the captives-第42部分

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〃What　excitement？〃　said　Maggie；　pulling　herself　up；　with　a　desperate　struggle；　from　her　own　private　adventures。

〃What！　you　don't　know　？〃　Caroline　exclaimed　in　an　awed　whisper。

〃Know　what？〃　Maggie　asked；　rather　crossly；　repenting　more　and　more　of　asking　Caroline　to　carry　her　note。

〃Why；　where　DO　you　live？　。　。　。　All　about　Mr。　Warlock　and　his　visions！〃

〃I've　heard　nothing　at　all；〃　said　Maggie。

This　was　unexpected　joy　to　Caroline；　who　had　never　imagined　that　there　would　be　any　one　so　near　the　Inner　Saints　as　Maggie　who　yet　knew　nothing　about　these　recent　events。

〃Do　you　really　know　nothing　about　it？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Maggie。

〃Aren't　you　wonderful？〃　said　Caroline。　〃What　happened　was　this。　About　three　weeks　ago　Mr。　Warlock　had　a　vision　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　He　saw　God　at　about　three　in　the　morning。〃

〃How　did　he　see　God？〃　asked　Maggie；　awed　in　spite　of　herself。

Caroline's　voice　dropped　to　a　mysterious　whisper。　〃He　just　woke　up　and　there　God　was　at　the　end　of　the　bed。　Of　course　he's　not　spoken　to　me　about　it；　but　apparently　there　was　a　blaze　of　light　and　Something　in　the　middle。　And　then　a　voice　spoke　and　told　Mr。　Warlock　that　on　the　last　night　of　this　year　everything　would　be　fulfilled。〃

〃What　did　He　mean？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃Different　people　think　He　meant　different　things；〃　said　Caroline。　〃Of　course　there's　most　fearful　excitement　about　it。　Mr。　Warlock's　had　two　since。〃

〃Two　what？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃Two　visions。　Just　like　the　first。　The　blazing　light　and　the　voice　and　telling　him　that　the　last　night　of　the　year's　to　be　the　time。〃　Caroline　then　began　to　be　carried　away　by　her　excitement。　She　talked　faster　and　faster。　〃Oh！　You　don't　know　what　a　state　every　one's　in！　It's　causing　all　sorts　of　divisions。　First　there　are　all　his　own　real　believers。　Miss　Pyncheon；　your　aunts；　and　the　others。　My　father's　one。　They　all　believe　every　word　he　says。　They're　all　quite　certain　that　the　last　day　of　this　year　is　to　be　the　time　of　the　Second　Coming。　They　won't　any　of　them；　look　a　minute　further　than　that。　Father　doesn't　care　a　bit　now　what　mother　does　with　the　money　because；　he　says；　we　shan't　want　any　next　year。　Mother　isn't　so　sure　so　she's　taking　as　much　care　of　it　as　ever；　and　of　course　it's　nice　for　her　now　to　have　it　all　in　her　own　hands。　They're　all　of　them　doing　everything　to　make　themselves　ready。　It　doesn't　matter　how　aggravating　you　are；　father　never　loses　his　temper　now。　He's　so　sweet　that　it's　maddening。　Haven't　you　noticed　how　good　your　aunts　are？〃

〃They're　always　the　same；〃　said　Maggie。

〃Well。　I　expect　they're　different　really。　Then　there's　the　middle…　class　like　Mr。　Thurston　and　Miss　Avies　who　pretend　to　believe　all　that　Mr。　Warlock　says；　but　of　course；　they　don't　believe　a　word　of　it；　and　they　hope　that　this　will　prove　his　ruin。　They　know　there　won't　be　any　Second　Coming　on　New　Year's　Eve；　and　then　they　think　he　will　be　finished　and　they'll　be　able　to　get　rid　of　him。　So　they're　encouraging　him　to　believe　in　all　this；　and　then　when　the　moment　comes　they'll　turn　on　him！〃

〃Beasts！〃　said　Maggie　suddenly。

〃Well；　I　daresay　you're　right；〃　said　Caroline。　〃Only　it　does　make　me　laugh；　all　of　it。　Thurston　and　Miss　Avies　have　all　their　plans　made；　only　now　they're　quarrelling　because　Thurston　wants　to　marry　Amy　Warlock　and　Miss　Avies　meant　him　to　marry　her！〃

〃Is　Mr。　Thurston　going　to　marry　Miss　Warlock？〃　cried　Maggie。

〃So　they　say；〃　said　Caroline　again　watching　Maggie　curiously。　〃Well；　anyway；　Miss　Avies　is　the　strongest　of　the　lot　really。　I'd　back　her　against　anybody。　I'm　terrified　of　her　myself；　I　tell　you　frankly。　She'd　wring　any　one's　neck　for　twopence。　Oh　yes；　she　would！　。　。　。　Then　there　are　the　third　lot　who　simply　don't　believe　in　Mr。　Warlock's　visions　at　all　and　just　laugh　at　him。　People　like　Miss　Smythe　and　Mrs。　Bellaston。　A　lot　of　them　are　leaving　the　chapel。　Mr。　Warlock　won't　listen　to　anybody。　He's　getting　stranger　and　stranger；　and　his　heart's　so　bad　they　say　he　might　die　any　day　if　he　had　a　shock。　Then　he's　always　quarrelling　with　Martin。〃

Caroline　suddenly　stopped。　She　looked　at　Maggie。

〃Martin's　a　terrible　trial　to　his　father；〃　she　said。

But　Maggie　was　secure　now。

〃Is　he？〃　she　asked　indifferently。　Then　she　added　slowly；　〃What　do　you　believe；　Caroline？〃

〃What　do　I　believe？〃

〃Yes；　about　Mr。　Warlock's　visions。〃

〃Oh；　of　course；　it's　only　because　he's　ill　and　prays　for　hours　without　getting　off　his　knees；　and　won't　eat　enough；　that　he　sees　things。　And　yet　I　don't　know。　There　may　be　something　in　it。　If　I　were　on　my　knees　for　weeks　I'd　never　see　anything。　But　I'll　be　terribly　sorry　for　Mr。　Warlock　if　the　time　comes　and　nothing　happens。　He'll　just　have　to　go。〃

They　sat　a　little　longer　together　and　then　Caroline　said：　〃Well；　darling；　I　must　be　off。　Where's　that　note？〃　She　hesitated；　looking　at　Maggie　with　a　wicked　gleam　in　her　pale　blue　eyes。　〃You　know；　Maggie；　I　can't　make　up　my　mind。　I've　had　an　offer　of　marriage。〃

〃I'm　so　glad；　Caroline；〃　said　Maggie。

〃Yes；　but　I　don't　know　what　to　do。　It's　a　manMr。　Purdie。　His　father's　ever　so　rich　and　they've　got　a　big　place　down　at　Skeaton。〃

〃Where's　that？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃Oh；　don't　you　know？　Skeaton…on…Sea。　It's　a　seaside　resort。　I've　known　William　for　a　long　time。　His　father　knows　father。　He　came　to　tea　last　week；　and　proposed。　He's　rather　nice　although　he's　so　silent。〃

〃Why　don't　you　marry　him　then？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃Well；　I　know　Martin　Warlock's　going　to　ask　me。　It's　been　getting　closer　and　closer。　I　expect　he　will　this　week。　Of　course；　he　isn't　so　safe　as　William；　but　he's　much　more　exciting。　And　he's　got　quite　a　lot　of　money　of　his　own。〃

Strange；　the　sure；　confident；　happy　security　that　Maggie　felt　in　her　heart　at　this　announcement。

〃I　should　wait　for　Martin　Warlock；〃　she　said。　〃He'd　be　rather　fun　to　marry。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃　answered　Caroline。　〃Do　you　know；　I　believe　I　will。　You're　always　right；　you　darling　。　。　。　Only　suppose　I　should　miss　them　both。　William　won't　wait　for　ever！　Got　that　note；　dear？〃

Maggie　was　defiant。　She　would　just　show　the　creature　that　she　wasn't　afraid　of　her。　She'd　give　her　the　note　and　she　might　imagine　what　she　pleased。

She　got　a　pencil　and　a　piece　of　paper　and　wrote　hurriedly。

The　week　is　up　on　Friday。　Will　you　meet　me　that　evening　at　a　quarter　past　six　under　the　Marble　Arch？　MAGGIE。

The　boldness；　the　excitement　of　this　inflamed　her。　It　was　so　like　her　to　challenge　any　action　once　she　was　in　it　by　taking　it　to　its　furthest　limit。　She　put　it　in　an　envelope　and　wrote　Martin's　name　with　a　flourish。

〃There！〃　she　said；　giving　it　to　Caroline。

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Caroline；　and　with　a　number　of　rather　wet　and　elaborate　kisses　（Maggie　hated　kissing）　departed。

But　her　afternoon　was　not　yet　over；　hardly　had　Caroline　left　when　the　door　was　opened　and　Miss　Avies　was　shown　in。　Maggie　started　up　with　dismay　and　began　to　stammer　excuses。　Miss　Avies　brushed　them　aside。

〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　she　said。　〃You'll　do　as　welleven；　it　may　be；　better。〃

A　strange　woman　Miss　Avies！　Maggie　had；　of　course；　seen　her　at　Chapel；　but　this　was　the　first　time　that　they　had　been　alone　together。　Miss　Avies　was　like　a　thin　rod　of　black　metal；　erect　and　quivering　and　waiting　to　strike。　Her　long　sallow　face　was　stiff；　not　with　outraged　virtue；　or　elaborate　pride；　or　burning　scorn；　but　simply　with　the　accumulated　concentration　of　fiery　determination。　She　was　the　very　symbol　of　self…centred　energy；　inhuman；　cold；　relentless。　Her　hair　was　jet　black　and　gleamed　like　steel；　and　she　had　thick　black　eyebrows　like　ink…marks　against　her　forehead　of　parchment。　Her　eyes　were　dead；　like　glass　eyes；　and　she　had　some　false　teeth　that　sometimes　clicked　in　her　mouth。　She　wore　a　black　dress　with　no　ornament　and　thin　black　gloves。

She　did　not　seem；　however；　to　Maggie　unkindly；　as　she　stood　there；　looking　about　the　room　rather　short…sightedly。　（She　would　not　wear　glasses。　Could　it　have　been　vanity？）　She　was　not　hostile；　nor　scornful；　nor　even　patronising　。　。　。　but　had　Maggie　been　struck　there；　dead　at　her　feet　she　would　not　have　moved　a　step　to　help　her。　Her　voice　was　ugly；　with　a　crack　in　it；　as　though　it　needed　oil。　Maggie；　as　she　looked　at　her；　did　not　need　to　be　told　that　she　did　not　believe　in　Mr。　Warlock's　mysticism。　She　came　across　and　shook　Maggie's　hand。　Her　touch　was　cold　and　stiff　and　a　little　damp　like　that　of　a　wet　stone。

〃Sorry　your　Aunt's　out；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　can　talk　to　you　for　a　while。〃　She　looked　at　Maggie　for　a　moment。　Then　she　said：

〃Why　don't　you　clear　out　of　all　this？〃

The　voice　was　so　abrupt　and　the　words　so　unexpected　that　Maggie　jumped。

〃Why　don't　I？〃　she　repeated。

〃Yes；　you；〃　said　Miss　Avies。　〃You've　no　place　here　in　all　this　business。　You　don't　believe　in　it；　do　you？〃

〃No；〃　said　Maggie。

〃And　you　don't　want　to　use　it　for　something　you　do　believe　in？〃

〃No；〃　said　Maggie。　〃Well　then；　clear　out。〃

Maggie；　colouring　a　little；　said：

〃My　aunts　have　been　very　good　to　me。　I　oughtn't　to　leave　them。〃

〃Fiddlesticks；〃　said　Miss　Avies。　〃Your　life's　your　own；　not　your　aunts'。〃

She　sat　down　and　stayed　bolt　upright　and　motionless　near　the　fire；　she　flung　a　thin　dark　shadow　like　a　stain　on　the　wall。　There　was　a　long　pause　between　them。　After　that　abrupt　opening　there　seemed　to　be　nothing　to　say。　Maggie's　thoughts　also　were　elsewhere。　She　was　wishing　now　passionately　that　she　had　not　given　that　note　to　Caroline。

Suddenly　Miss　Avies　said；　〃What　do　you　do　with　yourself　all　day？〃

Maggie　laughed。　〃Try　and　make　myself　less　careless；　Miss　Avies。〃

Miss　Avies　replied；　〃You'll　never　make　yourself　less　careless。　We　are　as　we　are。〃

〃But　don't　you　think；〃　said　Maggie；　〃that　one　can　cure　one's　faults？〃

〃One　gets　rid　of　one　only　to　make　room　for　another　。　。　。　But　that　doesn't　matter。　The　point　is　that　one　should　have　an　ambition。　What's　your　ambition；　child？〃

Maggie　didn't　answer。　Her　ambition　was　Martin；　but　she　couldn't　tell　Miss　Avies　so。

At　last；　after　a　long　pause；　as　Miss　Avies　still　seemed　to　be　waiting；　she　answered：

〃I　suppose　that　I　want　to　earn　my　livingto　be　independent。〃

〃Well；　leave　this　place　then；〃　said　Miss　Avies。　〃There's　no　independence　here。〃　Then　added；　as　though　to　herself。　〃They　think　they're　looking　for　the　face　of　God　。　。　。