小说园

第75部分（第3页）

He　lifted　his　face；　the　sore…rimmed　eyes　half　smiling。　There

was　something　intrinsically　indecent　about　him。　Ursula　shrank

away。

〃Nothing；〃　he　replied；　feeling　a　triumph。

〃What　are　you　doing？〃　she　repeated；　her　heart…beat

suffocating　her。

〃Nothing；〃　replied　the　boy；　insolently；　aggrieved；　ic。

〃If　I　speak　to　you　again；　you　must　go　down　to　Mr。　Harby；〃　she

said。

But　this　boy　was　a　match　even　for　Mr。　Harby。　He　was　so

persistent；　so　cringing；　and　flexible；　he　howled　so　when　he　was

hurt；　that　the　master　hated　more　the　teacher　who　sent　him　than

he　hated　the　boy　himself。　For　of　the　boy　he　was　sick　of　the

sight。　Which　Williams　knew。　He　grinned　visibly。

Ursula　turned　to　the　map　again；　to　go　on　with　the　geography

lesson。　But　there　was　a　little　ferment　in　the　class。　Williams

spirit　infected　them　all。　She　heard　a　scuffle；　and　then　she

trembled　inwardly。　If　they　all　turned　on　her　this　time；　she　was

beaten。

〃Please；　miss〃　called　a　voice　in　distress。

She　turned　round。　One　of　the　boys　she　liked　was　ruefully

holding　out　a　torn　celluloid　collar。　She　heard　the　plaint；

feeling　futile。

〃Go　in　front；　Wright；〃　she　said。

She　was　trembling　in　every　fibre。　A　big；　sullen　boy；　not　bad

but　very　difficult；　slouched　out　to　the　front。　She　went　on　with

the　lesson；　aware　that　Williams　was　making　faces　at　Wright；　and

that　Wright　was　grinning　behind　her。　She　was　afraid。　She　turned

to　the　map　again。　And　she　was　afraid。

〃Please；　miss；　Williams〃　came　a　sharp　cry；　and

a　boy　on　the　back　row　was　standing　up；　with　drawn；　pained　brows；

half　a　mocking　grin　on　his　pain；　half　real　resentment　against

Williams……〃Please；　miss；　hes　nipped　me；〃……and　he

rubbed　his　leg　ruefully。

〃e　in　front；　Williams；〃　she　said。

The　rat…like　boy　sat　with　his　pale　smile　and　did　not