the captives-第69部分
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of discipline and order。 Aunt Anne's house had been untidy； but it had had an odd life and atmosphere of its own。 This house was dead； utterly and completely dead。 The windows of the dining…room looked out on to a lawn and round the lawn was a stone wall with broken glass to protect it。 〃As though there were anything to steal！〃 thought Maggie。 But then you cannot expect a garden to look its best at the beginning of April。 〃I'll wait a little；〃 thought Maggie。 〃And then I'll make this house better。 I'll destroy almost everything in it。〃
About mid…day with rather a quaking heart Maggie penetrated the kitchen。 Here were gathered together Alice the cook； Emily the housemaid； and Clara the between maid。
Alice was large； florid； and genial。 Nevertheless at once Maggie distrusted her。 No servant had any right to appear so wildly delighted to see a new mistress。 Alice had doubtless her own plans。 Emily was prim and conceited； and Clara did not exist。 Alice was ready to do everything that Maggie wanted； and it was very apparent at once that she had not liked 〃Miss Grace。〃
〃Ah； that'll be much better than the way Miss Grace 'ad it； Mum。 In their jackets； Mum； very well。 Certainly。 That would be better。〃
〃I think you'd better just give us what seems easiest for dinner； Cook；〃 said Maggie； thereby handing herself over； delivered and bound。
〃Very well； MumI'm sure I'll do my best；〃 said Alice。
Early on that first afternoon she was taken to see the Church。 For a desperate moment her spirits failed her as she stood at the end of the Lane and looked。 This was a Church of the newest red brick； and every seat was of the most shining wood。 The East End window was flaming purple； with a crimson Christ ascending and yellow and blue disciples amazed together on the ground。 Paul stood flushed with pride and pleasure； his hand through Maggie's arm。
〃That's a Partright window；〃 he said with that inflection that Maggie was already beginning to think of as 〃his public voice。〃
〃I'm afraid； Paul dear；〃 said Maggie； 〃I'm very ignorant。〃
〃Don't know Partright？ Oh； he's the great man of the last thirty yearsdid the great East window of St。 Martin's； Pontefract。 We had a job to get him I can tell you。 Just look at that purple。〃
〃On the right you'll see the Memorial Tablet to our brave lads who fell in the South African WarDulce et decorum est pro patria mori… …very appropriate。 Brave fellows； brave fellows！ Just behind you； Maggie； is the Mickleham Font； one of the finest specimens of modern stone…work in the countygiven to us by Sir Joseph Mickleham Mickleham Hall； you know； only two miles from here。 He used to attend morning service here frequently。 Died five years ago。 Fine piece of work！〃
Maggie looked at it。 It was enormous； a huge battlement of a font in dead white stone with wreaths of carved ivy creeping about it。
〃It makes one feel rather shivery；〃 said Maggie。
〃Now you must see our lectern；〃 said Paul eagerly。
And so it continued。 There was apparently a great deal to be said about the Lectern； and then about the Choir…Screen； and then about the Reredos； and then about the Pulpit； and then about the Vestry； and then about the Collecting…Box for the Poor； and then about the Hassocks； and finally about the Graveyard 。 。 。 To all this Maggie listened and hoped that she made the proper answers； but the truth of the matter was that she was cold and dismayed。 The Chapel had been ugly enough； but behind its ugliness there had been life； now with the Church as with the house there was no life visible。 Paul； putting his hand on her shoulder； said：
〃Here； darling； will be the centre of our lives。 This is our temple。 Round this building all our happiness will revolve。〃
〃Yes； dear；〃 said Maggie。 She was taken then for a little walk。 They went down Ivy Road and into Skeaton High Street。 Here were the shops。 Mr。 Bloods； the bookseller's； Tunstall the butcher； Toogood the grocer； Father the draper； Minster the picture…dealer； Harcourt the haberdasher； and so on。 Maggie rather liked the High Street； it reminded her of the High Street in Polchester； although there was no hill。 Out of the High Street and on to the Esplanade。 You should never see an Esplanade out of the season； Katherine had once said to Maggie。 That dictum seemed certainly true this time。 There could be no doubt that this Esplanade was not looking its best under the blustering March wind。 Here a deserted bandstand； there a railway station； here a dead haunt for pierrots； there a closed and barred cinema house； here a row of stranded bathing…machines； there a shuttered tea…houseand not a living soul in sight。 In front of them was a long long stretch of sand； behind them to right and left the huddled tenements of the town； in front of them； beyond the sand； the grey seaand again not a living soul in sight。 The railway line wound its way at their side； losing itself in the hills and woods of the horizon。
〃There are not many people about； are there？〃 said Maggie。 Nor could she wonder。 The East wind cut along the desolate stretches of silence； and yet how strange a wind！ It seemed to have no effect at all upon the sea； which rolled in sluggishly with snake…like motion； throwing up on the dim colourless beach a thin fringe of foam； baring its teeth at the world in impotent discontent。
〃Oh！ there's a boy！〃 cried Maggie； amazed at her own relief。 〃How often do the trains come in？〃 she asked。
〃Well； we don't have many trains in the off…season；〃 said Paul。 〃They put on several extra ones in the summer。〃
〃Oh； what's the sand doing？〃 Maggie cried。
She had seen sand often enough in her own Glebeshire； but never sand like this。 Under the influence of the wind it was blowing and curving into little spirals of dust； a sudden cloud； with a kind of personal animosity rose and flung itself across the rails at Maggie and Paul。 They were choking and blindedand in the distance clouds of sand rose and fell； with gusts and impulses that seemed personal and alive。
〃What funny sand！〃 said Maggie again。 〃When it blows in Glebeshire it blows and there's a perfect storm。 There's a storm or there isn't。 Here〃 She broke off。 She could see that Paul hadn't the least idea of what she was speaking。
〃The sand is always blowing about here；〃 he said。 〃Now what about tea？〃
They walked back through the High Street and not a soul was to be seen。
〃Does nobody live here？〃 asked Maggie。
〃The population；〃 said Paul quite gravely； 〃is eight thousand； four hundred and fifty…four。〃
〃Oh； I see；〃 said Maggie。
They had tea in the dusty study again。
〃I'm going to change this house；〃 said Maggie。
〃Change it？〃 asked Paul。 〃What's my little girl going to do？〃
〃She's going to destroy ever so many things；〃 said Maggie。
〃You'd better wait；〃 said Paul； moving a little away； 〃until Grace comes back； dear。 You can consult with her。〃
Maggie said nothing。
Next day Mrs。 Constantine； Miss Purves； and Mrs。 Maxse came to tea。 They had tea in the drawing…room all amongst the squashed strawberries。 Three large ferns in crimson pots watched them as they ate。 Maggie thought： 〃Grace seems to have a passion for ferns。〃 She had been terribly nervous before the ladies' arrivalthat old nervousness that had made her tremble before Aunt Anne at St。 Dreot's； before the Warlocks； before old Martha。 But with it came as always her sense of independence and individuality。
〃They can't eat me；〃 she thought。 It was obvious at once that they did not want to do anything of the kind。 They were full of kindness and curiosity。 Mrs。 Constantine took the lead； and it was plain that she had been doing this all her life。 She was a large black and red woman with clothes that fitted her like a uniform。 Her hair was of a raven gleaming blackness； her cheeks were red； her manner so assured and commanding that she seemed to Maggie at once like a policeman directing the traffic。 The policeman of Christian Skeaton she was； and it did not take Maggie two minutes to discover that Paul was afraid of her。 She had a deep bass voice and a hearty laugh。
〃I can understand her；〃 thought Maggie； 〃and I believe she'll understand me。〃
Very different Miss Purves。 If Mrs。 Constantine was the policeman of Skeaton； Miss Purves was the town…crier。 She rang her bell and announced the news； and also insisted that you should tell her without delay any item of news that you had collected。
In appearance she was like any old maid whose love of gossip has led her to abandon her appearance。 She had obviously surrendered the idea of attracting the male； and flung on her clothesan old black hat； a grey coat and skirtwith a negligence that showed that she cared for worthier things。 She gave the impression that there was no time to be lost were one to gather all the things in life worth hearing。
If Mrs。 Constantine stood for the police and Miss Purves the town… crier； Mrs。 Maxse certainly represented Society。 She was dressed beautifully； and she must have been very pretty once。 Her hair was now grey； but her cheeks had still a charming bloom。 She was delicate and fragile； rustling and scented； with a beautiful string of pearls round her neck （this； in the daytime； Maggie thought very odd）； and a large black hat with a sweeping feather。 Her voice was a little sad； a little regretful； as though she knew that her beautiful youth was gone and was making the best of what she had。
She told Maggie that 〃she couldn't help〃 being an idealist。
〃I know it's foolish of me；〃 she said in her gentle voice； smiling her charming smile。 〃They all tell me so。 But if life isn't meant to be beautiful； where are we？ Everything must have a meaning； mustn't it； Mrs。 Trenchard； and however often we failand after all we are only humanwe must try； try again。 I believe in seeing the best in people； because then they live up to that。 People are what we make them； don't you think？〃
〃The woman's a fool；〃 thought Maggie。 Nevertheless； she liked her kindness。 She was so strangely driven。 She wished to think of Martin always； never to forget him； but at the same time not to think of the life that was connected with him。 She must never think of him as some one who might return。 Did that once begin all this present life would be impossibleand she meant to
