小说园

第74部分（第2页）

world　of　responsible　work。　Maggie　had　taken　her　place　there；　she

had　even　stood　level　with　Mr。　Harby　and　got　free　of　him：　and　her

soul　was　always　wandering　in　far…off　valleys　and　glades　of

poetry。　Maggie　was　free。　Yet　there　was　something　like　subjection

in　Maggies　very　freedom。　Mr。　Harby；　the　man；　disliked　the

reserved　woman；　Maggie。　Mr。　Harby；　the　schoolmaster；　respected

his　teacher；　Miss　Schofield。

For　the　present；　however；　Ursula　only　envied　and　admired

Maggie。　She　herself　had　still　to　get　where　Maggie　had　got。　She

had　still　to　make　her　footing。　She　had　taken　up　a　position　on

Mr。　Harbys　ground；　and　she　must　keep　it。　For　he　was　now

beginning　a　regular　attack　on　her；　to　drive　her　away　out　of　his

school。　She　could　not　keep　order。　Her　class　was　a　turbulent

crowd；　and　the　weak　spot　in　the　schools　work。　Therefore　she

must　go；　and　someone　more　useful　must　e　in　her　place；　someone

who　could　keep　discipline。

The　headmaster　had　worked　himself　into　an　obsession　of　fury

against　her。　He　only　wanted　her　gone。　She　had　e；　she　had　got

worse　as　the　weeks　went　on；　she　was　absolutely　no　good。　His

system；　which　was　his　very　life　in　school；　the　oute　of　his

bodily　movement；　was　attacked　and　threatened　at　the　point　where

Ursula　was　included。　She　was　the　danger　that　threatened　his　body

with　a　blow；　a　fall。　And　blindly；　thoroughly；　moving　from　strong

instinct　of　opposition；　he　set　to　work　to　expel　her。

When　he　punished　one　of　her　children　as　he　had　punished　the

boy　Hill；　for　an　offence　against　himself；　he　made　the

punishment　extra　heavy　with　the　significance　that　the　extra

stroke　came　in　because　of　the　weak　teacher　who　allowed　all　these

things　to　be。　When　he　punished　for　an　offence　against　her；　he

punished　lightly；　as　if　offences　against　her　were　not

significant。　Which　all　the　children　knew；　and　they　behaved

accordingly。

Every　now　and　again　Mr。　Harby　would　swoop　down　to　examine

exercise　books。　For　a　whole　hour；　he　would　be　going　round　the