the captives-第66部分

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l。　Maggie　fancied；　as　she　watched　him；　that　he　was　bewildered　and　scarcely　knew　where　he　was。　Once　he　looked　up　and　round　about　him；　he　put　his　hand　to　his　brow　and　then　let　it　fall　as　though　he　had　no　longer　any　control　over　it。

She　was　now　so　touched　by　the　pathos　of　his　helplessness　that　she　could　think　of　nothing　else　and　longed　to　go　to　him　and　comfort　him。　Time　stole　on　and　it　was　now　ten　minutes　to　twelve。　They　sang　another　hymn；　but　the　voices　were　very　weak　and　feeble　and　the　words　quivered　round　the　building　in　a　ghostly　whisper。　Then　Thurston　came　to　the　Master　and　gave　him　his　arm　and　led　him　to　the　reading…desk。　The　old　man　seemed　for　a　moment　as　though　he　would　fall；　then；　holding　to　the　front　of　the　desk；　he　spoke　in　a　very　weak　and　faltering　voice。　Maggie　could　not　catch　many　of　his　words：　〃My　childrenonly　a　little　timeOur　preparation　now　is　finished　。　。　。　God　has　promised　。　。　。　Not　the　least　of　these　His　little　ones　shall　perish　。　。　。　Let　us　not　fear　but　be　ready　to　meet　Him　as　our　Friend　。　。　。　our　Friend　。　。　。　God　our　Father　。　。　。〃　Then　in　a　stronger　voice：　〃Now　during　these　last　minutes　let　us　kneel　in　silent　prayer。〃

They　all　knelt　down。　Maggie　had　no　thoughts；　no　desire　except　that　the　time　might　pass；　she　seemed　to　kneel　there　asleep　waiting　for　the　moment　when　some　one　should　tell　her　that　the　time　had　gone　and　she　was　safe。　The　moments　dragged　eternally；　a　thrilling　suspense　like　a　flood　of　water　pouring　into　an　empty　space　had　filled　the　Chapel。　No　one　moved。　Suddenly　into　the　heart　of　the　silence　there　struck　the　first　note　of　the　clock　tolling　the　hour。　With　Maggie　it　was　as　though　that　sound　liberated　her　from　the　spell　that　had　been　upon　her。　She　looked　up；　she　saw　the　master　standing；　his　hands　stretched　out；　his　face　splendid　with　glory　and　happiness。

He　looked　beyond　them　all；　beyond　the　Chapel；　beyond　the　world。　He　gave　one　cry：

〃My　God；　Thou　art　come。〃　Some　other　words　followed　but　were　caught　up　and　muffled。　He　fell　forward；　collapsing　in　a　heap　against　the　desk。　His　head　struck　the　wood　and　then　he　lay　there　perfectly　still。

Maggie　could　only　dimly　gather　what　happened　after　the　sound　of　that　fall。　There　seemed　to　her　to　be　a　long　and　terrible　silence　during　which　the　clock　continued　remorselessly　to　strike。　The　Chapel　appeared　to　be　a　place　of　shadows　as　though　the　gas　had　suddenly　died　to　dim　haloes；　she　was　conscious　that　people　moved　about　her；　that　Aunt　Anne　had　left　them；　and　that　Aunt　Elizabeth　was　saying　to　her　again　and　again：　〃How　terrible！　How　terrible！　How　terrible！〃

Then　as　though　it　were　some　other　person；　Maggie　found　herself　very　calmly　speaking　to　Aunt　Elizabeth。

〃Are　we　to　wait　for　Aunt　Anne？〃　she　whispered。

〃Anne　said　we　were　to　go　home。〃

〃Then　let's　go；〃　whispered　Maggie。

They　went　to　the　door；　pushing；　it　seemed；　through　shadows　who　whispered　and　forms　that　vanished　as　soon　as　one　looked　at　them。

Out　in　the　open　air　Maggie　was　aware　that　she　was　trembling　from　head　to　foot；　but　a　determined　idea　that　she　must　get　Aunt　Elizabeth　home　at　once　drove　her　like　a　goad。　Very　strange　it　was　out　here；　the　air　ringing　with　the　clamour　of　bells。　The　noise　seemed　deafening；　whistles　blowing　from　the　river；　guns　firing　and　this　swinging　network　of　bells　echoing　through　the　fog。　Figures；　too；　ran　with　lights；　men　singing；　women　laughing；　all　mysteriously　in　the　tangled　darkness。

They　were　joined　at　once　by　Aunt　Anne；　who　said：

〃God　has　called　him　home；〃　by　which　Maggie　understood　that　Mr。　Warlock　was　dead。

They　went　home　in　silence。　Inside　the　hall　Aunt　Elizabeth　began　to　cry。　Aunt　Anne　put　her　arm　around　her　and　led　her　away；　they　seemed　completely　to　forget　Maggie；　leaving　her　standing　in　the　dark　hall　by　herself。

She　found　a　candle　and　went　up　to　her　room。　The　noise　in　the　streets　had　ceased　quite　suddenly　as　though　some　angry　voice　had　called　the　world　to　order。

Maggie　undressed　and　lay　down　in　her　bed。　She　lay　there　staring　in　front　of　her　without　closing　her　eyes。　She　watched　the　grey　dawn；　then　the　half…light；　then；　behind　her　blind；　bright　sunshine。　The　fog　was　no　more。

The　strangest　fancies　and　visions　passed　through　her　brain　during　that　time。　She　saw　Mr。　Warlock　hanging　forward　like　a　sack　of　clothes；　the　blood　trickling　stealthily　across　his　beard。　Poor　old　man！　What　were　the　others　all　thinking　now？　Were　they　sorry　or　glad？　Were　they　disappointed　or　relieved？　After　all；　he　had；　perhaps；　spoken　the　truth　so　far　as　he　was　himself　concerned。　God　had　come　for　him。　He　was　now　it　might　be　happy　somewhere　at　peace　and　at　rest。　Then　like　a　flash　of　lightning　across　the　darkness　came　the　thought　of　Martin。　What　had　he　said？　〃If　anything　happened　to　his　father〃

The　terror　of　that　made　her　heart　stop　beating。　She　wanted　instantly　to　go　to　him　and　see　what　he　was　doing。　She　even　rose　from　her　bed；　stumbled　in　the　darkness　towards　her　dressing…table；　then　remembered　where　she　was　and　what　time　and　went　back　and　sat　upon　her　bed。

She　sat　there；　her　fingers　tightly　pressed　together；　staring　in　front　of　her　until　the　morning　came。　She　felt　at　her　heart　a　foreboding　worse　than　any　pain　that　she　had　ever　known。　She　determined　that；　directly　after　breakfast；　whatever　the　aunts　would　say；　she　would　go　to　his　house　and　demand　to　see　him。　She　did　not　mind　who　might　try　to　prevent　her；　she　would　fight　her　way　through　them　all。　Only　one　look；　one　word　of　assurance　from　him；　and　then　she　could　endure　anything。　That　she　must　have　or　she　would　die。

At　last　Martha　knocked　on　the　door；　she　had　her　bath；　dressed；　still　with　this　terrible　pain　at　her　heart。

She　was　alone　at　breakfast；　she　drank　some　coffee；　then　went　up　to　the　drawing…room　to　think　for　a　moment　what　course　she　should　pursue。　The　room　was　flooded　with　sunlight　that　struck　the　fire　into　a　dead；　lifeless　yellow。

As　she　stood　there　she　heard　through　the　open　door　voices　in　the　hall。　But　before　she　had　heard　the　voices　she　knew　that　it　was　Martin。

Martha　was　expostulating；　her　voice　following　his　step　up　the　hall。

〃I　shall　go　and　tell　my　mistress；〃　Maggie　heard。

Then　Martin　came　in。

When　she　saw　him　she　stood　speechless　where　she　was。　The　change　in　him　terrified　her　so　that　her　heart　seemed　to　leap　into　her　throat　choking　her。　The　colour　had　drained　from　his　face；　leaving　it　dry　and　yellow。　He　had　an　amazing　resemblance　to　his　father；　his　eyes　had　exactly　the　same　bewildered　expression　as　though　he　were　lost　and　yet　he　seemed　quite　calm；　his　only　movement　was　one　hand　that　wandered　up　and　down　his　waistcoat　feeling　the　buttons　one　after　the　other。

He　looked　at　her　as　though　he　did　not　know　her；　and　yet　he　spoke　her　name。

〃Maggie；〃　he　said；　〃I've　come　to　say　good…bye。　You　know　what　I　said　before。　Well；　it's　come　true。　Father　is　dead；　and　I　killed　him。〃

With　a　terrible　effort；　beating　down　a　terror　that　seemed　personally　to　envelop　her；　she　said：

〃No；　Martin。　I　saw　him　die。　It　wasn't　you；　Martin　dear。〃

〃It　was　I；〃　he　answered。　〃You　don't　know。　I　came　into　the　house　drunk　and　he　heard　what　I　said　to　Amy。　He　nearly　died　then。　The　doctor　in　the　evening　said　he　must　have　had　some　shock。〃

She　tried　to　come　to　him　then。　She　was　thinking：　〃Oh；　if　I've　only　got　time　I　can　win　this。　But　I　must　have　time。　I　must　have　time。〃

He　moved　away　from　her；　as　he　had　done　once　before。

〃Anyway；　it　doesn't　matter；〃　he　said。　〃I've　killed　him　by　the　way　I've　been　behaving　to　him　all　these　months。　I'm　going　away　where　I　can't　do　any　harm。〃

She　desperately　calmed　herself；　speaking　very　quietly。

〃Listen；　Martin。　You　haven't　done　him　any　harm。　He's　happier　now　than　he's　been　for　years。　I　know　he　is。　And　that　doesn't　touch　us。　You　can't　leave　me　now。　Where　you　go　I　must　go。〃

〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃No；　Maggie。　I　ought　to　have　gone　before。　I　knew　it　then；　but　I　know　it　absolutely　now。　Everything　I　touch　I　hurt；　so　I　mustn't　touch　anything　I　care　for。〃

She　put　her　hands　out　towards　him；　words　had　left　her。　She　would　have　given　her　soul　for　words　and　she　could　say　nothing。

She　was　surrounded　with　a　hedge　of　fright　and　terror　and　she　could　not　pass　it。

He　seemed　to　see　then　in　her　eyes　her　despair。　For　an　instant　he　recognised　her。　Their　eyes　met　for　the　first　time；　she　felt　that　she　was　winning。　She　began　eagerly　to　speak：　〃Listen；　Martin　dear。　You　can't　do　me　any　harm。　You　can　only　hurt　me　by　leaving　me。　I've　told　you　before。　Just　think　of　that　and　only　that。〃

The　door　opened　and　Aunt　Anne　came　in。

He　turned　to　her　very　politely。　〃I　beg　your　pardon　for　coming；　Miss　Cardinal；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　what　you　must　think　of　me；　but　it's　all　right。　I've　only　come　to　say　good…bye　to　Maggie。　It's　all　right。　Neither　you　nor　Maggie　will　be　bothered　with　me　again。〃

He　turned　to　the　open　door。　Aunt　Anne　stood　aside　to　let　him　pass。　Maggie　said：

〃Martin；　don't　go！　Martin；　don't　leave　me！　Don't　leave　me；　Martin！〃

He　seemed　to　break　then　in　his　resolution。

〃It's　better。　It's　better；〃　he　cried；　as　though　he　were　shouting　himself　down；　and　then　pushing　Aunt　Anne　with　his　arm　he　hurried　out　almost　running；　his　steps　stumbling　down　the　stairs。

Maggie　ran　to　the　door。　Her　aunt　stopped　her；　holding　her　back。

〃It's　better；　Maggie　dear；〃　she　said　very　gently；　repeating　Mart