小说园

第50部分（第2页）

Going　to　school　by　train；　she　must　leave　home　at　a　quarter　to

eight　in　the　morning；　and　she　did　not　arrive　again　till

half…past　five　at　evening。　Of　this　she　was　glad；　for　the　house

was　small　and　overful。　It　was　a　storm　of　movement；　whence　there

had　been　no　escape。　She　hated　so　much　being　in　charge。

The　house　was　a　storm　of　movement。　The　children　were　healthy

and　turbulent；　the　mother　only　wanted　their　animal　well…being。

To　Ursula；　as　she　grew　a　little　older；　it　became　a　nightmare。

When　she　saw；　later；　a　Rubens　picture　with　storms　of　naked

babies；　and　found　this　was　called　〃Fecundity〃；　she　shuddered；

and　the　world　became　abhorrent　to　her。　She　knew　as　a　child　what

it　was　to　live　amidst　storms　of　babies；　in　the　heat　and　swelter

of　fecundity。　And　as　a　child；　she　was　against　her　mother；

passionately　against　her　mother；　she　craved　for　some

spirituality　and　stateliness。

In　bad　weather；　home　was　a　bedlam。　Children　dashed　in　and　out

of　the　rain；　to　the　puddles　under　the　dismal　yew　trees；　across

the　wet　flagstones　of　the　kitchen；　whilst　the　cleaning…woman

grumbled　and　scolded；　children　were　swarming　on　the　sofa；

children　were　kicking　the　piano　in　the　parlour；　to　make　it　sound

like　a　beehive；　children　were　rolling　on　the　hearthrug；　legs　in

air；　pulling　a　book　in　two　between　them；　children；　fiendish；

ubiquitous；　were　stealing　upstairs　to　find　out　where　our　Ursula

was；　whispering　at　bedroom　doors；　hanging　on　the　latch；　calling

mysteriously；　〃Ursula！　Ursula！〃　to　the　girl　who　had　locked

herself　in　to　read。　And　it　was　hopeless。　The　locked　door　excited

their　sense　of　mystery；　she　had　to　open　to　dispel　the　lure。

These　children　hung　on　to　her　with　round…eyed　excited

questions。

The　mother　flourished　amid　all　this。

〃Better　have　them　noisy　than　ill；〃　she　said。

But　the　growing　girls；　in　turn；　suffered　bitterly。　Ursula　was

just　ing　to　the　stage　when　Andersen　and　Grimm　were　being　left

behind　for　the　〃Idylls　of　the　King〃　and　romantic