小说园

第75部分（第6页）

Ursula；　who　was　trembling　violently；　went　and　sat　in　her　high

chair。　The　blubbering　of　the　boy　continued。　The　strident　voice

of　Mr。　Brunt；　the　roar　of　Mr。　Harby；　came　muffled　through　the

glass　partition。　And　now　and　then　a　pair　of　eyes　rose　from　the

reading…book；　rested　on　her　a　moment；　watchful；　as　if

calculating　impersonally；　then　sank　again。

She　sat　still　without　moving；　her　eyes　watching　the　class；

unseeing。　She　was　quite　still；　and　weak。　She　felt　that　she　could

not　raise　her　hand　from　the　desk。　If　she　sat　there　for　ever；　she

felt　she　could　not　move　again；　nor　utter　a　mand。　It　was　a

quarter…past　four。　She　almost　dreaded　the　closing　of　the　school；

when　she　would　be　alone。

The　class　began　to　recover　its　ease；　the　tension　relaxed。

Williams　was　still　crying。　Mr。　Brunt　was　giving　orders　for　the

closing　of　the　lesson。　Ursula　got　down。

〃Take　your　place；　Williams；〃　she　said。

He　dragged　his　feet　across　the　room；　wiping　his　face　on　his

sleeve。　As　he　sat　down；　he　glanced　at　her　furtively；　his　eyes

still　redder。　Now　he　looked　like　some　beaten　rat。

At　last　the　children　were　gone。　Mr。　Harby　trod　by　heavily；

without　looking　her　way；　or　speaking。　Mr。　Brunt　hesitated　as　she

was　locking　her　cupboard。

〃If　you　settle　Clarke　and　Letts　in　the　same　way；　Miss

Brangwen；　youll　be　all　right；〃　he　said；　his　blue　eyes　glancing

down　in　a　strange　fellowship；　his　long　nose　pointing　at　her。

〃Shall　I？〃　she　laughed　nervously。　She　did　not　want　anybody　to

talk　to　her。

As　she　went　along　the　street；　clattering　on　the　granite

pavement；　she　was　aware　of　boys　dodging　behind　her。　Something

struck　her　hand　that　was　carrying　her　bag；　bruising　her。　As　it

rolled　away　she　saw　t