小说园

第74部分（第4页）

desire　was　dead　for　that　day　at　least。　She　must　have　nothing

more　of　herself　in　school。　She　was　to　be　Standard　Five　teacher

only。　That　was　her　duty。　In　school；　she　was　nothing　but　Standard

Five　teacher。　Ursula　Brangwen　must　be　excluded。

So　that；　pale；　shut；　at　last　distant　and　impersonal；　she　saw

no　longer　the　child；　how　his　eyes　danced；　or　how　he　had　a　queer

little　soul　that　could　not　be　bothered　with　shaping　handwriting

so　long　as　he　dashed　down　what　he　thought。　She　saw　no　children；

only　the　task　that　was　to　be　done。　And　keeping　her　eyes　there；

on　the　task；　and　not　on　the　child；　she　was　impersonal　enough　to

punish　where　she　could　otherwise　only　have　sympathized；

understood；　and　condoned；　to　approve　where　she　would　have　been

merely　uninterested　before。　But　her　interest　had　no　place　any

more。

It　was　agony　to　the　impulsive；　bright　girl　of　seventeen　to

bee　distant　and　official；　having　no　personal　relationship

with　the　children。　For　a　few　days；　after　the　agony　of　the

Monday；　she　succeeded；　and　had　some　success　with　her　class。　But

it　was　a　state　not　natural　to　her；　and　she　began　to　relax。

Then　came　another　infliction。　There　were　not　enough　pens　to

go　round　the　class。　She　sent　to　Mr。　Harby　for　more。　He　came　in

person。

〃Not　enough　pens；　Miss　Brangwen？〃　he　said；　with　the　smile　and

calm　of　exceeding　rage　against　her。

〃No；　we　are　six　short；〃　she　said；　quaking。

〃Oh；　how　is　that？〃　he　said；　menacingly。　Then；　looking　over

the　class；　he　asked：

〃How　many　are　there　here　to…day？〃

〃Fifty…two；〃　said　Ursula；　but　he　did　not　take　any　notice；

counting　for　himself。

〃Fifty…two；〃　he　said。　〃And　how　many　pens　are　there；

Staples？〃

Ursula　was　now　silent。　He　would　not　heed　her　if　she　answered；

since　he　had　addressed　the　monitor。