the captives-第71部分

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ed；　all　her　future　life。　She　had　not　realised　that　in　London。　Grace　had　seemed　harmless　there　and　unimportant。　Already　here　in　Skeaton　she　seemed　to　stand　for　a　whole　scheme　of　life。

Maggie　had　moved　and　altered　a　good　many　of　the　things　in　the　house。　She　had　discovered　a　small　attic；　and　into　this　she　had　piled　pell…　mell　a　number　of　photographs；　cheap　reproductions；　cushions；　worsted　mats；　and　china　ornaments。　She　had　done　it　gaily　and　with　a　sense　of　clearing　the　air。

Now　as　Grace's　hour　approached　she　was　not　so　sure。

〃Well；　I'm　not　afraid；〃　she　reassured　herself　with　her　favourite　defiance。　〃She　can't　eat　me。　And　it's　my　house。〃

Paul　had　not　noticed　the　alterations。　He　was　always　blind　to　his　surroundings　unless　they　were　what　he　called　〃queer。〃

There　was　the　rattle　of　the　cab…wheels　on　the　drive　and　a　moment　later　Grace　was　in　the　hall。

〃Dear　PaulMaggie；　dear　。　。　。〃

She　stood　there；　a　very　solid　and　assured　figure。　She　was　square　and　thick　and　reminded　Maggie　to…day　of　Mrs。　Noah；　her　clothes　stood　cut　out　around　her　as　though　they　had　been　cut　in　wood。　She　had　her　large　amiable　smile；　and　the　kiss　that　she　gave　Maggie　was　a　wet；　soft；　and　very　friendly　one。

〃Now　I　think　I'll　have　tea　at　once　without　taking　my　hat　off。　In　Paul's　study？　That's　nice　。　。　。　Maggie；　dear；　how　are　you？　Such　a　journey！　But　astonishing！　Just　fancy！　I　got　into　Charing　Cross　and　then！　Why！　Here's　the　study！　Fancy！　。　。　。　Maggie；　dear；　how　are　you？　Well？　That's　right。　Why；　there's　tea！　That's　right。　Everything　just　as　it　was。　Fancy！　。　。　。〃　She　took　off　her　gloves；　smiled；　seated　herself　more　comfortably；　then　began　to　look　about　the　room。　Suddenly　there　came：　〃Why；　Paul；　where's　the　Emmanuel　football　group？〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence。　Maggie　felt　her　heart　give　a　little　bump；　as　it　seemed　to　her；　right　against　the　roof　of　her　mouth。　Paul　（so　like　him）　had　not　noticed　that　the　football　group　had　vanished。　He　stared　at　the　blank　place　on　the　wall　where　it　had　once　been。

〃Why；　Grace　。　。　。　I　don't　know。　I　never　noticed　it　wasn't　there。〃

〃I　took　it　down；〃　said　Maggie。　〃I　thought　there　were　too　many　photographs。　It's　in　the　attic。〃

〃In　the　attic？　。　。　。　Fancy！　You　put　it　away；　did　you；　Maggie？　Well；　fancy！　Shan't　I　make　the　tea；　Maggie；　dear？　That　tea…pot；　it's　an　old　friend　of　mine。　I　know　how　to　manage　it。〃

They　changed　seats。　Grace　was　as　amiable　as　ever；　but　now　her　eyes　flashed　about　from　place　to　place　all　around　the　room。

〃Why；　this　is　a　new　kind　of　jam。　How　nice！　As　I　was　saying；　I　got　into　Charing　Cross　and　there　wasn't　a　porter。　Just　fancy！　At　least　there　was　a　porter；　an　old　man；　but　when　I　beckoned　to　him　he　wouldn't　move。　Well；　I　was　angry。　I　can　tell　you；　Paul；　I　wasn't　going　to　stand　that；　so　I…what　nice　jam；　dear。　I　never　knew　Mitchell's　had　jam　like　this！〃

〃I　didn't　get　it　at　Mitchell's；〃　said　Maggie。　〃I've　changed　the　grocer。　Mitchell　hasn't　got　anything；　and　his　prices　are　just　about　double　Brownjohn's　。　。　。〃

〃Brownjohn！〃　Grace　stared；　her　bread　and　jam　suspended。　〃Brownjohn！　But；　Maggie　dear；　he's　a　dissenter。〃

〃Oh。　Maggie！〃　said　Paul。　〃You　should　have　told　me！〃

〃Why！〃　said　Maggie；　bewildered。　〃Father　never　minded　about　dissenters。　Our　butcher　in　St。　Dreot's　was　an　atheist　and〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Grace；　her　eyes　still　flashing　about　like　goldfish　in　a　pool。　〃You　didn't　know；　dear。　Of　course　you　didn't。　I'm　sure　we　can　put　it　right　with　Mitchell；　although　he's　a　sensitive　man。　I'll　go　and　see　him　in　the　morning。　I　am　glad　I'm　back。　Well；　I　was　telling　you　。　。　。　Where　was　I？　。　。　。　about　the　porter〃

Something　drove　Maggie　to　say：

〃I'd　rather　have　a　good　grocer　who's　a　dissenter　than　a　bad　one　who　goes　to　church〃

〃Maggie；〃　said　Paul；　〃you　don't　know　what　you're　saying。　You　don't　realise　what　the　effect　in　the　parish　would　be。〃

〃Of　course　she　doesn't；〃　said　Grace　consolingly。　〃She'll　understand　in　time。　As　I　was　saying；　I　was　so　angry　that　I　caught　the　old　man　by　the　arm　and　I　said　to　him；　'If　you　think　you're　paid　to　lean　up　against　a　wall　and　not　do　your　duty　you're　mightily　mistaken；　and　if　you　aren't　careful　I'll　report　youthat's　what　I'll　do；'　and　he　saidwhat　were　his　exact　words？　I'll　remember　in　a　minute。　I　know　he　was　very　insulting；　and　the　taxi…cabmanwhy；　Paul；　where's　mother's　picture？〃

Grace's　eyes　were　directed　to　a　large　space　high　above　the　mantelpiece。　Maggie　remembered　that　there　had　been　a　big　faded　oil…　painting　of　an　old　lady　in　a　shawl　and　spectacles；　a　hideous　affair　she　had　thought　it。　That　was　now　reposing　in　the　attic。　Why　had　she　not　known　that　it　was　a　picture　of　Paul's　mother？　She　would　never　have　touched　it　had　she　known。　Why　had　Paul　said　nothing？　He　had　not　even　noticed　that　it　was　gone。

Paul　stared；　amazed　and　certainlyyes；　beyond　questionfrightened。

〃Graceupon　my　wordI've　been　so　busy　since　my　return〃

〃Is　that　also　in　the　attic？〃　asked　Grace。

〃Yes；　it　is；〃　said　Maggie。　〃I'm　so　sorry。　I　never　knew　it　was　your　mother。　It　wasn't　a　very　good　painting　I　thought；　so　I　took　it　down。　If　I　had　known；　of　course；　I　never　would　have　touched　it。　Oh　Grace；　I　AM　so　sorry。〃

〃It's　been　there；〃　said　Grace；　〃for　nearly　twenty　years。　What　I　mean　to　say　is　that　it's　always　been　there。　Poor　mother。　Are　there　many　things　in　the　attic；　Maggie？〃

At　that　moment　there　was　a　feeble　scratching　on　the　door。　Paul；　evidently　glad　of　anything　that　would　relieve　the　situation；　opened　the　door。

〃Why；　it's　Mitch！〃　cried　Grace；　forgetting　for　the　moment　her　mother。　〃Fancy！　It's　Mitch！　Mitch；　dear！　Was　she　glad　to　see　her　old　friend　back　again？　Was　she？　Darling！　Fancy　seeing　her　old　friend　again？　Was　she　wanting　her　back？〃

Mitch　stood　shivering　in　the　doorway；　then；　with　her　halting　step；　the　skin　of　her　back　wrinkled　with　anxiety；　she　crossed　the　room。　For　a　moment　she　hesitated；　then　with　shamefaced　terror；　slunk　to　Maggie；　pressed　up　against　her；　and　sat　there　huddled；　staring　at　Grace　with　yellow　unfriendly　eyes。




CHAPTER　IV

GRACE


Not　in　a　day　and　not　in　a　night　did　Maggie　find　a　key　to　that　strange　confusion　of　fears；　superstitions；　and　self…satisfactions　that　was　known　to　the　world　as　Grace　Trenchard。　Perhaps　she　never　found　it；　and　through　all　the　struggle　and　conflict　in　which　she　was　now　to　be　involved　she　was　fighting；　desperately；　in　the　dark。　Fight　she　did；　and　it　was　this　same　conflict；　bitter　and　tragic　enough　at　the　time；　that　transformed　her　into　the　woman　that　she　became　。　。　。　and　through　all　that　conflict　it　may　be　truly　said　of　her　that　she　never　knew　a　moment's　bitternessanger；　dismay；　loneliness；　even　despair…bitterness　never。

It　was　not　strange　that　Maggie　did　not　understand　Grace；　Grace　never　understood　herself　nor　did　she　make　the　slightest　attempt　to　do　so。　It　would　be　easy　enough　to　cover　the　ground　at　once　by　saying　that　she　had　no　imagination；　that　she　never　went　behind　the　thing　that　she　saw；　and　that　she　found　the　grasping　of　external　things　quite　as　much　as　she　could　manage。　But　that　is　not　enough。　Very　early　indeed；　when　she　had　been　a　stolid…faced　little　girl　with　a　hot　desire　for　the　doll　possessed　by　her　neighbour；　she　had　had　for　nurse　a　woman　who　rejoiced　in　supernatural　events。　With　ghost　stories　of　the　most　terrifying　kind　she　besieged　Grace's　young　heart　and　mind。　The　child　had　never　imagination　enough　to　visualise　these　stories　in　the　true　essence；　but　she　seized　upon　external　detail…the　blue　lights；　the　white　shimmering　garments；　the　moon　and　the　church　clock；　the　clanking　chain　and　the　stain　of　blood　upon　the　board。

These　things　were　not　for　her；　and　indeed　did　she　allow　her　fancy　to　dwell；　for　a　moment；　upon　them　she　was　besieged　at　once　by　so　horrid　a　panic　that　she　lost　all　control　and　self…possession。　She　therefore　very　quickly　put　those　things　from　her　and　thenceforth　lived　in　the　world　as　in　a　castle　surrounded　by　a　dark　moat　filled　with　horrible　and　slimy　creatures　who　would　raise　a　head　at　her　did　she　so　much　as　glance　their　way。

She　decided　then　never　to　look；　and　from　a　very　early　age　those　quarters　of　life　became　to　her　〃queer；〃　indecent；　and　dangerous。　All　the　more　she　fastened　her　grip　upon　the　things　that　she　could　see　and　hold；　and　these　things　repaid　her　devotion　by　never　deceiving　her　or　pretending　to　be　what　they　were　not。　She　believed　intensely　in　forms　and　repetitions；　she　liked　everything　to　be　where　she　expected　it　to　be；　people　to　say　the　things　that　she　expected　them　to　say；　clocks　to　strike　at　the　right　time；　and　trains　to　be　up　to　the　minute。　With　all　this　she　could　never　be　called　an　accurate　or　careful　woman。　She　was　radically　stupid；　stupid　in　the　real　sense　of　the　word；　so　that　her　mind　did　not　grasp　a　new　thought　or　fact　until　it　had　been　repeated　to　her　again　and　again；　so　that　she　had　no　power　of　expressing　herself；　and　a　deep　inaccuracy　about　everything　and　every　one　which　she　endeavoured　to　cover　by　a　stream　of　aimless　lies　that　deceived　no　one。　She　would　of　course　have　been　very　indignant　had　any　one　told　her　that　she　was　stupid。　She　hated　what　she　called　〃clever　people〃　and　never　had　them　near　her　if　she　could　help　it。　She　was　instantly　suspicious　of　any　one　who　liked　ideas　or　wanted　anything　changed。　With　all　this　she　was　of　an　extreme　obstinacy　and　a　deep；　deep　jealousy。　She　clung　to　what　she　had　with　the　tenacity　of　a　mollusc。　What　she　had　was　in　the　main　Paul；　and　her　affection　for　him　was　a　very　real　human　quality　in　her。

He　was　exactly　what　she　would　have　chosen　had　she　been　allowed　at　the　beginning　a　free　choice。　He　was　lazy　and　good…tempered　so　that　he　yielded　to　her　on　every　possible　point；　he　was　absolutely　orthodox　and　never　shocked　her　by　a　thought　or　a　word　out　of　the　ordinary；　he　really　loved　her　and　believed　in　her　and　said；　quite　truly；　that　he　would　not　have　known　what　to　do　without　her。

It　seems　strange　then　that　it　should　have　been　in　the　main　her　urgency　that　led　to　the　acquisition　of　Maggie。　During　the　last　year　she　had　begun　to　be　seriously　uneasy。　Things　were　not　what　they　had　been。　Mrs。　Constantine　and　others　in　the　parish　were　challenging　her　authority；　even　the　Choir　boys　were　scarcely　so　subservient　as　they　had　been；　and；　worst　of　all；　Paul　himself　was　strangely　restive　and　unquiet。　He　talked　at　times　of　getting　married；　wondered