the captives-第53部分

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ing　but　the　best　and　jolliest　things。　Maggie　as　she　looked　at　him　this　morning　caught　her　breath　with　the　astonishing　force　of　her　love　for　him。　〃Oh；　how　I'll　look　after　him；〃　was　her　thought。　〃He　shall　never　be　unhappy　again。〃

They　crossed　the　street　together；　and　stood　for　a　moment　close　together　on　the　kerb　in　the　middle　way　as　though　they　were　quite　alone　in　the　world。　She　caught　his　arm　and　they　ran　before　a　charging　motor…'bus；　laughing。　People　turned　back　and　looked　at　them；　so　happy　they　seemed。　They　walked　up　Bond　Street　and　Martin　drew　her　into　a　jeweller's。　She　had　never　possessed　any　ornament　except　her　coral　necklace　in　all　her　life　and　she　knew　now　for　the　first　time　how　terribly　she　liked　beautiful　things。　It　was　useless　of　her　to　pretend　that　she　did　not　know　that　he　was　going　to　give　her　something。　She　did　not　pretend。　A　very　thin　old　man；　who　looked　like　one　of　the　prophets；　drawn　out　of　the　wilderness　and　clothed　by　the　most　fashionable　of　London　tailors；　looking　over　their　shoulders　as　he　talked　to　them　because　he　saw　at　once　that　they　were　not　customers　who　were　likely　to　add　very　much　to　his　shop's　exchequer；　produced　a　large　tray；　full　of　rings　that　glittered　and　sparkled　and　danced　as　though　they'd　been　told　to　show　themselves　off　to　the　best　possible　advantage。　But　for　Maggie　at　once　there　was　only　one　possible　ring。　It　was　a　thin　hoop　of　gold　with　three　small　pearls　set　in　the　middle　of　it；　nothing　very　especial　about　it；　it　was　in　fact　less　striking　than　almost　any　other　ring　in　the　tray。　Maggie　looked　at　the　ring　and　the　ring　looked　at　Maggie。　It　was　as　though　the　ring　said；　〃I　shall　belong　to　you　whether　you　take　me　or　no。〃

〃Now；〃　said　Martin　with　a　little　catch　in　his　throat；　〃you　make　your　choice；　Maggie。〃　He　was　not　a　millionaire；　but　he　did　honestly　intend　that　whatever　ring　she　chose　she　should　have。

〃Oh；〃　said　Maggie；　whispering　because　the　shop　was　so　large　and　the　prophet　so　indifferent；　〃don't　you　think　you'd　better　choose？〃

At　the　same　time　she　felt　the　anxious　gaze　of　the　three　little　pearls　upon　her。

〃No；〃　said　Martin；　〃I　want　to　give　you　what　you'd　like。〃

〃I'd　like　what　you'd　like；〃　said　Maggie；　still　whispering。

At　this　banality　the　prophet　made　a　little　impatient　movement　as　though　he　really　could　not　be　expected　to　stand　waiting　there　for　ever。　Also　a　magnificent　lady；　in　furs　so　rich　that　you　could　see　nothing　of　her　but　her　powdered　nose；　was　waving　ropes　of　pearls　about　in　a　blase　manner　very　close　to　them；　and　Maggie　had　a　strange；　entirely　unreasonable　fear　that　this　splendour　would　suddenly　turn　round　and　snatch　the　little　pearl　ring　and　go　off　with　it。

〃I'd　like　that　one；〃　said　Maggie；　pointing。　She　heard　the　prophet　sniff　his　contempt；　but　she　did　not　care。

Martin；　although　he　would　willingly　have　given　her　the　most　gorgeous　ring　in　the　shop；　was　delighted　to　find　that　her　taste　was　so　good；　and　like　herself。　He　had　great　ideas　about　taste；　some　of　his　secret　fears　had　been　lest　her　strange　uncouth　upbringing　should　have　caused　her　to　like　gaudy　things。　He　could　have　hugged　her　before　them　all　when　she　chose　that　particular　ring；　which　he　had　himself　noticed　as　the　prettiest　and　neatest　there。

〃Just　see　whether　it　fits；　darling；〃　he　said。　At　the　word　〃darling〃　the　prophet　cast　another　despairing　look　about　the　shop；　as　though　he　knew　well　the　length　of　time　that　lovers　could　take　over　these　things　if　they　once　put　their　hearts　into　it。　Maggie　was　ashamed　of　her　stubby　finger　as　she　put　her　hand　forwardbut　the　ring　fitted　exactly。

〃That's　right；〃　said　Martin；　〃Now　we'll　have　this　put　into　a　case。〃

〃How　wonderful　he　is；〃　thought　Maggie。　Not　as　other　women　might　have　thought；　〃I　wonder　how　many　times　he's　done　this　before。〃　Maggie　thought　then　that　it　would　be　more　proper　to　retire　a　little　so　that　she　should　not　know　the　priceand　she　stood　in　the　doorway　of　the　shop；　looking　upon　the　wind　and　weather　in　Bond　Street　and　the　magnificent　motor　car　that　belonged　to　the　lady　with　the　pearls　and　a　magnificent　chauffeur；　who　was　so　superior　that　it　was　probable　that　the　lady　with　the　pearls　belonged　to　himand　she　saw　none　of　these　things；　but　was　conscious　of　herself　and　Martin　wrapt　together　in　a　mist　of　happiness　that　no　outside　force　could　penetrate。

As　they　walked　away　from　the　shop　she　said：　〃Of　course　I　won't　be　able　to　wear　it。〃

He　put　the　little　square　box；　wrapped　in　tissue　paper；　into　her　hand；　and　answered：　〃You　can　wear　it　on　a　ribbon　under　your　dress。〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　she　whispered；　pressing　his　hand　for　a　moment。

They　did　not　climb　on　to　a　'bus　that　morning；　but　walked　ahead　blindly；　blissfully；　they　did　not　know　whither。　They　were　now　in　wild　days　at　the　end　of　November　and　the　weather　was　tempestuous；　the　wind　blowing　with　a　screaming　fury　and　black　clouds　scudding　across　the　sky　like　portents。　Little　heavy　drops　of　rain　fell　with　a　sudden　urgency　as　though　they　were　emphasising　some　secret；　figures　were　swept　through　the　streets　and　the　roar　of　the　wind　was　so　vehement　that　the　traffic　seemed　to　make　no　sound。　And　yet　nothing　happenedno　great　storm　of　rain；　no　devastating　flood。　It　was　a　day　of　warning。

They　noticed　nothing　of　the　weather。　It　might　have　been　a　world　of　burning　sunshine　for　all　they　saw　of　it。

〃You　know；〃　said　Martin；　〃I've　never　liked　giving　any　one　anything　so　much　as　I　liked　giving　you　that　ring。〃

〃I　wish　I　could　give　you　something　too；〃　she　said。

〃Well；　you　can；〃　he　said。　〃Some　little　thing　that　I'll　carry　about　with　me　always　。　。　。　Oh；　Maggie！〃　he　went　on。　〃Isn't　it　strange　how　easy　it　is　to　be　good　when　no　one　worries　you。　These　last　ten　days　with　you　I　couldn't　have　done　anything　wrong　if　I　tried。　It　isn't　fair　to　say　we　can　help　ourselves。　We　can't。　Something　just　comes　along　and　seizes　you　and　makes　you　do　wrong。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　said　Maggie。　〃Don't　let's　talk　about　those　things。　It's　like　Mr。　Magnus；　who　says　we're　treasure　hunters　or　pools　of　water；　or　old　men　in　asylums。　I　don't　understand　all　that。　I'm　just　Maggie　Cardinal。All　the　same　I　believe　one　can　do　what　one　wants　to。　I　don't　believe　people　can　make　one　do　things。〃

〃Do　you　think　any　one　could　make　me　not　love　you　if　they　tried？　I　shall　love　you　always；　whatever　happens。　I　know　I　shall　never　change。　I'm　not　one　to　change。　I'm　obstinate。　Father　used　to　say　'obstinate　as　a　pig。'〃

That　made　her　think　of　the　old　days　at　St。　Dreot's；　just　then；　as　they　seemed；　so　remote。　She　began　to　tell　him　of　those　old　days；　of　the　Vicarage；　of　the　holes　in　the　floor　and　the　ceiling；　of　her　loneliness　and　the　way　the　villagers　used　to　talk；　of　her　solitary　walks　and　looking　down　on　to　Polchester　from　the　hill…top；　of　her　father's　sudden　death；　of　Uncle　Mathew　。　。　。

〃He's　a　funny　old　codger；〃　said　Martin。　〃What　does　he　do？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Maggie。　〃I　really　don't　know　how　he　lives　I'm　afraid　it's　something　rather　bad。〃

〃I've　known　men　like　that；〃　said　Martin；　〃plenty；　but　it's　funny　that　one　of　them　should　be　connected　with　you。　It　doesn't　seem　as　though　you　could　have　anything　to　do　with　a　man　like　that。〃

〃Oh；　but　I　like　him！〃　said　Maggie。　〃He's　been　very　kind　to　me　often。　When　I　was　all　alone　after　father　died　he　was　very　good〃　She　stopped　abruptly　remembering　how　he'd　come　into　her　bedroom。　〃Drink's　been　his　trouble；　and　never　having　any　money。　He　told　me　once　if　he　had　money　he'd　never　do　a　thing　he　shouldn't。〃　〃Yes；〃　said　Martin。　〃That's　what　they　always　say　when　they　haven't　any　money；　and　then　when　they　have　any　it's　worse　than　ever。〃

He　was　thinking；　perhaps；　of　himself。　At　any　rate　to　stop　remorseful　thoughts　he　began　to　tell　her　about　his　own　childhood。

〃Mine　was　very　different　from　yours；　Maggie；〃　he　said。　〃I　wasn't　lonely。　You　don't　know　what　a　fuss　people　made　of　me。　I　was　conceited；　too。　I　thought　I　was　chosen；　by　God；　out　of　all　the　world；　that　I　was　different　from　every　one　else；　and　better　too。　When　I　was　only　about　nine；　at　home　one　Sunday　they　asked　me　if　I'd　say　a　prayer；　and　I　did；　before　them　all；　made　it　up　and　went　on　for　quarter　of　an　hour。　Lord！　I　must　have　been　an　awful　child。　And　outside　the　religious　time　I　was　as　wicked　as　I　could　be。　I　used　to　go　down　into　the　kitchen　and　steal　the　food　and　I'd　dress　up　as　a　ghost　to　frighten　Amy　and　I'd　break　mother's　china。　I　remember　once；　after　we'd　had　a　service　in　the　drawing…room　and　two　girls　had　gone　into　hysterics；　I　stole　down　into　the　kitchen　in　my　nightdress　to　get　some　jam　and　I　found　one　of　the　Elders　making　love　to　the　cook。　They　were　both　so　fat　and　he　had　his　coat　and　waistcoat　off　and　he　was　kissing　her　neck。　My　word；　they　were　frightened　when　they　saw　me　standing　there！　After　that　I　could　do　what　I　liked　with　the　cook　。　。　。　We　used　to　have　prayer　meetings　in　the　drawing…room；　and　sometimes　father　would　pray　so　hard　that　the　glass　chandelier　would　shake　and　rattle　till　I　used　to　think　it　would　come　down。〃

〃And　the　funny　thing　was　that　one　minute　I'd　be　pinching　Amy　who　was　kneeling　next　to　me　and　the　next　I'd　be　shaking　with　religion　and　seeing　God　standing　right　in　front　of　me　by　the　coal…scuttle。　Such　a　mix…up！　。　。　。　it　was　then　and　so　it　is　now。　Amy　always　hated　me。　She　was　really　religious　and　she　thought　I　was　a　hypocrite。　But　I　wasn't