the captives-第7部分

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bsurdly　sentimental　and　unlike　any　life　that　she　had　ever　known；　Mrs。　Beeton　she　had　never　opened；　and　Longfellow　and　Kingsley's　Natural　History　she　found　dull。　For　Robinson　Crusoe　she　had　the　intense　human　sympathy　that　all　lonely　people　feel　for　that　masterpiece。　The　Imitation　pleased　her　by　what　she　would　have　called　its　common　sense。　Such　a　passage；　for　example：　〃Oftentimes　something　lurketh　within；　or　else　occurreth　from　without；　which　draweth　us　after　it。　Many　secretly　seek　themselves　in　what　they　do；　and　know　it　not。〃

〃They　seem　also　to　live　in　good　peace　of　mind；　when　things　are　done　according　to　their　will　and　opinion；　but　if　things　happen　otherwise　than　they　desire；　they　are　straightway　moved　and　much　vexed。〃

And　behind　this　common　sense　she　did　seem　to　be　directly　in　touch　with　some　one　whom　she　might　find　had　she　more　time　and　friends　to　advise　her。　She　was　conscious　in　her　lonely　hours；　that　nothing　gave　her　such　a　feeling　of　company　as　did　this　little　battered　red　book；　and　she　felt　that　that　friendliness　might　one　day　advance　to　some　greater　intimacy。　About　these　things　she　was　intensely　reserved　and　she　spoke　of　them　to　no　human　being。

Even　for　the　books　for　whose　contents　she　did　not　care　she　had　a　kindly　feeling。　So　often　had　they　looked　down　upon　her　when　she　sat　there　exasperated；　angry　at　her　own　tears；　rebellious；　after　some　scene　with　her　father。　No　other　place　but　this　room　had　seen　these　old　agonies　of　hers。　She　would　be　sorry　after　all　to　leave　it。

There　were　not　many　things　beside　the　books。　Two　bowls　of　blue　Glebeshire　pottery；　cheap　things　but　precious；　a　box　plastered　with　coloured　shells；　an　amber　bead　necklace；　a　blue　leather　writing…　case；　a　photograph　of　her　father　as　a　young　clergyman　with　a　beard　and　whiskers；　a　faded　daguerreotype　of　her　mother；　last；　but　by　no　means　least；　a　small　black　lacquer　musical…box　that　played　two　tunes；　〃Weel　may　the　Keel　row〃　and　〃John　Peel；〃these　were　her　worldly　possessions。

She　sat　there；　as　the　day　closed　down；　the　trees　were　swept　into　the　night；　the　wind　rose　in　the　dark　wood；　the　winter's　moon　crept　pale　and　cold　into　the　sky；　snow　began　to　fall；　at　first　thinly；　then　in　a　storm；　hiding　the　moon；　flinging　the　fields　and　roads　into　a　white　shining　splendour；　the　wind　died　and　the　stars　peeped　between　the　flakes　of　whirling　snow。

She　sat　without　moving；　accusing　her　heart　of　hardness；　of　unkindness。　She　seemed　to　herself　then　deserving　of　every　punishment。　〃If　I　had　only　gone　to　him；〃　she　thought　again　and　again。　She　remembered　how　she　had　kept　apart　from　him；　enclosed　herself　in　a　reserve　that　he　should　never　break。　She　remembered　the　times　when　he　had　scolded　her；　coldly；　bitterly；　and　she　had　stood；　her　face　as　a　rock；　her　heart　beating　but　her　body　without　movement；　then　had　turned　and　gone　silently　from　the　room。　All　her　wicked；　cold　heart　that　in　some　strange　way　cared　for　love　but　could　not　make　those　movements　towards　others　that　would　show　that　it　cared。　What　was　it　in　her？　Would　she　always；　through　life；　miss　the　things　for　which　she　longed　through　her　coldness　and　obstinacy？

She　took　her　father's　photograph；　stared　at　it；　gazed　into　it；　held　it　in　an　agony　of　remorse。　She　shivered　in　the　cold　of　her　room　but　did　not　know　it。　Her　candle；　caught　in　some　draught；　blew　out；　and　instantly　the　white　world　without　leapt　in　upon　her　and　her　room　was　lit　with　a　strange　unearthly　glow。　She　saw　nothing　but　her　father。　At　last　she　fell　asleep　in　the　chair；　clutching　in　her　hand　the　photograph。

Thus　her　aunt　found　her；　later　in　the　evening。　She　was　touched　by　the　figure；　the　shabby　black　frock；　the　white　tired　face。　She　had　been　honestly　disappointed　in　her　niece；　disappointed　in　her　plainness；　in　her　apparent　want　of　heart；　in　her　silence　and　moroseness。　Mathew　had　told　her　of　the　girl's　outburst　to　him　against　her　father；　and　this　had　seemed　to　her　shocking　upon　the　very　day　after　that　father's　death。　Now　when　she　saw　the　photograph　clenched　in　Maggie's　hand　tears　came　into　her　eyes。　She　said；　〃Maggie！　dear　Maggie！〃　and　woke　her。　Maggie；　stirring　saw　her　aunt's　slender　figure　and　delicate　face　standing　in　the　snowlight　as　though　she　had　been　truly　a　saint　from　heaven。

Maggie's　first　impulse　was　to　rise　up；　fling　her　arms　around　her　aunt's　neck　and　hug　her。　Had　she　done　that　the　history　of　her　life　might　have　been　changed。　Her　natural　shyness　checked　her　impulse。　She　got　up；　the　photograph　dropped　from　her　hand；　she　smiled　a　little　and　then　said　awkwardly；　〃I've　been　asleep。　Do　you　want　me？　I'll　come　down。〃

Her　aunt　drew　her　towards　her。

〃Maggie；　dear；〃　she　said；　〃don't　feel　lonely　any　more。　Think　of　me　and　your　Aunt　Elizabeth　as　your　friends　who　will　always　care　for　you。　You　must　never　be　lonely　again。〃

Maggie's　whole　heart　responded。　She　felt　its　wild　beating　but　she　could　do　nothing；　could　say　nothing。　Her　body　stiffened。　In　spite　of　herself　she　withdrew　herself。　Her　face　reddened；　then；　was　pale。

〃Thank　you；　aunt；〃　was　all　she　could　say。

Her　aunt　moved　away。　Silently　they　went　downstairs　together。

At　about　ten　the　next　morning　they　were　seated　in　the　dining…room　Aunt　Anne；　Uncle　Mathew；　Maggie；　and　Mr。　Brassy。　Mr。　Brassy　was　speaking：

〃I'm　afraid；　Miss　Cardinal；　that　there　can　be　no　question　about　the　legality　of　this。　It　has　been　duly　witnessed　and　signed。　I　regret　extremely　。　。　。　but　as　you　can　well　understand；　I　was　quite　unable　to　prevent。　With　the　exception　of　a　legacy　of　300　Pounds　Sterling　to　Miss　Maggie　Cardinal　everything　goes　to　Miss　Ellen　Harmer；　'To　whom　I　owe　more　than　I　can　ever　possibly'〃

〃Thank　you；〃　interrupted　Aunt　Anne。　〃This　is；　I　think；　the　woman　who　has　been　cook　here　during　the　last　four　years？〃

〃About　five；　I　think；〃　said　Mr。　Brassy　softly。

Uncle　Mathew　was　upon　his　feet；　trembling。

〃This　is　monstrous；〃　he　stuttered；　〃absolutely　monstrous。　Of　course　an　appeal　will　be　madeundue　influencethe　most　abominable　thing。〃

Maggie　watched　them　all　as　though　the　whole　business　were　far　from　herself。　She　sat　there；　her　hands　folded　on　her　lap；　looking　at　the　mantelpiece　with　the　ugly　marble　clock；　the　letter　clip　with　old　soiled　letters　in　it；　the　fat　green　vase　with　dusty　everlastings。　Just　as　on　the　night　when　her　uncle　had　come　into　her　room　she　had　fancied　that　some　one　spoke　to　her；　so　now　she　seemed　to　hear：

〃Ah；　that's　a　nasty　knock　for　youa　very　nasty　knock。〃

Her　father　had　left　all　his　money；　with　the　exception　of　300；　Pounds　Sterling　to　Ellen　the　cook；　Maggie　did　not；　for　a　moment；　speculate　as　to　the　probable　total　amount。　Three　hundred　pounds　seemed　to　her　a　very　large　sumit　would　at　any　rate　give　her　something　to　begin　life　uponbut　the　thing　that　seized　and　held　her　was　the　secret　friendship　that　must　have　existed　between　her　father　and　Ellen　secret　friendship　was　the　first　form　that　the　relationship　assumed　for　her。　She　saw　Ellen；　red　of　face　with　little　eyes　and　a　flat　nose　upon　which　flies　used　to　settle；　a　fat；　short　neck；　the　wheezings　and　the　pantings；　the　stumping　walk；　the　great　broad　back。　And　she　saw　her　fatherfirst　as　the　tall；　dirty　man　whom　she　used　to　know；　with　the　shiny　black　trousers；　the　untidy　beard；　the　frowning　eyes；　the　nails　bitten　to　the　quick；　the　ragged　shirt…cuffsthen　as　that　veiled　shape　below　the　clothes；　the　lift　of　the　sheet　above　the　toes；　the　loins；　the　stomach；　the　beard　neatly　brushed；　the　closed　yellow　eyelids；　the　yellow　forehead；　the　rats　with　their　gleaming　eyes。　In　a　kind　of　terror　as　though　she　were　being　led　against　her　will　into　some　disgusting　chamber　where　the　skulls　were　stale　and　the　sights　indecent；　she　saw　the　friendship　of　those　twoEllen　the　cook　and　her　father。

Young；　inexperienced　though　she　was；　she　was　old　already　in　a　certain　crude　knowledge　of　facts。　It　could　not　be　said　that　she　traced　to　their　ultimate　hiding…place　the　relations　of　her　father　and　the　woman；　but　in　some　relation；　ugly；　sordid；　degraded；　she　saw　those　two　figures　united。　Many；　many　little　things　came　to　her　mind　as　she　sat　there；　moments　when　the　cook　had　breathlessly　and　in　a　sudden　heat　betrayed　some　unexpected　agitation；　moments　when　her　father　had　shown　confusion；　moments　when　she　had　fancied　whispers；　laughter　behind　walls；　scurrying　feet。　She　entwined　desperately　her　hands　together　as　pictures　developed　behind　her　eyes。

Ah！　but　she　was　ashamed；　most　bitterly　ashamed！

The　rest　of　the　interview　came　to　her　only　dimly。　She　knew　that　Uncle　Mathew　was　still　upon　his　feet　protesting；　that　her　aunt's　face　was　cold　and　wore　a　look　of　distressed　surprise　as　though　some　one　had　suddenly　been　rude　to　her。

From　very；　very　far　away　came　Mr。　Brassy's　voice：　〃I　was　aware　that　this　could　not　be　agreeable；　Miss　Cardinal。　But　I　am　afraid　that；　under　the　circumstances；　there　is　nothing　to　be　done。　As　to　undue　influence　I　think　that　I　should　warn　you；　Mr。　Cardinal；　that　there　could　be　very　little　hope　。　。　。　and　of　course　the　expense　。　。　。　if　I　may　advise　you　。　。　。〃

The　voice　sank　away　again；　the　room　faded；　the　air　was　still　and　painted；　like　figures　on　a　stage　acting　before　an　audience　of　one　Maggie　saw　those　grotesque　persons　。　。　。

She　did　not　speak　one　word　during　the　whole　affair。

After　a　time　she　saw　that　Mr。　Brassy　was　not　in　the　room。　Her　aunt　was　speaking　to　her：

〃Maggie；　dearI'm　so　very　sorryso　very　sorry。　But　you　know　that　you　will　come　to　us　and　find　a　home　there。　You　mustn't　think　about　the　money〃

With　a　sudden　impulse　she　arose；　almost　brushing　her　aunt　aside。

〃Ah！　that's　not　itthat's　not　it！〃　she　cried。　Then；　recovering　herself　a　little；　she　went　on〃It's　all　right；　Aunt　Anne。　I'm　all　right。　I'm　going　out　for　a　little。　If　I'm　not　back　for　lunch；　don't　wait。　Something　cold；　anything；　tell　Ellen〃

At　the　sudden　mention　of　that　name　she　stopped；　coloured　a　little；　turned　away　and　left　the　room。　In　the　hall　she　nearly　ran　against　the　cook。　The　woman　was　standing　there；　motionless；　breathing　deeply；　her　eyes　fixed　upon　the　dining…room。　When　she　saw　Maggie；　she　moved　as　though　she　would　speak；　then　something　in　the　girl's　face　checked　her。　She　drew　back　into　the　shadow。

Maggie　left　the　house。

The　brother　and　sister；　remaining　in　the　room；　walked　towards　one　another　as　though　driven　by　some　common　need　of　sympathy　and　protection