小说园

第76部分（第1页）

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

rolled　away　she　saw　that　it　was　a　potato。　Her　hand　was　hurt；　but

she　gave　no　sign。　Soon　she　would　take　the　tram。

She　was　afraid；　and　strange。　It　was　to　her　quite　strange　and

ugly；　like　some　dream　where　she　was　degraded。　She　would　have

died　rather　than　admit　it　to　anybody。　She　could　not　look　at　her

swollen　hand。　Something　had　broken　in　her；　she　had　passed　a

crisis。　Williams　was　beaten；　but　at　a　cost。

Feeling　too　much　upset　to　go　home；　she　rode　a　little　farther

into　the　town；　and　got　down　from　the　tram　at　a　small　tea…shop。

There；　in　the　dark　little　place　behind　the　shop；　she　drank　her

tea　and　ate　bread…and…butter。　She　did　not　taste　anything。　The

taking　of　tea　was　just　a　mechanical　action；　to　cover　over　her

existence。　There　she　sat　in　the　dark；　obscure　little　place；

without　knowing。　Only　unconsciously　she　nursed　the　back　of　her

hand；　which　was　bruised。

When　finally　she　took　her　way　home；　it　was　sunset　red　across

the　west。　She　did　not　know　why　she　was　going　home。　There　was

nothing　for　her　there。　She　had；　true；　only　to　pretend　to　be

normal。　There　was　nobody　she　could　speak　to；　nowhere　to　go　for

escape。　But　she　must　keep　on；　under　this　red　sunset；　alone；

knowing　the　horror　in　humanity；　that　would　destroy　her；　and　with

which　she　was　at　war。　Yet　it　had　to　be　so。

In　the　morning　again　she　must　go　to　school。　She　got　up　and

went　without　murmuring　even　to　herself。　She　was　in　the　hands　of

some　bigger；　stronger；　coarser　will。

School　was　fairly　quiet。　But　she　could　feel　the　class

watching　her；　ready　to　spring　on　her。　Her　instinct　was　aware　of

the　class　instinct　to　catch　her　if　she　were　weak。　But　she　kept

cold　and　was　guarded。

Williams　was　absent　from　school。　In　the　middle　of　the　morning

there　was　a　knock　at　the　door：　someone　wanted　the　headmaster。

Mr。　Harby　went　out；　heavily；　angrily；　nervously。　He　was　afraid

of　irate　parents。　After　a　moment　in　the　passage；　he　came　again

into　school。

〃Sturgess；〃　he　called　to　one　of　his　larger　boys。　〃Stand　in