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mantelpiece； a melancholy sputtering of coal choked with cinders and gasping for breath in the fireplace； stuffy hot clamminess beating about the unopened windows。 Along the breadth of the faded brown carpet some fifty cane…bottomed chairs were pressed tightly in rows together； and in front of the window； facing the chairs； was a little wooden table with a chair beside it； on the table a glass of water and a Bible。
When Maggie and her aunts entered the chairs were almost all occupied and they were forced to sit at the end of the last row but one。 The meeting had apparently not yet begun； and many heads were turned towards them as they took their places。 Maggie fancied that the glances directed at herself were angry and severe； but that was very possibly her imagination。 She soon recognised people known to herMiss Pyncheon； calm and placid； Mrs。 Smith； Caroline's mother； very stout； hot； and self…important； Amy Warlock； proud and severe； and Miss Avies herself standing； like a general surveying his forces； behind the table。
The room was draughty and close and had a confused smell of oil… cloth and geraniums； and Maggie knew that soon she would have a headache。 She fancied that already the atmosphere was influencing the meeting。 From where she sat she could see a succession of side faces； and it was strange what a hungry； appealing look these pale cheeks and staring eyes had。 Hungry！ Yes； that's what they all were。 She thought； fantastically； for a moment； of poor Mr。 Magnus's Treasure Hunters； and she seemed to see the whole of this company in a raft drifting in mid…ocean； not a sail in sight and the last ship's biscuit gone。
They were not； taken altogether； a very fine collection； old maids and young girls； many of them apparently of the servant class； one or two sitting with open mouths and a vacancy of expression that seemed to demand a conjurer with a rabbit and a hat。 Some faces were of the true fanatic cast； lit with the glow of an expectancy and a hope that no rational experience had ever actually justified。 One girl； whom Maggie had seen with Aunt Anne on some occasion； had especially this prophetic anticipation in the whole pose of her body as she bent forward a little； her elbows on her knees her chin on her hands； gazing with wide burning eyes at Miss Avies。 This girl； whom Maggie was never to see again hung as a picture in the rooms of her mind for the rest of her lifethe youth； the desperate anxiety as of one who throws her last piece upon the gaming…table； the poverty of the shabby black dress； the real physical austerity and asceticism of the white cheeks and the thin arms and pale hands this figure remained a symbol for Maggie。 She used to wonder in after years； when fortune had carried her far enough away from all this world； what had happened to that girl。 But she was never to know。
There were faces； too； like Miss Pyncheon's； calm； contented； confident； old women who had found in their religion the panacea of all their troubles。 There were faces like Mrs。 Smith's； coarse and vulgar； out for any sensation that might come along； and ready instantly to express their contempt if the particular 〃trick〃 that they were expecting failed to come off； other faces； again； like Amy Warlock's； grimly set upon secret thoughts and purposes of their own； faces trained to withstand any sudden attack on the emotions； but eager； too； like the rest for some revelation that was to answer all questions and satisfy all expectations。
Maggie wondered； as she looked about her； how she could have raised in her own imagination； around the Chapel and its affairs； so formidable an atmosphere of terror and tyrannic discipline。 Here gathered together were a few women； tired； pale； many of them uneducated； awaiting like children the opening of a box； the springing into flower of a dry husk of a seed； the raising of the curtain on some wonderful scene。 Maggie； as she looked at them； knew that they must be disappointed； and her heart ached for them all； yes； even for Amy Warlock； her declared enemy。 She lost； as she sat there； for the moment all sense of her own personal history。 She only saw them all tired and hungry and expectant； perhaps； after all； there WAS something behind it allsomething for which they had a right to be searching； even of that she had not sure knowledge but the pathos and also the bravery of their search touched and moved her。 She was beginning to understand something of the beauty that hovered like a bird always just out of sight about the ugly walls of the Chapel。
〃Whatever they want； poor dears；〃 she thought； 〃I do hope they get it。〃
Miss Avies opened the meeting with an extempore prayer： then they all stood up and sang a hymn； and their quavering voices were thin and sharp and strained in the stuffy close…ceilinged room。 The hymn； like all the other Chapel hymns that Maggie had heard； had to do with 〃the Blood of the Lamb；〃 〃the sacrifice of Blood；〃 〃the Blood that heals。〃 There was also a refrain：
And； when Thou comest； Lord； we pray That Thou wilt spare Thy sword； Or on that grim and ghastly day Who will escape the Lord？ WHO will escape the Lord？
There were many verses to this hymn； and it had a long and lugubrious tune； so that Maggie thought that it would never end； but as it proceeded the words worked their effect on the congregation； and at the last there was much emotion and several women were crying。
Then they all sat down again and the meeting developed a very business…like side。 There was a great deal of discussion as to dates； places； appointments； and Maggie was amused to discover that in this part of the proceedings Mrs。 Smith had a great deal to say； and took a very leading place。
The gathering became like any other assemblage of ladies for some charitable or social purpose； and there were the usual disputes and signs of temper and wounded pride； in all those matters Miss Avies was a most admirable and unflinching chairman。
Then at last the real moment came。 Miss Avies got up to speak。 She stood there； scornful； superior； and yet with some almost cynical appeal in her eyes as though she said to them： 〃You poor fools！ No one knows better than I the folly of your being here； no one knows better than I how far you will； all of you； be from realising any of your dreams。 Tricked； the lot of you！and yetand yetgo on believing； expecting； hoping。 Pray； pray that I may be wrong and you may be right。〃
What she actually said was as follows： 〃This will be our last meeting before the end of the year。 What will come to all of us before we all meet again no one can say； but this we all know； that we have； most of us； been living now for many years in expectation。 We have been taught； by the goodness of God； to believe that we must be ready at any moment to obey His call； and that call may come； in the middle of our work； of our prayers； of our love for others； of our pursuit of our own ambitions； and that whenever it does come we must be ready to obey it。 We have been told by our great and good Master； who has been set over us for our guidance by God Himself； that that call may now be very near。 Whatever form it may take we must accept it； give up all we have and follow Him。 That i