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！
our aunt doesn't want your libertyshe wants your affection。〃
〃She wants to make me religious；〃 Maggie brought out； staring at Mr。 Magnus。
〃Ah； if you see that； you don't understand her；〃 he answered。 〃How should youyet？ She cares so deeply for her religion that she wishes naturally any one whom she loves to share it with her。 But if you don't〃
〃If you don't？〃 cried Maggie； springing up from her seat and facing him。
〃I'm sure she would wish to influence no one；〃 he continued gravely。 〃You've seen for yourself how apart her life is。 She is too conscious of the necessity for her own liberty〃
〃It isn't liberty； it's slavery；〃 Maggie caught him up passionately。 〃Do you suppose I haven't watched all these weeks？ What does her religion do but shut her off from everything and everybody？ Is she kind to Aunt Elizabeth？ No； she isn't； and you know it。 Would she care if we were all of us buried in the ruins of this house to… morrow？ Not for a single moment。 And it's her religion。 I hate religion。 I hate it！ 。 。 。 and since I've been in this house I've hated it more and more。 You don't know what it was like with father。 I don't think of it now or talk of it； but I know what it made of HIM。 And now it's the same here； only it takes them in a different way。 But it's the same in the endno one who's religious cares for any one。 And they'd make the same of me。 Aunt Anne wouldthe same as she's made of Aunt Elizabeth。 They haven't said much yet； but they're waiting for the right moment； and then they'll spring it upon me。 It's in the house； it's in the rooms； it's in the very furniture。 It's as though father had come back and was driving me into it。 And I want to be free； I want to lead my own life； to make it myself。 I don't want to think about God or Heaven or Hell。 I don't care whether I'm good or bad。 。 。 。 What's the use of my being here in London and never seeing anything。 I'll go into a shop or something and work my fingers to the bone。 They SHAN'T catch me。 They SHAN'T 。 。 。 If Uncle Mathew were here 。 。 。〃
She broke off suddenly； breathless； staring at Mr。 Magnus as though she had not been aware until now that he was in the room。 To say that her outburst astonished him was to put it very mildly indeed。 She had always been so quiet and restrained； she had seemed so happy and tranquil。
He blushed； pushed his spectacles with his fingers； then finally stammered：
〃I'd no ideathatthat you hated it so much。〃
She was quiet and composed again。 〃I don't hate it；〃 she answered very calmly。 〃Only they shan't tie meno one shall。 And in the house it's as though some one were watching behind every door。 It used to be just the same at home。 When people think a lot about religion something seems to get into a place。 Why； truly； Mr。 Magnus； I've wondered once or twice lately； in spite of myself； whether they mayn't be right after all and God's going to come in a chariot and set the world on fire。〃
〃It sounds silly； but when you see the way Aunt Anne and Mr。 Warlock believe things it almost makes them true。〃
Maggie finally added： 〃You mustn't think me selfish。 I'm very very grateful for all their kindness。 I'm very happy。 It's all splendid compared with what life used to be at homebut I fancy sometimes that the aunts think I'm just going to settle down here for ever and be like themand I'm notI'm afraid of Aunt Anne。〃
〃Afraid of her？〃 said Mr。 Magnus。 〃Ah； you mustn't be that。〃
〃She has some plan in her head。 I know she has〃
〃No plan is set except for your good；〃 said Mr。 Magnus。
〃I don't want any one to bother about my good；〃 answered Maggie。 〃I can look after that for myself。〃
This little conversation revealed Maggie to Mr。 Magnus in an entirely new light。 He had thought her； until now； a good simple girl； entirely ignorant of life and eager to be taught。 The sudden discovery of her independence distressed him。 He left the house that afternoon with many new points to consider。
Meanwhile Maggie had kept from him the true root of the matter。 She had said nothing of Martin Warlock。 She had said nothing； even to herself； about him； and yet the consciousness of her meeting with him was always with her as a fire smoulders in the hold of a ship； burning stealthily through the thick heart of the place； dim and concealed； to burst suddenly； with a touch of the wind； into shining flame。
It was after her talk to Mr。 Magnus that she suddenly saw that Martin Warlock was always in her thoughts； and then； because she was Maggie and had never been deceitful to herself or to any one else； she faced the fact and considered it。 She knew that she was ignorant of the world and of life； that she knew nothing about men and； although she had many times fancied to herself what love must be like； she did not tell herself now that it was love that had come to her。
She saw him as a desirable companion； she thought that he would make a most interesting friend； she would like to make her experiences of life with him at her side。 She would be free and he would be free； but they would exchange confidences。
And then because she was very simple and had learnt nothing of the difference between the things that decent girls might do and the things they might not she began to consider the easiest way of meeting him。 She intended to go to him simply as one human being to another and tell him that she liked him and hoped that they would often see one another。 There were no confused issues nor questions of propriety before Maggie。 Certainly she was aware that men took advantage of girls' weaknessbut that was； as in the case of Uncle Mathew； when they had drunk too muchand it was the fault of the girls； too； for not looking after themselves。 Maggie felt that she could look after herself anywhere。 She was more afraid； by far； of her Aunt Anne than of any man。
It happened on the very day after that conversation with Mr。 Magnus that Aunt Anne said at luncheon：
〃I think； Maggie dear； if you don't mind； that you and I will pay a call on Mrs。 Warlock this afternoon。 You have not been there yet。 To…day will be a very good opportunity。〃
Maggie's mind flew at once to her clothes。 She had been with Caroline Smith to that young lady's dressmaker； a thin and sharp… faced woman whose black dress gleamed with innumerable pins。 Maggie had been pinched and measured； pulled in here and pulled out there。 Then there had been afternoons when she had been 〃fitted〃 under Caroline's humorous and critical eye。 Finally the dress had been delivered； only two days ago； in a long card…board box； it waited now for the great occasion。
The great occasion had； in the guise of the Warlock family； surely arrived。 Maggie's heart beat as she went up to her room。 When at last she was wearing the dress； standing before her mirror； her cheeks were red and her hands shook a little。
The dress was very finesimple of course and quite plain； but elegant as no dress of Maggie's had ever been elegant。 There surely could not anywhere be a more perfect black dress； and yet； as Maggie gazed； she was aware that there was something not quite right。 She was always straightforward with herself； yes； the thing that was not quite right was her own stupid shape。 Her figure was too