the captives-第60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！


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　ever　known。　She　determined　that；　directly　after　breakfast；　whatever　the　aunts　would　say；　she　would　go　to　his　house　and　demand　to　see　him。　She　did　not　mind　who　might　try　to　prevent　her；　she　would　fight　her　way　through　them　all。　Only　one　look；　one　word　of　assurance　from　him；　and　then　she　could　endure　anything。　That　she　must　have　or　she　would　die。

At　last　Martha　knocked　on　the　door；　she　had　her　bath；　dressed；　still　with　this　terrible　pain　at　her　heart。

She　was　alone　at　breakfast；　she　drank　some　coffee；　then　went　up　to　the　drawing…room　to　think　for　a　moment　what　course　she　should　pursue。　The　room　was　flooded　with　sunlight　that　struck　the　fire　into　a　dead；　lifeless　yellow。

As　she　stood　there　she　heard　through　the　open　door　voices　in　the　hall。　But　before　she　had　heard　the　voices　she　knew　that　it　was　Martin。

Martha　was　expostulating；　her　voice　following　his　step　up　the　hall。

〃I　shall　go　and　tell　my　mistress；〃　Maggie　heard。

Then　Martin　came　in。

When　she　saw　him　she　stood　speechless　where　she　was。　The　change　in　him　terrified　her　so　that　her　heart　seemed　to　leap　into　her　throat　choking　her。　The　colour　had　drained　from　his　face；　leaving　it　dry　and　yellow。　He　had　an　amazing　resemblance　to　his　father；　his　eyes　had　exactly　the　same　bewildered　expression　as　though　he　were　lost　and　yet　he　seemed　quite　calm；　his　only　movement　was　one　hand　that　wandered　up　and　down　his　waistcoat　feeling　the　buttons　one　after　the　other。

He　looked　at　her　as　though　he　did　not　know　her；　and　yet　he　spoke　her　name。

〃Maggie；〃　he　said；　〃I've　come　to　say　good…bye。　You　know　what　I　said　before。　Well；　it's　come　true。　Father　is　dead；　and　I　killed　him。〃

With　a　terrible　effort；　beating　down　a　terror　that　seemed　personally　to　envelop　her；　she　said：

〃No；　Martin。　I　saw　him　die。　It　wasn't　you；　Martin　dear。〃

〃It　was　I；〃　he　answered。　〃You　don't　know。　I　came　into　the　house　drunk　and　he　heard　what　I　said　to　Amy。　He　nearly　died　then。　The　doctor　in　the　evening　said　he　must　have　had　some　shock。〃

She　tried　to　come　to　him　then。　She　was　thinking：　〃Oh；　if　I've　only　got　time　I　can　win　this。　But　I　must　have　time。　I　must　have　time。〃

He　moved　away　from　her；　as　he　had　done　once　before。

〃Anyway；　it　doesn't　matter；〃　he　said。　〃I've　killed　him　by　the　way　I've　been　behaving　to　him　all　these　months。　I'm　going　away　where　I　can't　do　any　harm。〃

She　desperately　calmed　herself；　speaking　very　quietly。

〃Listen；　Martin。　You　haven't　done　him　any　harm。　He's　happier　now　than　he's　been　for　years。　I　know　he　is。　And　that　doesn't　touch　us。　You　can't　leave　me　now。　Where　you　go　I　must　go。〃

〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃No；　Maggie。　I　ought　to　have　gone　before。　I　knew　it　then；　but　I　know　it　absolutely　now。　Everything　I　touch　I　hurt；　so　I　mustn't　touch　anything　I　care　for。〃

She　put　her　hands　out　towards　him；　words　had　left　her。　She　would　have　given　her　soul　for　words　and　she　could　say　nothing。

She　was　surrounded　with　a　hedge　of　fright　and　terror　and　she　could　not　pass　it。

He　seemed　to　see　then　in　her　eyes　her　despair。　For　an　instant　he　recognised　her。　Their　eyes　met　for　the　first　time；　she　felt　that　she　was　winning。　She　began　eagerly　to　speak：　〃Listen；　Martin　dear。　You　can't　do　me　any　harm。　You　can　only　hurt　me　by　leaving　me。　I've　told　you　before。　Just　think　of　that　and　only　that。〃

The　door　opened　and　Aunt　Anne　came　in。

He　turned　to　her　very　politely。　〃I　beg　your　pardon　for　coming；　Miss　Cardinal；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　what　you　must　think　of　me；　but　it's　all　right。　I've　only　come　to　say　good…bye　to　Maggie。　It's　all　right。　Neither　you　nor　Maggie　will　be　bothered　with　me　again。〃

He　turned　to　the　open　door。　Aunt　Anne　stood　aside　to　let　him　pass。　Maggie　said：

〃Martin；　don't　go！　Martin；　don't　leave　me！　Don't　leave　me；　Martin！〃

He　seemed　to　break　then　in　his　resolution。

〃It's　better。　It's　better；〃　he　cried；　as　though　he　were　shouting　himself　down；　and　then　pushing　Aunt　Anne　with　his　arm　he　hurried　out　almost　running；　his　steps　stumbling　down　the　stairs。

Maggie　ran　to　the　door。　Her　aunt　stopped　her；　holding　her　back。

〃It's　better；　Maggie　dear；〃　she　said　very　gently；　repeating　Martin's　words。

The　sound　of　the　hall　door　closing　echoed　through　the　house。

Maggie　struggled；　crying　again　and　again：　〃Let　me　go！　Let　me　go！　I　must　go　with　him！　I　can't　live　without　him！　Let　me　go！〃

She　fought　then；　and　with　one　hand　free　hit　Aunt　Anne's　face；　twisting　her　body。　Then；　suddenly　weak；　so　that　she　saw　faintness　coming　towards　her　like　a　cloak；　she　whispered：

〃Oh；　Aunt　Anne；　let　me　go！　Oh；　Aunt　Anne；　let　me　go！　Please；　please；　let　me　go！〃

Suddenly　the　house　was　darkened；　at　her　feet　was　a　gulf　of　blackness；　and　into　it　she　tumbled；　down；　far　down；　with　a　last　little　gasping　sigh　of　distress。




PART　III

THE　WITCH


CHAPTER　I

THE　THREE　VISITS


On　a　spring　day；　early　in　March　of　the　next　year；　1908；　Mathew　Cardinal　thought　that　he　would　go　and　discover　how　his　niece　was　prospering。　He　had　seen　nothing　of　her　for　a　very　long　time。

He　did　not　blame　himself　for　this；　but　then　he　never　blamed　himself　for　anything。　A　fate；　often　drunken　and　always　imbecile；　was　to　blame　for　everything　that　he　did；　and　he　pitied　himself　sincerely　for　having　to　be　in　the　hands　of　such　a　creature。　He　happened　to　be　just　now　very　considerably　frightened　about　himself；　more　frightened　than　he　had　been　for　a　very　long　time；　so　frightened　in　fact　that　he　had　drunk　nothing　for　weeks。　For　many　years　he　had　been　leading　a　see…saw　existence；　and　the　see…saw　had　been　swung　by　that　mysterious　force　known　as　Finance。　He　had　a　real　gift　for　speculation；　and　had　he　been　granted　from　birth　a　large　income　he　might　have　ended　his　days　as　a　Justice　of　the　Peace　and　a　Member　of　Parliament。　Unfortunately　he　had　never　had　any　private　means；　and　he　had　never　been　able　to　make　enough　by　his　mysterious　speculations　to　float　him　into　security〃Let　me　once　get　so　far；〃　he　would　say　to　himself；　〃and　I　am　a　made　man。〃　But　drink；　an　easy　tolerance　of　bad　company；　and　a　rather　touching　conceit　had　combined　to　divorce　him　from　so　fine　a　destiny。　He　had　risen；　he　had　fallen；　made　a　good　thing　out　of　this　tip；　been　badly　done　over　that；　and　missed　opportunity　after　opportunity　through　a　fuddled　brain　and　an　overweening　self…　confidence。

Last　year　for　several　months　everything　had　succeeded；　it　was　during　that　happy　period　that　he　had　visited　Maggie。　Perhaps　it　was　well　for　his　soul　that　success　had　not　continued。　He　was　a　man　whom　failure　improved；　having　a　certain　childish　warmth　of　heart　and　simplicity　of　outlook　when　things　went　badly　with　him。　Success　made　him　abominably　conceited；　and　being　without　any　morality　self…　confidence　drove　him　to　disastrous　lengths。　Now　once　more　he　was　very　near　destruction　and　he　knew　it；　very　near　things　like　forging　and　highway　robbery；　and　other　things　worse　than　they。　He　knew　that　he　was　very　near；　he　peered　over　into　the　pit　and　did　not　wish　to　descend。　He　was　not　a　bad　man；　and　had　he　not　believed　himself　to　be　a　clever　one　all　might　yet　have　been　well。　The　temptation　of　his　cleverness　lured　him　on。　A　stroke　of　the　pen　was　a　very　simple　thing　。　。　。

To　save　his　soul　he　thought　that　he　would　go　and　see　Maggie。　His　affection　for　her；　conceited　and　selfish　though　it　was；　was　the　most　genuine　thing　in　him。　For　three…quarters　of　the　year　he　forgot　her；　but　when　life　went　badly　he　thought　of　her　againnot　that　he　expected　to　get　anything　out　of　her；　but　she　was　good　to　him　and　she　knew　nothing　about　his　life；　two　fine　bases　for　safety。

〃What　have　they　been　doing　to　her；　those　damned　hypocrites；　I　wonder；〃　was　his　thought。　He　admired；　feared；　and　despised　his　sisters。　〃All　that　stuff　about　God〃　frightened　him　in　spite　of　himself；　and　he　knew；　in　his　soul；　that　Anne　was　no　hypocrite。

He　rang　the　bell　and　faced　Martha。　He　had　dressed　himself　with　some　care　and　was　altogether　more　tidy　just　then；　having　a　new　mistress　who　cared　about　outside　appearances。　Also；　having　been　sober　for　nearly　two　months；　he　looked　a　gentleman。

〃Is　my　niece　at　home？〃　he　asked；　blinking　because　he　was　frightened　of　Martha。

She　did　not　seem　to　be　prepared　to　let　him　in。

〃Miss　Maggie　has　been　very　ill；〃　she　said；　frowning　at　him。

〃Ill？〃　That　really　hurt　him。　He　stammered；　〃Why？　。　。　。　When？〃

She　moved　aside　then　for　him　to　pass　into　the　hall。　He　came　into　the　dark　stuffy　place。

〃Yes；〃　said　Martha。　〃Just　after　Christmas。　Brain…fever；　the　doctors　said。　They　thought　she'd　die　for　weeks。　Had　two　doctors　。　。　。　You　can't　see　her；　sir；〃　she　ended　grumpily。

Then　Aunt　Anne　appeared；　coming　through　the　green…baize　door。

〃Why；　Mathew；〃　she　said。　Mathew　thought　how　ill　she　looked。

〃They're　all　ill　here；〃　he　said　to　himself。

〃So　Maggie's　ill；〃　he　said；　dropping　his　eyes　before　her　as　he　always　did。

〃Yes；〃　Aunt　Anne　answered。　〃She　was　very　ill　indeed；　poor　child。　I'm　glad　to　see　you；　Mathew。　It's　a　long　time　since　you've　been。〃

He　thought　she　was　gentler　to　him　than　she　had　been；　so；　mastering　his　fear　of　her；　fingering　his　collar；　he　said：

〃Can't　I　see　her？〃

〃Well；　I'm　not　。　。　。　I　think　you　might。　It　might　do　her　good。　She　wants　taking　out　of　herself。　She　comes　down　for　an　hour　or　two　every　day　now。　I'll　go　and　see。〃　She　left　him　standing　alone　there。　He　looked　around　him；　sniffing　like　a　dog。　How　he　hated　the　house　and　everything　in　it！　Always　had　。　。　。　You　could　smell　that　fellow　Warlock's　trail　over　everything。　The　black　cat；　Tom；　came　slipping　along；　looked　for　a　moment　as　though　he　would　rub　himself　against　Mathew's　stout　legs；　then　decided　that　he　would　not。　Mysterious　this　place　like　a　well；　with　its　green　shadows。　No　wonder　the　poor　child　had　been　ill　here。　At　the　thought　of　her　being　near　to　death　Mathew　felt　a　choke　in　his　throat。　Poor　child；　never　had　any　fun　all　her　life　and　then　to　die　in　a　green　well　like　this。　And　his　sisters　wouldn't　care　if　she　did；　hard　women；　hard　women。　Funny　how　religion　made　you　hard；　darn　funny。　Good　thing　he'd　been　irreligious　all　his　life。　Think　of　his　brother　Charles！　There　was　religion　for　you；　living　with　his　cook　and　preaching　to　her　next　morning。　Bad　thin