the captives-第106章
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Aunt Elizabeth sniffed into her handkerchief a good deal； Mr。 Magnus； his face strained with a look of intense fatigue； went out about some business。 The blinds of the house wore down and all the rooms were bathed in a green twilight。
About quarter past four Maggie went down into the Strand and found a cab。 She gave the address and off they went。 Sitting in the corner of the cab she seemed to be an entirely passive spectator of events that were being played before her。 She knew； remotely； that Aunt Anne's death had deeply affected her； that coming back to the old house had deeply affected her； and that this interview with Amy Warlock might simply fasten on her the fate that she had for many months now seen in front of her。 She could not escape； and she did not want to escape。
They found the house； a very grimy looking one； in the interminable Cromwell Road。 Maggie rang a jangling bell； and the door was ultimately opened by a woman with sleeves turned up at the elbows and a dirty apron。
〃Is Miss Warlock at home？〃 The woman sniffed。
〃I expect so；〃 she said。 〃Most times she is。 What name？〃
〃Mrs。 Trenchard；〃 Maggie said。
She was admitted into a hall that smelt of food and seemed in the half…light to be full of umbrellas。 The woman went upstairs； but soon returned to say that Miss Warlock would see the lady。 Maggie found that in the sitting…room the gas was dimly burning。 There was the usual lodging…house furniture； and on a faded red sofa near the fire old Mrs。 Warlock was lying。 Maggie could not see her very clearly in the half…light； but there was something about her immobility and the stiffness of her head （decorated as of old with its frilly white cap） that reminded one of a figure made out of wax。 Maggie turned to find Amy Warlock standing close to her。
〃Mrs。 Thurston〃 Maggie began； hesitating。
〃You may not know；〃 said Amy Warlock； 〃that I have retained my maiden name。 Sit down； won't you？ It is good of you to have come。〃
The voice was a little more genial than it had been in the old days。 Nevertheless this was still the old Amy Warlock； stiff； masculine； impenetrable。
〃I hope your aunt is better；〃 she said。
〃My aunt is dead；〃 answered Maggie。
〃Dear me； I'm sorry to hear that。 She was a good woman and did many kind actions in her time。〃
There was something very unpleasant about that room； with the yellow light； the hissing gas； and the immobile figure on the sofa。 Maggie looked in the direction of old Mrs。 Warlock
〃You needn't mind mother；〃 said Amy Warlock。 〃For some time now she's been completely paralysed。 She can't speak or move。 But she likes to be downstairs； to see the world a bit。 It's sad after the way that she used to enjoy life。 Father's death was a great shock to her。〃
It was sad。 Maggie remembered how fond she had been of her food。 Like a waxen image！ Like a waxen image！ The whole room was ghoulish and unnatural。
〃I've asked you to come and see me； Mrs。 Trenchard；〃 continued Miss Warlock； 〃not because we can have any wish to meet； I am sure。 We have never liked one another。 But I have something on my conscience； and I may not have another opportunity of speaking to you。 I don't suppose you have heard that very shortly I intend to enter a nunnery at Roehampton。〃
〃And your mother？〃 asked Maggie。
〃Mother will go into a Home；〃 answered Miss Warlock。
There was a strange little sound from the sofa like a rat nibbling behind the wainscot。
〃I must tell you；〃 said Miss Warlock； speaking apparently with some difficulty； 〃that I have done you a wrong。 Shortly after my father's death my brother wrote to you from Paris。〃
〃Wrote to me？〃 repeated Maggie。
〃Yeswrote to you through me。 I destroyed the letters。 He wrote then five times in rather swift succession。 I destroyed all the letters。〃
Maggie said nothing。
〃I destroyed the letters；〃 continued Amy Warlock； 〃because I did not wish you and my brother to come together。 I did not wish you to； simply out of hatred for you both。 I thought that my brother killed my fatherwhomwhomI loved。 I knew that the one human being whom Martin had ever loved beside his father was yourself。 He did love you； Mrs。 Trenchard； more truly than I had believed it in his power to love any one。 I think you could have made him happytherefore I did not wish you to meet again。〃
There was a pause。 Maggie said at last：
〃Were there no other letters？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Miss Warlock。 〃One this summer。 For more than a year there was nothing； then this summer； a little one。 I destroyed that too。〃
〃What did it say？〃 asked Maggie。
〃It said that the woman to whom he had been married was dead。 He said that if you didn't answer this letter he would understand that you would not want to hear from him any more。 He had been very ill。〃
〃Where did he write that？〃
〃In Paris。〃
〃And where is he now？〃
〃I don't know。 I have heard from him no more。〃
Maggie got up and stood； her head raised as though listening for something。
〃You've been very cruel； Miss Warlock；〃 she said。
〃Perhaps I have；〃 said Miss Warlock。 〃But you cannot judge until you know with what reason I hated my brother。 It is a very old story。 However； now I hate no one。 I will not apologise for what I have done。 I do not want your forgiveness。 I had to absolve my conscience。〃
〃And you have no idea where he is now？〃
〃I have no idea。 He may be dead for all I know。〃
Maggie shivered。 〃If you have any more information you will give it me？〃
〃I will give it you。〃
〃This is my address。〃 Maggie gave her a card。
They said good…day； looking for one moment； face to face； eye to eye。
Then Maggie turned and went。 Her eyes were dim so that she stumbled on the stairs。 In the street she walked； caring nothing of her direction； seeing only Martin。
CHAPTER VIII
DEATH OF UNCLE MATHEW
Grace； during the days that Maggie was in London； regained something of her old tranquillity。 It was wonderful to her to be able to potter about the house once more mistress of all that she surveyed and protected from every watching eye。 She had had； from her very earliest years； a horror of being what she called 〃overlooked。〃
She had a habit of stopping； when she had climbed halfway upstairs； of suddenly jerking her head round to see whether any one were looking at her。 You would have sworn； had you seen her； that she was deeply engaged upon some nefarious and underhand plot； yet it was not so…she was simply going to dust some of her hideous china treasures in her bedroom。
Always after breakfast there was this pleasant ritual。 She would plod all round the house； duster in hand； picking things up。 giving them a little flick and putting them back again； patting treasures that she especially loved； sighing heavily with satisfaction at the pleasant sight of all her possessions tranquilly in their right places。 As she looked around the ugly sitting…room and saw the red glazed pots with the ferns； the faded football…groups； the worsted mats and the china shepherdesses； a rich warm feeling rose in her heart and filled her whole body。 It was like a fine meal to a hungry man： every morning at half…past nine she was hungry in this fashion； and every morning by eleven o'clock she was satisfied。 Her thick body thus promenaded the house； she was like a stolid policeman in female attire； going his rounds to see that all was well。 From room to room she went； pausing to pant for breath on the stairs； stumbling always because of her short sight at the three dark little steps just outside Paul's bedroom； always sitting down on her bed 〃to take a breath〃 and to get a full gaze at the crucifix of bright yellow wood； that hung just under her mother's picture。 Tramp； tramp； tramp round the house she went。
It was incredible how deeply Maggie had interfered with this ritual。 She had certainly not intended to do so。 After that first effort to change certain things in the house she had retired from the battle； had completely capitulated。 Nevertheless she had interfered with all Grace's movements and； as the terror of her grew； it seemed to pervade every nook and corner of the house； so that Grace felt that she could go nowhere without that invasion。 Oh； how she resented it； and how afraid she w
