小说园

第75部分（第4页）

move。

〃e　in　front；〃　she　repeated；　definite　now。

〃I　shant；〃　he　cried；　snarling；　rat…like；　grinning。　Something

went　click　in　Ursulas　soul。　Her　face　and　eyes　set；　she　went

through　the　class　straight。　The　boy　cowered　before　her

glowering；　fixed　eyes。　But　she　advanced　on　him；　seized　him　by

the　arm；　and　dragged　him　from　his　seat。　He　clung　to　the　form。　It

was　the　battle　between　him　and　her。　Her　instinct　had　suddenly

bee　calm　and　quick。　She　jerked　him　from　his　grip；　and　dragged

him；　struggling　and　kicking；　to　the　front。　He　kicked　her　several

times；　and　clung　to　the　forms　as　he　passed；　but　she　went　on。　The

class　was　on　its　feet　in　excitement。　She　saw　it；　and　made　no

move。

She　knew　if　she　let　go　the　boy　he　would　dash　to　the　door。

Already　he　had　run　home　once　out　of　her　class。　So　she　snatched

her　cane　from　the　desk；　and　brought　it　down　on　him。　He　was

writhing　and　kicking。　She　saw　his　face　beneath　her；　white；　with

eyes　like　the　eyes　of　a　fish；　stony；　yet　full　of　hate　and

horrible　fear。　And　she　loathed　him；　the　hideous　writhing　thing

that　was　nearly　too　much　for　her。　In　horror　lest　he　should

overe　her；　and　yet　at　the　heart　quite　calm；　she　brought　down

the　cane　again　and　again；　whilst　he　struggled　making

inarticulate　noises；　and　lunging　vicious　kicks　at　her。　With　one

hand　she　managed　to　hold　him；　and　now　and　then　the　cane　came

down　on　him。　He　writhed；　like　a　mad　thing。　But　the　pain　of　the

strokes　cut　through　his　writhing；　vicious；　cowards　courage；　bit

deeper；　till　at　last；　with　a　long　whimper　that　became　a　yell；　he

went　limp。　She　let　him　go；　and　he　rushed　at　her；　his　teeth　and

eyes　glinting。　There　was　a　second　of　agonized　terror　in　her

heart：　he　was　a　beast　thing。　Then　she　caught　him；　and　the　cane

came　down　on　him。　A　few　times；　madly；　in　a　frenzy；　he　lunged　and

writhed；　to　kick　her。　But　again　the　cane　broke　him；　he　sank　with

a　howling　yell　on　the　floor；　and　like　a　beaten　beast　lay　there

yelling。

Mr。　Harby　had　rushed　up　towards　the　end　of　this

performance。