小说园

第67部分（第5页）

She　wrote　to　the　mistress　of　the　High　School　for　advice。

〃I　cannot　see　very　clearly　what　you　should　do；　Ursula；〃　came

the　reply；　〃unless　you　are　willing　to　bee　an　elementary

school　teacher。　You　have　matriculated；　and　that　qualifies　you　to

take　a　post　as　uncertificated　teacher　in　any　school；　at　a　salary

of　about　fifty　pounds　a　year。

〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　deeply　I　sympathize　with　you　in　your

desire　to　do　something。　You　will　learn　that　mankind　is　a　great

body　of　which　you　are　one　useful　member；　you　will　take　your　own

place　at　the　great　task　which　humanity　is　trying　to　fulfil。　That

will　give　you　a　satisfaction　and　a　self…respect　which　nothing

else　could　give。〃

Ursulas　heart　sank。　It　was　a　cold；　dreary　satisfaction　to

think　of。　Yet　her　cold　will　acquiesced。　This　was　what　she

wanted。

〃You　have　an　emotional　nature；〃　the　letter　went　on；　〃a　quick

natural　response。　If　only　you　could　learn　patience　and

self…discipline；　I　do　not　see　why　you　should　not　make　a　good

teacher。　The　least　you　could　do　is　to　try。　You　need　only　serve　a

year；　or　perhaps　two　years；　as　uncertificated　teacher。　Then　you

would　go　to　one　of　the　training　colleges；　where　I　hope　you　would

take　your　degree。　I　most　strongly　urge　and　advise　you　to　keep　up

your　studies　always　with　the　intention　of　taking　a　degree。　That

will　give　you　a　qualification　and　a　position　in　the　world；　and

will　give　you　more　scope　to　choose　your　own　way。

〃I　shall　be　proud　to　see　one　of　my　girls　win　her　own

economical　independence；　which　means　so　much　more　than　it　seems。

I　shall　be　glad　indeed　to　know　that　one　more　of　my　girls　has

provided　for　herself　the　means　of　freedom　to　choose　for

herself。〃

It　all　sounded　grim　and　desperate。　Ursula　rather　hated　it。

But　her　mothers　contempt　and　her　fathers　harshness　had　made

her　raw　at　the　quick；　she　knew　the　ignominy　of　being　a

hanger…on；　she　felt　the　festering　thorn　of　her　mothers　animal

estimation。

At　length　she　had　to　speak。　Hard　and　shut　down　and　silent

within　herself；　she　slipped　out　one　evening　to　the　workshed。　She

heard　the　tap