the captives-第72部分

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ll；　Paul　himself　was　strangely　restive　and　unquiet。　He　talked　at　times　of　getting　married；　wondered　whether　she；　Grace；　wouldn't　like　some　one　to　help　her　in　the　house；　and　even；　on　one　terrifying　occasion；　suggested　leaving　Skeaton　altogether。　A　momentary　vision　of　what　it　would　be　to　live　without　Paul；　to　give　up　her　kingdom　in　Skeaton；　to　have　to　start　all　over　again　to　acquire　dominion　in　some　new　place；　was　enough　for　Grace。

She　must　find　Paul　a　wife；　and　she　must　find　some　one　who　would　depend　upon　her；　look　up　to　her；　obey　her；　who　would；　incidentally；　take　some　of　the　tiresome　and　monotonous　drudgery　off　her　shoulders。　The　moment　she　saw　Maggie　she　was　resolved；　here　was　just　the　creature；　a　mouse　of　a　girl；　no　parents；　no　money；　no　appearance；　nothing　to　make　her　proud　or　above　herself；　some　one　to　be　moulded　and　trained　in　the　way　she　should　go。　To　her　great　surprise　she　discovered　that　Paul　was　at　once　attracted　by　Maggie：　had　she　ever　wondered　at　anything　she　would　have　wondered　at　this；　but　she　decided　that　it　was　because　she　herself　had　made　the　suggestion。　Dear　Paul；　he　was　always　so　eager　to　fall　in　with　any　of　her　proposals。

Her　mind　misgave　her　a　little　when　she　saw　that　he　was　really　in　love。　What　could　he　see　in　that　plain；　gauche；　uncharming　creature？　See　something　he　undoubtedly　did。　However；　that　would　wear　off　very　quickly。　The　Skeaton　atmosphere　was　against　romance　and　Paul　was　too　lazy　to　be　in　love　very　long。　Once　or　twice　in　the　weeks　before　the　wedding　Grace's　suspicions　were　aroused。

Maggie　seemed　to　be　an　utter　little　heathen；　also　it　appeared　that　she　had　had　some　strange　love　affair　that　she　had　taken　so　seriously　as　actually　to　be　ill　over　it。　That　was　odd　and　a　little　alarming；　but　the　child　was　very　young；　and　once　married…there　she'd　be；　so　to　speak！

It　was　not；　in　fact；　until　that　evening　of　her　arrival　in　Skeaton　that　she　was　seriously　alarmed。　To　say　that　that　first　ten　minutes　in　Paul's　study　alarmed　her　is　to　put　it　mildly　indeed。　As　she　looked　at　the　place　where　her　mother's　portrait　had　been；　as　she　stared　at　the　trembling　Mitch　cowering　against　Maggie's　dress；　she　experienced　the　most　terrifying；　shattering　upheaval　since　the　day　when　as　a　little　girl　of　six　she　had　been　faced　as　she　had　fancied；　with　the　dripping　ghost　of　her　great…uncle　William。　Not　at　once；　however；　was　the　battle　to　begin。　Maggie　gave　way　about　everything。　She　gave　way　at　first　because　she　was　so　confident　of　getting　what　she　wanted　later　on。　She　never　conceived　that　she　was　not　to　have　final　power　in　her　own　house；　Paul　had　as　yet　denied　her　nothing。　She　moved　the　pictures　and　the　pots　and　the　crochet　work　down　from　the　attic　and　replaced　them　where　they　had　been…or；　nearly　replaced　them。　She　found　it　already　rather　amusing　to　puzzle　Grace　by　changing　their　positions　from　day　to　day　so　that　Grace　was　bewildered　and　perplexed。

Grace　said　nothingonly　solidly　and　with　panting　noises　（she　suffered　from　shortness　of　breath）　plodded　up　and　down　the　house；　reassuring　herself　that　all　her　treasures　were　safe。

Maggie；　in　fact；　enjoyed　herself　during　the　weeks　immediately　following　Grace's　return。　Paul　seemed　tranquil　and　happy；　there　were　no　signs　of　fresh　outbreaks　of　the　strange　passion　that　had　so　lately　frightened　her。　Maggie　herself　found　her　duties　in　connection　with　the　Church　and　the　house　easier　than　she　had　expected。　Every　one　seemed　very　friendly。　Grace　chattered　on　with　her　aimless　histories　of　unimportant　events　and　patted　Maggie's　hand　and　smiled　a　great　deal。　Surely　all　was　very　well。　Perhaps　this　was　the　life　for　which　Maggie　was　intended。

And　that　other　life　began　to　be　dim　and　faint…even　Martin　was　a　little　hidden　and　mysterious。　Strangely　she　was　glad　of　that；　the　only　way　that　this　could　be　carried　through　was　by　keeping　the　other　out　of　it。　Would　the　two　worlds　mingle？　Would　the　faces　and　voices　of　those　spirits　be　seen　and　heard　again？　Would　they　leave　Maggie　now　or　plan　to　steal　her　back？　The　whole　future　of　her　life　depended　on　the　answer　to　that　。　。　。

During　those　weeks　she　investigated　Skeaton　very　thoroughly。　She　found　that　her　Skeaton；　the　Skeaton　of　Fashion　and　the　Church；　was　a　very　small　affair　consisting　of　two　rows　of　villas；　some　detached　houses　that　trickled　into　the　country；　and　a　little　clump　of　villas　on　a　hill　over　the　sea　beyond　the　town。　There　were　not　more　than　fifty　souls　all　told　in　this　regiment　of　Fashion；　and　the　leaders　of　the　fifty　were　Mrs。　Constantine；　Mrs。　Maxse；　Miss　Purves；　a　Mrs。　Tempest　（a　large　black　tragic　creature）；　and　Miss　Grace　Trenchard…　and　they　had　for　their　male　supporters　Colonel　Maxse；　Mr。　William　Tempest；　a　Mr。　Purdie　（rich　and　idle）；　and　the　Reverend　Paul。　Maggie　discovered　that　the　manners；　habits；　and　even　voices　and　gestures　of　this　sacred　Fifty　were　all　the　same。　The　only　question　upon　which　they　divided　was　one　of　residence。　The　richer　and　finer　division　spent　several　weeks　of　the　winter　abroad　in　places　like　Nice　and　Cannes；　and　the　poorer　contingent　took　their　holiday　from　Skeaton　in　the　summer　in　Glebeshire　or　the　Lake　District。　The　Constantines　and　the　Maxses　were　very　fine　indeed　because　they　went　both　to　Cannes　in　the　winter　and　Scotland　in　the　summer。　It　was　wonderful；　considering　how　often　Mrs。　Constantine　was　away　from　Skeaton；　how　solemn　and　awe…inspiring　an　impression　she　made　and　retained　in　the　Skeaton　world。　Maggie　discovered　that　unless　you　had　a　large　house　with　independent　grounds　outside　the　town　it　was　impossible　to　remain　in　Skeaton　during　the　summer　months。　Oh！　the　trippers！　。　。　。Oh！　the　trippers！　Yes；　they　were　terrible…swallowed　up　the　sands；　eggshells；　niggers；　pierrots；　bathing…machines；　vulgarity；　moonlight　embracing；　noise；　sand；　and　dust。　If　you　were　any　one　at　all　you　did　not　stay　in　Skeaton　during　the　summer　months…unless；　as　I　have　said；　you　were　so　grand　that　you　could　disregard　it　altogether。

It　happened　that　these　weeks　were　wet　and　windy　and　Maggie　was　blown　about　from　one　end　of　the　town　to　the　other。　There　could　be　no　denying　that　it　was　grim　and　ugly　under　these　conditions。　It　might　be　that　when　the　spring　came　there　would　be　flowers　in　the　gardens　and　the　trees　would　break　out　into　fresh　green　and　the　sands　would　gleam　with　mother…of…pearl　and　the　sea　would　glitter　with　sunshine。　All　that　perhaps　would　come。　Meanwhile　there　was　not　a　house　that　was　not　hideous；　the　wind　tore　screaming　down　the　long　beaches　carrying　with　it　a　flurry　of　tempestuous　rain；　whilst　the　sea　itself　moved　in　sluggish　oily　coils；　dirt…grey　to　the　grey　horizon。　Worst　of　all　perhaps　were　the　deserted　buildings　at　other　times　dedicated　to　gaiety；　ghosts　of　places　they　were　with　torn　paper　flapping　against　their　sides　and　the　wind　tearing　at　their　tin…plated　roofs。　Then　there　was　the　desolate　little　station；　having；　it　seemed；　no　connection　with　any　kind　of　traffic…and　behind　all　this　the　woods　howled　and　creaked　and　whistled；　derisive；　provocative；　the　only　creatures　alive　in　all　that　world。

Between　the　Fashion　and　the　Place　the　Church　stood　as　a　bridge。

Centuries　ago；　when　Skeaton　had　been　the　merest　hamlet　clustered　behind　the　beach；　the　Church　had　been　there…not　the　present　building；　looking；　poor　thing；　as　though　it　were　in　a　perpetual　state　of　scarlet　fever；　but　a　shabby　humble　little　chapel　close　to　the　sea　sheltered　by　the　sandy　hill。

The　present　temple　had　been　built　about　1870　and　was　considered　very　satisfactory。　It　was　solid　and　free　from　draughts　and　took　the　central　heating　very　well。　The　graveyard　also　was　new　and　shiny；　with　no　bones　in　it　remoter　than　the　memories　of　the　present　generation　could　compass。　The　church　clock　was　a　very　late　addition　…put　up　by　subscription　five　years　ago…and　its　clamour　was　so　up　to　date　and　smart　that　it　was　a　cross　between　the　whistle　of　a　steam…　engine　and　a　rich　and　prosperous　dinner…bell。

All　this　was　rightly　felt　to　be　very　satisfactory。　As　Miss　Purves　said：　〃So　far　as　the　dear　Church　goes；　no　one　had　any　right　to　complain　about　anything。〃

When　Maggie　had　first　arrived　in　Skeaton　her　duties　with　regard　to　the　Church　were　made　quite　plain　to　her。　She　was　expected　to　take　one　of　the　classes　in　Sunday　school；　to　attend　Choir　practice　on　Friday　evening；　to　be　on　the　Committees　for　Old　Women's　Comforts；　Our　Brave　Lads'　Guild；　and　the　Girls'　Friendly　Society；　to　look　after　the　flowers　for　the　Altar；　and　to　attend　Paul's　Bible　Class　on　Wednesdays。

She　had　no　objection　to　any　of　these　things…they　were；　after　all；　part　of　her　〃job。〃　She　found　that　they　amused　her；　and　her　life　must　be　full；　full；　full。〃　No　time　to　thinkNo　time　to　think；〃　some　little　voice　far；　far　within　her　cried。　But　on　Grace's　return　difficulties　at　once　arose。　Grace　had；　hitherto；　done　all　these　things。　She　had；　as　she　called　it；　〃Played　a　large　part　in　the　life　of　our　Church。〃　She　was　bored　with　them　all；　the　Choir　practices；　the　Committees；　the　Altar　flowers；　and　the　rest；　she　was　only　too　pleased　that　Maggie　should　do　the　hard　workit　was　quite　fair　that　she；　Grace；　should　have　a　rest。　At　the　same　time　she　did　not　at　all　want　to　surrender　the　power　that　doing　these　things　had　given　her。　She　did　not　wish　Maggie　to　take　her　place；　but　she　wanted　her　to　support　the　burden…very　difficult　this　especially　if　you　are　not　good　at　〃thinking　things　out。〃

Grace　never　could　〃think　things　out。〃　It　seemed　as　though　her　thoughts　loved　wilfully　to　tease　and　confuse　her。　Then　when　she　was　completely　tangled；　and　bewildered；　her　temper　rose；　slowly；　stealthily；　but　with　a　mighty　force　behind　it；　suddenly　as　a　flood　bursts　the　walls　that　have　been　trying　to　resist　it；　it　would　sweep　the　chambers　of　her　mind；　submerging；　drowning　the　flock　of　panic…　stricken　little　ideas。

She　then　would　〃lose　her　temper〃　so　much　to　her　own　surprise　that　she　at　once　decided　that　some　one　else　must　be　responsible。　A　few　days　after　her　return　she　decided　that　she　〃must　not　let　these　things　go；〃　so　she　told　Maggie　that　she　would　attend　the　Committee　of　Old　Women's　Comforts　and　be　responsible　for　the　Choir　practice。　But　on　her　return　to　these　functions　she　found　that　she　was　bored　and　tired　and　cross；　they　were　really　intolerable；　she　had　been　doing　them　for　years　and　years　and　years。　It　was　too　bad　that　Maggie　should　suffer　her