小说园

第72部分（第3页）

〃Is　it　as　horrid　as　it　seems？〃　asked　Ursula；　frowning

lightly；　in　fear。

〃It　is；〃　said　Miss　Schofield；　bitterly。　〃Ha！……it　is

hateful！〃

Ursulas　heart　sank；　seeing　even　Miss　Schofield　in　the　deadly

bondage。

〃It　is　Mr。　Harby；〃　said　Maggie　Schofield；　breaking　forth。

〃I　dont　think　I　could　live　again　in　the　big

room……Mr。　Brunts　voice　and　Mr。

Harby……ah〃

She　turned　aside　her　head　with　a　deep　hurt。　Some　things　she

could　not　bear。

〃Is　Mr。　Harby　really　horrid？〃　asked　Ursula；　venturing　into

her　own　dread。

〃He！……why；　hes　just　a　bully；〃　said　Miss　Schofield；

raising　her　shamed　dark　eyes；　that　flamed　with　tortured

contempt。　〃Hes　not　bad　as　long　as　you　keep　in　with　him；　and

refer　to　him；　and　do　everything　in　his　way……but……its

all　so　mean！　Its　just　a　question　of　fighting　on　both

sides……and　those　great　louts〃

She　spoke　with　difficulty　and　with　increased　bitterness。　She

had　evidently　suffered。　Her　soul　was　raw　with　ignominy。　Ursula

suffered　in　response。

〃But　why　is　it　so　horrid？〃　she　asked；　helplessly。

〃You　cant　do　anything；〃　said　Miss　Schofield。　〃Hes

against　you　on　one　side　and　he　sets　the　children　against　you　on

the　other。　The　children　are　simply　awful。　Youve　got　to

make　them　do　everything。　Everything；　everything　has　got

to　e　out　of　you。　Whatever　they　learn；　youve　got　to　force　it

into　them……and　thats　how　it　is。〃

Ursula　felt　her　heart　fail　inside　her。　Why　must　she　grasp　all

this；　why　must　she　force　learning　on　fifty…five　reluctant

children；　having　all　the　time　an　ugly；　rude　jealousy　behind　her；

ready　to　throw　her　to　the　mercy　of　the　herd　of　children；　who

would　like　to　rend　her　as　a　weaker　representative　of　authority。

A　great　dread　of　her　task　possessed　her。　She　saw　Mr。　Brunt；　Miss