the captives-第88部分

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what　some　one　else　has　got。　Let's　be　happy；　Paulplease。〃

She　was　shivering。　She　looked　back　with　a　terrified；　reluctant　glance　to　the　drawer　where　Mr。　Magnus'　letter　was；　then　she　went　downstairs。

Soon　after　they　started　for　Little　Harben。　The　last　days　in　Skeaton　had　scarcely　been　happy　ones。　Grace　had　erected　an　elaborate　scaffolding　of　offended　dignity　and　bitter　misery。　She　was　not　bitterly　miserable；　indeed　she　enjoyed　her　game；　but　it　was　depressing　to　watch　Paul　give　way　to　her。　He　was　determined　to　leave　her　in　a　happy　mind。　Any　one　could　have　told　him　that　the　way　to　do　that　was　to　leave　her　alone　altogether。　Instead　he　petted　her；　persuading　her　to　eat　her　favourite　pudding；　buying　her　a　new　work…　box　that　she　needed；　dismissing　a　boy　from　the　choir　（the　only　treble　who　was　a　treble）　because　he　was　supposed　to　have　made　a　long…nose　at　Grace　during　choir…practice。

Ht　adopted　also　a　pleading　line　with　her。　〃Now；　Grace　dear；　don't　you　think　you　could　manage　a　little　bit　more？〃

〃Do　you　think　you　ought　to　go　out　in　all　this　rain；　Grace　dear？〃

〃Grace；　you　look　tired　to　death。　Shall　I　read　to　you　a　little？〃

He　listened　to　her　stories　with　a　new　elaborate　attention。　He　laughed　heartily　at　the　very　faintest　glimmer　of　a　joke。　Through　it　all　Grace　maintained　an　unreleased　solemnity；　a　mournful　superiority；　a　grim　forbearance。

Maggie；　watching；　felt　with　a　sinking　heart　that　she　was　beginning　to　despise　Paul。

His　very　movement　as　he　hurried　to　place　a　cushion　for　Grace　sent　a　little　shiver　down　her　back。　〃Oh；　don't　do　it；　Paul！〃　she　heard　herself　cry　internally；　but　she　could　say　nothing。　She　had　won　her　victory　about　Harben。　She　could　only　now　be　silent。　Still；　she　bore　no　grudge　at　all　against　Grace。　She　even　liked　her。

Grace　made　many　sinister　allusions　to　her　fancied　departure。　〃Ah；　in　November　。　。　。　Oh！　of　course　I　shall　not　be　here　then！〃　or；　〃That　will　be　in　the　autumn　then；　won't　it？　You'd　better　give　it　to　some　one　who　will　be　here　at　the　time。〃　With　every　allusion　she　scored　a　victory。　It　was　evident　that　Paul　was　terrified　by　the　thought　that　she　should　leave　him。　He　did　not　see　what　he　would　do　without　her。　His　world　would　tumble　to　pieces。

〃But　she　hasn't　the　remotest　intention　of　going；〃　said　Maggie。　〃She'll　never　go。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know。　It　would　be　strange　without　her；　Maggie；　I　must　confess。　You　see；　all　our　lives　we've　been　togetherall　our　lives。〃

Nevertheless　he　felt　perhaps　some　relief；　in　spite　of　himself；　when　they　were　safely　in　a　train　for　Little　Harben。　It　was　rather　a　relief；　just　for　a　day　or　two；　not　to　see　Grace's　reproachful　face。　Yes；　it　was。　He　was　quite　gay；　almost　like　the　boy　he　used　to　be。　Little　Harben　was　one　of　the　smallest　villages　in　Wiltshire　and　its　Rectory　one　of　the　most　dilapidated。　The　Rectory　was　sunk　into　the　very　bottom　of　a　green　well。　Green　hills　rose　on　every　side　above　it；　green　woods　pressed　in　all　around　it；　a　wild；　deserted　green　garden　crept　up　to　the　windows　and　clambered　about　the　old　walls。　There　was　hardly　any　furniture　in　the　house；　and　many　many　windows　all　without　curtains。　Long　looking…glasses　reflected　the　green　garden　at　every　possible　angle　so　that　all　the　lights　and　shadows　in　the　house　were　green。　There　was　a　cat　with　green　eyes；　and　the　old　servant　was　so　aged　and　infirm　that　she　was；　spiritually　if　not　physically；　covered　with　green　moss。

From　their　bedroom　they　could　see　the　long　green　slope　of　the　hill。　Everywhere　there　was　a　noise　of　birds　nestling　amongst　the　leaves；　of　invisible　streams　running　through　the　grass；　of　branches　mysteriously　cracking；　and；　always；　in　the　distance　some　one　seemed　to　be　chopping　with　an　axe。　If　you　pushed　a　window　open　multitudes　of　little　insects　fell　in　showers　about　you。　All　the　roses　were　eaten　with　green　flies。

〃What　a　place！〃　said　Maggie；　nevertheless　it　was　rather　agreeable　after　the　sand　of　Skeaton。

During　the　first　three　days　they　preserved　their　attitude　of　friendly　distance。　On　the　fourth　evening　Maggie　desperately　flung　down　her　challenge。　They　were　sitting；　after　supper；　in　the　wild　deserted　garden。　It　was　a　wonderful　evening；　faintly　blue　and　dim　crocus　with　flickering　silver　stars。　The　last　birds　twittered　in　the　woods；　the　green　arc　of　the　hill　against　the　evening　sky　had　a　great　majesty　of　repose　and　rest。　〃Now；　Paul！〃　said　Maggie。

〃What　is　it；　dear？〃　but　he　slowly　changed　colour　and　looked　away　from　her；　out　into　the　wood。

〃We've　got　to　face　it　some　time；〃　she　said。　〃The　sooner；　then；　the　better〃

〃Face　what？〃　he　asked；　dropping　his　voice　as　though　he　were　afraid　that　some　one　would　overhear。

〃You　and　me。〃　Maggie　gathered　her　resources　together。　〃Before　we　were　married　we　were　great　friends。　You　were　the　greatest　friend　I　ever　had　except　Uncle　Mathew。　And　now　I　don't　know　what　we　are。〃

〃Whose　fault　is　that？〃　he　asked　huskily。　〃You　know　what　the　matter　is。　You　don't　love　me。　You　never　have　。　。　。　Have　you？〃　He　suddenly　ended；　turning　towards　her。

She　saw　his　new　eagerness　and　she　was　frightened；　but　she　looked　at　a　little　bunch　of　stars　that　twinkled　at　her　above　the　dark　elms　and　took　courage。

〃I'm　very　bad　at　explaining　my　feelings；〃　she　said。　〃And　you're　not　very　good　either；　Paul。　I　know　I　am　very　fond　of　you；　and　I　feel　as　though　it　ought　to　be　so　simple　if　I　were　wiser　or　kinder。　I've　been　thinking　for　weeks　about　this；　and　I　want　to　say　that　I'm　ready　to　do　anything　that　will　make　you　happy。〃

〃You'll　love　me？〃　he　asked。

〃I'm　very　fond　of　you；　and　I　always　will　be。〃

〃No；　but　love。〃

〃A　word　like　that　isn't　important。　Affection〃

〃No。　It's　love　I　want。〃

She　turned　away　from　him；　pressing　her　hands　together；　staring　into　the　wood　that　was　sinking　into　avenues　of　dark。　She　couldn't　answer　him。　He　came　over　to　her。　He　knelt　on　the　dry　grass；　took　her　head　between　his　hands；　and　kissed　her　again　and　again　and　again。

She　heard　him　murmur：　〃Maggie　。　。　。　　Maggie　。　。　。　　Maggie。　You　must　love　me。　You　must。　I've　waited　so　long。　I　didn't　know　what　love　was。　God　in　His　Mercy　forgive　me　for　the　thoughts　I've　had　this　year。　You've　tormented　me。　Tantalised　me。　You're　a　witch。　A　witch。　You're　so　strange；　so　odd；　so　unlike　any　one。　You've　enchanted　me。　Love　me。　Maggie　。　。　。　Love　me　。　。　。　Love　me。〃

She　caught　his　words　all　broken　and　scattered。　She　felt　his　heart　beating　against　her　body；　and　his　hands　were　hot　to　the　touch　of　her　cold　cheek。　She　felt　that　he　was　desperate　and　ashamed　and　pitiful。　She　felt；　above　all　else；　that　she　must　respondand　she　could　not。　She　strove　to　give　him　what　he　needed。　She　caught　his　hands；　and　then；　because　she　knew　that　she　was　acting　falsely　and　the　whole　of　her　nature　was　in　rebellion；　she　drew　back。　He　felt　her　withdraw。　His　hands　dropped。

She　burst　into　tears；　suddenly　hiding　her　face　in　her　hands　as　she　used　to　do　when　she　was　a　little　girl。

〃Oh；　Paul；〃　she　wept。　〃I'm　so　sorry。　I'm　so　sorry。　I'm　wicked。　I　can't〃

He　got　up　and　stood　with　his　back　to　her；　looking　towards　the　night　sky　that　flashed　now　with　stars。

She　controlled　herself；　feeling　desperately　that　their　whole　future　together　hung　on　the　approaching　minutes。　She　went　up　to　him。　standing　at　first　timidly　behind　him；　then　putting　her　hand　through　his　arm。

〃Paul。　It　isn't　so　hopeless。　If　I　can't　give　you　that　I　can　give　you　everything　else。　I　told　you　from　the　first　that　I　couldn't　help　loving　Martin。　All　that　kind　of　love　I　gave　to　him；　but　we　can　be　friends。　I　want　a　friend　so　badly。　If　we're　both　lonely　we　can　come　together　closer　and　closer；　and　perhaps；　later　on〃

But　she　could　not　go　on。　She　knew　that　she　would　never　forget　Martin；　that　she　would　never　love　Paul。　These　two　things　were　so　clear　to　her　that　she　could　not　pretend。　As　the　darkness　gathered　the　wood　into　its　arms　and　the　last　twitter　of　the　birds　sank　into　silence；　she　felt　that　she　too　was　being　caught　into　some　silent　blackness。　The　sky　was　pale　green；　the　stars　so　bright　that　the　rest　of　the　world　seemed　to　lie　in　dim　shadow。　She　could　scarcely　see　Paul　now；　when　he　spoke　his　voice　came；　disembodied；　out　of　the　dusk。

〃You'll　never　forget　him；　then？〃　at　last　he　asked。

〃No。〃

〃You're　strange。　You　don't　belong　to　us。　I　should　have　seen　that　at　the　beginning。　I　knew　nothing　about　women　and　thought　that　all　that　I　wantedoh　God；　why　should　I　be　so　tempted？　I've　been　a　good　man　。　。　。〃　Then　he　came　close　to　her　and　put　his　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　even　drew　her　to　him。　〃I　won't　bother　you　any　more；　Maggie。　I'll　conquer　this。　We'll　be　friends　as　you　want。　It　isn't　fair　to　you〃

She　felt　the　control　that　he　was　keeping　on　himself　and　she　admired　him。　Nevertheless　she　knew；　young　though　she　was；　that　if　she　let　him　go　now　she　was　losing　him　for　ever。　The　strangest　pang　of　loneliness　and　isolation　seized　her。　If　Paul　left　her　and　Martin　wasn't　there；　she　was　lonely　indeed。　She　saw　quite　clearly　how　his　laziness　would　come　to　his　aid。　He　would　summon　first　his　virtue　and　his　religion；　and　twenty　years　of　abstinence　would　soon　reassert　their　sway；　then　he　would　slip　back　into　the　old；　lazy；　self…　complacent　being　that　he　had　been　before。　Staring　into　the　dark　wood　she　saw　it　all。　She　could　completely　capture　him　by　responding　to　his　passion。　Without　that　she　was　too