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！
unselfishness； for the first time in his life it seemed to him that he wanted to follow somebody else's will； with the other women it had been so different； if they had not wanted to obey him he had left them。 But indeed all through these three weeks they were discovering themselves and one another； and； as though it were part of the general conspiracy； only the best part of themselves。 On the top of the 'bus； as they sat close together； their hands locked under his overcoat； the world bumping and jolting； and jogging about their feet； as though indeed public houses and lamp…posts and cinemas and town halls and sweet…shops were always jumping up tiptoe to see whether they couldn't catch a glimpse of the lovers； Martin and Maggie felt that they were really divine creatures； quite modestly divine； but nevertheless safe from all human ravages and earthly failings； wicked and cowardly thoughts； and ambitions and desires。
Indeed； during those three weeks Maggie saw nothing of Martin's weaknesses； his suspicions and dreads； his temper and self… abasement。 The nobility that Martin had in him was true nobility； his very weaknesses came from his sharp consciousness of what purity and self…sacrifice and asceticism really were； and that they were indeed the only things for man to live by。 During those weeks he saw so truly the sweetness and fidelity and simplicity of Maggie that his conscience was killed； his scruples were numbed。 He did not want during those weeks any sensual excitement； any depravity； any license。 A quiet and noble asceticism seemed to him perfectly possible。 He burst out once to Maggie with： 〃I can't conceive； Maggie； why I ever thought life complicated。 You've straightened everything out for me； made all the troubles at home seem nothing； shown me what nonsense it was wanting the rotten things I was always after。〃
But Maggie had no eloquence in replyshe could not make up fine sentences； it embarrassed her dreadfully to tell him even that she loved him； and when he was sentimental it was her habit to turn it off with a joke if she could。 She wanted terribly to ask him sometimes what he had meant when he said that he didn't love her as he had loved other women。 She had never the courage to ask him this。 She wondered sometimes why it had hurt her when he had said he loved her as though she were a man friend； without any question of sex。 〃Surely that's enough for me；〃 she would ask herself； 〃it means that it's much more lasting and safe。〃 And yet it was not enough。
Nevertheless； during these weeks she found his brotherly care of her adorable； he found her shyness divine。
〃Every other woman I have ever been in love with；〃 he told her once； 〃I have always kept asking them would they ever change； and would they love me always； and all that kind of nonsense。 A man always begins like that； and then the time comes when he wishes to God they would change； and they won't。 But you're not like that； Maggie； I know you'll never change； and I know that I shall never want you to。〃 〃No； I shall never change；〃 said Maggie。
At the very beginning of the three weeks a little incident occurred that was trivial enough at the time； but appeared afterwards as something significant and full of meaning。 This incident was a little talk with poor Mr。 Magnus。 Maggie always thought of him as 〃poor Mr。 Magnus。〃 He seemed so feckless and unsettled； and then he wrote novels that nobody wanted to buy。 He always talked like a book； and that was perhaps one reason why Maggie had avoided him during these last months。 Another reason had been that she really could not be sure how far he was in the general conspiracy to drive her into the Chapel。 He would not do that of his own will she was sure； but being in love with Aunt Anne he might think it his sacred duty； and Maggie was terrified of 〃sacred duties。〃 Therefore when； three days after that great evening in the park； he caught her alone in the drawing…room； her first impulse was to run away； then she looked at him and found that her love for the world in general embraced him too 〃if only he won't talk like a book；〃 she thought to herself。
He looked more wandering than ever with his high white collar； his large spectacles； and his thin； dusty hair； the fire of some hidden； vital spirit burnt beneath those glasses； and his face was so kindly that she felt ashamed of herself for having avoided him so often。
〃Both the aunts are at Miss Avies'。〃 she said。
〃Oh；〃 he said； looking at her rather blankly。
〃Perhaps I'll come another time；〃 and he turned towards the door。
〃No；〃 she cried。 〃You won'tI haven't seen you for months。〃
〃That's not my fault；〃 he answered。 〃I thought we were to have been friends； and you've run away every time you saw the corner of my dusty coat poking round the door。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃I haveI've been frightened of every one lately。〃
〃And you're not now？〃 he asked； looking at her with that sudden bright sharpness that was so peculiarly his。
〃No； I'm not；〃 she answered。 〃I'm frightened of nobody。〃
He said nothing to that； but stared fixedly in front of him。
〃I'm in a bad mood；〃 he said。 〃I've been trying for weeks to get on with a novel。 Just a fortnight ago a young man and a young woman took shelter from the rain in the doorway of a deserted house they're still there now； and they haven't said a word to one another all that time。〃
〃Why not？〃 asked Maggie。
〃They simply won't speak；〃 he answered her。
〃Well then； I should start another story；〃 said Maggie brightly。
〃Ah；〃 he said； shaking his head。 〃What's the use of starting one if you know you're never going to finish it； what's the use of finishing it if you know no one is ever going to read it？〃 Maggie shook her head。
〃You've changed。 When I saw you last you told me that you didn't mind whether any one ever read them or not； and that you just wrote them because you loved doing them。〃
〃Every author；〃 said Mr。 Magnus gloomily；〃 says that to himself when he can't sell his books； but it's all vainglory； I'm afraid。〃
〃I can't help being glad；〃 Maggie answered。 〃There are such interesting things you might do。 I can't imagine why any one writes books now when there are so many already in existence that nobody's read。〃
He wasn't listening to her。 He looked up suddenly and said quite wildly：
〃It's terrible all this that's going on。 You know about it； of courseWarlock's visions I mean and the trouble it's making。 I'm outside it and you're outside it； but we're being brought into it all the samehow can we help it when we love the people who are in it？ It's so easy to say that it's nonsense； that people ought to be wiser nowadays； that it's hysteria； even insanityI know all that and； of course； I don't believe for a moment that God's coming in a chariot of fire on New Year's Eve especially for the benefit of Thurston； Miss Avies and the rest； but that doesn't end itit ought to end it； but it doesn't。 There's more in some people's madness than in other people's sanity； and anyway； even if it's all nonsense it means life or death to your aunt and some of the others； and it means a certain breaking up of all this place。 And it probably means the triumph of a charlatan like Thurston and the increase of humbug in the world and the discouragement of all the honest adventurers。 I call myself an adventurer； you know； Miss Maggie； although I'm a poor specimenbut I'm damned if it isn't better to be a poor adventurer than to be a fat； swollen； contented stay…at…home who can see just as far as his nose and his cheque…book and might be just as well dead as aliveI beg your pardon；〃 he added suddenly； 〃for swearingI'm not myself； I'm not really。〃
She could see indeed that he was in great agitation of mind； and some of this agitation communicated itself to her。 Had she not been selfish in forgetting all this through her own happiness？ He was right； she was part of it all； whether she wished or no。
〃What do you think；〃 she asked； dropping her voice a little； 〃is the real truth about it？〃
〃The real truth〃he looked at her suddenly with a tender； most charming smile that took away his ugliness。 〃Ah； that's a tremendous question。 Part of the truth is that Warlock's been praying so much and eating so little that it would be odd indeed if he didn't see visions of some sort。 And part of the truth is that there are a lot of women in the world who'll believe simply anything that you tell them。 It's part of the truth； too； that there are scoundrels in the world who will take advantage of anybody's simple trust to fill their pockets。 But that's not all；〃 he went on； shaking his head； 〃no； that's not all。 It's part of the truth that there is a mystery； and that human beings will go on searching whatever all the materialists and merchants in the world can try to do to stop them。 I remember years ago an old man； a little off his dot； telling my father that he； the old man； was a treasure hunter。 He told my father that the world was divided into two halves； the treasure hunters and the Town Councillors； and that the two halves would never join and never even meet。 My father； who was a practical man； said that the old idiot should be shut up in an asylum； and eventually I believe he was。 'We'll have him going off