The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第85章

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her　childhood；　her　teasing　grandfather；　with　his　fair　beard　and
blue　eyes；　and　his　big；　monumental　body；　he　had　got　drowned：　her
grandmother；　whom　Ursula　would　sometimes　say　she　had　loved　more
than　anyone　else　in　the　world：　the　little　church　school；　the
Phillips　boys；　one　was　a　soldier　in　the　Life　Guards　now；　one　was
a　collier。　With　a　passion　she　clung　to　the　past。

But　as　she　dreamed　of　it；　she　heard　the　tram…car　grinding
round　a　bend；　rumbling　dully；　she　saw　it　draw　into　sight；　and
hum　nearer。　It　sidled　round　the　loop　at　the　terminus；　and　came
to　a　standstill；　looming　above　her。　Some　shadowy　grey　people
stepped　from　the　far　end；　the　conductor　was　walking　in　the
puddles；　swinging　round　the　pole。

She　mounted　into　the　wet；　fortless　tram；　whose　floor　was
dark　with　wet；　whose　windows　were　all　steamed；　and　she　sat　in
suspense。　It　had　begun；　her　new　existence。

One　other　passenger　mounted……a　sort　of　charwoman　with　a
drab；　wet　coat。　Ursula　could　not　bear　the　waiting　of　the　tram。
The　bell　clanged；　there　was　a　lurch　forward。　The　car　moved
cautiously　down　the　wet　street。　She　was　being　carried　forward；
into　her　new　existence。　Her　heart　burned　with　pain　and　suspense；
as　if　something　were　cutting　her　living　tissue。

Often；　oh　often　the　tram　seemed　to　stop；　and　wet；　cloaked
people　mounted　and　sat　mute　and　grey　in　stiff　rows　opposite　her；
their　umbrellas　between　their　knees。　The　windows　of　the　tram
grew　more　steamy；　opaque。　She　was　shut　in　with　these　unliving；
spectral　people。　Even　yet　it　did　not　occur　to　her　that　she　was
one　of　them。　The　conductor　came　down　issuing　tickets。　Each
little　ring　of　his　clipper　sent　a　pang　of　dread　through　her。　But
her　ticket　surely　was　different　from　the　rest。

They　were　all　going　to　work；　she　also　was　going　to　work。　Her
ticket　was　the　same。　She　sat　trying　to　fit　in　with　them。　But
fear　was　at　her　bowels；　she　felt　an　unknown；　terrible　grip　upon
her。

At　Bath　Street　she　must　dismount　and　change　trams。　She　looked
uphill。　It　seemed　to　lead　to　freedom。　She　remembered　the　many
Saturday　afternoons　she　had　walked　up　to　the　shops。　How　free　and
careless　she　had　been！

Ah；　her　tram　was　sliding　gingerly　downhill。　She　dreaded　every
yard　of　her　conveyance。　The　car　halted；　she　mounted　hastily。

She　kept　turning　her　head　as　the　car　ran　on；　because　she　was
uncertain　of　the　street。　At　last；　her　heart　a　flame　of　suspense；
trembling；　she　rose。　The　conductor　rang　the　bell　brusquely。

She　was　walking　down　a　small；　mean；　wet　street；　empty　of
people。　The　school　squatted　low　within　its　railed；　asphalt　yard；
that　shone　black　with　rain。　The　building　was　grimy；　and
horrible；　dry　plants　were　shadowily　looking　through　the
windows。

She　entered　the　arched　doorway　of　the　porch。　The　whole　place
seemed　to　have　a　threatening　expression；　imitating　the　church's
architecture；　for　the　purpose　of　domineering；　like　a　gesture　of
vulgar　authority。　She　saw　that　one　pair　of　feet　had　paddled
across　the　flagstone　floor　of　the　porch。　The　place　was　silent；
deserted；　like　an　empty　prison　waiting　the　return　of　tramping
feet。

Ursula　went　forward　to　the　teachers'　room　that　burrowed　in　a
gloomy　hole。　She　knocked　timidly。

〃e　in！〃　called　a　surprised　man's　voice；　as　from　a　prison
cell。　She　entered　the　dark　little　room　that　never　got　any　sun。
The　gas　was　lighted　naked　and　raw。　At　the　table　a　thin　man　in
shirt…sleeves　was　rubbing　a　paper　on　a　jellytray。　He　looked　up
at　Ursula　with　his　narrow；　sharp　face；　said　〃Good　morning；〃　then
turned　away　again；　and　stripped　the　paper　off　the　tray；　glancing
at　the　violet…coloured　writing　transferred；　before　he　dropped
the　curled　sheet　aside　among　a　heap。

Ursula　watched　him　fascinated。　In　the　gaslight　and　gloom　and
the　narrowness　of　the　room；　all　seemed　unreal。

〃Isn't　it　a　nasty　morning；〃　she　said。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃it's　not　much　of　weather。〃

But　in　here　it　seemed　that　neither　morning　nor　weather　really
existed。　This　place　was　timeless。　He　spoke　in　an　occupied　voice；
like　an　echo。　Ursula　did　not　know　what　to　say。　She　took　off　her
waterproof。

〃Am　I　early？〃　she　asked。

The　man　looked　first　at　a　little　clock；　then　at　her。　His　eyes
seemed　to　be　sharpened　to　needle…points　of　vision。

〃Twenty…five　past；〃　he　said。　〃You're　the　second　to　e。　I'm
first　this　morning。〃

Ursula　sat　down　gingerly　on　the　edge　of　a　chair；　and　watched
his　thin　red　hands　rubbing　away　on　the　white　surface　of　the
paper；　then　pausing；　pulling　up　a　corner　of　the　sheet；　peering；
and　rubbing　away　again。　There　was　a　great　heap　of　curled
white…and…scribbled　sheets　on　the　table。

〃Must　you　do　so　many？〃　asked　Ursula。

Again　the　man　glanced　up　sharply。　He　was　about　thirty　or
thirty…three　years　old；　thin；　greenish；　with　a　long　nose　and　a
sharp　face。　His　eyes　were　blue；　and　sharp　as　points　of　steel；
rather　beautiful；　the　girl　thought。

〃Sixty…three；〃　he　answered。

〃So　many！〃　she　said；　gently。　Then　she　remembered。

〃But　they're　not　all　for　your　class；　are　they？〃　she
added。

〃Why　aren't　they？〃　he　replied；　a　fierceness　in　his　voice。

Ursula　was　rather　frightened　by　his　mechanical　ignoring　of
her；　and　his　directness　of　statement。　It　was　something　new　to
her。　She　had　never　been　treated　like　this　before；　as　if　she　did
not　count；　as　if　she　were　addressing　a　machine。

〃It　is　too　many；〃　she　said　sympathetically。

〃You'll　get　about　the　same；〃　he　said。

That　was　all　she　received。　She　sat　rather　blank；　not　knowing
how　to　feel。　Still　she　liked　him。　He　seemed　so　cross。　There　was
a　queer；　sharp；　keen…edge　feeling　about　him　that　attracted　her
and　frightened　her　at　the　same　time。　It　was　so　cold；　and　against
his　nature。

The　door　opened；　and　a　short；　neutral…tinted　young　woman　of
about　twenty…eight　appeared。

〃Oh；　Ursula！〃　the　newer　exclaimed。　〃You　are　here　early！　My
word；　I'll　warrant　you　don't　keep　it　up。　That's　Mr。　Williamson's
peg。　This　is　yours。　Standard　Five　teacher　always　has　this。
Aren't　you　going　to　take　your　hat　off？〃

Miss　Violet　Harby　removed　Ursula's　waterproof　from　the　peg　on
which　it　was　hung；　to　one　a　little　farther　down　the　row。　She　had
already　snatched　the　pins　from　her　own　stuff　hat；　and　jammed
them　through　her　coat。　She　turned　to　Ursula；　as　she　pushed　up
her　frizzed；　flat；　dun…coloured　hair。

〃Isn't　it　a　beastly　morning；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃beastly！　And　if
there's　one　thing　I　hate　above　another　it's　a　wet　Monday
morning；……pack　of　kids　trailing　in　anyhow…nohow；　and　no
holding　'em〃

She　had　taken　a　black　pinafore　from　a　newspaper　package；　and
was　tying　it　round　her　waist。

〃You've　brought　an　apron；　haven't　you？〃　she　said　jerkily；
glancing　at　Ursula。　〃Oh……you'll　want　one。　You've　no　idea
what　a　sight　you'll　look　before　half…past　four；　what　with　chalk
and　ink　and　kids'　dirty　feet。……Well；　I　can　send　a　boy　down
to　mamma's　for　one。〃

〃Oh；　it　doesn't　matter；〃　said　Ursula。

〃Oh；　yes……I　can　send　easily；〃　cried　Miss　Harby。

Ursula's　heart　sank。　Everybody　seemed　so　cocksure　and　so
bossy。　How　was　she　going　to　get　on　with　such　jolty；　jerky；　bossy
people？　And　Miss　Harby　had　not　spoken　a　word　to　the　man　at　the
table。　She　simply　ignored　him。　Ursula　felt　the　callous　crude
rudeness　between　the　two　teachers。

The　two　girls　went　out　into　the　passage。　A　few　children　were
already　clattering　in　the　porch。

〃Jim　Richards；〃　called　Miss　Harby；　hard　and　authoritative。　A
boy　came　sheepishly　forward。

〃Shall　you　go　down　to　our　house　for　me；　eh？〃　said　Miss　Harby；
in　a　manding；　condescending；　coaxing　voice。　She　did　not　wait
for　an　answer。　〃Go　down　and　ask　mamma　to　send　me　one　of　my
school　pinas；　for　Miss　Brangwen……shall　you？〃

The　boy　muttered　a　sheepish　〃Yes；　miss；〃　and　was　moving
away。

〃Hey；〃　called　Miss　Harby。　〃e　here……now　what　are　you
going　for？　What　shall　you　say　to　mamma？〃

〃A　school　pina〃　muttered　the　boy。

〃'Please；　Mrs。　Harby；　Miss　Harby　says　will　you　send　her
another　school　pinafore　for　Miss　Brangwen；　because　she's　e
without　one。'〃

〃Yes；　miss；〃　muttered　the　boy；　head　ducked；　and　was　moving
off。　Miss　Harby　caught　him　back；　holding　him　by　the
shoulder。

〃What　are　you　going　to　say？〃

〃Please；　Mrs。　Harby；　Miss　Harby　wants　a　pinny　for　Miss
Brangwin；〃　muttered　the　boy　very　sheepishly。

〃Miss　Brangwen！〃　laughed　Miss　Harby；　pushing　him　away。　〃Here；
you'd　better　have　my　umbrella……wait　a　minute。〃

The　unwilling　boy　was　rigged　up　with　Miss　Harby's　umbrella；
and　set　off。

〃Don't　take　long　over　it；〃　called　Miss　Harby；　after　him。　Then
she　turned　to　Ursula；　and　said　brightly：

〃Oh；　he's　a　caution；　that　lad……but　not　bad；　you
know。〃

〃No；〃　Ursula　agreed；　weakly。

The　latch　of　the　door　clicked；　and　they　entered　the　big　room。
Ursula　glanced　down　the　place。　Its　rigid；　long　silence　was
official　and　chilling。　Half…way　down　was　a　glass　partition；　the
doors　of　which　were　open。　A　clock　ticked　re…echoing；　and　Miss
Harby's　voice　sounded　double　as　she　said：

〃This　is　the　big　room……Standard
Five…Six…and…Seven。……Here's　your
place……Five〃

She　stood　in　the　near　end　of　the　great　room。　There　was　a
small　high　teacher's　desk　facing　a　squadron　of　long　benches；　two
high　windows　in　the　wall　opposite。

It　was　fascinating　and　horrible　to　Ursula。　The　curious；
unliving　light　in　the　room　changed　her　character。　She　thought