the captives-第129章

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se　of　being　a　captive　in　a　world　that　did　not　understand　her；　some　one　curious　and　odd　and　alienthat　would　not　desert　her。　That　also　was　true　of　Martin。　It　was　truestrangely　trueof　so　many　of　the　people　she　had　knownof　the　aunts；　Uncle　Mathew；　Mr。　Magnus；　of　Paul　and　of　Grace；　of　Mr。　Toms；　and　even　perhaps　of　Thurston　and　Amy　Warlock　all　captives　in　a　strange　country；　trying　to　find　the　escape；　each　in　his　or　her　own　fashion；　back　to　the　land　of　their　birth。

But　the　land　was　there。　Just　as　the　lion；　whose　roar　very　faintly　she　could　hear　through　the　thick　walls；　remembered　in　his　cage　the　jungles　and　mountains　of　his　happiness；　so　was　she　aware　of　hers。　The　land　was　there；　the　fight　to　get　hack　to　it　was　real。

She　smiled　to　herself；　looking　back　on　the　years。　Many　people　would　have　said　that　she　had　had　no　very　happy　time　since　that　sudden　moment　of　her　father's　death；　but　it　did　not　seem　to　her；　in　retrospect；　unhappy。　There　had　been　unhappy　times；　tragic　times；　but　life　was　always　bringing　forward　some　magnificent　moment；　some　sudden　flash　of　splendour　that　made　up　for　all　the　rest。　How　could　you　be　bitter　about　people　when　you　were　all　in　the　same　box；　all　as　ignorant；　as　blind；　as　eager　to　do　well；　as　fallible；　as　brave；　as　mistaken？

The　thoughts　slipped　dimly　through　her　mind。　She　was　too　happy　to　trace　them　truly。　She　had　never　been　one　for　conscious　philosophy。

Nevertheless　she　did　not　doubt　but　that　life　was　worth　while；　that　there　was　something　immortal　in　her；　and　that　the　battle　was　good　to　fightbut　what　it　really　came　to　was　that　she　loved　Martin；　and　that　at　last　some　one　needed　her；　that　she　need　never　be　lonely　any　more。

Mrs。　Bolitho　stepped　in　with　the　tea。

〃I'll　take　it　in　to　him；〃　Maggie　said；　standing　up　and　stretching　out　her　arms　for　the　tray。

The　woman　looked　at　her　and　gave　a　little　〃Ah！〃　of　satisfaction；　as　though；　at　length；　she　saw　in　Maggie's　eyes　that　forwhich　she　had　been　searching。

〃Why；　I　do　believe；〃　she　said；　〃that　walk's　done　'ee　good。〃

〃I　do　believe；〃　Maggie　said；　laughing；　〃it　has。〃

Carrying　the　tray　carefully　she　went　through　into　Martin's　room。







End