the captives-第30章

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t　before　going　out　with　Uncle　Mathew　。　。　。　And　now　Mr。　Warlock　was　sweeping　her　still　farther　inside。　The　intensity　of　his　belief　forced　hers。　There　was　something　real　in　this　power　of　God；　and　you　could　not　finish　with　it　simply　by　disregarding　it。　She　felt；　as　she　had　felt　so　often　lately；　that　some　one　was　suddenly　going　to　rise　and　demand　some　oath　or　promise　from　her　that　she；　in　her　panic；　would　give　her　word　and　then　would　be　caught　for　ever。

〃By　the　love　of　Thy　dear　Son；　Our　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　and　by　the　promise　of　Thy　second　coming；　we　beseech　Thee〃　。　。　。　finished　Mr。　Warlock。

During　all　this　time　the　atmosphere　of　the　Chapel　had　been　growing　hotter　and　hotter　and　closer　and　closer。　It　had　always　its　air　of　being　buried　deep　under　ground；　bathed　in　a　kind　of　sunken　heat　that　found　its　voice　in　the　gas　that　hissed　and　sizzled　overhead；　near　the　door　was　a　long　rail　on　which　coats　might　be　hung；　and　now　these　garments　could　be　seen；　swaying　a　little　to　and　fro；　like　corpses　of　condemned　men。

The　bare　ugliness　of　the　building　with　its　stone　walls；　its　rows　of　wooden　seats；　its　grey　windows；　its　iron…hung　gas…lamps；　its　ugly　desk　and　platform；　was　veiled　now　in　a　thin　steaming　heat　that　rose　mistily　above　the　heads　of　the　kneeling　congregation　and　seemed　to　hide　strange　shapes　and　shadows　in　its　shifting　depths。　Every　one　was　swimming　in　an　uncertain　world；　the　unreality　grew　with　the　heat。　Maggie　herself；　at　the　end　of　Mr。　Warlock's　prayer；　felt　that　her　test　of　a　real　solid　and　unimaginative　world　was　leaving　her。　She　was　expectant　like　the　rest；　as　ready　to　believe　anything　at　all。

Out　of　the　mist　rose　Mr。　Crashaw。　This　was　a　little　old　man　with　a　crabbed　face　and　a　body　that　seemed　to　have　endured　infernal　twistings　in　some　Inquisitioner's　torture…chamber。　Maggie　learnt　afterwards　that　he　had　suffered　for　many　years　from　intolerable　rheumatism；　but　to…night　the　contortions　and　windings　of　the　body　with　which　he　climbed　up　onto　the　platform；　and　then　the　grimaces　that　he　made　as　his　large　round　head　peered　over　the　top　of　the　desk；　might　have　struck　any　less　solemn　assemblage　as　farcical。　He　wore　an　old　shiny　black　frock　coat　and　a　white　rather　grimy　tie　fastened　in　a　sharp　little　bow。　His　face　was　lined　like　a　map；　his　cheeks　seamed　and　furrowed；　his　forehead　a　wilderness　of　marks；　his　scanty　hair　brushed　straight　back　so　that　the　top　of　his　forehead　seemed　unnaturally　shiny　and　bald；　his　hands；　with　which　he　clutched　the　side　of　his　desk；　were　brown　and　wrinkled　and　grasping　like　a　monkey's。　His　eyes　were　the　eyes　of　a　fanatic；　but　they　were　not　steady　and　speculative　like　Warlock's　or　glowing　and　distant　like　Aunt　Anne's；　but　rather　angry　and　restless　and　pugnacious；　they　were　the　eyes　of　a　madman；　but　of　a　madman　who　can　yet　calculate　upon　and　arrange　his　position　in　the　world。　He　was　mad　for　his　own　purposes；　and　could；　for　these　same　purposes；　bind　his　madness　to　its　proper　bounds。

He　seemed　to　Maggie　at　first　rather　pathetic　with　his　little　twisted　body　and　his　large　round　head。　Very　soon　it　was　emotions　quite　other　than　pity　that　she　was　feeling。　She　saw　at　once　that　he　was　a　practised　preacher；　and　she　who　had；　with　the　exception　of　Mr。　Warlock；　never　heard　a　fine　preacher；　was　at　once　under　the　sway　of　one　of　the　ablest　and　most　dramatic　orators　of　his　time。　His　voice　was　sweet　and　clear；　and　seemed　strange　enough　coming　from　that　ugly　and　malevolent　countenance。　Only　the　head　and　the　grasping　hands　could　be　seen；　but　sometimes　the　invisible　body　was　driven　with　such　force　against　the　desk　that　it　seemed　that　it　must　fling　the　thing　over；　down　into　the　congregation。

〃My　brothers　and　sisters；〃　he　began；　〃I　have　come　to…night　to　give　you　a　warning；　and　this　warning　is　given　to　you　not　as　the　expression　of　a　personal　opinion　but　as　the　declaration　of　an　assumed　fact。　Disregard　it　or　not　as　you　please；　but　I　shall　have　done　my　duty　in　pointing　out　to　you　the　sure　and　certain　meaning　of　my　message。〃

〃I；　a　sinner　like　the　rest　of　you；　live　nevertheless　in　the　fear　of　hell　fire。　Hell　fire　has　become；　I　think；　to　many　of　the　present　generation　a　mockery　and　a　derision。　I　come　to　tell　you　that　it　is　no　mockery；　that　it　as　surely　lies　there；　a　blazing　furnace；　in　front　of　us　as　though　we　saw　it　with　our　own　eyes　。　。　。〃

With　his　own　eyes　he　had　surely　seen　it。　They　were　fixed　now　in　a　frenzy　of　realisation　upon　some　distant　vision；　and；　with　a　shiver；　the　Chapel　followed　his　gaze。　It　is　easy　enough　to　laugh　at　bare　and　conventional　words　stripped　of　the　atmosphere　and　significance　of　their　original　surroundings。　The　merest　baby　in　this　twentieth　century　can　laugh　at　the　flames　of　hell　and　advance　a　string　of　easy　arguments　against　the　probability　of　any　such　melodramatic　fulfilment　of　the　commonplace　and　colourless　lives　that　the　majority　of　us　lead；　but　Maggie　was　in　no　mood　to　laugh　that　night。

Before　five　minutes　had　passed　she　found　herself　shivering　where　she　sat。　The　Chapel　was　convicted　of　Sin；　and　of　Sin　of　no　ordinary　measure。　The　head　that　rested　like　a　round　ball　on　the　surface　of　the　desk　thrust　conviction　into　every　heart：　〃You　think　that　you　may　escape；　you　look　at　your　neighbours；　every　one　of　you；　and　say；　'He　is　worse　than　I。　I　am　safe；'　but　I　tell　you　that　not　one　man　or　woman　here　shall　be　secure　unless　he　turn　instantly　now　to　God　and　beg　for　mercy　。　。　。〃

As　he　continued　he　did　indeed　bear　the　almost　breathless　urgency　of　one　who　has　been　sent　on　in　advance　to　announce　the　imminence　of　some　awful　peril。　No　matter　what　the　peril　might　be；　simply　through　the　Chapel　there　passed　the　breath　of　some　coming　danger。　Impossible　to　watch　him　and　not　realise　that　here　was　a　man　who　had　seen　something　with　his　own　eyes　that　had　changed　in　a　moment　the　very　fabric　of　his　life。　Thurston　might　be　a　charlatan　who　played　with　the　beliefs　of　his　dupes；　Warlock　might　be　a　mystic　whose　vision　was　in　the　future　and　not　in　the　pastCrashaw　knew。

He　painted；　quietly；　without　fine　words　but　with　assurance　and　conviction；　his　belief　in　the　punishment　of　mankind。　God　was　almost　now　upon　the　threshold　of　their　house。　He　was　at　the　very　gates　of　their　city；　and　with　Him　was　coming　a　doom　as　sure　and　awful　as　the　sentence　of　the　earthly　judge　on　his　earthly　victim。

〃Punishment！　Punishment！　。　。　。　We　have　grown　in　this　careless　age　to　laugh　at　punishment。　A　future　life？　There　is　no　future　life。　God？　There　is　no　God！　Even　were　He　to　come　upon　us　we　could　escape　from　Him。　We　could　make　a　very　good　case　for　ourselves。　This　world　is　safe；　secure；　founded　upon　our　markets；　our　treasuries；　our　laws　and　commandments；　our　conventions　of　decent　behaviour；　our　police　and　our　ministers。　God　cannot　touch　us。　We　are　secure　。　。　。　I　tell　you　that　at　this　very　moment　this　earth　in　which　you　trust　is　trembling　under　you；　at　this　instant　everything　in　which　you　believed　is　undermined　and　is　betraying　you。　You　have　been　given　your　opportunityyou　are　refusing　itand　God　is　upon　you。〃

His　voice　changed　suddenly　to　tones　of　a　marvellous　sweetness。　He　appealed；　pleaded；　implored。　The　ugliness　of　his　face　and　body　was　forgotten；　he　was　simply　a　voice　issuing　from　space；　sent　to　save　a　world。

〃And　we　herethe　few　of　us　out　of　this　huge　city　gathered　together　hereit　is　not　too　late　for　us。　Let　us　surrender　ourselves。　Let　us　go　to　Him　and　say　that　we　are　His；　that　we　await　His　coming　and　obey　His　law　。　。　。　Brothers　and　sisters；　I　am　as　you　are；　weak　and　helpless　and　full　of　sin；　but　come　to　Him；　come　to　Him；　come　to　Him！　。　。　。　There　is　help　for　us　all；　help　and　pity　and　love。　Love　such　as　none　of　us　have　ever　known；　love　that　cannot　fail　us　and　will　be　with　us　until　eternity！〃

He　stepped　out　from　behind　the　desk；　stood　before　them　all　with　his　little　stunted；　twisted　body；　his　arms　held　out　towards　them。　There　followed　then　an　extraordinary　scenefrom　all　over　the　Chapel　came　sobs　and　cries。　A　man　rose　suddenly　from　the　back　of　the　building　and　cried　aloud；　〃Lord；　I　believe！　Help　Thou　mine　unbelief。〃　One　of　the　women　who　had　come　with　Miss　Avies　fell　upon　her　knees　and　began　to　sob；　crying　hysterically：　〃Oh　God；　have　mercy！　God　have　mercy！〃　Women　pressed　up　the　two　aisles；　some　of　them　falling　on　their　knees　there　where　they　had　stood；　others　coming　to　the　front　and　kneeling　there。　Somewhere　they　began　to　sing　the　hymn　that　had　already　been　sung　that　evening；　a　few　voices　at　first；　then　more；　then　all　singing　together：

〃By　the　blood；　by　the　blood；　by　the　blood　of　the　Lamb　We　beseech　Thee！〃

Everywhere　now　women　were　crying；　the　Chapel　was　filled　with　voices；　sobs；　cries　and　prayers。

Mr。　Crashaw　stood　there；　motionless；　his　arms　outstretched。

Maggie　did　not　know　what　she　felt。　She　seemed　deprived　of　all　sensation　on　one　side；　and；　on　the　other；　fear　and　excitement；　both　joy　and　disgust　held　her。　She　could　not　have　told　any　one　what　her　sensations　were；　she　was　trembling　from　head　to　foot　as　though　with　cold。　But　behind　everything　she　had　this　terror；　that　at　any　moment　she　might　be　drawn　forward　to　do　something；　to　give　some　pledge　that　would　bind　her　for　all　her　life。　She　felt　as　though　some　power　were　urging　her　to　this；　and　as　though　the　Chapel　and　every　one　in　it　was　conscious　of　the　struggle。

What　might　have　happened　she　would　never　know。　She　felt　a　touch　on　her　sleeve；　and；　turning　round；　saw　Aunt　Anne's　eyes　looking　up　at　her　out　of　a　face　that　was　so　white　and　the　skin　of　it　so　tightly　drawn　that　it　was　like　the　face　of　a　dead　woman。

〃I'm　in　great　pain；　Maggie。　I　think　you　must　take　me　home；〃　she　heard　her　aunt　say。

Aunt　Anne　took　her　arm；　they　went　out　followed　by　Aunt　Elizabeth。　The　fresh　evening　air　that　blew　upon　Maggie's　forehead　seemed　suddenly　to　make　of　the　Chapel　a　dim；　incredible　phantom；　faintly　from　behind　the　closed　door　came　the　echo　of　the　hymn。　The　street　was　absolutely　stillno　human　being　was　in　sight；　only　an　old　cab　stationed　close　at　hand　waiting　for　a　possible　customer；　into　this　they　got。　The　pale；　almost　white；　evening　sky；　with　stars　in　sheets　and　squares　and　pools　of　fire；　shone　with　the　clear　radiance　of　glass　above　them。　Maggie　could　see　the　stars　through　the　dirty　windows　of　the　cab。

They　were　quite　silent　all　the　way　home。　Aunt　Anne　sitting　up　very　straight；　motionless；　her　fingers　still　on　Maggie's　arm。

Inside　the　house　there　was　Jane。　She　seemed　at　once　to　under…stand；　and；　with　Aunt　Elizabeth；　led　Aunt　Anne　up　the　dark　stairs。

They　disappeared；　leaving　Maggie　alone　in　the　hall；　whose　only　sound　was　the　ticking　clock　from　the　stairs　and　only　light　the　dim　lamp　above　the　door。




CHAPTER　V

THE　CHOICE


She　waited　for　some　time　alone　in　the　hall　listening　for　she　knew　not　what。　Her　departure　from　the　Chapel　had　been　too　abrupt　to　allow　her　in　a　moment　to　shake　off　the　impression　of　itabove　all；　the　impression　of　Mr。　Crashaw　standing　there；　his　arms　stretched　out　to　her；　his　eyes　burning　her　through　and　through　with　the　urgent　insistence　of　his　discovery。

She　was　tired；　her　head　ached　horribly；　she　would　have　given　everything　at　that　moment　for　a　friend　who　would　care　for　her　and　protect　her　from　her　own　wild　fears。　She　did　not　know　of　what　she　was　afraid；　but　she　knew　that　she　felt　that　she　would　rather　do　anything　than　spend　the　night　in　that　house。　And　ye