小说园

第69部分（第4页）

So　she　waited　till　Friday。　Kingston…on…Thames　had　been　an

exciting　dream。　Here　she　could　feel　the　hard；　raw　reality。　So

she　knew　that　this　would　e　to　pass。　Because　nothing　was　ever

fulfilled；　she　found；　except　in　the　hard　limited　reality。　She

did　not　want　to　be　a　teacher　in　Ilkeston；　because　she　knew

Ilkeston；　and　hated　it。　But　she　wanted　to　be　free；　so　she　must

take　her　freedom　where　she　could。

On　Friday　her　father　said　there　was　a　place　vacant　in

Brinsley　Street　school。　This　could　most　probably　be　secured　for

her；　at　once；　without　the　trouble　of　application。

Her　heart　halted。　Brinsley　Street　was　a　school　in　a　poor

quarter；　and　she　had　had　a　taste　of　the　mon　children　of

Ilkeston。　They　had　shouted　after　her　and　thrown　stones。　Still；

as　a　teacher；　she　would　be　in　authority。　And　it　was　all　unknown。

She　was　excited。　The　very　forest　of　dry；　sterile　brick　had　some

fascination　for　her。　It　was　so　hard　and　ugly；　so　relentlessly

ugly；　it　would　purge　her　of　some　of　her　floating

sentimentality。

She　dreamed　how　she　would　make　the　little；　ugly　children　love

her。　She　would　be　so　personal。　Teachers　were　always　so

hard　and　impersonal。　There　was　no　vivid　relationship。　She　would

make　everything　personal　and　vivid；　she　would　give　herself；　she

would　give；　give；　give　all　her　great　stores　of　wealth　to　her

children；　she　would　make　them　so　happy；　and　they　would　prefer

her　to　any　teacher　on　the　face　of　the　earth。

At　Christmas　she　would　choose　such　fascinating　Christmas

cards　for　them；　and　she　would　give　them　such　a　happy　party　in

one　of　the　class…rooms。

The　headmaster；　Mr。　Harby；　was　a　short；　thick…set；　rather

mon　man；　she　thought。　But　she　would　hold　before　him　the　light

of　grace　and　refinement；　he　would　have　her　in　such　high　esteem

before　long。　She　would　be　the　gleaming　sun　of　the　school；　the

children　would　blossom　like　little　weeds；　the　teachers　like

tall；　hard　plants　would　burst　into　rare　flower。

The　Monday　morning　came。　It　was　the　end　of　September；　and　a

drizzle　of　fine　rain　like　veils　round　her；　making　her　seem