the captives-第59部分

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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　woke　to　find　Aunt　Anne　standing　over　her。

〃It's　a　quarter　past　eleven。　It's　time　to　put　on　your　things；〃　she　said。　So　she　was　to　go！　She　rose　and；　in　spite　of　herself；　her　limbs　were　trembling　and　her　teeth　chattered。　To　her　surprise　Aunt　Anne　bent　forward　and　kissed　her　on　the　forehead。

〃Maggie；〃　she　said；　〃if　I've　been　harsh　to　you　during　these　weeks　I'm　sorry。　I've　done　what　I　thought　my　duty；　but　I　wouldn't　wish　on　this　night　that　we　should　have　any　unkindness　in　our　hearts　towards　one　another。〃

〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　Maggie　said　awkwardly。

She　went　up　to　put　on　her　things；　then　the　three　of　them　went　out　into　the　dark　foggy　street　together。

Because　it　was　New　Year's　Eve　there　were　many　people　about；　voices　laughing　and　shouting　through　the　mist　and　then　some　one　running　with　a　flaring　light；　then　some　men　walking　singing　in　chorus。　The　aunts　said　nothing　as　they　went。　Maggie's　thoughts　were　given　now　to　wondering　whether　Martin　would　be　there。　She　tied　her　mind　to　that；　but　behind　it　was　the　irritating　knowledge　that　her　teeth　were　chattering　and　her　knees　trembling　and　that　she　did　not　maintain　her　courage　as　a　Cardinal　should。

As　they　entered　the　Chapel　the　hoarse　ugly　clock　over　the　door　grunted　out　half…past　eleven。　The　Chapel　seemed　on　Maggie's　entering　it　to　be　half　in　darkness；　there　was　a　thin　splutter　of　gas　over　the　reading…desk　at　the　far　end　and　some　more　light　by　the　door；　but　the　centre　of　the　building　was　a　shadowy　pool。　Only　a　few　were　present；　gathered　together　in　the　middle　seats　below　the　desk；　perhaps　in　all　a　hundred　persons。　Of　these　three…quarters　were　women。　The　aunts　and　Maggie　went　into　their　accustomed　seat　some　six　rows　from　the　front。　When　Maggie　rose　from　her　knees　and　looked　about　her　she　recognised　at　once　that　only　the　Inside　Saints　were　here。

Amongst　the　men　she　recognised　Mr。　Smith；　Caroline's　father；　two　old　men；　brothers；　who　had　followed　Mr。　Warlock　from　their　youth；　and　a　young　pale　man　who　had　once　been　to　tea　with　her　aunts。　Martin　she　saw　at　once　was　not　there。

For　some　time；　perhaps　for　ten　minutes；　they　all　sat　in　silence；　and　only　the　gruff　comment　of　the　clock　sounded　in　the　building。　Then　the　lights　went　up　with　a　flare　and　Thurston；　followed　by　Mr。　Warlock；　entered。　It　was　at　that　moment　that　Maggie　had　a　revelation。　The　faces　around　her　seemed　to　be　suddenly　gathered　in　front　of　her；　and　it　was　with　a　start　of　surprise　that　she　suddenly　realised：　〃Oh；　but　they　don't　believe　in　this　any　more　than　I　do！〃　The　faces　around　her　were　agitated；　with　odd　humble　beseeching　looks；　as　though　they　were　helpless　utterly　and　were　hoping　that　some　one　would　suddenly　come　and　lead　them　somewhere　that　they　might　be　comfortable　again　and　at　ease。

There　was　not　to…night；　as　there　had　been　on　other　occasions　（and　especially　during　that　service　that　Mr。　Crashaw　had　conducted）；　any　sign　of　religious　and　mystical　excitement。　The　people　seemed　huddled　together　in　the　cold　and　draughty　place　against　their　will；　and　the　very　fact　that　the　Chapel　was　only　half　full　chilled　the　blood。　No　drama　of　exultation　here；　no　band　of　God's　servants　gloriously　preparing　to　meet　Him；　only　the　frightened　open…mouthed　gaze　of　a　little　gathering　of　servant　girls　and　old　maids。　That　was　Maggie's　first　impression；　then；　when　the　service　began；　when　the　first　hymn　had　been　sung　and　Thurston　had　stumbled　into　his　extempore　prayer。　Maggie　found　herself　caught　into　a　strange　companionship　with　the　people　around　her。　Not　now　ecstasy　nor　the　excitement　of　religious　fanaticism　nor　the　superstitious　preparation　for　some　awful　events　none　of　these　emotions　now　lifted　her　into　some　strained　unnatural　sphereno；　nothing　but　a　strange　sympathy　and　kindness　and　understanding　that　she　had　never　known　in　all　her　life　before。　She　felt　the　hunger；　the　passionate　appeal：　〃Oh　God　come！　Prove　Thy…　self！　We　have　waited　so　long。　We　have　resisted　unbelievers；　we　have　fought　our　own　doubts　and　betrayals；　give　us　now　a　Sign！　something　by　which　we　may　know　Thee！〃　and　with　that　appeal　the　conviction　in　the　hearts　of　almost　all　present　that　nothing　would　happen；　that　God　would　give　no　sign；　that　the　age　of　miracles　was　past。

〃Oh；　why　did　He　want　to　be　so　definite；〃　she　thought。　〃Why　couldn't　He　have　left　them　as　they　were　without　forcing　them　to　this。〃

They　were　sitting　down　now；　and　Thurston；　with　his　cheap　sense　of　the　dramatic　and　false　emphasis；　was　reading　from　the　New　Testament。　Maggie　looked　to　where　Mr。　Warlock　was；　a　little　to　the　right　of　Thurston；　in　his　black　gown；　his　head　a　little　lowered；　his　hands　on　his　lap。

When　she　saw　him　she　was　touched　to　the　very　heart。　Why；　he　had　aged　in　the　last　month　a　hundred　years！　He　looked；　sitting　there；　so　frail　and　helpless　that　it　seemed　wonderful　that　he　should　have　been　able　to　get　there　at　all。

His　hair　seemed　to　have　an　added　intensity　of　whiteness　to…night；　and　his　beard　lay　against　the　black　cloth　of　his　gown　with　a　contrast　so　sharp　that　it　was　unreal。　Maggie　fancied；　as　she　watched　him；　that　he　was　bewildered　and　scarcely　knew　where　he　was。　Once　he　looked　up　and　round　about　him；　he　put　his　hand　to　his　brow　and　then　let　it　fall　as　though　he　had　no　longer　any　control　over　it。

She　was　now　so　touched　by　the　pathos　of　his　helplessness　that　she　could　think　of　nothing　else　and　longed　to　go　to　him　and　comfort　him。　Time　stole　on　and　it　was　now　ten　minutes　to　twelve。　They　sang　another　hymn；　but　the　voices　were　very　weak　and　feeble　and　the　words　quivered　round　the　building　in　a　ghostly　whisper。　Then　Thurston　came　to　the　Master　and　gave　him　his　arm　and　led　him　to　the　reading…desk。　The　old　man　seemed　for　a　moment　as　though　he　would　fall；　then；　holding　to　the　front　of　the　desk；　he　spoke　in　a　very　weak　and　faltering　voice。　Maggie　could　not　catch　many　of　his　words：　〃My　childrenonly　a　little　timeOur　preparation　now　is　finished　。　。　。　God　has　promised　。　。　。　Not　the　least　of　these　His　little　ones　shall　perish　。　。　。　Let　us　not　fear　but　be　ready　to　meet　Him　as　our　Friend　。　。　。　our　Friend　。　。　。　God　our　Father　。　。　。〃　Then　in　a　stronger　voice：　〃Now　during　these　last　minutes　let　us　kneel　in　silent　prayer。〃

They　all　knelt　down。　Maggie　had　no　thoughts；　no　desire　except　that　the　time　might　pass；　she　seemed　to　kneel　there　asleep　waiting　for　the　moment　when　some　one　should　tell　her　that　the　time　had　gone　and　she　was　safe。　The　moments　dragged　eternally；　a　thrilling　suspense　like　a　flood　of　water　pouring　into　an　empty　space　had　filled　the　Chapel。　No　one　moved。　Suddenly　into　the　heart　of　the　silence　there　struck　the　first　note　of　the　clock　tolling　the　hour。　With　Maggie　it　was　as　though　that　sound　liberated　her　from　the　spell　that　had　been　upon　her。　She　looked　up；　she　saw　the　master　standing；　his　hands　stretched　out；　his　face　splendid　with　glory　and　happiness。

He　looked　beyond　them　all；　beyond　the　Chapel；　beyond　the　world。　He　gave　one　cry：

〃My　God；　Thou　art　come。〃　Some　other　words　followed　but　were　caught　up　and　muffled。　He　fell　forward；　collapsing　in　a　heap　against　the　desk。　His　head　struck　the　wood　and　then　he　lay　there　perfectly　still。

Maggie　could　only　dimly　gather　what　happened　after　the　sound　of　that　fall。　There　seemed　to　her　to　be　a　long　and　terrible　silence　during　which　the　clock　continued　remorselessly　to　strike。　The　Chapel　appeared　to　be　a　place　of　shadows　as　though　the　gas　had　suddenly　died　to　dim　haloes；　she　was　conscious　that　people　moved　about　her；　that　Aunt　Anne　had　left　them；　and　that　Aunt　Elizabeth　was　saying　to　her　again　and　again：　〃How　terrible！　How　terrible！　How　terrible！〃

Then　as　though　it　were　some　other　person；　Maggie　found　herself　very　calmly　speaking　to　Aunt　Elizabeth。

〃Are　we　to　wait　for　Aunt　Anne？〃　she　whispered。

〃Anne　said　we　were　to　go　home。〃

〃Then　let's　go；〃　whispered　Maggie。

They　went　to　the　door；　pushing；　it　seemed；　through　shadows　who　whispered　and　forms　that　vanished　as　soon　as　one　looked　at　them。

Out　in　the　open　air　Maggie　was　aware　that　she　was　trembling　from　head　to　foot；　but　a　determined　idea　that　she　must　get　Aunt　Elizabeth　home　at　once　drove　her　like　a　goad。　Very　strange　it　was　out　here；　the　air　ringing　with　the　clamour　of　bells。　The　noise　seemed　deafening；　whistles　blowing　from　the　river；　guns　firing　and　this　swinging　network　of　bells　echoing　through　the　fog。　Figures；　too；　ran　with　lights；　men　singing；　women　laughing；　all　mysteriously　in　the　tangled　darkness。

They　were　joined　at　once　by　Aunt　Anne；　who　said：

〃God　has　called　him　home；〃　by　which　Maggie　understood　that　Mr。　Warlock　was　dead。

They　went　home　in　silence。　Inside　the　hall　Aunt　Elizabeth　began　to　cry。　Aunt　Anne　put　her　arm　around　her　and　led　her　away；　they　seemed　completely　to　forget　Maggie；　leaving　her　standing　in　the　dark　hall　by　herself。

She　found　a　candle　and　went　up　to　her　room。　The　noise　in　the　streets　had　ceased　quite　suddenly　as　though　some　angry　voice　had　called　the　world　to　order。

Maggie　undressed　and　lay　down　in　her　bed。　She　lay　there　staring　in　front　of　her　without　closing　her　eyes。　She　watched　the　grey　dawn；　then　the　half…light；　then；　behind　her　blind；　bright　sunshine。　The　fog　was　no　more。

The　strangest　fancies　and　visions　passed　through　her　brain　during　that　time。　She　saw　Mr。　Warlock　hanging　forward　like　a　sack　of　clothes；　the　blood　trickling　stealthily　across　his　beard。　Poor　old　man！　What　were　the　others　all　thinking　now？　Were　they　sorry　or　glad？　Were　they　disappointed　or　relieved？　After　all；　he　had；　perhaps；　spoken　the　truth　so　far　as　he　was　himself　concerned。　God　had　come　for　him。　He　was　now　it　might　be　happy　somewhere　at　peace　and　at　rest。　Then　like　a　flash　of　lightning　across　the　darkness　came　the　thought　of　Martin。　What　had　he　said？　〃If　anything　happened　to　his　father〃

The　terror　of　that　made　her　heart　stop　beating。　She　wanted　instantly　to　go　to　him　and　see　what　he　was　doing。　She　even　rose　from　her　bed；　stumbled　in　the　darkness　towards　her　dressing…table；　then　remembered　where　she　was　and　what　time　and　went　back　and　sat　upon　her　bed。

She　sat　there；　her　fingers　tightly　pressed　together；　staring　in　front　of　her　until　the　morning　came。　She　felt　at　her　heart　a　foreboding　worse　than　any　pain　that　she　had