小说园

第81部分（第2页）

teacher；　for　her　training。　But；　having　already　taken　her

matriculation　examination；　she　was　entered　for　a　university

course。　At　the　end　of　a　year　she　would　sit　for　the　Intermediate

Arts；　then　two　years　after　for　her　B。A。　So　her　case　was　not　that

of　the　ordinary　school…teacher。　She　would　be　working　among　the

private　students　who　came　only　for　pure　education；　not　for　mere

professional　training。　She　would　be　of　the　elect。

For　the　next　three　years　she　would　be　more　or　less　dependent

on　her　parents　again。　Her　training　was　free。　All　college　fees

were　paid　by　the　government；　she　had　moreover　a　few　pounds　grant

every　year。　This　would　just　pay　for　her　train　fares　and　her

clothing。　Her　parents　would　only　have　to　feed　her。　She　did　not

want　to　cost　them　much。　They　would　not　be　well　off。　Her　father

would　earn　only　two　hundred　a　year；　and　a　good　deal　of　her

mothers　capital　was　spent　in　buying　the　house。　Still；　there　was

enough　to　get　along　with。

Gudrun　was　attending　the　Art　School　at　Nottingham。　She　was

working　particularly　at　sculpture。　She　had　a　gift　for　this。　She

loved　making　little　models　in　clay；　of　children　or　of　animals。

Already　some　of　these　had　appeared　in　the　Students　Exhibition

in　the　Castle；　and　Gudrun　was　a　distinguished　person。　She　was

chafing　at　the　Art　School　and　wanted　to　go　to　London。　But　there

was　not　enough　money。　Neither　would　her　parents　let　her　go　so

far。

Theresa　had　left　the　High　School。　She　was　a　great　strapping；

bold　hussy；　indifferent　to　all　higher　claims。　She　would　stay　at

home。　The　others　were　at　school；　except　the　youngest。　When　term

started；　they　would　all　be　transferred　to　the　Grammar　School　at

Willey　Green。

Ursula　was　excited　at　making　acquaintances　in　Beldover。　The

excitement　soon　passed。　She　had　tea　at　the　clergymans；　at　the

chemists；　at　the　other　chemists；　at　the　doctors；　at　the

under…managers……then　she　knew　practically　everybody。　She

could　not　take　people　very　seriously；　though　at　the　time　she

wanted　to。

She　wandered　the　country；　on　foot　and　on　her　bicycle；　finding

it　very　beautiful　in　the　forest　direction；　between　Mansfield　and

Southwell　and　Worksop。　But　she　was　here　only　skirmishing　for

amusement。　Her　real　exploration　would　begin　in　college。

Term　began。　She　went　into　town　each　day　by　train。　The