardinal。　You'll　want　it　back　again　one　day。　I　said　to　Martin　only　yesterday　。　。　。〃

Neither　Aunt　Anne　nor　Amy　Warlock　had　anything　to　say；　so　that　quite　suddenly　on　the　entrance　of　tea；　conversation　dropped。　They　all　sat　there　and　looked　at　one　another。　There　was　a　large　silver　tray　with　silver　tea…things　upon　it　and　a　fat　swelling　china　dish　that　held　hot　buttered　toast。　There　was　a　standing　wicker　pyramid　containing　bread　and　butter；　plates　of　little　yellow　and　red　cakes；　shortbread　and　very　heavy　plum　cake　black　with　currants。

Mrs。　Warlock　had　ceased　all　conversation；　her　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　preparations　for　tea。　The　door　opened　and　John　Warlock　and　his　son　came　in。

Maggie's　eyes　lighted　when　she　saw　Martin　Warlock。　She　behaved　as　she　might　have　done　had　she　been　in　her　own　room　at　St。　Dreots。　She　sprang　up　from　her　chair　and　stood　there；　smiling；　waiting　for　him。　First　his　father　shook　hands　with　her；　then　Martin　came　and　stood　beside　her；　laughing。

His　face　was　flushed　and　he　seemed　excited　about　something；　but　she　felt　nothing　save　her　pleasure　at　meeting　him；　and　it　was　only　when　he　had　moved　on　to　her　aunt　that　she　was　conscious　once　more　of　Amy　Warlock's　eyes；　and　wondered　whether　she　had　behaved　badly　in　jumping　up　to　meet　him。

As　she　considered　this　her　anger　and　her　confusion　at　her　anger　increased。　She　saw　that　Martin　was　talking　to　her　aunt　and　did　not　look　at　her。　Perhaps　he　also　had　thought　her　forward；　of　course　that　horrid　sister　of　his　would　think　everything　that　she　did　wrong。　But　did　he？　Surely　he　understood。　She　wanted　to　ask　him　and　then　wanted　to　go　home　and　leave　them　all。　She　saw　that　her　teacup　was　trembling　in　her　hand。　She　steadied　it　upon　her　knee　and　then　her　knee　began　to　quiver；　and　all　the　time　Amy　Warlock　watched　her。　She　thought　then　that　she　must　assert　herself　and　show　that　she　was　not　confused　nor　timid；　so　she　began　in　a　high…strained　voice　to　talk　to　Mrs。　Warlock。　She　told　Mrs。　Warlock　that　she　found　Harrods'　a　confusing　place；　that　she　had　not　yet　visited　Westminster　Abbey；　that　her　health　was　quite　good；　that　she　had　no　brothers　and　no　sisters；　that　she　could　not　play　the　piano；　and　that　she　was　afraid　that　she　never　read　books。

It　was　after　the　last　of　these　interesting　statements　that　she　was　suddenly　aware　of　the　sound　of　her　own　voice；　as　though　it　had　been　a　brazen　gong　beating　stridently　in　the　vastness　of　a　deserted　Cathedral。　She　saw　the　old　lady　take　two　pieces　of　buttered　toast　from　the　china　dish；　hold　them　tenderly　in　her　hand　and　fling　them　a　swift；　bird…like　glance　before　she　devoured　them；　during　that　moment's　vision　Maggie　discovered　what　so　many　people　of　vaster　experience　both　of　life　and　of　Mrs。　Warlock　had　never　discovered；　namely；　that　the　old　lady　cared　more　for　her　food　than　her　company。　Maggie　was　suddenly　less　afraid　of　the　whole　family。　She　looked　up　then　at　Martin　as　though　she　thus　would　prove　her　new　courage　and；　he　glancing　across　at　the　same　moment；　they　smiled。　He　left　his　father's　side　and；　coming　over　to　her；　sat　down　close　to　her。　He　dropped　his　voice　in　speaking　to　her。

〃I've　been　wanting　to　see　you；〃　he　said。

〃Why？〃　she　asked　him。

〃Well；〃　he　answered；　smiling　at　her　as　though　he　wanted　to　tell　her　something　privately。　〃I　feel　as　though　we'd　got　a　lot　to　tell　one　another　。　。　。　I'm　a　stranger　here　really　quite　as　much　as　you。〃

〃No；　you're　not；〃　she　said。　〃You　can't　be　so　MUCH　a　stranger　anywhere　because　you've　been　all　over　the　world　and　are　ready　for　anything。〃

〃And　you？〃

〃I　don't　seem　to　manage　the　simplest　things。　Aunt　Elizabeth　and　I　get　lost　the　moment　we　move　outside　the　door　。　。　。　Do　you　like　my　dress？〃　she　asked　him。

〃Why！〃　he　said；　obviously　startled　by　such　a　question。　〃It'sit's　splendid！〃

〃No；　you　know　it　isn't；〃　she　answered　quickly；　dropping　her　voice　into　a　confidential　statement。　〃It's　all　wrong。　I　thought　you'd　know　why　as　you've　been　everywhere。　Caroline　Smith　helped　me　to　choose　it；　and　it　looked　all　right　until　I　wore　it。　It's　me　。　。　。　I'm　hopeless　to　fit。　Caroline　says　so。　I　don't　care　about　clothesif　only　I　looked　just　like　anybody　else　I'd　never　bother　againbut　it's　so　tiresome　to　have　taken　so　much　trouble　and　then　for　it　to　be　all　wrong。〃

Martin　was　then　aware　of　many　thingsthat　this　was　a　strange　unusual　girl；　that　she　reassured　him　as　to　her　interest；　her　vitality；　her　sincerity　as　no　girl　had　ever　done　before；　that　his　sister　was　aware　of　their　intimate　conversation　and　that　she　resented　it；　and　that　he　must　see　this　girl　again　and　as　soon　as　possible。　He　was　as　liable　as　any　young　man　in　the　world　to　the　most　sudden　and　most　violent　enthusiasms；　but　they　had　been　enthusiasms　for　a　pretty　face；　for　a　sensual　appeal；　for　a　sentimental　moment。　Here　there　was　no　prettiness；　no　sensuality；　no　sentiment。　There　was　something　so　new　that　he　felt　like　Cortez　upon　his　peak　in　Darien。

〃It's　all　right；〃　he　reassured　her　urgently。　〃It's　all　right。　I　promise　you　it　is。　The　great　thing　is　to　look　yourself。　And　you'll　never　be　the　least　like　any　one　else。〃　He　meant　that　to　be　the　first　open　declaration　of　his　own　particular　discovery　of　her；　but　he　was　aware　that　his　sentence　could　have　more　than　one　interpretation。　Uncomfortably　conscious　then　of　his　sister's　regard　of　them；　he　looked　up　and　said：

〃Amy；　Miss　Cardinal's　been　telling　me　how　confusing　London　is　to　her。　You've　got　as　good　an　idea　of　London　as　any　one　in　the　world。　You　should　take　her　to　one　or　two　places　and　show　her　things。〃

Amy　Warlock；　every　line　of　her　stiff　body　firing　at　them　both　her　hostility；　answered：

〃Oh；　I　don't　think　Miss　Cardinal　would　care　for　me　as　a　guide。　_I_　shouldn't　be　able　to　show　her　interesting　things。　We　have　scarcely；　I　should　fancy；　enough　in　common。　Miss　Cardinal's　interests　are；　I　imagine；　very　different　from　my　own。〃

The　tone；　the　words；　fell　into　the　sudden　silence　like　a　lighted　match　into　water。　Maggie；　her　head　erect；　her　voice；　in　spite　of　herself；　trembling　a　little；　answered：

〃Why；　Miss　Warlock；　I　shouldn't　think　of　troubling　you。　It's　very　kind　of　your　brother；　but　one　must　make　one's　discoveries　for　oneself；　mustn't　one？　。　。　。　I　am　already　beginning　to　find　my　way　about。〃

After　that　the　tea…party　fell　into　complete　disruption。　Maggie；　although　she　did　not　look；　could　feel　Martin's　anger　like　a　flame　beside　her。　She　was　aware　that　Aunt　Anne　and　Mr。　Warlock　were；　like　some　beings　from　another　world；　distant　from　the　general　confusion。　Her　one　passionate　desire　was　to　get　up　and　leave　the　place；　to　her　intense　relief　she　heard　Aunt　Anne's　clear　voice：

〃I　think；　Mrs。　Warlock；　we　must　be　turning　homewards。　Shall　I　send　you　those　papers　about　the　Perteway's　Miss