the captives-第88章

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d　they　were　having　it；　as　usual；　in　his　dusty　study。　They　were　sitting　someway　apartPaul　in　the　old　leather　armchair　by　the　fire；　his　thick　body　stretched　out；　his　cheerful　good…humoured　face　puckered　and　peevish。

Maggie　stood　up；　looking　at　him。

〃Paul；　what's　the　matter？〃　she　asked。

〃Matter；〃　he　repeated。　〃Nothing。〃

〃Oh　yes；　there　is　。　。　。　You're　cross　with　me。〃

〃No；　I'm　not。　What　an　absurd　idea！〃　He　moved　restlessly；　turning　half　away；　not　looking　at　her。　She　came　close　up　to　him。

〃Look　here；　Paul。　There　is　something　the　matter。　We　haven't　been　married　a　fortnight　yet　and　you're　unhappy。　Whatever　else　we　married　for　we　married　because　we　were　going　to　be　friends。　So　you've　just　got　to　tell　me　what　the　trouble　is。〃

〃I've　got　my　sermon　to　prepare；〃　he　said；　not　looking　at　her；　but　half　rising　in　his　chair。　〃You'd　better　go；　darling。〃

〃I'm　not　going　to；〃　she　answered；　〃until　you've　told　me　why　you're　worrying。〃

He　got　up　slowly　and　seemed　then　as　though　he　were　going　to　pass　her。　Suddenly　he　turned；　flung　his　arms　round　her；　catching　her；　crushing　her　in　his　arms；　kissing　her　wildly。

〃Love　。　。　。　love　me　。　。　。　love　me；〃　he　whispered。　〃That's　what's　the　matter。　I　didn't　know　myself　before　I　married　you；　Maggie。　All　these　years　I've　lived　like　a　fish　and　I　didn't　know　it。　But　I　know　it　now。　And　you've　got　to　love　me。　You're　my　wife　and　you've　got　to　love　me。〃

She　would　have　given　everything　that　she　had　then　to　respond。　She　felt　an　infinite　tenderness　and　pity　for　him。　But　she　could　not。　He　felt　that　she　could　not。　He　let　her　go　and　turned　away　from　her。　She　thought　for　a　moment　wondering　what　she　ought　to　say；　and　then　she　came　up　to　him　and　gently　put　her　hand　on　his　shoulder。

〃Be　patient；　Paul；〃　she　said。　〃You　know　we　agreed　before　we　married　that　we'd　be　friends　at　any　rate　and　let　the　rest　come。　Wait　。　。　。〃

〃Wait！〃　he　turned　round　eagerly；　clutching　her　arm。　〃Then　there　is　a　chance；　Maggie？　You　can　get　to　love　meyou　can　forget　that　other　man？〃

She　drew　back。　〃No；　you　know　I　told　you　that　I　should　never　do　that。　But　he'll　never　come　back　nor　want　me　again　and　I'm　very　fond　of　you；　Paulfonder　than　I　thought。　Don't　spoil　it　all　now　by　going　too　fast〃

〃Going　too　fast！〃　he　laughed。　〃Why；　I　haven't　gone　any　way　at　all。　I　haven't　got　you　anywhere。　I　can　hardly　touch　you。　You're　away　from　me　all　the　time。　You're　strangedifferent　from　every　one　。　。　。〃

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　women。　I've　learnt　a　lot　about　myself　this　week。　It　isn't　going　to　be　as　easy　as　I　thought。〃

She　went　up　to　him；　close　to　him；　and　said　almost　desperately：　〃We　MUST　make　this　all　right；　Paul。　We　can　if　we　try。　I　know　we　can。〃

He　kissed　her　gently　with　his　old　kindness。　〃What　a　baby　you　are。　You　didn't　know　what　you　were　in　for　。　。　。　Oh；　we'll　make　it　all　right。〃

They　sat　close　together　then　and　drank　their　tea。　After　all；　Grace　would　be　here　in　an　hour！　They　both　felt　a　kind　of　relief　that　they　would　no　longer　be　alone。

Grace　would　be　here　in　an　hour！　Strange　how　throughout　all　these　last　days　Maggie　had　been　looking　forward　to　that　event　with　dread。　There　was　no　definite　reason　for　fear；　in　London　Grace　had　been　kindness　itself　and　had　shown　real　affection　for　Maggie。　Within　the　last　week　she　had　written　two　very　affectionate　letters。　What　was　this；　then；　that　hung　and　hovered？　It　was　in　the　very　air　of　the　house　and　the　garden　and　the　place。　Grace　had　left　her　mark　upon　everything　and　every　one；　even　upon　the　meagre　person　of　Mitch　the　dog。　Especially　upon　Mitch；　a　miserable　creeping　fox…terrier　with　no　spirits　and　a　tendency　to　tremble　all　over　when　you　called　him。　He　had　attached　himself　to　Maggie；　which　was　strange；　because　animals　were　not；　as　a　rule；　interested　in　her。　Mitch　followed　her　about；　looking　up　at　her　with　a　yellow　supplicating　eye。　She　didn't　like　him　and　she　would　be　glad　when　Grace　collected　him　againbut　why　did　he　tremble？

She　realised；　in　the　way　that　she　had　of　seeing　further　than　her　nose；　that　Grace　was　going　to　affect　the　whole　of　her　relations　with　Paul；　and；　indeed；　all　her　future　life。　She　had　not　realised　that　in　London。　Grace　had　seemed　harmless　there　and　unimportant。　Already　here　in　Skeaton　she　seemed　to　stand　for　a　whole　scheme　of　life。

Maggie　had　moved　and　altered　a　good　many　of　the　things　in　the　house。　She　had　discovered　a　small　attic；　and　into　this　she　had　piled　pell…　mell　a　number　of　photographs；　cheap　reproductions；　cushions；　worsted　mats；　and　china　ornaments。　She　had　done　it　gaily　and　with　a　sense　of　clearing　the　air。

Now　as　Grace's　hour　approached　she　was　not　so　sure。

〃Well；　I'm　not　afraid；〃　she　reassured　herself　with　her　favourite　defiance。　〃She　can't　eat　me。　And　it's　my　house。〃

Paul　had　not　noticed　the　alterations。　He　was　always　blind　to　his　surroundings　unless　they　were　what　he　called　〃queer。〃

There　was　the　rattle　of　the　cab…wheels　on　the　drive　and　a　moment　later　Grace　was　in　the　hall。

〃Dear　PaulMaggie；　dear　。　。　。〃

She　stood　there；　a　very　solid　and　assured　figure。　She　was　square　and　thick　and　reminded　Maggie　to…day　of　Mrs。　Noah；　her　clothes　stood　cut　out　around　her　as　though　they　had　been　cut　in　wood。　She　had　her　large　amiable　smile；　and　the　kiss　that　she　gave　Maggie　was　a　wet；　soft；　and　very　friendly　one。

〃Now　I　think　I'll　have　tea　at　once　without　taking　my　hat　off。　In　Paul's　study？　That's　nice　。　。　。　Maggie；　dear；　how　are　you？　Such　a　journey！　But　astonishing！　Just　fancy！　I　got　into　Charing　Cross　and　then！　Why！　Here's　the　study！　Fancy！　。　。　。　Maggie；　dear；　how　are　you？　Well？　That's　right。　Why；　there's　tea！　That's　right。　Everything　just　as　it　was。　Fancy！　。　。　。〃　She　took　off　her　gloves；　smiled；　seated　herself　more　comfortably；　then　began　to　look　about　the　room。　Suddenly　there　came：　〃Why；　Paul；　where's　the　Emmanuel　football　group？〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence。　Maggie　felt　her　heart　give　a　little　bump；　as　it　seemed　to　her；　right　against　the　roof　of　her　mouth。　Paul　（so　like　him）　had　not　noticed　that　the　football　group　had　vanished。　He　stared　at　the　blank　place　on　the　wall　where　it　had　once　been。

〃Why；　Grace　。　。　。　I　don't　know。　I　never　noticed　it　wasn't　there。〃

〃I　took　it　down；〃　said　Maggie。　〃I　thought　there　were　too　many　photographs。　It's　in　the　attic。〃

〃In　the　attic？　。　。　。　Fancy！　You　put　it　away；　did　you；　Maggie？　Well；　fancy！　Shan't　I　make　the　tea；　Maggie；　dear？　That　tea…pot；　it's　an　old　friend　of　mine。　I　know　how　to　manage　it。〃

They　changed　seats。　Grace　was　as　amiable　as　ever；　but　now　her　eyes　flashed　about　from　place　to　place　all　around　the　room。

〃Why；　this　is　a　new　kind　of　jam。　How　nice！　As　I　was　saying；　I　got　into　Charing　Cross　and　there　wasn't　a　porter。　Just　fancy！　At　least　there　was　a　porter；　an　old　man；　but　when　I　beckoned　to　him　he　wouldn't　move。　Well；　I　was　angry。　I　can　tell　you；　Paul；　I　wasn't　going　to　stand　that；　so　I…what　nice　jam；　dear。　I　never　knew　Mitchell's　had　jam　like　this！〃

〃I　didn't　get　it　at　Mitchell's；〃　said　Maggie。　〃I've　changed　the　grocer。　Mitchell　hasn't　got　anything；　and　his　prices　are　just　about　double　Brownjohn's　。　。　。〃

〃Brownjohn！〃　Grace　stared；　her　bread　and　jam　suspended。　〃Brownjohn！　But；　Maggie　dear；　he's　a　dissenter。〃

〃Oh。　Maggie！〃　said　Paul。　〃You　should　have　told　me！〃

〃Why！〃　said　Maggie；　bewildered。　〃Father　never　minded　about　dissenters。　Our　butcher　in　St。　Dreot's　was　an　atheist　and〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Grace；　her　eyes　still　flashing　about　like　goldfish　in　a　pool。　〃You　didn't　know；　dear。　Of　course　you　didn't。　I'm　sure　we　can　put　it　right　with　Mitchell；　although　he's　a　sensitive　man。　I'll　go　and　see　him　in　the　morning。　I　am　glad　I'm　back。　Well；　I　was　telling　you　。　。　。　Where　was　I？　。　。　。　about　the　porter〃

Something　drove　Maggie　to　say：

〃I'd　rather　have　a　good　grocer　who's　a　dissenter　than　a　bad　one　who　goes　to　church〃

〃Maggie；〃　said　Paul；　〃you　don't　know　what　you're　saying。　You　don't　realise　what　the　effect　in　the　parish　would　be。〃

〃Of　course　she　doesn't；〃　said　Grace　consolingly。　〃She'll　understand　in　time。　As　I　was　saying；　I　was　so　angry　that　I　caught　the　old　man　by　the　arm　and　I　said　to　him；　'If　you　think　you're　paid　to　lean　up　against　a　wall　and　not　do　your　duty　you're　mightily　mistaken；　and　if　you　aren't　careful　I'll　report　youthat's　what　I'll　do；'　and　he　saidwhat