the captives-第84章

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d　something　that　was　of　that　other　world。

〃Engaged　yourself　to　Paul；〃　said　Henry。

〃Why　shouldn't　I？〃　asked　Maggie。

〃You　don't　love　himof　course　you　couldn't。　You're　not　his　sort　in　the　least。　You're　worth　a　million　Pauls。〃

This　was　so　odd　for　Henry；　who　was　certainly　not　given　to　compliments；　that　Maggie　burst　out　laughing。

〃Yes；　you　may　laugh；〃　said　Henry。　〃I　know　what　I'm　talking　about。　Have　you　ever　seen　Paul　asleep　after　dinner？〃

〃No；〃　said　Maggie。

〃I　wish　you　had。　That　might　have　saved　you。　Have　you　ever　seen　Grace　lose　her　temper？〃

〃No；〃　said　Maggie；　this　time　a　little　uneasily。

〃Look　here；〃　he　came　close　to　her；　staring　at　her　with　those　eyes　of　his　that　could　be　very　charming　when　he　liked。　〃Break　it　off。　Say　you　think　it's　a　mistake。　You'll　be　miserable。〃

〃Indeed　I　shan't；〃　said　Maggie；　tossing　her　head。　〃Whatever　happens　I'm　not　going　to　be　miserable。　No　one　can　make　me　that。〃

〃So　you　think；〃　Henry　frowned。　〃I　can't　think　what　you　want　to　be　married　for　at　all。　These　days　women　can　have　such　a　good　time；　especially　a　woman　with　character　like　you。　If　I　were　a　woman　I'd　never　marry。〃

〃You　don't　understand；〃　said　Maggie。　〃You　haven't　been　lonely　all　your　life　as　I　have；　and　you're　not　afraid　of　making　yourself　cheap　andandlooking　for　some　one　who　doesn't　wantyou。　It's　so　easy　for　you　to　talk。　And　Paul　wants　mereally　he　does〃

〃Yes；　he　does；〃　said　Henry　slowly。　〃He's　in　love　with　you　all　right。　I'm　as　sorry　for　Paul　as　I　am　for　you。〃

Maggie　laughed。　〃It's　very　kind　of　you　to　be　sorry；〃　she　said；　〃but　you　needn't　trouble。　I　believe　we　can　look　after　ourselves。〃

For　a　quarter　of　an　hour　after　this　conversation　she　was　a　little　uneasy。　He　was　a　clever　boy；　Henry；　he　did　watch　people。　But　then　he　was　very　young；　It　was　all　guesswork　with　him。

She　became　now　strangely　quiescent；　her　energy；　her　individuality；　her　strength　of　will　seemed；　for　the　time；　entirely　to　have　gone。　She　surrendered　herself　to　Grace　and　Paul　and　Katherine　and　they　did　what　they　would　with　her。

Only　once　was　she　disturbed。　Two　nights　before　the　wedding　she　dreamt　of　Martin。　It　did　not　appear　as　a　dream　at　all。　It　seemed　to　her　that　she　had　been　asleep　and　that　she　suddenly　woke。　She　was　gazing；　from　her　bed；　into　her　own　room；　but　at　the　farther　end　of　it　instead　of　the　wall　with　the　rosy　trees　and　the　gold　mirror　was　another　room。　This　room　was　strange　and　cheerless　with　bare　boards；　a　large　four…poster　bed　with　faded　blue　hangings；　two　old　black　prints　with　eighteenth…century　figures　and　a　big　standing　mirror。　In　front　of　the　bed；　staring　into　the　mirror；　was　Martin；　He　was　dressed　shabbily　in　a　blue　reefer　coat。　He　looked　older　than　when　she　had　seen　him　last；　was　stouter　and　ill；　with　white　puffy　cheeks　and　dark　shadows　under　his　eyes。　She　saw　him　very　clearly　under　the　light　of　two　candles　that　wavered　a　little　in　the　draught。

He　was　staring　into　the　mirror；　absorbed　apparently　in　what　he　saw　there。　She　cried　his　name　and　he　seemed　to　start　and　turn　towards　the　door　listening。　Then　the　picture　faded。　She　woke　to　find　herself　sitting　up　in　bed　crying　his　name　。　。　。

In　the　morning　she　drove　this　dream　away　from　her；　refusing　to　think　of　it　or　listen　to　it；　but　somewhere　far　down　in　her　soul　something　trembled。

The　wedding　was　over　so　quickly　that　she　scarcely　realised　it。　There　was　the　stuffy　little　church；　very　empty　and　dusty；　with　brass　plates　on　the　wall。　She　could　hear；　in　the　street；　rumblings　of　carts　and　the　rattle　of　wheels；　somewhere　a　barrel…organ　played。　The　clergyman　was　a　little　man　who　smiled　upon　her　kindly。　When　Paul　put　the　ring　on　her　finger　she　started　as　though　for　a　moment　she　awoke　from　a　dream。　She　was　glad　that　he　looked　so　clean　and　tidy。　Grace　was　wearing　too　grand　a　hat　with　black　feathers。　In　the　vestry　Paul　kissed　her；　and　then　they　walked　down　the　aisle　together。　She　saw　Katherine　and　Millie　and　Henry。　Her　fingers　caught　tightly　about　Paul's　stout　arm；　but　she　would　have　been　more　at　home　she　thought　with　Uncle　Mathew　just　then。

It　was　a　nice　bright　spring　day；　although　the　wind　blew　the　dust　about。　They　had　a　meal　in　Katherine's　house　and　some　one　made　a　speech；　and　Maggie　drank　some　champagne。　She　hoped　she　looked　nice　in　her　grey　silk　dress；　and　then　caught　sight　of　herself　in　a　glass　and　thought　she　was　as　ever　a　fright。

〃My　little　wild　thingmine　now；〃　whispered　Paul。　She　thought　that　rather　silly；　she　was　not　a　wild　thing；　but　simply　Maggie　Cardinal。　Oh；　no！　Maggie　Trenchard　。　。　。　She　did　not　feel　Maggie　Trenchard　at　all　and　she　did　not　suppose　that　she　ever　would。

They　were　to　have　a　fortnight　alone　at　Skeaton　before　Grace　came。　Maggie　was　glad　of　that。　Paul　was　really　nicer　when　Grace　was　not　there。

They　were　all　very　kind　to　her。　They　had　given　her　good　presents　Millie　some　silver　brushes；　Henry　some　books；　Philip　a　fan；　and　Katherine　a　most　beautiful　dressing…bag。　Maggie　had　never　had　such　things　before。　But　she　could　have　wished　for　something　from　her　own　people。　She　had　written　to　Uncle　Mathew　but　had　not　heard　from　him。

At　the　very　last　moment；　on　the　morning　of　the　wedding　day；　a　present　came　from　the　auntsan　old　box　for　handkerchiefs。　The　cover　was　inlaid　with　sea…shells　and　there　was　a　little　looking…glass　inside。

Very　soon　it　was　all　over　and　then　to　her　own　intense　surprise　she　was　alone　in　the　train　with　Paul。　What　had　she　expected？　She　did　not　knowbut　somehow　not　this。

They　were　in　a　first…class　carriage。　Paul　was　doing　the　thing　nobly。　He　sat　close　to　her；　his　broad　knee　against　her　dress。　How　broad　his　knee　was；　a　great　expanse　of　black　shining　cloth。　He　took　her　hand　and　rested　it　on　the　expanse；　and；　at　the　touch　of　the　stuff　and　the　throb　of　the　warm　flesh　beneath　it；　she　shivered　a　little　and　would　wish　to　have　drawn　her　hand　away。　He　seemed　so　much　larger　than　she　had　expected；　from　his　knee　to　his　high　shining　white　collar　was　an　immense　distance　and　midway　there　was　a　thick　gold　watch…chain　rising　and　falling　as　he　breathed。　He　smelt　very　faintly　of　tooth…　powder。

But　on　the　whole　she　was　comfortable；　only　the　thin　gold　ring　round　her　finger　felt　strange。　Deep　in　a　little　pocket　inside　her　blouse　was　the　ring　with　the　three　little　pearls。

〃I　do　hope；　Maggie　darling；〃　he　said；　〃you　don't　think　it　strange　our　not　going　somewhere　else　for　our　honeymoon。　My　lads　will　be　expecting　me　backI　was　kept　longer　in　London　than　I　should　have　beenby　you；　you　little　witch。　My　witch　now〃

He　put　his　arm　round　her　waist　and　urged　her　head　towards　his　coat。　But　her　hat；　her　beautiful　hat　that　had　cost　so　much　more　than　she　had　ever　spent　on　a　hat　before；　was　in　the　way。　It　struck　into　his　chin。　They　were　both　uncomfortable　and　then；　thank　heaven；　the　train　slowed　down；　they　were　at　a　station　and　some　one　got　into　their　carriage；　a　stout　man；　all　newspaper　and　creases　to　his　trousers。　That；　in　the　circumstances；　was　a　great　relief　and　soon　Maggie　dozed；　seeing　the　telegraph　wires　and　the　trees　like　waving　hands　through　a　mist　of　sleep。

As　she　fell　asleep　she　realised　that　this　was　only　the　second　time　in　all　her　life　that　she　had　been　in　a　train。　Some　one　bawled　in　her　car　〃Skeaton！　Skeaton！〃　and　she　looked　up　to　find　a　goat…faced　porter　gazing　at　her　through　the　window。　She　was　on　a　storm…driven　platform；　her　husband's　arm　was　through　hers；　she　was　being　helped　into　an　old　faded　cab。　Now　they　were　driving　down　a　hill；　under　a　railway…arch；　along　a　road　with　villas　and　trees；　trees　and　villas；　and　then　villas　alone。　What　a　wind！　The　bare　branches　were　in　a　frenzy；　and　from　almost　every　villa　blew　little　pennons　of　white　curtains。　〃They　like　to　have　their　windows　open　any　way；〃　she　thought。　Paul　said　very　little；　he　was　obviously　nervous　of　how　she　would　take　it　all。　She　took　it　all　very　well。

〃What　pretty　houses！〃　she　said。　〃And　here　are　the　shops！〃

Only　a　fewa　sweet…shop；　a　grocer's；　a　stationer's　with　〃Simpson's　Library〃　on　the　door；　a　post…office。

〃The　suburbs；〃　said　Paul。

What　a　wind！　It　rolled　up　the　road　like　a　leaping　carpet；　you　could　almost　see　its　folds　and　creases。　No　one　aboutnot　a　living　soul。

〃The　cab　I　ordered　never　came。　Lucky　thing　there　was　one　there；〃　said　Paul。

Not　a　soul　about。　Does　any　one