the captives-第74章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
now a Sign！ something by which we may know Thee！〃 and with that appeal the conviction in the hearts of almost all present that nothing would happen； that God would give no sign； that the age of miracles was past。
〃Oh； why did He want to be so definite；〃 she thought。 〃Why couldn't He have left them as they were without forcing them to this。〃
They were sitting down now； and Thurston； with his cheap sense of the dramatic and false emphasis； was reading from the New Testament。 Maggie looked to where Mr。 Warlock was； a little to the right of Thurston； in his black gown； his head a little lowered； his hands on his lap。
When she saw him she was touched to the very heart。 Why； he had aged in the last month a hundred years！ He looked； sitting there； so frail and helpless that it seemed wonderful that he should have been able to get there at all。
His hair seemed to have an added intensity of whiteness to…night； and his beard lay against the black cloth of his gown with a contrast so sharp that it was unreal。 Maggie fancied； as she watched him； that he was bewildered and scarcely knew where he was。 Once he looked up and round about him； he put his hand to his brow and then let it fall as though he had no longer any control over it。
She was now so touched by the pathos of his helplessness that she could think of nothing else and longed to go to him and comfort him。 Time stole on and it was now ten minutes to twelve。 They sang another hymn； but the voices were very weak and feeble and the words quivered round the building in a ghostly whisper。 Then Thurston came to the Master and gave him his arm and led him to the reading…desk。 The old man seemed for a moment as though he would fall； then； holding to the front of the desk； he spoke in a very weak and faltering voice。 Maggie could not catch many of his words： 〃My childrenonly a little timeOur preparation now is finished 。 。 。 God has promised 。 。 。 Not the least of these His little ones shall perish 。 。 。 Let us not fear but be ready to meet Him as our Friend 。 。 。 our Friend 。 。 。 God our Father 。 。 。〃 Then in a stronger voice： 〃Now during these last minutes let us kneel in silent prayer。〃
They all knelt down。 Maggie had no thoughts； no desire except that the time might pass； she seemed to kneel there asleep waiting for the moment when some one should tell her that the time had gone and she was safe。 The moments dragged eternally； a thrilling suspense like a flood of water pouring into an empty space had filled the Chapel。 No one moved。 Suddenly into the heart of the silence there struck the first note of the clock tolling the hour。 With Maggie it was as though that sound liberated her from the spell that had been upon her。 She looked up； she saw the master standing； his hands stretched out； his face splendid with glory and happiness。
He looked beyond them all； beyond the Chapel； beyond the world。 He gave one cry：
〃My God； Thou art come。〃 Some other words followed but were caught up and muffled。 He fell forward； collapsing in a heap against the desk。 His head struck the wood and then he lay there perfectly still。
Maggie could only dimly gather what happened after the sound of that fall。 There seemed to her to be a long and terrible silence during which the clock continued remorselessly to strike。 The Chapel appeared to be a place of shadows as though the gas had suddenly died to dim haloes； she was conscious that people moved about her； that Aunt Anne had left them； and that Aunt Elizabeth was saying to her again and again： 〃How terrible！ How terrible！ How terrible！〃
Then as though it were some other person； Maggie found herself very calmly speaking to Aunt Elizabeth。
〃Are we to wait for Aunt Anne？〃 she whispered。
〃Anne said we were to go home。〃
〃Then let's go；〃 whispered Maggie。
They went to the door； pushing； it seemed； through shadows who whispered and forms that vanished as soon as one looked at them。
Out in the open air Maggie was aware that she was trembling from head to foot； but a determined idea that she must get Aunt Elizabeth home at once drove her like a goad。 Very strange it was out here； the air ringing with the clamour of bells。 The noise seemed deafening； whistles blowing from the river； guns firing and this swinging network of bells echoing through the fog。 Figures； too； ran with lights； men singing； women laughing； all mysteriously in the tangled darkness。
They were joined at once by Aunt Anne； who said：
〃God has called him home；〃 by which Maggie understood that Mr。 Warlock was dead。
They went home in silence。 Inside the hall Aunt Elizabeth began to cry。 Aunt Anne put her arm around her and led her away； they seemed completely to forget Maggie； leaving her standing in the dark hall by herself。
She found a candle and went up to her room。 The noise in the streets had ceased quite suddenly as though some angry voice had called the world to order。
Maggie undressed and lay down in her bed。 She lay there staring in front of her without closing her eyes。 She watched the grey dawn； then the half…light； then； behind her blind； bright sunshine。 The fog was no more。
The strangest fancies and visions passed through her brain during that time。 She saw Mr。 Warlock hanging forward like a sack of clothes； the blood trickling stealthily across his beard。 Poor old man！ What were the others all thinking now？ Were they sorry or glad？ Were they disappointed or relieved？ After all； he had； perhaps； spoken the truth so far as he was himself concerned。 God had come for him。 He was now it might be happy somewhere at peace and at rest。 Then like a flash of lightning across the darkness came the thought of Martin。 What had he said？ 〃If anything happened to his father〃
The terror of that made her heart stop beating。 She wanted instantly to go to him and see what he was doing。 She even rose from her bed； stumbled in the darkness towards her dressing…table； then remembered where she was and what time and went back and sat upon her bed。
She sat there； her fingers tightly pressed together； staring in front of her until the morning came。 She felt at her heart a foreboding worse than any pain that she had ever known。 She determined that； directly after breakfast； whatever the aunts would say； she would go to his house and demand to see him。 She did not mind who might try to prevent her； she would fight her way through them all。 Only one look； one word of assurance from him； and then she could endure anything。 That she must have or she would die。
At last Martha knocked on the door； she had her bath； dressed； still with this terrible pain at her heart。
She was alone at breakfast； she drank some coffee； then went up to the drawing…room to think for a moment what course she should pursue。 The room was flooded with sunlight that struck the fire into a dead； lifeless yellow。
As she stood there she heard through the open door voices in the hall。 But before she had heard the voices she knew that it was Martin。
Martha was expostulating； her voice following his step up the hall。
〃I shall go and tell my mistress；〃 Maggie heard。
Then Martin came in。
When she saw him she stood speechless where she was。 The change in him terrified her so that her heart seemed to leap into her throat choking her。 The colour had drained from his face； leaving it dry and yellow。 He had an amazing resemblance to his father； his eyes had exactly the same bewildered expression as though he were lost and yet he seemed quite calm； his only movement was one hand that wandered up and down his waistcoat feeling the buttons one after the other。
He looked at her as though he did not know her； and yet he spoke her name。
〃Maggie；〃 he said； 〃I've come to say good…bye。 You know what I said before。 Well； it's come true。 Father is dead； and I killed him。〃
With a terrible effort； beating down a terror that seemed personally to envelop her； she said：
〃No； Martin。 I saw him die。 It wasn't you； Martin dear。〃
〃It was I；〃 he answered。 〃You don't know。 I came into the house drunk and he heard what I said to Amy。 He nearly died then。 The doctor in the evening said he must have had some shock。〃
She tried to come to him then。 She was thinking： 〃Oh； if I've only go
