the captives-第83部分

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Maggie　comforted　her；　persuading　her　that　all　would　soon　be　well；　that　people　very　quickly　forgot　their　little　pieces　of　scandal；　and　that　so　long　as　she　did　not　run　away　or　do　anything　really　desperate　all　would　come　right。　Maggie　discovered　that　Caroline　had　escaped　from　her　crisis　with　an　increased　respect　and　even　affection　for　her　husband。　She　was　afraid　of　him；　and　was　the　sort　of　woman　who　must　be　afraid　of　her　husband　before　her　married　life　can　settle　into　any　kind　of　security。

〃And　I　thought　you'd　altogether　abandoned　me！〃　she　ended。

〃I　wasn't　coming　while　all　those　people　were　about；〃　said　Maggie。

〃You　darling！〃　cried　Caroline；　kissing　her。　〃Just　the　same　as　you　used　to　be。　I　was　angry　I　can　tell　you　when　month　after　month　went　by　and　you　never　came　near　me。　I　used　to　tell　people　when　they　asked　me　that　you　were　odd。　'She's　not　a　bit　like　other　people；'　I　would　say；　'not　a　bit　and　it's　no　use　expecting　her　to　be。　She's　always　been　queer。　I　used　to　know　her　in　London。'　They　do　think　you　odd　here；　darling。　They　do　indeed。　No　one　understands　you。　So　odd　for　a　clergyman's　wife。　Well；　so　you　are；　aren't　you？　I　always　tell　them　you　had　no　bringing　up。〃

Caroline　in　fact　very　quickly　recovered　her　flow。　As　soon　as　she　found　that　Maggie　was　not　shocked　she　reasserted　her　old　superiority。　Before　the　visit　was　over　she　had　rather　despised　Maggie　for　not　being　shocked。　At　Maggie's　departure；　however；　she　was　very　loving。

〃You　will　come　soon　again；　darling；　won't　you？　It's　no　use　asking　you　to　dinner　because；　of　course；　your　husband　won't　come。　But　look　in　any　afternoonor　we　might　go　for　a　drive　in　the　motor。　Good…bye…　…good…bye。〃

Maggie；　on　her　return；　found　Grace　looking　at　the　mid…day　post　in　the　hall。　She　always　did　this　in　a　very　short…sighted　way；　taking　up　the　letters　one　by　one；　holding　each　very　close　to　her　eyes；　and　sniffing　at　it　as　though　she　were　trying　to　read　through　the　envelope。　This　always　irritated　Maggie；　although　her　own　letters　were　not　very　many。　To…night；　when　she　heard　the　hall　door　open；　she　turned　and　dropped　the　letters；　giving　that　especial　creaking　little　gasp　that　she　always　did　when　she　was　startled。

〃Oh；　it's　you；　Maggie；　is　it？　Where've　you　been？〃

〃I've　been　to　see　Mrs。　Purdie；〃　Maggie　said　defiantly。

Grace　paused　as　though　she　were　going　to　speak；　then　turned　on　her　heel。　But　just　as　she　reached　the　sitting…room　door　she　said；　breathing　heavily：

〃There's　a　telegram　for　you　there。〃

Maggie　saw　it　lying　on　the　table。　She　picked　it　up　and　hesitated。　A　wild　beating　of　the　heart　told　her　that　it　must　be　from　Martin。　She　didn't　know　what　told　her　this　except　that　now　for　so　long　she　had　been　expecting　to　see　a　telegram　lying　in　just　this　way　on　the　table；　waiting　for　her。　She　took　it　up　with　a　hand　that　trembled。　She　tore　it　open　and　read：

〃Come　at　once。　Your　aunt　dying。　Wishes　to　see　you。　Magnus。〃

No　need　to　ask　which　aunt。　When　one　aunt　was　mentioned　it　was　Aunt　Anneof　course。　Oh；　poor　Aunt　Anne！　Maggie　longed　for　her；　longed　to　be　with　her；　longed　to　be　kind　to　her；　longed　to　comfort　her。　And　Mr。　Magnus　and　Martha　and　Aunt　Elizabeth　and　the　catshe　must　go　at　once；　she　must　catch　a　train　after　luncheon。

She　went　impetuously　into　her　husband's　study。

〃Oh；　Paul！〃　she　cried。　〃Aunt　Anne's　dying；　and　I　must　go　to　her　at　once。〃

Paul　was　sitting　in　his　old　armchair　before　the　fire；　he　was　wearing　faded　brown　slippers　that　flapped　at　his　heels；　his　white　hair　was　tangled；　his　legs　were　crossed；　the　fat　broad　thighs　pressing　out　against　the　shiny　black　cloth　of　his　trousers。　He　was　chuckling　over　an　instalment　of　Anthony　Trollope's　〃Brown　Jones　and　Robinson〃　in　a　very　ancient　Cornhill。

He　looked　up；　〃Maggie；　you　know　it's　my　sermon…morning　interruptions〃　He　had　dropped　the　Cornhill；　but　not　fast　enough　to　hide　it　from　her。

She　looked　around　at　the　dirty　untidiness　of　the　study。　〃It's　all　my　fault；　this；〃　she　thought。　〃I　should　have　kept　him　clean　and　neat　and　keen　on　his　work。　I　haven't。　I've　failed。〃

Then　her　next　thought　was：　〃Grace　wouldn't　let　me〃

The　study；　in　fact；　was　more　untidy　than　ever；　the　pictures　were　back　in　their　places　whence　Maggie　had　once　removed　them。

Husband　and　wife　looked　at　one　another。　If　she　felt：　〃I've　not　managed　my　duty；〃　he　felt　perhaps：　〃What　a　child　she　is　after　all！〃　But　between　them　there　was　the　gulf　of　their　past　experience。

〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　that；〃　he　said；　yawning。　〃Is　she　an　old　lady？〃

〃No；　she's　not；〃　said　Maggie；　breathing　very　quickly。　〃I　love　her　very　much。　I've　been　thinking；　Paul；　I've　not　been　good　about　my　relations　all　this　time。　I　ought　to　have　seen　them　more。　I　must　go　up　to　London　at　once。〃

〃If　your　aunt's　bad　and　wants　you；　I　suppose　you　must；〃　he　answered。　He　got　up　and　came　over　to　her。　He　kissed　her　suddenly。

〃You'll　be　wanting　some　money；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　be　long　away。　I'll　miss　you。〃

She　caught　the　2。30　train。　It　seemed　very　strange　to　her　to　be　sitting　in　it　alone　after　the　many　months　when　she　had　been　always　either　with　Grace　or　Paul。　An　odd　sense　of　adventure　surrounded　her；　and　she　felt　as　though　she　were　now　at　last　approaching　the　climax　to　which　the　slow　events　of　the　last　two　years　had　been　leading。　When　she　had　been　a　little　girl　one　of　the　few　interesting　books　in　the　house　had　been　The　Mysteries　of　Udulpho。　She　could　see　the　romance　now；　with　its　four　dumpy　volumes；　the　F's　so　confusingly　like　S's；　the　faded　print；　and　the　yellowing　page。

She　could　remember　little　enough　of　it；　but　there　had　been　one　scene　near　the　beginning　of　the　story　when　the　heroine；　Emily；　looking　for　something　in　the　dusk；　had　noticed　some　lines　pencilled　on　the　wainscot；　these　mysterious　pencilled　lines　had　been　the　beginning　of　all　her　troubles；　and　Maggie；　as　a　small　girl；　had　approached　sometimes　in　the　evening　dusk　the　walls　of　her　attic　to　see　whether　there　too　verses　had　been　scribbled。　Now；　obscure　in　the　corner　of　her　carriage；　she　felt　as　though　the　telegram　had　been　a　pencilled　message　presaging　some　great　event　that　would　shortly　change　her　life。

It　was　a　dark　and　gloomy　day；　misty　with　a　gale　of　wind　that　blew　the　smoke　into　curls　and　eddies　against　the　sky。　There　seemed　to　be　a　roar　about　the　vast　London　station　that　threatened　her　personally；　but　she　beat　down　her　fears；　found　a　taxi；　and　gave　the　driver　the　well…remembered　address。

As　they　drove　along　she　felt　how　much　older；　how　much　older　she　was　then　than　when　she　was　last　in　London。　Then　she　had　been　ignorant　of　all　life　and　the　world；　now　she　felt　that　she　was　an　old；　old　woman　with　an　infinite　knowledge　of　marriage　and　men　and　women　and　the　way　they　lived。　She　looked　upon　her　aunts　and　indeed　all　that　world　that　had　surrounded　the　Chapel　as　something　infinitely　childish；　and　for　that　reason　rather　sweet　and　touching。　She　could　be　kind　and　friendly　even　to　Amy　Warlock　she　thought。　She　wished　that　she　had　some　excuse　so　that　she　might　stay　in　London　a　week　or　two。　She　felt　that　she　could　stretch　her　limbs　and　breathe　again　now　that　she　was　out　of　Grace's　sight。

And　she　would　find　out　Uncle　Mathew's　address　and　pay　him　a　surprise　visit　。　。　。　She　laughed　in　the　cab　and　felt　gay　and　light…hearted　until　she　remembered　the　cause　of　her　visit。　Poor；　poor　Aunt　Anne！　Oh；　she　did　hope　that　she　would　be　well　enough　to　recognise　her　and　to　show　pleasure　at　seeing　her。　The　cab　had　stopped　in　the　well…　remembered　street　before　the　same　old　secret…looking　house。　Nothing　seemed　to　have　changed；　and　the　sight　of　it　all　brought　Martin　back　to　her　with　so　fierce　a　pang　that　for　a　moment　breath　seemed　to　leave　her　body。　It　was　just　near　here；　only　a　few　steps　away；　that　he　had　suddenly　appeared；　as　though　from　the　very　paving…stones；　when　she　had　been　with　Uncle　Mathew；　and　then　had　gone　to　supper　with　him。　It　was　from　this　door　that　he　had　run　on　that　last　desperate　day。　She　looked　up　at　the　windows；　the　blinds　were　not　down；　her　aunt　was　yet　alive；　she　paid　the　taxi　and　rang　the　bell。

The　door　was　opened　by　Martha；　who　seemed　infinitely　older　and　more　wrinkled　than　on　the　last　occasion；　her　old　face　was　yellow　like　drawn　parchment　and　her　thin　grey　hairs　were　pasted　back　over　her　old　skull；　she　was　wearing　black　mittens。

〃Miss　Maggie！〃　and　there　was　a　real　welcome　in　her　voice。　Maggie　was　drawn　into　the　dark　little　hall　that　smelt　of　cracknel　biscuits　and　lamp　oil；　there　was　the　green　baize　door；　and　then　suddenly　the　shrill　cry　of　the　parrot；　and　then；　out　of　the　dark；　the　fiery　eyes　of　Thomas　the　cat。

〃Oh；　Miss　Maggie！〃　said　Martha。　〃Or　I　suppose　I　should　say　'Mrs。'　now。　It's　a　long；　long　time　。　。　。〃

〃Yes；　it　is；〃　said　Maggie。　〃How　is　my　aunt？〃

〃If　she　lives　through　the　night　they'll　be　surprised；〃　Martha　answered；　wheezing　and　sighing。　〃Yes；　the　doctor　says'　If　Miss　Cardinal　sees　morning；'　he　says〃　Then　as　Maggie　hesitated　at　the　bottom　of　the　staircase。　〃If　you'd　go　straight　to　the　drawing…room；　Miss；　Mum；　Mr。　Magnus　is　waiting　tea　for　you　there。〃

Maggie　went　up；　past　the　Armed　Men　into　the　old　room。　She　could　have　kissed　all　the　things　for　their　old　remembered　intimacy　and　friendliness；　the　pictures；　the　books；　the　old　faded　carpet；　the　fire…screen；　the　chairs　and　wall…papers。　There；　too；　was　Mr。　Magnus；　looking　just　as　he　used　to　look；　with　his　spectacles　and　his　projecting　ears；　his　timid　smile　and　apologetic　voice。　He　did　seem　for　a　moment　afraid　of　her；　then　her　boyish　air；　her　unfeigned　pleasure　and　happiness　at　being　back　there　again；　and　a　certain　childish　awkwardness　with　which　she　shook　hands　and　sat　herself　behind　the　little　tea…table　reassured　him：

〃You're　not　changed　at　all；〃　he　told　her。　〃Isn't　that　dreadful？〃　she　said；　〃when　all　the　way　in　the　cab　I've　been　telling　myself　how　utterly　different　I　am。〃

〃I　suppose　you　feel　older？〃　he　asked　her。

〃Older！　Why；　centuries！〃

〃You　don't　look　a　day；〃　he　said；　smiling　at　her。

〃That's　my　short　hair；〃　she　answered；　smiling　back　at　him；　〃and　not　being　able　to　wear　my　clothes　like　a　grown　woman。　It's　a　fact　that　I　can't　get　used　to　long　skirts；　and　in　Skeaton　it's　bad　form　to　cross　your　knees。　I　try　and　remember〃　she　sighed。　〃The　truth　is　I　forget　everything　just　as　I　used　to。〃

〃How　is　Aunt？〃　she　asked　him。　He　looked　very　grave；　and　behind　his　smil