the captives-第89部分

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aggie　was　altogether　a　stranger。　Time　had　not　altered　that；　with　the　passing　months　he　had　known　her　less　and　less。　Why；　at　their　first　meeting　long　ago　in　Katherine's　house　he　had　known　her　better　than　he　knew　her　now。　He　traced　the　steps　of　their　history　in　Skeaton；　she　had　eluded　him　always；　never　allowing　him　to　hold　her　for　more　than　a　moment；　vanishing　and　appearing　again；　fantastic；　in　some　strange　lighted　distance；　hurting　him　and　disappointing　him　。　。　。　He　stopped　in　his　walk；　bewildered。　He　saw；　with　a　sudden　flash；　that　she　had　never　appeared　so　fascinating　to　him　as　when　she　had　been　strangest。　He　saw　it　now　at　the　moment　when　she　seemed　more　darkly　strange；　more　sinister　and　dangerous　than　ever　before。

He　realised；　too；　at　the　same　sharp　moment　the　conflict　in　which　he　was　engaged。　On　the　one　side　was　all　his　life；　his　sloth　and　ease　and　comfort；　his　religion；　his　good　name；　his　easy　intercourse　with　his　fellow…men；　Grace；　intellectual　laziness；　acceptance　of　things　as　they　most　easily　are；　Skeaton；　regular　meals；　good　drainage；　moral；　physical　and　spiritual；　a　good　funeral　and　a　favourable　obituary　in　The　Skeaton　Times。　On　the　other　hand　unrest；　ill…health；　separation　from　Grace；　an　elusive　and　never…to…be…satisfied　pursuit；　scandal　and　possible　loss　of　religion；　unhappiness　。　。　。　At　least　it　was　to　his　credit　that　he　realised　the　conflict；　it　is　even　further　to　his　credit　that　he　grasped　and　admitted　the　hopelessness　of　it。　He　knew　which　way　he　would　go；　even　now　he　was　tired　with　the　thought　of　the　struggle；　he　sank　into　his　shabby　chair　with　a　sigh　of　weariness；　his　hand　stretched　out　instinctively　for　an　easy　volume。　But　oh；　Maggie！　how　strange　and　fascinating　at　that　moment　she　appeared　to　him；　with　her　odd　silences；　her　flashes　of　startled　surprise；　her　sense　of　being　half　the　day　in　another　world；　her　kindness　to　him　and　then　her　sudden　terror　of　him；　her　ignorance　and　then　the　conviction　that　she　gave　suddenly　to　him　that　she　knew　more　than　he　would　ever　know；　above　all；　the　way　that　some　dark　spirit　deep　down　in　him　supported　her　wild　rebellions；　her　irreverences；　her　irreligion；　her　scorn　of　tradition。　Oh！　she　was　a　witch！　Grace's　word　for　her　was　right；　but　not　Grace's　sense　of　it。　The　more　Grace　was　shocked　the　more　tempting　to　him　the　witch　became。　It　had　seemed　to　him；　that　day　in　Katherine's　drawing…room；　so　slight　a　thing　when　she　had　said　that　she　did　not　love　him；　he　had　no　doubt　but　that　he　could　change　that。　How　could　a　child；　so　raw　and　ignorant；　resist　such　a　man？　And　yet　she　had　resisted。　That　resistance　had　been　at　the　root　of　the　trouble。　Whichever　way　things　went　now；　he　was　a　defeated　man。

The　door　opened　and　Grace　came　in。　Looking　at　her　he　realised　that　she　would　never　understand　the　struggle　through　which　he　had　been　timorously　wading；　and　saw　that　she　was　further　away　from　him　than　she　had　ever　been　before。　He　blamed　her　too。　She　had　had　no　right　to　refuse　that　man　to　Maggie。　Had　she　allowed　Maggie　to　see　him　none　of　this　might　have　occurred。　The　man　was　a　forger　and　would；　had　he　lived；　have　gone　to　prison；　but　there　would　not　then　have　been　the　same　open　scandal。　No；　he　blamed　Grace。　It　might　be　that　their　old　absolutely　confident　intimacy　would　never　be　renewed。　He　felt　cold　and　lonely。　He　bent　forward；　putting　some　coal　on　the　fire；　breaking　it　up　into　a　cheerful　blaze。　Then　he　looked　up　at　her；　and　his　heart　was　touched。　She　looked　to…day　an　old　woman。　Her　hair　was　untidy　and　her　face　was　dull　grey　in　colour。　Her　eyes　moved　restlessly　round　the　room；　wandering　from　picture　to　picture；　from　the　mantelpiece　to　the　chairs；　from　the　chairs　to　the　book…shelves；　as　though　she　sought　in　the　sight　of　these　well…remembered　things　some　defence　and　security。

〃Is　your　head　better？〃　he　asked　her；　not　meeting　her　eyes；　because　the　dull　pain　in　them　disturbed　him。

〃Not　much；〃　she　said。　〃It's　very　bad；　my　head。　I've　taken　aspirin。　I　didn't　eat　anything　yesterday。　Nothing　at　all　except　some　bread　and　milk；　and　very　little　of　that　。　。　。　I　couldn't　finish　it。　I　felt　I'd　be　sick。　I　said　to　Emily；　'Emily；　if　I　eat　any　more　of　that　I'll　be　sick；'　and　Emily　advised　me　not　to　touch　it。　What　I　mean　is　that　if　I'd　eaten　any　more　I'd　have　been　really　sickat　least　that's　what　I　felt　like。〃

Her　restless　eyes　came　suddenly　to　a　jerking　pause　as　though　some　one　had　caught　and　gripped　them。　She　was　suddenly　dramatic。　〃Oh。　Paul；　what　are　we　going　to　do？〃　she　cried。

Paul　was　irritated　by　that。　He　hated　to　be　asked　direct　questions　as　to　policy。

〃What　do　you　mean　what　are　we　going　to　do？〃　he　asked。

〃Why；　about　thisabout　everything。　We　shall　have　to　leave　Skeaton；　you　know。　Fancy　what　people　are　saying！〃

Suddenly；　as　though　the　thought　of　the　scandal　was　too　much　for　her；　her　knees　gave　way　and　she　flopped　into　a　chair。

〃Well。　let　them　say！〃　he　answered　vigorously。　〃Grace；　you're　making　too　much　of　all　this。　You'll　be　ill　if　you　aren't　careful。　Pull　yourself　together。〃　〃Of　course　we've　got　to　go；〃　she　answered。　〃If　you　think　that　we　can　go　on　living　here　after　all　that's　happened〃

〃Well；　why　not？〃　he　interrupted。　〃We　haven't　done　anything。　It's　only〃

〃I　know　what　you're　going　to　say。〃　（It　was　one　of　Grace's　most　irritating　habits　that　she　finished　other　people's　sentences　for　them　in　a　way　that　they　had　not　intended）　〃that　if　they　look　at　it　properly　they'll　see　that　it　wasn't　our　fault。　But　will　they　look　at　it　properly？　Of　course　they　won't。　You　know　what　cats　they　are。　They're　only　waiting　for　a　chance。　What　I　mean　is　that　this　is　just　the　chance　they've　been　waiting　for。〃

〃How　can　you　go　on　and　every　time　you　preach　they'll　be　looking　up　at　you　and　saying　'There's　a　brother　of　a　murderer'？　Why；　fancy　what　you'd　feel！〃

Paul　jumped　in　his　chair。　〃What　do　you　mean；　Grace？　The　brother　of　a　murderer？〃

〃What　else　am　I？〃　Grace　began　to　warm　her　podgy　hands。　〃It　came　out　at　the　inquest　that　I　wouldn't　see　the　man；　didn't　it？　Maggie　thinks　me　a　murderer。　I　see　it　in　her　eyes　every　time。　What　I　mean　to　say；　Paul；　is；　What　are　you　going　to　do　about　Maggie？〃

Grace's　voice　changed　at　that　question。　It　was　as　though　that　other　trouble　of　the　scandal　were　nothing　to　her　compared　with　this　matter　of　Maggie's　presence。　Paul　turned　and　looked　at　her。　She　dropped　her　voice　to　a　whisper　and　went　on：

〃I　won't　stay　with　Maggie　any　more。　No；　no；　no！　You　must　choose；　Paul；　between　Maggie　and　me。　What　I　mean　is　that　it　simply　isn't　safe　in　the　same　house　with　her。　You　may　not　have　noticed　it　yourself；　but　I've　seen　it　coming　on　a　long　time。　I　have　indeed。　She　isn't　right　in　her　head；　and　she　hates　me。　She's　always　hated　me。　She'd　like　to　do　me　an　injury。　She　follows　me　round　the　house。　She's　always　watching　me；　and　now　that　she　thinks　that　I　killed　her　uncle　it's　worse。　I'm　not　safe；　Paul；　and　that's　the　truth。　She　hides　in　my　room　behind　the　curtains　waiting　for　me。　It's　my　safety　you've　got　to　consider。　It's　me　or　her。　I　know　she's　your　wife；　but　what　I　mean　is　that　there'll　be　something　awful　happening　if　you　aren't　careful。〃

Grace；　as　she　spoke；　was　a　woman　in　the　very　heart　of　a　desperate　panic。　Her　whole　body　trembled；　her　face　was　transfixed　as　though　she　saw　Maggie　standing　in　front　of　her　there　with　a　knife。　No　one　looking　at　her　could　deny　that　she　was　in　mortal　terrorno　affectation　here。　And　Paul　loved　her。　He　came　over　to　her　and　put　his　arm　round　her；　she　caught　hold　of　his　hand；　clutched　it　desperately。　When　he　felt　the　trembling　of　her　body　beneath　his　hand　his　love　for　her　and　protective　care　of　her　overwhelmed　him。

〃Grace；　dear；　it's　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃You're　exaggerating　all　this。　Maggie　wouldn't　hurt　a　flyindeed；　she　wouldn't。　She　has　her　faults；　perhaps；　but　cruelty　isn't　one　of　them。　You　must　remember　that　she's　had　a　bad　time　lately　losing　her　aunt　and　then　finding　her　uncle　in　that　horrible　way。　After　all；　she's　only　a　child。　I　know　that　you　two　haven't　got　on　well　together；　and　I　daresay　that　it　has　been　very　largely　my　fault；　but　you　mustn't　be　frightened　like　that。　No　harm　shall　come　to　you　so　long　as　I　am　aliveno　harm　whatever。〃

But　she　stared　in　front　of　her；　like　a　woman　in　a　dream；　repeating

〃No；　no；　Paul。　Either　she　goes　or　I　go。　She's　your　wife。　She　must　stay。　Then　I　must　go。　I　can't　stand　it；　I　can't　indeed。　I'm　not　sleeping；　I'm　not　indeed。　It　isn't　fair　to　ask　it。　What　I　mean　is　that　it　isn't　fair　to　me。〃

Although　he　had　known　Grace　for　years　he　still　believed　her　threats　and　promises。　〃My　sister's　an　obstinate　woman；〃　he　would　say；　although　had　he　looked　truly　into　his　experience　he　must　have　seen　that　she　changed　her　mind　more　frequently　by　far　than　she　changed　her　clothes。　He　thought　that　now　she　meant　what　she　said；　indeed；　on　his　own　side　he　really　did　not　see　how　in　the　future　Maggie　and　Grace　could　continue　to　live　in　the　same　house。　But；　as　Grace　had　said；　he　was　married　to　Maggie　and　therefore　it　was　Grace　that　must　go。　Then　when　he　confronted　the　fact　of　Grace's　departure　he　could　not　endure　it。　No；　he　could　not。　Had　Maggie　been　everything　to　him　that　she　might　have　been；　bad　she　been　his　true　wife；　had　she　loved　him；　had　sheoh！　a　thousand　things　she　might　have　been！then　perhaps　life　would　be　possible　without　Grace。　But　now！　。　。　。　at　the　thought　of　being　alone　for　ever　with　Maggie　a　strange　passion；　mingled　of　fascination　and　fear；　affection　and　sensuality；　cowardice　and　excitement；　pervaded　him。　What　would　their　life　together　be？　Then　he　turned　to　Grace　as　the　very　rock　of　his　safety。

〃Oh；　Grace；　you　mustn't　goyou　mustn't　think　of　going。　Whatever　should　I　do　without　you？〃

A　dull　flush　of　gratification　coloured　her　cheeks。

〃Either　she　goes　or　I；〃　she　repeated。　〃It　can't　go　on。　You　must　see　that　it　can't。　Fancy　what　people　must　be　thinking！〃

As　always；　he　postponed　the　issue。　〃We'll　settle　something。　Don't　you　worry；　dear。　You　go　and　lie　down。　That's　what　you　wanta　thorough　good　rest。〃

She　plodded　off。　For　himself　he　decided　that　fresh　air　was　what　he　needed。　He　went　for　a　stroll。　As　soon　as　he　was　in　the　Charleston　Road　that　led　to　the　High　Street　he　was　pleased　with　the　day。　Early　spring；　mild；　faint　haze；　trees　dimly　purple；　a　bird　clucking；　the　whisper　of　the　sea　stirring　the　warm　puddles　and　rivulets　across　the　damp　di