the captives-第44章

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nted　to。　I　hope　you　won't　be　angry；　but　I'm　afraid　I'll　never　be　religious　as　you　and　Aunt　Elizabeth　want　me　to　be；　so　don't　you　think　it　will　be　better　for　me　to　start　learning　something　else　right　away？〃

Maggie　poured　all　this　out　and　then　felt　immense　relief。　At　last　she　was　honest　again；　at　last　she　had　said　what　she　felt；　and　they　knew　it　and　could　never　say　that　she　hadn't　been　fair　with　them。　She　felt　that　her　speech　had　cleared　the　air　in　every　kind　of　way。　She　waited　for　her　aunt's　reply。　No　sound　came　from　the　bed。　Had　her　aunt　heard？　Perhaps　she　slept。　Maggie　waited。　Then　timidly；　and　softly　she　said：

〃Aunt　Anne　。　。　。　Aunt　Anne　。　。　。〃

No　reply。　Then　again　in　a　whisper：

〃Aunt　Anne　。　。　。　Aunt　Anne　。　。　。〃

Supposing　Aunt　Anne　。　。　。　Maggie　trembled；　then；　commanding　herself　to　be　calm；　she　bent　towards　the　bed。

〃Aunt　Anne；　are　you　asleep？〃

Suddenly　Aunt　Anne's　face　was　there；　the　eyes　closed；　the　mouth；　the　cheeks　pale　yellow　in　the　faint　reflection　from　the　lamp。　There　was　no　stir；　no　breath。

〃Aunt　Anne；　Aunt　Anne；〃　Maggie　whispered　in　terror　now。　Then　she　saw　that　her　aunt　was　sleeping；　very；　very　faintly　the　sheets　rose　and　fell　and　the　fingers　of　the　hand　on　the　coverlet　trembled　a　little　as　though　they　were　struggling　to　wake。

Then　Aunt　Anne　had　heard　nothing　after　all。　But　it　might　be　that　she　was　pretending；　just　to　see　what　Maggie　would　say。

〃Aunt　Anne；〃　whispered　Maggie　once　more　and　for　the　last　time。　Then　she　sat　back　on　her　seat　again；　her　hands　folded；　staring　straight　in　front　of　her。　After　that　she　did　not　know　for　how　long　she　sat　there　in　a　state　somewhere　between　dream　and　reality。　The　room；　although　it　never　lost　its　familiarity；　grew　uncouthly　strange；　shapes　grey　and　dim　seemed　to　move　beneath　the　windows；　humping　their　backs；　spinning　out　into　long　limbs；　hands　and　legs　and　gigantic　fingers。　The　deadest　hour　of　the　night　was　come；　the　outside　world　seemed　to　press　upon　the　house；　the　whole　world　cold；　thick；　damp；　lifeless；　like　an　animal　slain　and　falling　with　its　full　weight；　crushing　everything　beneath　it。　Perhaps　she　sleptshe　did　not　know。　Martin　seemed　to　be　with　her；　and　against　them　was　Aunt　Anne；　her　back　against　the　door；　her　hands　spread；　refusing　to　let　them　pass。　The　room　joined　in　the　struggle；　the　floor　slipped　beneath　their　tread；　the　curtain　swayed　forward　and　caught　them　in　its　folds；　the　lamp　flickered　and　flickered　and　flickered　。　。　。

She　was　awake　suddenly；　quite　acutely　aware　of　danger。　She　rubbed　her　eyes；　turned；　and　in　the　dim　shadow　saw　her　aunt　sitting　up　in　bed；　her　body　drawn　up　to　its　intensest　height；　her　hands　pressing　down；　flat　upon　the　bed。　Her　eyes　stared　as　though　they　would　break　down　all　boundaries；　but　her　lips　trembled　like　the　lips　of　a　little　child。

〃Aunt　Anne；　what　is　it？〃　Maggie　whispered。

〃It's　the　pain〃　Her　voice　was　far　away　as　though　some　one　were　speaking　from　the　passage　outside　the　door。　〃It's　the　pain　。　。　。　I　can't　。　。　。　much　more　。　。　。〃

Maggie　remembered　what　Martha　had　told　her　about　the　drops。　She　found　the　little　green　bottle；　saw　the　glass　by　the　side　of　it。

Suddenly　she　heard　Aunt　Anne：　〃Oh　no　。　。　。　Oh　no！　God　I　can't　。　。　。　God；　I　can't　。　。　。　I　can't。〃

Maggie　bent　over　the　bed；　she　put　her　hand　behind　her　aunt's　back　and　could　feel　the　whole　body　quivering；　the　flesh　damp　beneath　the　night…dress。　She　steadied　her；　then　put　the　glass　to　her　lips。

The　cry　was　now　a　little　whisper。　〃No　more　。　。　。　I　can　。　。　。　no　more。〃　Then　more　softly　still：　〃Thy　will；　oh　Lord。　As　thou　wiltOur　Father；　which　art　in　Heaven；　Hallowed　。　。　。　Hallowed　。　。　。　Hallowed　。　。　。〃

She　sank　down　on　to　her　pillows。

〃Is　it　better？〃　Maggie　asked。

Her　aunt　caught　her　hand。

〃You　mustn't　leave　me。　I　shan't　live　long；　but　you　must　stay　with　me　until　I　go。　Promise　me！　Promise　me！〃

〃No；　I　can't　promise；〃　said　Maggie。

〃You　must　stay。　You　must　stay。〃

〃No　I　can't　promise。〃　Then　suddenly　kneeling　down　by　the　bed　she　put　her　hand　on　the　other's　arm：　〃Aunt　Anne；　I'll　do　anything　for　you　anythingto　make　you　betterif　I　can　help　。　。　。　but　not　a　promise；　I　can't　promise。〃

〃Ah；　but　you　will　stay；〃　Aunt　Anne's　whisper　trembled　with　its　certainty。

That　seemed　the　climax　of　the　night　to　Maggie　then。　She　felt　that　she　was　indeed　held　for　eternity　by　the　house；　the　Chapel；　and　something　beyond　the　Chapel。　The　scent　of　the　medicine；　the　closeness　of　the　room；　the　darkness　and　the　sickness；　seemed　to　close　all　about　her　。　。　。　　She　was　at　the　bottom　of　a　deep　well；　and　she　would　never　get　out；　she　would　never　get　out　。　。　。

The　door　slowly；　very　softly　opened；　and　old　Martha　looked　in。

〃She's　been　very　bad；〃　whispered　Maggie。

〃Ay；　I　heard　something。　That's　why　I　came。　You　gave　her　the　drops？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃She'll　sleep　a　bit　now。　I'll　take　your　place；　Miss　Maggie。　It's　time　you　went　back　to　your　bed。〃

Maggie　crept　away。

She　came　down　to　breakfast　to　find　the　house　bathed　in　sunlight　and　the　parrot　singing　hoarsely　〃And　her　golden　hair　was　hanging　down　her　back。〃　Aunt　Elizabeth　was　there；　cheerful　and　almost　merry　in　her　bird…like　fashion。　The　world　was　normal；　ghosts　out　of　fashion；　and　this　morning　was　the　day　on　which　the　silver　was　cleaned。　This　last　was　Maggie's　business；　and　very　badly　she　did　it；　never　being　〃thorough；〃　and　having　a　fatal　habit　of　thinking　of　other　things。　Porridge；　eggs　and　bacon；　marmalade

〃Andher　golden　hair　was　hanging〃　croaked　Edward。

〃Your　aunt　won't　come　down　this　morning；　Maggie。　She's　much　better。　The　sun's　shining。　A　little　walk　will　be　a　good　thing。　I'll　buy　the　calico　that　Anne　talked　about。　Your　aunt's　better。〃

Maggie　felt　ashamed　of　herself。　What　desperate　silly　feelings　had　she　allowed　last　night？　How　much　she　had　made　of　that　service；　and　how　weak　she　was　to　give　way　so　easily！

〃I'll　clean　the　silver；〃　she　thought。　〃I'll　do　it　better　than　ever〃…　…but　unfortunately　she　had　a　hole　in　her　stocking；　and　Aunt　Elizabeth；　like　a　sparrow　who　has　found　a　worm；　told　her　about　it。

〃Mr。　Crashaw's　coming　to　tea　this　afternoon；〃　she　concluded。

〃That's　why　Anne's　staying　in　bedto　be　well　enough。〃　The　stocking　and　Mr。　Crashaw　dimmed　a　little　of　the　morning's　radiance；　but　behind　them　was　the　thought；　〃Martin　must　come　to…day。　It　was　like　a　message　his　look　last　night。〃　She　even　sang　to　herself　as　she　scrubbed　at　the　silver。

They　spent　a　domestic　morning。　Aunt　Elizabeth　did　not　go　for　her　walk；　but　instead　stayed　in　the　dining…room　and；　seated　at　the　end　of　the　long　dining…table；　her　head　just　appearing　above　the　worn　and　soiled　green　table…cloth；　tried　to　discipline　the　week's　household　accounts。　She　worked　sucking　one　finger　after　another　and　poking　her　pencil　into　her　ears。

〃One　pound；　three　shillingsham；　ham；　ham？〃

At　one　moment　she　invited　the　cook　to　assist　her；　and　that　lady；　crimson　from　the　kitchen　fire；　bared　arms　akimbo；　stated　that　she　was　not　only　the　most　economical　woman　in　London；　but　was　also；　thanks　to　her　upbringing；　one　of　the　most　sober　and　virtuous；　and　if　Miss　Cardinal　had　anything　to　say　against

Oh　no！　Aunt　Elizabeth　had　nothing　to　say　against；　only　this　one　pound；　three　shillings

Well；　the　cook　couldn't　help　that；　she　wasn't　one　to　let　a　penny　out　of　her　fingers　where　it　shouldn't　go。

So　the　morning　hummed　along；　luncheon…time　came；　the　silver　was　all　cleaned；　the　stockings　changed；　and　there　was　roast　chicken。　Thomas；　with　his　wicked　eyes；　came　slowly；　majestically　upon　the　scenebut　even　he　was　not　sinister　to…day；　being　interested　in　his　own　greed　rather　than　other　persons'　sins。

All　this　time　Maggie　refused　to　think。　Martin　would　come；　then　she　would　see。

Martin　。　。　。　　Martin　。　。　。　　Martin　。　。　。　　She　went　up　into　her　bedroom　and　whispered　the　name　over　and　over　to　herself　whilst　she　tried　to　mend　her　stocking。　She　flung　the　stocking　down　and　gazed　out　of　the　window　on　to　a　world　that　was　all　golden　cloud　and　racing　watery　blue。　The　roofs　swam　like　floating　carpets　in　the　sun；　detached　from　the　brick　and　mortar　beneath　them；　carried　by　the　racing　clouds。　It　was　only　at　that　sudden　gaze　that　she　realised　that　she　was　a　prisoner。　All　her　alarm　came　back　to　her。

〃Why　can't　I　go　out？　I'll　put　on　my　hat　and　just　walk　out。　No　one　can　s