the captives-第67部分

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ty；　running　from　a　wood　full　of　loneliness　and　terror。　She　was　sharp　enough　to　see　how　relieved　they　all　were　that　she　was　'settled。'　They　were　true　kindly　people；　and　now　they　were　more　kind　to　her　than　ever：　that　showed　that　they　had　been　uneasy　about　her。　She　was　'off　their　hands　now。'

Maggie；　when　she　saw　this　in　the　faces　of　Philip　and　Mr。　Trenchard；　and　even　of　Millicent；　was　glad　that　she　was　engaged。　She　was　somebody's　now；　she　had　friends　and　a　home　and　work　now；　and　she　would　banish　all　that　other　world　for　ever。　For　ever？　。　。　。　How　curious　it　was　that　from　the　moment　of　her　engagement　her　aunts；　their　house；　the　Chapel；　and　the　people　around　it　began　to　press　upon　her　attention　with　a　pathos　and　sentiment　that　she　had　never　felt　before。　She　went　to　see　the　aunts；　of　course；　and　sat　in　the　old　drawing…room　for　half…an…hour；　and　they　were　kind　and　distant。　They　were　glad　that　she　was　to　be　married；　they　hoped　that　she　would　be　happy。　Aunt　Anne　looked　very　ill；　and　there　was　a　terrible　air　of　desertion　about　the　house　as　though　all　the　life　had　gone　out　of　it。　Maggie　came　away　very　miserable。　Then　she　said　to　herself：　〃Now；　look　here。　You're　in　a　new　house　now。　You've　got　to　think　of　nothing　but　thatnothing；　nothing；　nothing　。　。　。〃

She　meant　Martin。　She　might　think　of　Martin　（how　indeed　could　she　help　it？）　but　she　was　not　to　long　for　him。　No；　no　。　。　。　not　to　long　for　him。　She　did　wish　that　she　could　go　to　sleep　more　quickly　when　she　went　to　bed。

Paul　and　Grace　were　very　kind　to　her。　Paul　was　just　the　big　elder　brother　that　she　loved　him　to　be。　No　more　sentiment　than　that。　A　kiss　morning；　a　kiss　evening；　that　was　all。　Grace　behaved　to　them　both　with　a　motherly　indulgence。　Maggie　saw　that　she　considered　that　she　had　arranged　the　whole　affair。　There　were　signs　that　she　intended　to　arrange　everything　for　Maggie。　Well；　it　was　rather　pleasant　just　now　to　have　things　arranged　for　you。　Maggie　had　only　one　wishthat　Grace　would　not　take　so　long　to　explain　everything。　Maggie　always　ran　ahead　of　her　long　before　she　had　finished　her　involved　sentences　and　then　had　to　curb　her　impatience。　However　one　would　get　used　to　Grace；　one　would　have　to　because　she　was　going　to　live　with　them　after　they　were　married。　Maggie　had　hoped　that　it　would　be　otherwise；　but　it　was　at　once　obvious　that　neither　Paul　nor　Grace　dreamt　of　being　separated。

The　wedding　was　to　be　as　soon　as　possible；　and　very；　very　quiet。　In　a　little　church　close　by；　no　bridesmaids；　everything　very　simple。　Maggie　was　glad　of　that。　She　would　have　hated　a　church　full　of　staring　people。　She　enjoyed　immensely　buying　her　trousseau。　Paul　was　very　generous　with　his　money；　it　was　evident　that　Grace　thought　him　too　generous。　Maggie　and　Katherine　went　together　to　buy　things；　and　Katherine　was　a　darling。　Maggie　fancied　that　Katherine　was　not　quite　easy　in　her　mind　about　her　share　in　the　affair。

〃You　won't　expect　Skeaton　to　be　wildly　exciting；　Maggie　dear；　will　you？〃　she　said。　〃You'll　find　plenty　to　do　and　there　are　lots　of　nice　people；　I'm　sure；　and　you'll　come　up　and　stay　with　us　here。〃

〃I　think　it　sounds　delightful；〃　said　Maggie。　〃If　you'd　lived　for　years　in　St。　Dreot's；　Katherine；　you　wouldn't　talk　about　other　places　being　dull。　It　isn't　excitement　I　want。　It's　work。〃

〃Don't　you　let　Grace　bully　you；〃　said　Katherine。

〃Bully　me？　Grace？〃　Maggie　was　very　astonished。　〃Why；　she's　the　kindest　old　thing。　She　wants　me　to　do　everything。〃

〃So　she　says；〃　said　Katherine　doubtfully。　〃But　she's　very　jealous　of　Paul。　How　much　she'll　really　like　giving　up　her　authority　when　it　comes　to　the　point　I　don't　know。　You　stick　up　to　her。　Paul's　weak。〃

〃I　don't　think　he　is。〃　said　Maggie　rather　indignantly。　〃Grace　always　does　what　he　says。〃　〃Yes；　just　now；〃　said　Katherine。

And　Maggie　had　one　funny　little　conversation　with　Henry　Trenchard。　That　wild　youth　catching　her　alone　one　day　said　abruptly：

〃What　the　devil　have　you　done　it　for？〃

〃Done　what？〃　asked　Maggie；　her　heart　beating　a　little　faster。　Strangely　Henry　reminded　her　of　Martin。　He　alone　of　all　the　Trenchards　had　something　that　was　of　that　other　world。

〃Engaged　yourself　to　Paul；〃　said　Henry。

〃Why　shouldn't　I？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃You　don't　love　himof　course　you　couldn't。　You're　not　his　sort　in　the　least。　You're　worth　a　million　Pauls。〃

This　was　so　odd　for　Henry；　who　was　certainly　not　given　to　compliments；　that　Maggie　burst　out　laughing。

〃Yes；　you　may　laugh；〃　said　Henry。　〃I　know　what　I'm　talking　about。　Have　you　ever　seen　Paul　asleep　after　dinner？〃

〃No；〃　said　Maggie。

〃I　wish　you　had。　That　might　have　saved　you。　Have　you　ever　seen　Grace　lose　her　temper？〃

〃No；〃　said　Maggie；　this　time　a　little　uneasily。

〃Look　here；〃　he　came　close　to　her；　staring　at　her　with　those　eyes　of　his　that　could　be　very　charming　when　he　liked。　〃Break　it　off。　Say　you　think　it's　a　mistake。　You'll　be　miserable。〃

〃Indeed　I　shan't；〃　said　Maggie；　tossing　her　head。　〃Whatever　happens　I'm　not　going　to　be　miserable。　No　one　can　make　me　that。〃

〃So　you　think；〃　Henry　frowned。　〃I　can't　think　what　you　want　to　be　married　for　at　all。　These　days　women　can　have　such　a　good　time；　especially　a　woman　with　character　like　you。　If　I　were　a　woman　I'd　never　marry。〃

〃You　don't　understand；〃　said　Maggie。　〃You　haven't　been　lonely　all　your　life　as　I　have；　and　you're　not　afraid　of　making　yourself　cheap　andandlooking　for　some　one　who　doesn't　wantyou。　It's　so　easy　for　you　to　talk。　And　Paul　wants　mereally　he　does〃

〃Yes；　he　does；〃　said　Henry　slowly。　〃He's　in　love　with　you　all　right。　I'm　as　sorry　for　Paul　as　I　am　for　you。〃

Maggie　laughed。　〃It's　very　kind　of　you　to　be　sorry；〃　she　said；　〃but　you　needn't　trouble。　I　believe　we　can　look　after　ourselves。〃

For　a　quarter　of　an　hour　after　this　conversation　she　was　a　little　uneasy。　He　was　a　clever　boy；　Henry；　he　did　watch　people。　But　then　he　was　very　young；　It　was　all　guesswork　with　him。

She　became　now　strangely　quiescent；　her　energy；　her　individuality；　her　strength　of　will　seemed；　for　the　time；　entirely　to　have　gone。　She　surrendered　herself　to　Grace　and　Paul　and　Katherine　and　they　did　what　they　would　with　her。

Only　once　was　she　disturbed。　Two　nights　before　the　wedding　she　dreamt　of　Martin。　It　did　not　appear　as　a　dream　at　all。　It　seemed　to　her　that　she　had　been　asleep　and　that　she　suddenly　woke。　She　was　gazing；　from　her　bed；　into　her　own　room；　but　at　the　farther　end　of　it　instead　of　the　wall　with　the　rosy　trees　and　the　gold　mirror　was　another　room。　This　room　was　strange　and　cheerless　with　bare　boards；　a　large　four…poster　bed　with　faded　blue　hangings；　two　old　black　prints　with　eighteenth…century　figures　and　a　big　standing　mirror。　In　front　of　the　bed；　staring　into　the　mirror；　was　Martin；　He　was　dressed　shabbily　in　a　blue　reefer　coat。　He　looked　older　than　when　she　had　seen　him　last；　was　stouter　and　ill；　with　white　puffy　cheeks　and　dark　shadows　under　his　eyes。　She　saw　him　very　clearly　under　the　light　of　two　candles　that　wavered　a　little　in　the　draught。

He　was　staring　into　the　mirror；　absorbed　apparently　in　what　he　saw　there。　She　cried　his　name　and　he　seemed　to　start　and　turn　towards　the　door　listening。　Then　the　picture　faded。　She　woke　to　find　herself　sitting　up　in　bed　crying　his　name　。　。　。

In　the　morning　she　drove　this　dream　away　from　her；　refusing　to　think　of　it　or　listen　to　it；　but　somewhere　far　down　in　her　soul　something　trembled。

The　wedding　was　over　so　quickly　that　she　scarcely　realised　it。　There　was　the　stuffy　little　church；　very　empty　and　dusty；　with　brass　plates　on　the　wall。　She　could　hear；　in　the　street；　rumblings　of　carts　and　the　rattle　of　wheels；　somewhere　a　barrel…organ　played。　The　clergyman　was　a　little　man　who　smiled　upon　her　kindly。　When　Paul　put　the　ring　on　her　finger　she　started　as　though　for　a　moment　she　awoke　from　a　dream。　She　was　glad　that　he　looked　so　clean　and　tidy。　Grace　was　wearing　too　grand　a　hat　with　black　feathers。　In　the　vestry　Paul　kissed　her；　and　then　they　walked　down　the　aisle　together。　She　saw　Katherine　and　Millie　and　Henry。　Her　fingers　caught　tightly　about　Paul's　stout　arm；　but　she　would　have　been　more　at　home　she　thought　with　Uncle　Mathew　just　then。

It　was　a　nice　bright　spring　day；　although　the　wind　blew　the　dust　about。　They　had　a　meal　in　Katherine's　house　and　some　one　made　a　speech；　and　Maggie　drank　some　champagne。　She　hoped　she　looked　nice　in　her　grey　silk　dress；　and　then　caught　sight　of　herself　in　a　glass　and　thought　she　was　as　ever　a　fright。

〃My　little　wild　thingmine　now；〃　whispered　Paul。　She　thought　that　rather　silly；　she　was　not　a　wild　thing；　but　simply　Maggie　Cardinal。　Oh；　no！　Maggie　Trenchard　。　。　。　She　did　not　feel　Maggie　Trenchard　at　all　and　she　did　not　suppose　that　she　ever　would。

They　were　to　have　a　fortnight　alone　at　Skeaton　before　Grace　came。　Maggie　was　glad　of　that。　Paul　was　really　nicer　when　Grace　was　not　there。

They　were　all　very　kind　to　her。　They　had　given　her　good　presents　Millie　some　silver　brushes；　Henry　some　books；　Philip　a　fan；　and　Katherine　a　most　beautiful　dressing…bag。　Maggie　had　never　had　such　things　before。　But　she　could　have　wished　for　something　from　her　own　people。　She　had　written　to　Uncle　Mathew　but　had　not　heard　from　him。

At　the　very　last　moment；　on　the　morning　of　the　wedding　day；　a　present　came　from　the　auntsan　old　box　for　handkerchiefs。　The　cover　was　inlaid　with　sea…shells　and　there　was　a　little　looking…glass　inside。

Very　soon　it　was　all　over　and　then　to　her　own　intense　surprise　she　was　alone　in　the　train　with　Paul。　What　had　she　expected？　She　did　not　knowbut　somehow　not　this。

They　were　in　a　first…class　carriage。　Paul　was　doing　the　thing　nobly。　He　sat　close　to　her；　his　broad　knee　against　her　dress。　How　broad　his　knee　was；　a　great　expanse　of　black　shining　cloth。　He　took　her　hand　and　rested　it　on　the　expanse；　and；　at　the　touch　of　the　stuff　and　the　throb　of　the　warm　flesh　beneath　it；　she　shivered　a　little　and　would　wish　to　have　drawn　her　hand　away。　He　seemed　so　much　larger　than　she　had　expected；　from　his　knee　to　his　high　shining　white　collar　was　an　immense　distance　and　midway　there　was　a　thick　gold　watch…chain　rising　and　falling　as　he　breathed。　He　smelt　very　faintly　of　tooth…　powder。

But　on　the　whole　she　was　comfortable；　only　the　thin　gold　ring　round　her　finger　felt　strange。　Deep　in　a　little　pocket　inside　her　blouse　was　the　ring