小说园

第76部分（第2页）

front　of　the　class　and　write　down　the　name　of　anyone　who　speaks。

Will　you　e　this　way；　Miss　Brangwen。〃

He　seemed　vindictively　to　seize　upon　her。

Ursula　followed　him；　and　found　in　the　lobby　a　thin　woman　with

a　whitish　skin；　not　ill…dressed　in　a　grey　costume　and　a　purple

hat。

〃I　called　about　Vernon；〃　said　the　woman；　speaking　in　a

refined　accent。　There　was　about　the　woman　altogether　an

appearance　of　refinement　and　of　cleanliness；　curiously

contradicted　by　her　half　beggars　deportment；　and　a　sense　of　her

being　unpleasant　to　touch；　like　something　going　bad　inside。　She

was　neither　a　lady　nor　an　ordinary　working　mans　wife；　but　a

creature　separate　from　society。　By　her　dress　she　was　not

poor。

Ursula　knew　at　once　that　she　was　Williams　mother；　and　that

he　was　Vernon。　She　remembered　that　he　was　always　clean；　and

well…dressed；　in　a　sailor　suit。　And　he　had　this　same　peculiar；

half　transparent　unwholesomeness；　rather　like　a　corpse。

〃I　wasnt　able　to　send　him　to　school　to…day；〃　continued　the

woman；　with　a　false　grace　of　manner。　〃He　came　home　last　night

so　ill……he　was　violently　sick……I　thought　I

should　have　to　send　for　the　doctor。……You　know　he　has　a　weak

heart。〃

The　woman　looked　at　Ursula　with　her　pale；　dead　eyes。

〃No；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃I　did　not　know。〃

She　stood　still　with　repulsion　and　uncertainty。　Mr。　Harby；

large　and　male；　with　his　overhanging　moustache；　stood　by　with　a

slight；　ugly　smile　at　the　corner　of　his　eyes。　The　woman　went　on

insidiously；　not　quite　human：

〃Oh；　yes；　he　has　had　heart　disease　ever　since　he　was　a　child。

That　is　why　he　isnt　very　regular　at　school。　And　it　is　very　bad

to　beat　him。　He　was　awfully　ill　this　morning……I　shall　call

on　the　doctor　as　I　go　back。〃

〃Who　is　staying　with　him　now；　then？〃　put　in　the　deep　voice　of

the　schoolmaster；　cunningly。

〃Oh；　I　left　him　with　a　woman　who　es　in　to　help