the captives-第85章

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l　eyes　were　upon　her；　entered　the　building。　In　the　vestibule　two　grave…faced　women　in　black　bonnets　handed　papers　with　prayers　and　hymns　to　every　newcomer。　Maggie　took　hers；　a　door　was　opened　in　front　of　her；　and　she　went　in。　The　auditorium　was　a　large　one；　semicircular　in　shape；　with　tiers　of　seats　rising　circus…fashion　to　a　ceiling　decorated　with　silver　stars　and　pink　naked　cherubs。　The　stage　had　upon　it　a　table；　some　chairs；　and　a　reading…desk　draped　in　crimson　cloth。　Below　the　stage　was　a　small　orchestra；　consisting　of　two　fiddles；　a　cornet；　drum；　and　a　piano。　There　was　also　what　seemed　to　Maggie　a　small　choir；　some　women　dressed　in　white　and　some　men　in　black　coats　and　white　bow　ties。　Across　the　stage　were　suspended　broad　white　bands　of　cloth　with　〃Come　to　Jesus！〃　〃Come　now！〃　〃He　is　waiting　for　you！〃　in　big　black　letters。

The　hall　seemed　very　full；　and　was　violently　illuminated　with　electric　light。　Maggie　took　this　in　as　she　stood　very　timidly　just　inside　the　door。　A　steward　came　forward　and　showed　her　a　corner…　seat。　She　saw；　then；　with　a　dramatic　flash　of　recognition；　Thurston　and　Mr。　Crashaw　sitting　behind　the　table；　then；　with　a　still　stranger　emotion；　Miss　Avies　as　one　of　the　white…robed　choir。　The　sight　of　those　three　familiar　faces　seemed　to　close；　finally　and　definitely；　the　impression　that　she　had　had　during　all　those　last　weeks。　They　had　〃got〃　her　again；　and　yet　not　they；　but　the　power　behind　them。　It　seemed　only　five　minutes　ago　that　she　had　sat　in　the　London　Chapel　and　heard　old　Crashaw　scream　〃Punishment！　Punishment！　Punishment！〃　She　turned　half　in　her　seat　as　though　she　expected　to　see　Aunt　Anne　and　Aunt　Elizabeth　sitting　one　on　either　side　of　her。　She　looked　at　Thurston；　he　had　coarsened　very　much　since　she　had　seen　him　last。　He　was　fatter；　his　cheeks　stained　with　an　unnaturally　high　colour；　his　eyes　brighter　and　sharper　and　yet　sensual　too。　He　was　smarter　than　he　had　been；　his　white　bow　tie　stiff　and　shapely；　his　cuffs　clean　and　shining；　his　hair　very　carefully　brushed　back　from　his　high　and　bony　forehead。　His　sharp　eyes　darted　all　over　the　building；　and　Maggie　felt　as　though　at　any　moment　she　would　be　discovered。　Crashaw　looked　more　like　a　decrepit　monkey　than　ever；　huddled　up　in　his　chair；　his　back　bow…shaped。　He　breathed　into　his　hands　as　though　he　wanted　to　warm　them；　and　looked　at　nobody。　Miss　Avies　Maggie　could　not　see　clearly。

Her　eyes　wandered　over　the　audience。　She　saw　many　townspeople　whom　she　knew；　and　she　realised；　for　the　first　time；　that　tomorrow　everywhere　it　would　be　said　that　the　Rector's　wife　had　been　at　the　Revival　meeting。

And　how　different　an　audience　from　the　old　London　one。　Every　one　had　come　on　this　occasion　to　see　a　show；　and　it　was　certainly　a　show　that　they　were　going　to　see。　Maggie　had　entered　during　a　pause；　and　all　the　faces　that　were　there　wore　that　look　of　expectation　that　demands　the　rising　of　the　curtain。　Soon；　Maggie　felt；　they　would　stamp　and　whistle　did　the　play　not　begin。

Thurston　rose　and　announced：

〃My　brothers；　we　will　sing　hymn　No。　14　on　the　paper。〃

Maggie　looked　and　discovered　that　it　was　the　hymn　that　had　once　moved　her　so　dramatically　in　London　with　the　words

By　all　Thy　sores　and　bloody　pain　Come　down　and　heal　our　sins　again。

and　with　the　last　refrain：

By　the　blood；　by　the　blood；　by　the　blood　of　the　Lamb　We　beseech　Thee。

Already；　in　spite　of　herself；　in　spite　of　her　consciousness　of　the　melodrama　and　meretricious　glitter　of　the　scene；　her　heart　was　beating。　She　was　more　deeply　moved；　even　now；　than　she　had　ever　been　by　all　the　services　of　the　Skeaton　Church。

And　Thurston　had　learnt　his　job　by　this　time。　Softly　one　of　the　violins　played　the　tune。　Then　Thurston　said：

〃The　first　verse　of　this　hymn　will　be　sung　by　the　choir　alone。　The　congregation　is　asked　to　stand　and　then　to　join　in　the　second　verse。　The　fourth　verse　will　be　sung　by　the　soloist。〃

The　audience　rose。　There　was　a　hush　of　expectation　throughout　the　building。　The　choir；　to　the　accompaniment　of　the　fiddlers　alone；　sang　the　first　verse。　They　had　been　well　selected　and　trained。　Thurston　obviously　spared　no　expense。　For　the　second　verse；　the　whole　orchestra　combined；　the　drum　booming　through　the　refrain。　At　first　the　congregation　was　timid；　but　the　tune　was　simple　and　attractive。　The　third　verse　was　sung　by　every　one；　and　Maggie　found　herself；　almost　against　her　will；　joining　in。　At　the　fourth　verse　there　was　again　the　hush　of　expectation；　then　a　soprano；　thin　and　clear；　accompanied　again　by　one　violin；　broke　the　silence。

There　was　no　doubt　that　this　was　very　moving。　Men　and　women　sat　down　at　the　hymn's　close　quite　visibly　affected。

Thurston　got　up　then　and　read　a　lesson　from　the　Bible。　He　read　from　the　Revelations：

〃After　this　I　looked；　and；　behold；　a　door　was　opened　in　heaven：　and　the　first　voice　which　I　heard　was　as　it　were　of　a　trumpet　talking　with　me；　which　said；　Come　up　hither；　and　I　will　show　thee　things　which　must　be　hereafter。〃

〃And　immediately　I　was　in　the　Spirit：　and；　behold；　a　throne　was　set　in　heaven；　and　one　sat　on　the　throne。〃

〃And　he　that　sat　was　to　look　upon　like　a　jasper　and　a　sardine　stone：　and　there　was　a　rainbow　round　about　the　throne；　in　sight　like　unto　an　emerald。　And　round　about　the　throne　were　four　and　twenty　seats：　and　upon　the　seats　I　saw　four　and　twenty　elders　sitting；　clothed　in　white　raiment；　and　they　had　on　their　heads　crowns　of　gold。〃

Thurston　had　worked　hard　during　these　last　years；　he　had　immensely　improved　his　accent；　and　his　h's　were　all　in　their　right　places。　He　read　very　dramatically；　dropping　his　voice　to　a　whisper；　then　pausing　and　staring　in　front　of　him　as　though　he　saw　God　only　a　few　yards　away。　The　people　of　Skeaton　had　had　few　opportunities　of　any　first…class　dramatic　entertainment。　When　Thurston　finished　there　passed　through　the　building　a　wave　of　excitement；　a　stir；　a　faint　murmur。　An　old　woman　next　to　Maggie　wiped　her　eyes。　〃Lovely！〃　Maggie　heard　her　whisper。　〃Lovely！〃

They　sang；　then；　another　hymn；　accompanied　by　the　orchestra。　This　was　a　dramatic　hymn　with　a　fiery　martial　tune：

The　Lord　of　War　He　cometh　down　With　Sword　and　Shield　and　Armour　Bright；　His　armies　all　behind　him　Frown；　Who　can　withstand　His　Light？

Chorus。　Trumpets　Blare；　The　drum…taps　Roll；　Prepare　to　meet　Thy　God；　Oh　Soul！　Prepare！　Prepare！　Prepare　to　meet　Thy　God；　oh　Soul！

Never　before　had　the　men　and　women　of　Skeaton　heard　such　hymns。　The　Revival　of　ten　years　ago；　lacking　the　vibrant　spirit　of　Mr。　John　Thurston；　had　been　a　very　different　affair。　This　was　something　quite　new　in　all　Skeaton　experience。　Red…hot　expectation　flamed　now　in　every　eye。　Maggie　could　feel　that　the　old　woman　next　to　her　was　trembling　all　over。

Thurston　announced：

〃Brother　Crashaw　will　now　deliver　an　address。〃

Brother　Crashaw；　his　head　still　lowered；　very　slowly　got　up　from　his　seat。　He　moved　as　though　it　were　only　with　the　utmost　difficulty　and　power　of　self…will　that　his　reluctant　body　could　be　compelled　into　action。　He　crept　rather　than　walked　from　his　chair　to　the　reading…　desk；　then　very　very　painfully　climbed　on　to　the　high　platform。　Maggie；　watching　him；　remembered　that　earlier　time　when　he　had　climbed　into　just　such　another　desk。　She　remembered　also　that　day　at　her　aunts'　house　when　he　had　flirted　with　Caroline　and　shown　himself　quite　another　Brother　Crashaw。　He　had　aged　greatly　since　then。　He　seemed　now　to　be　scarcely　a　man　at　all。　Then　suddenly；　with　a　jerk；　as　though　a　string　had　been　pulled　from　behind；　he　raised　his　face　and　looked　at　them　all。　Yes；　that　was　alive。　Monkey's　mask　you　might　call　it；　but　the　eyes　behind　the　yellow　lids　flamed　and　blazed。　No　exaggeration　those　words。　A　veritable　fire　burned　there；　a　fire；　it　might　be；　of　mere　physical　irritation　and　savage　exasperation　at　the　too…rapid　crumbling　of　the　wilfully　disobedient　body；　a　glory；　perhaps；　of　obstinate　pride　and　conceit；　a　fire　of　superstition　and　crass　ignorance；　but　a　fire　to　be　doubted　of　no　man　who　looked　upon　it。

When　he　spoke　his　voice　was　harsher；　angrier；　more　insulting　than　it　had　been　before。　He　spoke；　too；　in　a　hurry；　tumbling　his　words　one　upon　another　as　though　he　were　afraid　that　he　had　little　mortal　time　left　to　him　and　must　make　the　most　of　what　he　had　got。

From　the　first　he　was　angry；　rating　the　men　of　Skeaton　as　they　had　never　been　rated　before。　And　they　liked　it。　They　even　revelled　in　it；　it　did　them　no　harm　and　at　the　same　time　tickled　their　skins。　Sometimes　a　preacher　at　the　Methodist　Chapel　had　rated　them；　but　how　mild　and　halting　a　scolding　compared　with　the　fury　of　this　little　man。　As　he　continued　they　settled　into　their　seats　with　the　conviction　that　this　was　the　best　free　show　that　they　had　ever　enjoyed　in　all　their　lives。　They　had　been　afraid　at　first　that　it　would　not　keep　up　its　interest。　They　had　agreed　with　one　another　that　they　would　go　in　〃just　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　to　see　what　it　was　like。〃　Now　they　were　willing　that　it　should　continue　all　night。

〃What　came　ye　out　for　to　see？〃　he　screamed　at　them。　〃Came　out　to　see？　Ye　didn't　come　out　at　all。　None　of　you。　That's　what　I've　come　to　tell　you。　For　years　you've　been　leading　your　lazy；　idle；　self…　indulgent　lives；　eating　and　drinking；　sleeping；　fornicating；　lying　with　your　neighbours'　wives；　buying　and　selling；　living　like　hogs　and　swine。　And　is　it　for　want　of　your　being　told？　Not　a　bit　of　it。　You　are　warned　again　and　again　and　again。　Every　day　gives　you　signs　and　wonders　had　you　got　eyes　to　see　them　and　you　will　not　see。　Well；　be　it　on　your　own　heads。　Why　should　I　care　for　your　miserable；　shrivelled…up；　parched　little　souls？　Why　should　I　care　when　I　watch　you　all；　with　your　hanging　stomachs　and　your　double　chins；　marching　straight　into　such　a　hell　as　you've　never　conceived　of。　I　know　what's　coming　to　you。　I　know　what's　in　store　for　those　well…filled　stomachs　of　yours。　I　can　see　you　writhing　and　screaming　and　wailing；　'Why　didn't　somebody　tell　us？　Why　didn't　somebody　tell　us？'　Somebody　has　told　you。　Somebody's　telling　you　now。　And　will　you　listen？　Not　a　bit　of　it。　You'll　have　heard　the　music　to…night；　the　drums　and　the　trumpets；　you'll　have　joined　in　the　singing；　and　to…night　you'll　go　back　and　tell　your　friends：　'Yes；　we　had　a　fine　evening。　You　ought　to　go。　It's　worth　while　and　costs　you　nothing。'　And　to…morrow　you　will　have　forgotten　everything。　But　I　tell　you　that　every　man；　woman；　and　child　in　this　building　stands　in　as　desperate　peril　as　though　his　house　was　on　fire　over　his　head　and　there　was　no　way　out。〃

He　stopped　for　a　moment　to　get　breath；　leaning　forward　over　the　desk　and　panting。　Over　the　building　there　was　a　great　silence。　Maggie　was　stirred　beyond　any　earlier　experience。　She　did　not　know　whether　he　were　charlatan　or　no。　She　did　not　care。　She　had　lived　for　more　than　two　years　in　Skeaton；　where　everything　and　every　one　was　dead。　Now　here　was　life。　The　evidence　of　it　reassured　her；　whispering　to　her　that　Martin　still　lived；　that　he　could　be　found；　even　that　he　was　coming　to　her。　Her　nervous　excitement　increased。　The　emotion　of　the　people　around　her；　the　bands；　the　singing；　all　seemed　to　cry　to　her；　〃He　is　coming！　He　is　coming！　He　is　coming！〃　。　。　。　but　it　was　Martin　now　and　not　God。

Old　Crashaw；　having　recovered　his　breath；　went　on：　he　continued　for　some　time　to　abuse　them　all；