the captives-第68章
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ourself into a mess。 Every one knows that。 That's why I came here to…dayto show you that I was a REAL friend and didn't mind WHAT people said about you！ When they were all talking about you last night； and saying the most DREADFUL things； I defended you and said it wasn't really your fault； you couldn't have told what a rotten sort of a man Martin Warlock was〃
〃That's enough；〃 said Maggie。 〃I don't want your defence； thank you。 You're mean and deceitful and untrue。 You never have been a friend of mine； and I don't want ever to see you again！〃
Caroline Smith was horrified。 〃Well； upon my word。 Isn't that gratitude？ Here am I； the only person in this whole place would take any trouble with you！ When the others all said that you were plain and stupid and hadn't anything to say for yourself I stuck to you。 I did all I could； wasting all my time going to the dressmaker with you and trying to make you look like something human； and this is the way you repay me！ Well； there's a lesson for me！ Many's the time mother's said to me； 'Carry； you'll just ruin yourself with that kind heart of yours； laying yourself out for others when you ought to be seeing after yourself。 You've got too big a heart for this world。' Doesn't it just show one？ And to end it all with accusing me of reading your letters！ If you choose to sit in the park after dark with a man who everybody knows〃
〃Either you're going to leave this room or I am；〃 said Maggie。
〃Thank you！〃 said Caroline； tossing her head。 〃I haven't the slightest desire to stay； I assure you！ Only you'll be sorry for this； Maggie Cardinal； you will indeed！〃
With a swish of the skirts and a violent banging of the door she was gone。
〃The only friend I had；〃 thought Maggie。
The next development was an announcement from Aunt Anne that she would like Maggie to accompany her to a meeting at Miss Avies'。 Aunt Anne did not explain what kind of a meeting it would be； and Maggie asked no questions。 She simply replied that she would go。 She had indeed by this time a very considerable curiosity of her own as to what every one thought was going to happen in ten days' time。 Perhaps this meeting would enlighten her。 It did。
On arriving at Miss Avies' gaunt and menacing apartment she found herself in the very stronghold of the Inside Saints。 It was a strange affair； and Maggie was never to see anything quite like it again。 In the first place； Miss Avies' room was not exactly the place in which you would have expected to discover a meeting of this kind。
She lived over a house…agent's in John Street； Adelphi。 Her sitting… room was low…ceilinged with little diamond…paned windows。 The place was let furnished； and the green and red vases on the mantelpiece； the brass clock and the bright yellow wallpaper were properties of the landlord。 To the atmosphere of the place Miss Avies； although she lived there for a number of years； had contributed nothing。
It had all the desolate forlornness of a habitation in which no human being has dwelt for a very long time； there was dust on the mantelpiece； a melancholy sputtering of coal choked with cinders and gasping for breath in the fireplace； stuffy hot clamminess beating about the unopened windows。 Along the breadth of the faded brown carpet some fifty cane…bottomed chairs were pressed tightly in rows together； and in front of the window； facing the chairs； was a little wooden table with a chair beside it； on the table a glass of water and a Bible。
When Maggie and her aunts entered the chairs were almost all occupied and they were forced to sit at the end of the last row but one。 The meeting had apparently not yet begun； and many heads were turned towards them as they took their places。 Maggie fancied that the glances directed at herself were angry and severe； but that was very possibly her imagination。 She soon recognised people known to herMiss Pyncheon； calm and placid； Mrs。 Smith； Caroline's mother； very stout； hot； and self…important； Amy Warlock； proud and severe； and Miss Avies herself standing； like a general surveying his forces； behind the table。
The room was draughty and close and had a confused smell of oil… cloth and geraniums； and Maggie knew that soon she would have a headache。 She fancied that already the atmosphere was influencing the meeting。 From where she sat she could see a succession of side faces； and it was strange what a hungry； appealing look these pale cheeks and staring eyes had。 Hungry！ Yes； that's what they all were。 She thought； fantastically； for a moment； of poor Mr。 Magnus's Treasure Hunters； and she seemed to see the whole of this company in a raft drifting in mid…ocean； not a sail in sight and the last ship's biscuit gone。
They were not； taken altogether； a very fine collection； old maids and young girls； many of them apparently of the servant class； one or two sitting with open mouths and a vacancy of expression that seemed to demand a conjurer with a rabbit and a hat。 Some faces were of the true fanatic cast； lit with the glow of an expectancy and a hope that no rational experience had ever actually justified。 One girl； whom Maggie had seen with Aunt Anne on some occasion； had especially this prophetic anticipation in the whole pose of her body as she bent forward a little； her elbows on her knees her chin on her hands； gazing with wide burning eyes at Miss Avies。 This girl； whom Maggie was never to see again hung as a picture in the rooms of her mind for the rest of her lifethe youth； the desperate anxiety as of one who throws her last piece upon the gaming…table； the poverty of the shabby black dress； the real physical austerity and asceticism of the white cheeks and the thin arms and pale hands this figure remained a symbol for Maggie。 She used to wonder in after years； when fortune had carried her far enough away from all this world； what had happened to that girl。 But she was never to know。
There were faces； too； like Miss Pyncheon's； calm； contented； confident； old women who had found in their religion the panacea of all their troubles。 There were faces like Mrs。 Smith's； coarse and vulgar； out for any sensation that might come along； and ready instantly to express their contempt if the particular 〃trick〃 that they were expecting failed to come off； other faces； again； like Amy Warlock's； grimly set upon secret thoughts and purposes of their own； faces trained to withstand any sudden attack on the emotions； but eager； too； like the rest for some revelation that was to answer all questions and satisfy all expectations。
Maggie wondered； as she looked about her； how she could have raised in her own imagination； around the Chapel and its affairs； so formidable an atmosphere of terror and tyrannic discipline。 Here gathered together were a few women； tired； pale； many of them uneducated； awaiting like children the opening of a box； the springing into flower of a dry husk of a seed； the raising of the curtain on some wonderful scene。 Maggie； as she looked at them； knew that they must be disappointed； and her heart ached for them all； yes； even for Amy Warlock； her declared enemy。 She lost； as she sat there； for the moment all sense of her own personal history。 She only saw them all tired and hungry and expectant； perhaps； after all； there WAS something behind it allsomething for which they had a right to be searching； even of that she had not sure knowledge but the pathos and also the bravery of their search touched and moved her。 She was beginning to understand something of the beauty that hovered like a bird always just out of sight about the ugly walls of the Chapel。
〃Whatever they want； poor dears；〃 she thought； 〃I do hope they get it。〃
Miss Avies opened the meeting with an extempore prayer： then they all stood up and sang a hymn； and their quavering voices were thin and sharp and strained in the stuffy close…ceilinged room。 The hymn； like all the other Chapel hymns that Maggie had heard； had to do with 〃the Blood of the Lamb；〃 〃the sacrifice of Blood；〃 〃the Blood that heals。〃 There was also a refrain：
And； when Thou comest； Lord； we pray That Thou wilt spare Thy sword； Or on that grim and ghastly day Who will escape the Lord？ WHO will escape the Lord？
There were many verses to this hymn；
