the captives-第58部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


；　Martin；　haven't　you？　There's　no　need　for　me　to　worry；　is　there？〃

〃None；　father；〃　Martin　said。

After　a　while　Martin　said：

〃Father；　don't　go　to　Chapel　to…night。〃

Warlock　smiled。

〃I　must　go。　That's　all　right　。　。　。　Nothing　to　worry　about。〃

For　some　while　he　sat　there；　Martin's　hand　in　his；　Martin　did　not　know　whether　he　were　asleep　or　not。

At　about　ten　he　ate　and　drank。　At　eleven　he　started　with　Amy　and　Thurston　for　the　Chapel。




CHAPTER　XI

THE　CHARIOT　OF　FIRE


When　Jane；　scolded　by　Aunt　Anne　for　an　untidy　appearance；　gave　notice　and　at　once　departed；　Maggie　felt　as　though　the　ground　was　giving　way　under　her　feet。

A　week　until　the　New　Year；　and　no　opportunity　of　hearing　from　Martin　during　that　time。　Then　she　laughed　at　herself：

〃You're　losing　your　sense　of　proportion；　my　dear；　over　this。　Laugh　at　yourself。　What's　a　week？〃

She　did　laugh　at　herself；　but　she　had　not　very　much　to　base　her　laughter　upon。　Martin's　last　letters　had　been　short　and　very　uneasy。　She　had　already；　in　a　surprising　fashion　for　one　so　young；　acquired　a　very　wise　and　just　estimate　of　Martin's　character。

〃He's　only　a　boy；〃　she　used　to　say　to　herself　and　feel　his　elder　by　at　least　twenty　years。　Nevertheless　the　thought　of　his　struggling　on　there　alone　was　not　a　happy　one。　She　longed；　even　though　she　might　not　advise　him；　to　comfort　him。　She　was　beginning　to　realise　something　of　her　own　power　over　him　and　to　see；　too；　the　strange　mixture　of　superstition　and　self…reproach　and　self…distrust　that　overwhelmed　him　when　she　was　not　with　him。　She　had　indeed　her　own　need　of　struggle　against　superstition。　Her　aunts　continued　to　treat　her　with　a　quiet　distant　severity。　Aunt　Elizabeth；　she　fancied；　would　like　to　have　been　kind　to　her；　but　she　was　entirely　under　the　influence　of　her　sister；　and　there；　too；　Maggie　was　generous　enough　to　see　that　Aunt　Anne　behaved　as　she　did　rather　from　a　stern　sense　of　duty　than　any　real　unkindness。　Aunt　Anne　could　not　feel　unkindly；　she　was　too　far　removed　from　human　temper　and　discontent　and　weakness。　Nevertheless　she　had　been　deeply　shocked　at　the　revelation　of　Maggie's　bad　behaviour；　and　it　was　a　shock　from　which；　in　all　probability　she　would　never　recover。

〃WE'LL　never　be　friends　again。〃　Maggie　thought；　watching　her　aunt's　austere　composure　from　the　other　side　of　the　dining…table。　She　was　sad　at　the　thought　of　that；　remembering　momentsthat　first　visit　to　St。　Dreot's；　the　departure　in　the　cab；　the　night　when　she　had　sat　at　her　aunt's　bedsidethat　had　given　glimpses　of　the　kind　human　creature　Aunt　Anne　might　have　been　had　she　never　heard　of　the　Inside　Saints。

Maggie；　during　these　last　days；　did　everything　that　her　aunts　told　her。　She　was　as　good　and　docile　as　she　could　be。　But；　oh！　there　were　some　dreary　hours　as　she　sat；　alone；　in　that　stuffy　drawing…room；　trying　to　sew；　her　heart　aching　with　loneliness；　her　needle　always　doing　the　wrong　thing；　the　clock　heavily　ticking；　Thomas　watching　her　from　the　mat　in　front　of　the　fire；　and　the　family　group　sneering　at　her　from　the　wall…paper。

It　was　during　these　hours　that　superstitious　terrors　gained　upon　her。　Could　it　be　possible　that　all　those　women　whom　she　had　seen　gathered　together　in　Miss　Avies's　room　really　expected　God　to　come　when　the　clock　struck　twelve　on　the　last　night　of　the　year？　It　was　like　some　old　story　of　ghosts　and　witches　that　her　nurse　used　to　tell　her　when　she　was　a　little　girl　at　St。　Dreot's。　And　yet；　in　that　dark　dreary　room；　almost　anything　seemed　possible。　After　all；　if　there　was　a　God；　why　should　He　not；　one　day；　suddenly　appear？　And　if　He　wished　to　spare　certain　of　His　servants；　why　should　He　not　prepare　them　first　before　He　came？　There　were　things　just　as　strange　in　the　Old　and　New　Testament。　But　if　He　did　come；　what　would　His　Coming　be　like？　Would　every　one　be　burnt　to　death　or　would　they　all　be　summoned　before　some　judgment　and　punished　for　the　wicked　things　they　had　done？　Would　her　father　perhaps　return　and　give　evidence　against　her？　And　poor　Uncle　Mathew；　how　would　he　fare　with　all　his　weaknesses？　Her　efforts　at　laughing　at　herself　rescued　her　from　some　of　the　more　incredible　of　these　pictures。　Nevertheless　the　uncertainty　remained　and　only　increased　her　loneliness。　Had　Martin　been　there　in　five　minutes　they　would；　together；　have　chased　all　these　ghosts　away。　But　he　was　not　there。　And　at　the　thought　of　him　she　would　have　to　set　her　mouth　very　firmly；　indeed；　to　prevent　her　lips　from　trembling。　She　took　out　her　ring　and　kissed　it；　and　looked　at　the　already　tattered　copy　of　the　programme　of　the　play　to　which　they　had　been；　and　recalled　every　minute　of　their　walks　together。

Christmas　Day　was　a　very　miserable　affair。　There　were　no　presents　and　no　festivities。　They　went　to　Chapel　and　Mr。　Thurston　preached　the　sermon。　Maggie　did；　however；　receive　one　letter。　It　was　from　Uncle　Mathew。　He　wrote　to　her　from　some　town　in　the　north。　He　didn't　seem　very　happy；　and　asked　her　whether　she　could　possibly　lend　him　five　pounds。　Alluding　with　a　characteristic　vagueness　to　〃business　plans　of　the　first　importance　that　were　likely　to　mature　very　shortly。〃

She　told　Aunt　Anne　that　she　wanted　five　pounds　of　her　money；　but　she　did　not　say　for　what　she　needed　them。

Aunt　Anne　gave　her　the　money　at　once　without　a　wordas　though　she　said：　〃We　have　given　up　all　control　of　you　except　to　see　that　you　behave　decently　whilst　you　are　still　with　us。〃

When　the　fog　arrived　it　seemed　to　penetrate　every　nook　and　corner　of　the　house。　The　daily　afternoon　walk　that　Maggie　took　with　Aunt　Elizabeth　was　cancelled　because　of　the　difficulty　of　finding　one's　way　from　street　to　street　and　〃because　some　rude　man　might　steal　one's　money　in　the　darkness；〃　and　Maggie　was　not　sorry。　Those　walks　had　not　been　amusing；　Aunt　Elizabeth　having　nothing　to　say　and　being　fully　occupied　with　keeping　an　eye　on　Maggie；　her　idea　apparently　being　that　the　girl　would　suddenly　dash　off　to　freedom　and　wickedness　and　be　lost　for　ever。　Maggie　had　no　such　intention　and　developed　during　these　weeks　a　queer　motherly　affection　for　both　the　aunts；　so　lost　they　were　and　helpless　and　ignorant　of　the　world！　〃My　dear；〃　said　Maggie　to　herself；　〃you're　a　bit　of　a　fool　as　far　as　common…sense　goes；　but　you're　nothing　to　what　they　are；　poor　dears。〃　She　tried　to　improve　herself　in　every　way　for　their　benefit；　but　her　memory　was　no　better。　She　forgot　all　the　things　that　were；　in　their　eyes；　the　most　importantclosing　doors；　punctuality　for　meals；　neat　stitches；　careful　putting　away　of　books　and　clothes。

Once；　during　a　walk；　she　said　to　Aunt　Elizabeth：

〃I　am　trying；　Aunt　Elizabeth。　Do　you　think　Aunt　Anne　sees　any　improvement？〃

And　all　Aunt　Elizabeth　said　was：

〃It　was　a　great　shock　to　her；　what　you　did。　Maggiea　great　shock　indeed！〃

When　the　last　day　of　the　year　arrived　Maggie　was　surprised　at　the　strange　excitement　that　she　felt。　It　was　excitement；　not　only　because　of　the　dim　mysterious　events　that　the　evening　promised；　but　also　because　she　was　sure　that　this　day　would　settle　the　loneliness　of　herself　and　Martin。　After　this　they　would　know　where　they　stood　and　what　they　must　do。　Old　Warlock　loomed　in　front　of　her　as　the　very　arbiter　of　her　destiny。　On　his　action　everything　turned。　Oh！　if　only　after　this　he　were　well　enough　for　Martin　to　be　happy　and　at　ease　about　him！　She　was　tempted　to　hate　him　as　she　thought　of　all　the　trouble　that　he　had　made　for　her。　Then　her　mind　went　back　to　that　first　day　long　ago　when　he　had　spoken　to　her　so　kindly　and　bidden　her　come　and　see　him　as　often　as　she　could。　How　little　she　had　known　then　what　the　future　held　for　her！　And　now　around　his　tall　mysterious　figure　not　only　her　own　fate　but　that　of　every　one　else　seemed　to　hang。　Her　aunts；　Amy；　Miss　Pyncheon；　Miss　Avies；　Thurston；　that　strange　girl　at　the　meeting；　with　them　all　his　destiny　was　involved　and　they　with　his。

As　the　day　advanced　and　the　silver　fog　blew　in　little　gusts　about　the　house；　making　now　this　corner　now　that　obscure；　drifting；　so　that　suddenly；　when　the　door　opened；　the　whole　passage　seemed　full　of　smoke；　clearing；　for　a　moment；　in　the　street　below；　showing　lamp…　posts　and　pavements　and　windows；　and　then　blowing　down　again　and　once　more　hiding　the　world；　she　felt；　in　spite　of　herself；　that　she　was　playing　a　part　in　some　malignant　dream。　〃It　can't　be　like　this　really；〃　she　told　herself。　〃If　I　were　to　go　to　tea　now　with　Mrs。　Mark　and　sit　in　her　pretty　drawing…room　and　talk　to　that　clergyman　I　wouldn't　believe　a　word　of　it。〃　And　yet　it　was　true　enough；　her　share　in　it。　As　the　afternoon　advanced　her　sensations　were　very　similar　to　those　that　she　had　had　when　about　to　visit　the　St。　Dreot's　dentist；　a　fearsome　man　with　red　hair　and　hands　like　a　dog's　paws。　She　saw　him　now　standing　over　her　as　she　sat　trembling　in　the　chair；　a　miserable　little　figure　in　a　short　untidy　frock。　She　used　to　repeat　to　herself　then　what　Uncle　Mathew　had　once　told　her：　〃This　time　next　year　you'll　have　forgotten　all　about　this；〃　but　when　it　was　a　question　of　facing　the　immensities　of　the　Last　Day　that　consolation　was　strangely　inapt。　It　was　dusk　very　early　and　she　longed　for　Martha　to　bring　the　lamp。

At　last　it　came　and　tea　and　Aunt　Elizabeth。　Aunt　Anne　had　not　appeared　all　day。　Then　long　dreary　hours　followed　until　supper；　and　after　that　hours　again　until　ten　o'clock。

She　had　not　been　certain；　all　this　time；　whether　the　aunts　meant　to　take　her　to　the　service　with　them。　She　had　supposed　that　her　introduction　to　the　meeting　at　Miss　Avies's　meant　that　they　intended　to　include　her　in　this　too；　but　now；　as　the　evening　advanced；　in　a　fit　of　nervous　terror　she　prayed　within　herself　that　they　would　not　take　her。　If　the　end　of　the　world　were　coming　she　would　like　to　meet　it　in　her　bed。　To　go　out　into　those　streets　and　that　ugly　unfriendly　Chapel　was　a　horrible　thing　to　do。　If　this　were　to　be　the　end　of　the　world　how　she　did　wish　that　she　might　have　been　allowed　to　know　nothing　about　it。　And　those　othersMiss　Pyncheon　and　the　rest　who　devoutly　believed　in　the　eventhow　were　they　passing　these　last　hours？

〃Oh；　it　isn't　true！　It　can't　be　true！〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃It's　a　shame　to　frighten　them　so！〃

By　eleven　o'clock　the　excitement　of　the　day　had　wearied　her　so　that　she　fell　fast　asleep　in　the　arm…chair　beside　the　fire。　She　w