the captives-第64部分

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le　about　Katherine's　marriage；　so　that；　although　it　happened　three　years　ago；　Mrs。　Trenchard　would　not　come　to　see　Katherine　and　would　not　allow　Katherine　to　come　and　see　her。

Then　there　was　Henry；　a　very　strange　young　man。　He　was　at　Cambridge　and　said　to　be　very　clever。　He　did　indeed　seem　to　lead　a　mysterious　life　of　his　own　and　paid　very　little　attention　to　Maggie；　asking　her　once　whether　she　did　not　think　The　Golden　Ass　wonderful；　and　what　did　she　think　of　Petronius；　and　when　Maggie　laughed　and　said　that　she　was　glad　to　say　she　never　read　anything；　he　left　her　in　an　agitated　horror。　Lady　Rachel　Seddon　was　very　grand　and　splendid；　and　frightened　Katherine。　She　was　related　to　every　kind　of　duke　and　marquis；　and　although　that　fact　did　not　impress　Maggie　in　the　least；　it　did　seem　to　remove　Lady　Rachel　into　quite　another　world。

But　they　were　all　in　another　worldMaggie　discovered　that　at　once。　They　had；　of　course；　every　sort　of　catch…word　and　allusion　and　joke　that　no　one　but　themselves　and　the　people　whom　they　brought　into　the　house　understood；　Katherine　was　kindness　itself。　Philip　too　（he　seemed　to　Maggie　a　weak；　amiable　young　man）　took　a　lot　of　trouble　about　her；　but　they　did　not　belong　to　her　nor　she　to　them。

〃And　why　should　they？〃　said　Maggie　to　herself。　〃I　must　look　on　it　as　though　I　were　staying　at　a　delightful　hotel　and　were　going　on　with　my　journey　very　soon。〃

There　was　somebody；　however；　who　did　not　belong　any　more　than　Maggie　did；　and　very　soon　he　became　Maggie's　constant　companionthis　was　the　Rev。　Paul　Trenchard；　Kathorine's　cousin。

From　the　very　moment　months　ago；　when　Maggie　and　he　had　first　met　in　Katherine's　drawing…room；　they　had　been　friends。　He　had　liked　her；　Maggie　felt；　at　once。　She　on　her　side　was　attracted　by　a　certain　childlike　simplicity　and　innocence。　This　very　quality；　she　soon　saw；　moved　the　others；　Philip　and　Henry　and　Mr。　Trenchard　senior；　to　derision。　They　did　not　like　the　Rev。　Paul。　They　chaffed　him；　and　he　was　very　easily　teased；　because　he　was　not　clever　and　did　not　see　their　jokes。　This　put　Maggie　up　in　arms　in　his　defence　at　once。　But　they　had　all　the　layman's　distrust　of　a　parson。　They　were　all　polite　to　him；　of　course；　and　Maggie　discovered　that　in　this　world　politeness　was　of　the　very　first　importance；　so　that　you　really　never　said　what　you　thought　nor　did　what　you　wanted　to。　They　frankly　could　not　understand　why　Katherine　asked　the　parson　to　stay；　but　because　they　loved　Katherine　they　were　as　nice　to　him　as　their　natures　would　allow　them　to　be。　Paul　did　not　apparently　notice　that　they　put　him　outside　their　life。　He　was　always　genial；　laughed　a　great　deal　when　there　WAS　no　reason　to　laugh　at　all；　and　told　simple　little　stories　in　whose　effect　he　profoundly　believed。　He　was　supported　in　his　confidence　by　his　sister　Grace；　who　obviously　adored　him。　She　too　was　〃outside〃　the　family；　but　she　seemed　to　be　quite　happy　telling　endless　stories　of　Paul's　courage　and　cleverness　and　popularity。　She　did　indeed　believe　that　Skeaton…on…Sea；　where　Paul　had　his　living；　was　the　hub　of　the　universe；　and　this　amused　all　the　Trenchard　family　very　much　indeed。　It　must　not　be　supposed　that　Paul　and　his　sister　were　treated　unkindly。　They　were　shown　the　greatest　courtesy　and　hospitality；　but　Maggie　knew　that　that　was　only　because　it　was　the　Trenchard　tradition　to　do　so；　and　not　from　motives　of　affection　or　warmth　of　heart。

They　could　be　warm…hearted；　it　was　wonderful　to　see　the　way　that　they　all　adored　Katherine；　and　they　had　many　friends　for　whom　they　would　do　anything；　but　the　Rev。　Paul　seemed　to　them　frankly　an　ass；　and　they　would　be　glad　when　he　went　away。

He　did　not　seem　to　Maggie　an　ass。　She　thought　him　the　kindest　person　she　had　ever　known；　kinder　even　than　Katherine；　because　with　Katherine　there　was　the　faintest　suspicion　of　patronage；　no；　not　of　patronagethat　was　unfair　。　。　。　but　of　an　effort　to　put　herself　in　exactly　Maggie's　place　so　that　she　might　understand　perfectly　what　were　Maggie's　motives。　With　Paul　Trenchard　there　was　no　effort；　no　deliberate　slipping　out　of　one　world　into　another　one。　He　was　frankly　delighted　to　tell　Maggie　everythingall　about　Skeaton…on…　Sea　and　its　delights；　about　the　church　and　its　marvellous　east　window；　about　the　choir　and　the　difficulties　with　the　choir…boys　and　the　necessity　for　repairing　the　organ；　about　the　troubles　with　the　churchwardens；　especially　one　Mr。　Bellows；　who；　in　his　cantankerous　and　dyspeptic　objections　to　everything　that　any　one　proposed；　became　quite　a　lively　figure　to　Maggie's　imagination；　about　the　St。　John's　Brotherhood　which　had　been　formed　to　keep　the　〃lads〃　out　of　the　public…houses　and　was　doing　so　well；　about　the　Shakespeare　Reading　Society　and　a　Mrs。　Tempest　（who　also　became　a　live　figure　in　Maggie's　brain）；　〃a　born　tragedian〃　and　wonderful　as　Lady　Macbeth　and　Katherine　of　Aragon。　Skeaton　slowly　revealed　itself　to　Maggie　as　a　sunny　sparkling　place；　with　glittering　sea；　shining　sand；　and　dark　cool　woods；　full　of　kindliness；　too；　and　friendship　and　good…humour。　Paul　and　Grace　Trenchard　seemed　to　be　the　centre　of　this　sunshine。　How　heartily　Paul　laughed　as　he　recounted　some　of　the　tricks　and　escapades　of　his　〃young　scamps。〃　〃Dear　fellows；〃　he　would　say；　〃I　love　them　all　。　。　。〃　and　Grace　sat　by　smiling　and　nodding　her　head　and　beaming　upon　her　beloved　brother。

To　Maggie；　fresh　from　the　dark　and　confused　terrors　of　the　Chapel；　it　was　all　marvellous。　Here　was　rest　indeed；　here；　with　Martin　cherished　warmly　in　her　heart；　she　might　occupy　herself　with　duties　and　interests。　Here　surely　she　would　be　useful　to　〃somebody。〃　She　heard　a　good　deal　of　an　old　Mr。　Toms；　〃a　little　queer　in　his　head；　poor　man；〃　who　seemed　to　figure　in　the　outskirts　of　Skeaton　society　as　a　warning　and　a　reassurance。　（〃No　one　in　Skeaton　thinks　of　him　in　any　way　but　tenderly。〃）　Maggie　wondered　whether　he　might　not　want　looking　after　。　。　。

The　thought　gradually　occurred　to　her　that　this　kindly　genial　clergyman　might　perhaps　find　her　some　work　in　Skeaton。　He　even　himself　hinted　at　something　。　。　。　She　might　be　some　one's　secretary　or　housekeeper。

About　Grace　Trenchard　Maggie　was　not　quite　so　sure。　She　was　kindness　itself　and　liked　to　hold　Maggie's　hand　and　pat　itbut　there　was　no　doubt　at　all　that　she　was　just　a　little　bit　tiresome。　Maggie　rebuked　herself　for　thinking　this；　but　again　and　again　the　thought　arose。　Grace　was　in　a　state　of　perpetual　wonder；　everything　amazed　her。　You　would　not　think　to　look　at　her　flat　broad　placidity　that　she　was　a　creature　of　excitement；　and　it　might　be　that　her　excitement　was　rather　superficial。　She　would　say：　〃Why！　Just　fancy；　Maggie！　。　。　。　To…day's　Tuesday！〃　Then　you　wondered　what　was　coming　next　and　nothing　came　at　all。　She　had　endless　stories　about　her　adventures　in　the　streets　of　London；　and　these　stories　were　endless　because　of　all　the　details　that　must　be　fitted　in；　and　then　the　details　slipped　out　of　her　grasp　and　winked　at　her　maliciously　as　they　disappeared。　The　fact　was　perhaps　that　she　was　not　very　clever；　but　then　Maggie　wasn't　very　clever　either；　so　she　had　no　right　to　criticise　Miss　Trenchard；　who　was　really　as　amiable　as　she　could　be。　Henry　Trenchard　said　once　to　Maggie　in　his　usual　scornful　way：

〃Oh；　Grace！　。　。　。　She's　the　stupidest　woman　in　Skeaton；　which　means　the　stupidest　woman　in　the　world。〃

The　Trenchards；　Maggie　thought；　were　rather　given　to　scorning　every　one　save　themselves。　Even　Philip；　who　was　not　a　Trenchard；　had　caught　the　habit。　Katherine；　of　course；　despised　no　one　and　liked　every　one；　but　that　was　rather　tiresome　too。

In　fact　at　the　end　of　her　first　week　Maggie　thought　that　as　soon　as　possible　she　would　find　a　room　for　herself　somewhere　and　start　to　earn　her　living。　She　discovered　that　she　was　developing　a　new　sensitiveness。　When　she　was　living　with　the　aunts　she　had　not　minded　very　seriously　the　criticisms　made　upon　her；　she　had　indeed　been　disappointed　when　Aunt　Anne　had　not　admired　her　new　dress；　and　she　had　hated　Amy　Warlock's　rudeness；　but　that　was　because　Martin　had　been　involved。　This　new　sensitiveness　worried　her；　she　hated　to　care　whether　people　laughed　at　the　way　she　came　into　a　room　or　whether　she　expressed　foolish　opinions　about　books　and　pictures。　She　had　always　said　just　what　she　thought；　but　now；　before　Philip's　kindly　attention　and　Mr。　Trenchard　senior's　indulgence　（he　wrote　books　and　articles　in　the　papers）；　she　hated　her　ignorance。　Paul　Trenchard　knew　frankly　nothing　about　Art。　〃I　know　what　I　like；〃　he　said；　〃and　that's　enough　for　me。〃　He　liked　Watts's　pictures　and　In　Memoriam　and　Dickens；　and　he　heard　The　Messiah　once　a　year　in　London　if　he　could　leave　his　parish　work。　He　laughed　about　it　all。　〃The　souls　of　men！　The　souls　of　men！〃　he　would　say。　〃That　is　what　I'm　after；　Miss　Cardinal。　You're　not　going　to　catch　them　with　the　latest　neurotic　novel；　however　well　it's　written。〃

Oh；　he　was　kind　to　her！　He　was　kinder　and　kinder　and　kinder。　She　told　him　everythingexcept　about　Martin。　She　told　him　all　about　her　life　at　St。　Dreot's　and　her　father　and　Uncle　Mathew；　the　aunts　and　the　Chapel。

He　was　frankly　shocked　by　the　Chapel。　〃That's　not　the　way　to　get　into　heaven；〃　he　said。　〃We　must　be　more　patient　than　that。　The　daily　round；　the　daily　task；　that's　the　kind。〃

His　physical　presence　began　to　pervade　all　her　doings。　He　was　not　handsome；　but　so　clean；　so　rosy；　and　so　strong。　No　mystery　about　him；　no　terrors；　no　invasions　from　the　devil。　Everything　was　clear　and　certain。　He　knew　just　where　he　was　and　exactly　whither　he　was　going。　One　afternoon；　when　they　were　out　in　the　motor　together；　he　took　Maggie's　hand　under　the　rug　and　he　held　it　so　calmly；　so　firmly；　with　so　kindly　a　benevolence　that　she　could　not　be　frightened　or　uncomfortable。　He　was　like　a　large　friendly　brother　。　。　。

One　day　he　called　her　Maggie。　He　blushed　and　laughed。　〃I'm　so　sorry；〃　he　said。　〃It　slipped　out。　I　caught　it　from　Katherine。〃

〃Oh；　please；　。　。　。　never　mind；〃　she　answered。　〃Miss　Cardinal's　so　stiff。〃

〃Then　you　must　call　me　Paul；〃　he　said。

A　little　conversation　that　Maggie　had　after　this　with　Millicent　showed　her　in　sharp　relief　exactly　where　she　stood　in　relation　to　the　Trenchard　family。　They　had　been　out　in　the　motor　together。　Millie　had　been　shopping　and　now　they　were　rolling　back　through　the　Park。