the captives-第78部分

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〃I'm　sorry　I'm　aggravating；〃　said　Paul　patiently。

It　was　this　conversation　that　determined　Maggie。　She　had　been　coming；　through　all　the　winter　months；　to　a　resolution。　She　must　be　alone　with　Paul；　she　must　have　things　out　with　him。　As　the　months　had　gone　they　had　been　slipping　further　and　further　apart。　It　had　been　Paul　who　had　gradually　withdrawn　into　himself。　He　had　been　kind　and　thoughtful　but　reserved；　shy；　embarrassed。　She　understood　his　trouble；　but　at　her　first　attempt　to　force　him　to　speak　he　escaped　and　placed　Grace　between　them。　Well；　this　summer　should　see　the　end　of　that。　They　must　know　where　they　stood；　and　for　that　they　must　be　alone　。　。　。

One　day；　early　in　June；　Paul　announced　that　he　thought　of　exchanging　duties；　for　the　month　of　August；　with　a　Wiltshire　clergyman。　This　was　Maggie's　opportunity。　Finding　him　alone　in　his　study；　she　attacked。

〃Paul；　did　you　mean　Grace　to　come　with　us　to　Little　Harben　in　August？〃

〃Of　course；　dear。　She　has　nowhere　else　to　go。〃

〃Well；　she　mustn't　come。　I've　given　way　about　everything　since　we　were　married。　I'm　not　going　to　give　way　about　this。　That　month　we　are　to　be　alone。〃

〃Alone！〃　said　Paul。　〃But　we're　always　alone。〃

〃We're　never　alone；〃　said　Maggie；　standing　with　her　legs　apart　and　her　hands　behind　her　back。　〃I　don't　mean　to　complain　about　Grace。　She's　been　very　good　to　me；　I　know；　and　I've　got　much　to　be　grateful　for。　All　the　same　she's　not　coming　to　Little　Harben。　She's　got　you　all　the　rest　of　the　year。　She　can　give　you　up　for　a　month。〃

〃But　Maggie〃　said　Paul。

〃No；　I'm　quite　determined　about　this。　I　may　be　a　child　and　a　fool；　but　I　know　what　I'm　talking　about　this　time。　You're　not　happy。　You　never　talk　to　me　as　you　used　to。　There　are　many　things　we　ought　to　have　out；　but　Grace　is　always　there　in　the　daytime　and　at　night　you're　too　tired。　If　we　go　on　like　this　we'll　be　strangers　in　another　six　months。〃

He　turned　round　to　stare　at　her；　and　she　saw　in　his　eyes　an　odd　excited　light。

〃Maggie；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃If　we　go　alone　to　Little　Harben　does　it　mean　that　you　thinkyou　can　begin　to　love　me？〃

She　turned　her　eyes　away。　〃I　don't　know。　I　don't　know　about　myself；　I　only　know　that　I　want　us　to　be　happy　and　I　want　us　to　be　close　togetheras　we　were　before　we　were　married。　It's　all　gone　wrong　somehow；　I'm　sure　it's　my　fault。　It　was　just　the　same　with　my　father　and　my　aunts。　I　couldn't　say　the　things　to　them　I　wanted　to；　the　things　I　really　felt；　and　so　I　lost　them。　I'm　going　to　lose　you　in　the　same　way　if　I'm　not　careful。〃

He　still　looked　at　her　strangely。　At　last；　with　a　sigh；　he　turned　back　to　his　desk。

〃I'll　speak　to　Grace；〃　he　said。　That　night　the　storm　broke。

During　supper　Grace　was　very　quiet。　Maggie；　watching　her；　knew　that　Paul　had　spoken　to　her。　Afterwards　in　the　study　the　atmosphere　was　electric。　Grace　read　The　Church　Times；　Paul　the　Standard；　Maggie　Longfellow's　Golden　Legend；　which　she　thought　foolish。

Grace　looked　up。　〃So　I　understand；　Maggie；　that　you　don't　want　me　to　come　with　you　and　Paul　this　summer？〃

Maggie；　her　heart；　in　spite　of　herself；　thumping　in　her　breast；　faced　a　Grace　transfigured　by　emotion。　That　countenance；　heavily；　flabbily　good…natured；　the　eyes　if　stupid；　also　kind；　was　now　marked　and　riven　with　a　flaming　anger。

But　Maggie　was　no　coward。　With　her　old　gesture　of　self…command　she　stilled　her　heart。　〃I'm　very　sorry；　Grace；〃　she　said。　〃But　it's　only　for　a　month。　I　want　to　be　alone　with　Paul。〃

Grace；　her　hands　fumbling　on　the　arms　of　her　chair　as　though　she　were　blind；　rose。

〃You've　hated　my　being　here；　Maggie　。　。　。　all　this　time　I've　seen　it。　You've　hated　me。　You　don't　know　that　you　owe　everything　to　me；　that　you　couldn't　have　managed　the　house；　the　shops；　the　servants　nothing；　nothing。　This　last　year　I've　worked　my　fingers　to　the　bone　for　you　and　Paul。　What　do　you　think　I　get　out　of　it？　Nothing。　It's　because　I　love　Paul　。　。　。　because　I　love　Paul。　But　you've　hated　my　doing　things　better　than　you；　you've　wanted　me　to　fail；　you've　been　jealous；　that's　what　you've　been。　Very　well；　then；　I'll　go。　You've　made　that　plain　enough　at　any　rate。　I'll　leave　to…morrow。　I　won't　wait　another　hour。　And　I'll　never　forgive　you　for　thisnever。　You've　taken　Paul　away　from　me　。　。　。　all　I've　ever　had。　I'll　never　forgive　younever；　never；　never。〃

〃Grace；　Grace；〃　cried　Paul。

But　she　rushed　from　the　room。

Maggie　looked　at　her　husband。

〃Why；　Paul；〃　she　said；　〃you're　frightened。　Grace　doesn't　mean　it。　She　won't　go　to…morrowor　ever。　There's　nothing　to　be　frightened　of。〃

His　red　cheeks　were　pale。　His　hands　trembled。

〃I　do　so　hate　quarrels；〃　he　said。

Maggie　went　up　to　him　and　rather　timidly　put　her　hand　on　his　arm。

〃We'll　have　a　lovely　time　at　Harben；〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　I　do　want　you　to　be　happy；　Paul。〃




CHAPTER　VI

THE　BATTLE　OF　SKEATON

SECOND　YEAR


Strangely　enough　Maggie　felt　happier　after　this　disturbance。　Grace；　in　the　weeks　that　followed；　was　an　interesting　confusion　of　silent　and　offended　dignity　and　sudden　capitulations　because　she　had　some　news　of　fussing　interest　that　she　must　impart。　Nevertheless　she　was　deeply　hurt。　She　was　as　tenacious　of　her　grievances　as　a　limpet　is　of　its　rock；　and　she　had　never　been　so　severely　wounded　before。　Maggie；　on　her　side；　liked　Grace　better　after　the　quarrel。　She　had　never　really　disliked　her；　she　had　only　been　irritated　by　her。

She　thought　it　very　natural　of　her　to　be　angry　and　jealous　about　Paul。　She　was　determined　that　this　month　at　Little　Harben　should　put　everything　right。　Looking　back　over　these　past　years　she　blamed　herself　severely。　She　had　been　proud；　self…centred；　unfeeling。　She　remembered　that　day　so　long　ago　at　St。　Dreot's　when　Aunt　Anne　had　appealed　for　her　affection　and　she　had　made　no　reply。　There　had　been　many　days；　too；　in　London　when　she　had　been　rebellious　and　hard。　She　thought　of　that　night　when　Aunt　Anne　had　suffered　so　terribly　and　she　had　wanted　only　her　own　escape。　Yeshard　and　unselfish　that　was　what　she　had　been；　and　she　had　been　punished　by　losing　Martin。

Already　here；　just　as　before　in　London；　she　was　complaining　and　angry；　and　unsympathetic。　She　did　care　for　Paulshe　could　even　love　Grace　if　she　would　let　her。　She　would　make　everything　right　this　summer　and　try　and　be　a　better；　kinder　woman。

Then；　one　morning；　she　found　a　letter　on　the　breakfast　table。　She　did　not　recognise　the　handwriting；　when　she　opened　it　and　saw　the　signature　at　the　end　for　a　moment　she　also　did　not　recognise　that。　〃William　Magnus。〃　。　。　。　Thenwhy；　of　course！　Mr。　Magnus！　She　saw　him　standing　looking　down　at　her　with　his　mild　eyes；　staring　through　his　large　spectacles。

Her　heart　beat　furiously。　She　waited　until　breakfast　was　over；　then　she　took　it　up　to　her　bedroom。

The　letter　was　as　follows：

Dear　Miss　Maggie；

I　know　you　are　not　〃Miss　Maggie〃　now；　but　that　is　the　only　way　that　I　can　think　of　you。　I　expect　that　you　have　quite　forgotten　me；　and　perhaps　you　don't　want　to　hear　from　me；　but　I　must　not　lose　sight　of　you　altogether。　I　haven't　so　many　friends　that　I　can　lose　one　without　a　word。　I　don't　know　quite　what　to　begin　by　telling　you。　I　ought　to　ask　you　questions　about　yourself；　I　suppose；　but　I　know　that　your　aunts　hear　from　you　from　time　to　time　and　they　give　me　news　from　your　letters。　I　hear　that　you　are　happily　married　and　are　quite　settled　down　to　your　new　life。　I'm　very　glad　to　hear　that；　although　it　isn't　quite　the　life　that　I　would　have　prophesied　for　you。　Do　you　like　Skeaton？　I've　never　cared　much　for　seaside　resorts　myself；　but　then　I'm　a　queer　cranky　old　man；　and　I　deserve　all　I　get。　I　wish　I　could　tell　you　something　cheerful　about　all　your　friends　here；　but　I'm　afraid　I　can't。　Your　aunt　is　so　brave　and　plucky　that　probably　she　said　nothing　to　you　in　her　last　letter　about　how　ill　she　has　been；　but　she's　just　had　a　very　bad　bout；　and　at　one　time　we　were　afraid　that　we　were　going　to　lose　her。　You　can　imagine　how　anxious　we　all　were。　But　she　is　better　again　now；　although　very　much　shattered。　The　Chapel　is　closed。　There's　a　piece　of　news　for　you！　It　never　recovered　from　poor　Warlock's　death；　he　was　the　spirit　that　gave　it　life；　and　although　he　may　have　had　his　dreams　and　imaginations　that　deceived　him；　there　was　some　life　in　that　building　that　I　have　never　found　anywhere　else　and　shall　never　find　again。　You　remember　that　Amy　Warlock　married　that　scamp　Thurston。　Well；　she　has　left　him　and　has　come　back　to　live　with　her　mother。　She　had　a　rather　bad　experience；　I'm　afraid；　poor　woman；　but　she　says　nothing　to　any　one　about　it。　She　and　the　old　lady　have　moved　from　this　part　of　London　and　have　gone　to　live　somewhere　in　Kensington。　Some　one　saw　Martin　Warlock　in　Paris　the　other　day。　I　hear　that　he　has　been　very　seriously　ill　and　is　greatly　changed；　looking　years　older。　I　can　say；　now　that　you　are　happily　married；　that　I　am　greatly　relieved　that　you　were　not　engaged　to　him。　You　won't　think　this　presumptuous　of　a　man　old　enough　to　be　your　father；　will　you？　I　am　sure　he　had　many　good　things　in　him；　but　he　was　very　weak　and　not　fitted　to　look　after　you。　But　he　had　a　good　heart；　I'm　sure；　and　his　father's　death　was　a　great　shock　to　him。　Thurston；　I　hear；　is　having　revival　meetings　up　and　down　the　country。　Miss　Avies；　I　believe；　is　with　him。　You　remember　Miss　Pyncheon？　She　and　many　other　regular　attendants　at　the　Chapel　have　left　this　neighbourhood。　The　Chapel　is　to　be　a　cinematograph　theatre；　I　believe。　There！　I　have　given　you　all　the　gossip。　I　have　not　said　more　about　your　aunts　because　I　want　you　to　come　up　one　day　to　London；　when　you　have　time；　and　see　them。　You　will　do　that；　won't　you？　I　expect　you　are　very　busyI　hope　you　are。　I　would　like　to　have　a　line　from　you；　but　please　don't　bother　if　you　have　too　much　to　do。

Always　your　friend；

WILLIAM　MAGNUS。

When　Maggie　saw　Martin's　name　the　other　writing　on　the　page　transformed　itself　suddenly　into　a　strange　pattern　of　webs　and　squares。　Nevertheless　she　pursued　her　way　through　this；　but　without　her　own　agency；　as　though　some　outside　person　were　reading　to　her　and　she　was　not　listening。

She　repeated　the　last　words　〃Always　your　friend；　William　Magnus〃　aloud　solemnly　twice。　Her　thoughts　ran　in　leaps　and　runs；　hurdle…　race…wise　across　the　flat　level　of　her　brain。　Martin。　Old。　Ill。　Paris。　Tho