小说园

第73部分（第1页）

her。　She　felt　something　all　the　time　wearing　upon　her；　wearing

her　down。　She　went　about　in　these　first　weeks　trying　to　deny　it；

to　say　she　was　free　as　ever。　She　tried　not　to　feel　at　a

disadvantage　before　Miss　Harby；　tried　to　keep　up　the　effect　of

her　own　superiority。　But　a　great　weight　was　on　her；　which　Violet

Harby　could　bear；　and　she　herself　could　not。

Though　she　did　not　give　in；　she　never　succeeded。　Her　class

was　getting　in　worse　condition；　she　knew　herself　less　and　less

secure　in　teaching　it。　Ought　she　to　withdraw　and　go　home　again？

Ought　she　to　say　she　had　e　to　the　wrong　place；　and　so　retire？

Her　very　life　was　at　test。

She　went　on　doggedly；　blindly；　waiting　for　a　crisis。　Mr。

Harby　had　now　begun　to　persecute　her。　Her　dread　and　hatred　of

him　grew　and　loomed　larger　and　larger。　She　was　afraid　he　was

going　to　bully　her　and　destroy　her。　He　began　to　persecute　her

because　she　could　not　keep　her　class　in　proper　condition；

because　her　class　was　the　weak　link　in　the　chain　which　made　up

the　school。

One　of　the　offences　was　that　her　class　was　noisy　and

disturbed　Mr。　Harby；　as　he　took　Standard　Seven　at　the　other　end

of　the　room。　She　was　taking　position　on　a　certain　morning；

walking　in　among　the　scholars。　Some　of　the　boys　had　dirty　ears

and　necks；　their　clothing　smelled　unpleasantly；　but　she　could

ignore　it。　She　corrected　the　writing　as　she　went。

〃When　you　say　their　fur　is　brown；　how　do　you　write

their？〃　she　asked。

There　was　a　little　pause；　the　boys　were　always　jeeringly

backward　in　answering。　They　had　begun　to　jeer　at　her　authority

altogether。

〃Please；　miss；　t…h…e…i…r〃；　spelled　a　lad；　loudly；　with　a　note

of　mockery。

At　that　moment　Mr。　Harby　was　passing。

〃Stand　up；　Hill！〃　he　called；　in　a　big　voice。

Everybody　started。　Ursula　watched　the　boy。　He　was　evidently