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Walpole, Hugh, Sir, 1884-1941

"The Captives"

There's religious and non-religious and it
doesn't matter what your creed is, whether you're a Christian or a
'Ottentot, there it is. And if you're religious, you're religious. I
may be the greatest humbug on the market, but I'm religious. It's
like 'aving a 'are lip--you'll be bothered with it all your life."
But what more Thurston may have said Martin did not hear: he had
left the room, banging the door behind him. On what was his
indignation based? Injured pride. And was he really indignant? Was
not something within him elated, because by this he had been offered
his freedom? Thurston marry his sister? . . . He could go his own
way now. Even his father could not expect him to remain.
And he wanted Maggie--urgently, passionately. Standing for a moment
there in the dark passage he wanted her. He was lonely, disregarded,
despised.
They did not care for him here, no one cared for him anywhere--only
Maggie who was clear-eyed and truthful and sure beyond any human
being whom he had ever known. Then, with a very youthful sense of
challenging this world that had so grossly insulted him by admitting
Thurston into the heart of it, he joined the tea-party.


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