the captives-第78章
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〃Yes； do；〃 said Maggie。
When Miss Avies had gone Maggie realised that she had been talking with bravadoin fact she hid her head in the cushion of the chair and cried for at least five minutes。 Then she sat up and wiped her eyes because she heard Aunt Anne coming。 When Aunt Anne came towards her now she was affected with a strange feeling of sickness。 She told herself that that was part of her illness。 She did not hate Aunt Anne。 For some weeks； when she had risen slowly from the nightmare that the first period of her illness had been； she hated Aunt Anne； hated her fiercely； absorbingly； desperately。 Then suddenly the hatred had left her； and had she only known it she was from that moment never to hate any one again。 A quite new love for Martin was suddenly born in her； a love that was； as yet； like the first faint stirring of the child in the mother's womb。 This new love was quite different from the old； that had been acquisitive； possessive； urgent； restless； and often terribly painful； this was tranquil； sure； utterly certain； and passive。 The immediate fruit of it was that she regarded all human creatures with a lively interest； an interest too absorbing to allow of hatred or even active dislike。 Her love for Martin was now like a strong current in her soul washing away all sense of irritation and anger。 She regarded people from a new angle。 What were they all about？ What were they thinking？ Had they too had some experience as marvellous as her meeting with and parting from Martin？ Probably； and they too were shy of speaking of it。 Her love for Martin slowly grew； a love now independent of earthly contact and earthly desire； a treasure that would be hers so long as life lasted； that no one could take from her。
She no longer hated Aunt Anne； but she did not intend to live with her any more。 So soon as she was well enough she would go。 That moment of physical contact when Aunt Anne had held her back made any more relation between them impossible。 There was now a great gulf fixed。
The loneliness； the sense of desperate loss； above all the agonising longing for Martin； his step； his voice； his smileshe faced all these and accepted them as necessary companions now on her life's journey； but she did not intend to allow them to impede progress。 She wondered now about everybody。 Her own experience had shown her what strange and wonderful things occur to all human beings； and； in the face of this； how could one hate or grudge or despise？ She had a fellowship now with all humanity。
But she was as ignorant about life as ever。 The things that now she wanted to know！ About Aunt Anne； for instance。 How had she been affected by Mr。 Warlock's death and the disappointment of her expectations？ The Chapel now apparently was to be taken over by Thurston； who had married Amy Warlock and was full of schemes and enterprises。 Maggie knew that the aunts went now very seldom to Chapel； and the Inside Saints were apparently in pieces。 Was Aunt Anne utterly broken by all this？ She did not seem to be so。 She seemed to be very much as she had been； except that she was in her room now a great deal。 Her health appeared； on the whole； to be better than it had been。 And what was Aunt Elizabeth thinking？ And Martha？ And Miss Avies？ And Caroline Smith？ 。 。 。
No； she must get out into the world and discover these things for herself。 She did not know how the way of escape would come； but she was certain of its arrival。
It arrived； and through her third visitor。 Her third visitor was Mrs。 Mark。
When Katherine Mark came in Maggie was writing to Uncle Mathew。 She put aside her writing…pad with a little exclamation of surprise。 Mrs。 Mark； the very last person in all the world whom she had expected to see！ As she saw her come in she had a swift intuition that this was Destiny now that was dealing with her； and that a new scene； involving every sort of new experience and adventure； was opening before her。 More than ever before she realised how far Katherine Mark was from the world in which she； Maggie； had during all these months been living。 Katherine Mark was RealReal in her beautiful quiet clothes； in her assurance； her ease； the sense that she gave that she knew life and love and business and all the affairs of men at first hand； not only seen through a mist of superstition and ignorance； or indeed not seen at all。
〃This is what I want；〃 something in Maggie called to her。
〃This will make me busy and quiet and sensibleat last〃
When Katherine Mark sat down and took her hand for a moment； smiling at her in the kindliest way； Maggie felt as though she had known her all her life。
〃Oh！ I'm so glad you've come！〃 she cried spontaneously； and then； as though she felt she'd gone too far； she blushed and drew back。
But Katherine held her hand fast。
〃I wrote；〃 she said； 〃some weeks ago to you； and your aunt answered the letter saying you were very ill。 Then； as I heard nothing of you； I was anxious and came to see what had happened。 You've not kept your word； Maggie； you know。 We were to have been great friends； and you've never been near me。〃
At the use of her Christian name Maggie blushed with pleasure。
〃I couldn't come；〃 she said。 〃I didn't want to untiluntiluntil some things had settled themselves。〃
〃Welland they have？〃 asked Katherine。
〃Yesthey have；〃 said Maggie。
〃What's been the matter？〃 asked Katherine。
〃I was worried about something； and then I was ill；〃 said Maggie。
〃And you're not worried now？〃 said Katherine。
〃I'm not going to give in to it； anyway；〃 said Maggie。 〃As soon as I'm well； I'm off。 I'll find some work somewhere。〃
〃I've got a plan；〃 said Katherine。 〃It came into my head the moment I saw you sitting there。 Will you come and stay with us for a little？〃
That sense that Maggie had had when she saw Katherine of fate having a hand in all of this deepened now and coloured her thoughts； so that she could feel no surprise but only a curious instinct that she had been through all this scene before。
〃Stay with you！〃 she cried。 〃Oh； I should love to！〃
〃That's good；〃 said Katherine。 〃Your aunts won't mind； will they？〃
〃They can't keep me；〃 said Maggie。 〃I'm free。 But they won't want to。 Our time together is over〃
〃I'll come and fetch you to…morrow；〃 said Katherine。 〃You shall stay with us until you're quite well； and then we'll find some work for you。〃
〃Why are you good to me like this？〃 Maggie asked。
〃I'm not good to you；〃 Katherine answered； laughing。 〃It's simply selfish。 It will be lovely for me having you with me。〃
〃Oh； you don't know；〃 said Maggie； throwing up her head。
〃No； I don't think I'll come。 I'm frightened。 I'm not what you think。 I'm untidy and careless and can't talk to strangers。 Perhaps I'll lose you altogether as a friend if I come。〃
〃You'll never do that；〃 said Katherine； suddenly bending forward and kissing her。 〃I don't change about people。 It's because I haven't any imagination； Phil says。〃
〃I shall make mistakes；〃 Maggie said。 〃I've never been anywhere。 But I don't care。 I can look after myself。〃
The thought of her three hundred pounds （which were no longer three hundred） encouraged her。 She kissed Katherine。
〃I don't change either；〃 she said。
She had a strange conversation with Aunt Anne that night； strange as every talk had always been because of things left unsaid。 They faced one another across the fireplace like enemies who might have been lovers； there had been from the very first moment of this meeting a romantic link between them which had never been defined。 They had never had it out with one another； and they were not going to have it out now； but Maggie； who was never sentimental； wondered at the strange mixture of tenderness； pity； affection； irritation and hostility that she felt。
〃Aunt Anne； I'm going away to…morrow；〃 said Maggie。
〃To…morrow！〃 Aunt Anne looked up with her strange hostile arrogance。 〃Oh no； Maggie。 You're not well yet。〃
〃Mrs。 Mark；〃 said Maggie； 〃the lady I told you about； is coming in a motor to fetch me。 She will take me straight to her house； and then I shall go to bed。〃
Aunt Anne said nothing。
〃You know that it's better for me to go；〃 said Maggie。 〃We can't live together any more after what ha
