小说园

第76部分（第4页）

〃Though　I　know　he　is　troublesome　sometimes……but　I　think

it　was　too　much。　His　body　is　covered　with　marks。〃

Mr。　Harby　stood　sturdy　and　unmoved；　waiting　now　to　have　done；

with　the　twinkling；　tiny　wrinkles　of　an　ironical　smile　at　the

corners　of　his　eyes。　He　felt　himself　master　of　the

situation。

〃And　he　was　violently　sick。　I　couldnt　possibly　send　him　to

school　to…day。　He　couldnt　keep　his　head　up。〃

Yet　she　had　no　answer。

〃You　will　understand；　sir；　why　he　is　absent；〃　she　said；

turning　to　Mr。　Harby。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　said；　rough　and　off…hand。　Ursula　detested　him

for　his　male　triumph。　And　she　loathed　the　woman。　She　loathed

everything。

〃You　will　try　to　have　it　remembered；　sir；　that　he　has　a　weak

heart。　He　is　so　sick　after　these　things。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　headmaster；　〃Ill　see　about　it。〃

〃I　know　he　is　troublesome；〃　the　woman　only　addressed　herself

to　the　male　now……〃but　if　you　could　have　him　punished

without　beating……he　is　really　delicate。〃

Ursula　was　beginning　to　feel　upset。　Harby　stood　in　rather

superb　mastery；　the　woman　cringing　to　him　to　tickle　him　as　one

tickles　trout。

〃I　had　e　to　explain　why　he　was　away　this　morning；　sir。　You

will　understand。〃

She　held　out　her　hand。　Harby　took　it　and　let　it　go；　surprised

and　angry。

〃Good　morning；〃　she　said；　and　she　gave　her　gloved；　seedy　hand

to　Ursula。　She　was　not　ill…looking；　and　had　a　curious

insinuating　way；　very　distasteful　yet　effective。

〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Harby；　and　thank　you。〃

The　figure　in　the　grey　costume　and　the　purple　hat　was　going

across　the　school　yard　with　a　curious　lingering　walk。　Ursula

felt　a　strange　pity　for　her；　and　revulsion　from　her。　She

shuddered。　She　went　into　the　school　again。

The　next　morning　Williams　turned　up；　looking　paler　than　ever；