Prev | Current Page 450 | Next

Walpole, Hugh, Sir, 1884-1941

"The Captives"

"
Maggie could see Aunt Anne's anger rising higher and higher like
water in a tube. Her voice was hard when she spoke again--she
pronounced judgment:
"We see now that you were right when you said that you had better
leave us. You are free to go as soon as you wish. You have, of
course, your money, but if you care to stay with us until you have
found some work you must now obey our rules. While you remain with
us you must not go out unless my sister or I accompany you." Then
her voice changed, softening a little. She suddenly raised her hands
in a gesture of appeal: "Oh, Maggie, Maggie, turn to God. You have
rebelled against Him. You have refused to listen to His voice. The
end of that can be only misery. He loves, but He also judges. Even
now, within a day, a week, He may come with judgment. Turn to Him,
Maggie, not because I tell you but because of the Truth. Pray with
me now that He may help you and give you strength."
Because she felt that she had indeed treated them badly and must do
just now what they wished, she knelt down on the drawing-room
carpet. Aunt Anne also knelt down, her figure stiff like iron, her
raised hands once again delicate and ghost-like.


Pages:
438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462