The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第86章

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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　it
was　the　rainy　morning。　Then　she　looked　up　again；　because　of　the
horrid　feeling　of　being　shut　in　a　rigid；　inflexible　air；　away
from　all　feeling　of　the　ordinary　day；　and　she　noticed　that　the
windows　were　of　ribbed；　suffused　glass。

The　prison　was　round　her　now！　She　looked　at　the　walls；　colour
washed；　pale　green　and　chocolate；　at　the　large　windows　with
frowsy　geraniums　against　the　pale　glass；　at　the　long　rows　of
desks；　arranged　in　a　squadron；　and　dread　filled　her。　This　was　a
new　world；　a　new　life；　with　which　she　was　threatened。　But　still
excited；　she　climbed　into　her　chair　at　her　teacher's　desk。　It
was　high；　and　her　feet　could　not　reach　the　ground；　but　must　rest
on　the　step。　Lifted　up　there；　off　the　ground；　she　was　in　office。
How　queer；　how　queer　it　all　was！　How　different　it　was　from　the
mist　of　rain　blowing　over　Cossethay。　As　she　thought　of　her　own
village；　a　spasm　of　yearning　crossed　her；　it　seemed　so　far　off；
so　lost　to　her。

She　was　here　in　this　hard；　stark　reality……reality。　It
was　queer　that　she　should　call　this　the　reality；　which　she　had
never　known　till　to…day；　and　which　now　so　filled　her　with　dread
and　dislike；　that　she　wished　she　might　go　away。　This　was　the
reality；　and　Cossethay；　her　beloved；　beautiful；　wellknown
Cossethay；　which　was　as　herself　unto　her；　that　was　minor
reality。　This　prison　of　a　school　was　reality。　Here；　then；　she
would　sit　in　state；　the　queen　of　scholars！　Here　she　would
realize　her　dream　of　being　the　beloved　teacher　bringing　light
and　joy　to　her　children！　But　the　desks　before　her　had　an
abstract　angularity　that　bruised　her　sentiment　and　made　her
shrink。　She　winced；　feeling　she　had　been　a　fool　in　her
anticipations。　She　had　brought　her　feelings　and　her　generosity
to　where　neither　generosity　nor　emotion　were　wanted。　And　already
she　felt　rebuffed；　troubled　by　the　new　atmosphere；　out　of
place。

She　slid　down；　and　they　returned　to　the　teacher's　room。　It
was　queer　to　feel　that　one　ought　to　alter　one's　personality。　She
was　nobody；　there　was　no　reality　in　herself；　the　reality　was　all
outside　of　her；　and　she　must　apply　herself　to　it。

Mr。　Harby　was　in　the　teachers'　room；　standing　before　a　big；
open　cupboard；　in　which　Ursula　could　see　piles　of　pink
blotting…paper；　heaps　of　shiny　new　books；　boxes　of　chalk；　and
bottles　of　coloured　inks。　It　looked　a　treasure　store。

The　schoolmaster　was　a　short；　sturdy　man；　with　a　fine　head；
and　a　heavy　jowl。　Nevertheless　he　was　good…looking；　with　his
shapely　brows　and　nose；　and　his　great；　hanging　moustache。　He
seemed　absorbed　in　his　work；　and　took　no　notice　of　Ursula's
entry。　There　was　something　insulting　in　the　way　he　could　be　so
actively　unaware　of　another　person；　so　occupied。

When　he　had　a　moment　of　absence；　he　looked　up　from　the　table
and　said　good…morning　to　Ursula。　There　was　a　pleasant　light　in
his　brown　eyes。　He　seemed　very　manly　and　incontrovertible；　like
something　she　wanted　to　push　over。

〃You　had　a　wet　walk；〃　he　said　to　Ursula。

〃Oh；　I　don't　mind；　I'm　used　to　it；〃　she　replied；　with　a
nervous　little　laugh。

But　already　he　was　not　listening。　Her　words　sounded
ridiculous　and　babbling。　He　was　taking　no　notice　of　her。

〃You　will　sign　your　name　here；〃　he　said　to　her；　as　if　she
were　some　child……〃and　the　time　when　you　e　and　go。〃

Ursula　signed　her　name　in　the　time　book　and　stood　back。　No
one　took　any　further　notice　of　her。　She　beat　her　brains　for
something　to　say；　but　in　vain。

〃I'd　let　them　in　now；〃　said　Mr。　Harby　to　the　thin　man；　who
was　very　hastily　arranging　his　papers。

The　assistant　teacher　made　no　sign　of　acquiescence；　and　went
on　with　what　he　was　doing。　The　atmosphere　in　the　room　grew
tense。　At　the　last　moment　Mr。　Brunt　slipped　into　his　coat。

〃You　will　go　to　the　girls'　lobby；〃　said　the　schoolmaster　to
Ursula；　with　a　fascinating；　insulting　geniality；　purely　official
and　domineering。

She　went　out　and　found　Miss　Harby；　and　another　girl　teacher；
in　the　porch。　On　the　asphalt　yard　the　rain　was　falling。　A
toneless　bell　tang…tang…tanged　drearily　overhead；　monotonously；
insistently。　It　came　to　an　end。　Then　Mr。　Brunt　was　seen；
bare…headed；　standing　at　the　other　gate　of　the　school　yard；
blowing　shrill　blasts　on　a　whistle　and　looking　down　the　rainy；
dreary　street。

Boys　in　gangs　and　streams　came　trotting　up；　running　past　the
master　and　with　a　loud　clatter　of　feet　and　voices；　over　the　yard
to　the　boys'　porch。　Girls　were　running　and　walking　through　the
other　entrance。

In　the　porch　where　Ursula　stood　there　was　a　great　noise　of
girls；　who　were　tearing　off　their　coats　and　hats；　and　hanging
them　on　the　racks　bristling　with　pegs。　There　was　a　smell　of　wet
clothing；　a　tossing　out　of　wet；　draggled　hair；　a　noise　of　voices
and　feet。

The　mass　of　girls　grew　greater；　the　rage　around　the　pegs　grew
steadier；　the　scholars　tended　to　fall　into　little　noisy　gangs　in
the　porch。　Then　Violet　Harby　clapped　her　hands；　clapped　them
louder；　with　a　shrill　〃Quiet；　girls；　quiet！〃

There　was　a　pause。　The　hubbub　died　down　but　did　not
cease。

〃What　did　I　say？〃　cried　Miss　Harby；　shrilly。

There　was　almost　plete　silence。　Sometimes　a　girl；　rather
late；　whirled　into　the　porch　and　flung　off　her　things。

〃Leaders……in　place；〃　manded　Miss　Harby　shrilly。

Pairs　of　girls　in　pinafores　and　long　hair　stood　separate　in
the　porch。

〃Standard　Four；　Five；　and　Six……fall　in；〃　cried　Miss
Harby。

There　was　a　hubbub；　which　gradually　resolved　itself　into
three　columns　of　girls；　two　and　two；　standing　smirking　in　the
passage。　In　among　the　peg…racks；　other　teachers　were　putting　the
lower　classes　into　ranks。

Ursula　stood　by　her　own　Standard　Five。　They　were　jerking
their　shoulders；　tossing　their　hair；　nudging；　writhing；　staring；
grinning；　whispering　and　twisting。

A　sharp　whistle　was　heard；　and　Standard　Six；　the　biggest
girls；　set　off；　led　by　Miss　Harby。　Ursula；　with　her　Standard
Five；　followed　after。　She　stood　beside　a　smirking；　grinning　row
of　girls；　waiting　in　a　narrow　passage。　What　she　was　herself　she
did　not　know。

Suddenly　the　sound　of　a　piano　was　heard；　and　Standard　Six　set
off　hollowly　down　the　big　room。　The　boys　had　entered　by　another
door。　The　piano　played　on；　a　march　tune；　Standard　Five　followed
to　the　door　of　the　big　room。　Mr。　Harby　was　seen　away　beyond　at
his　desk。　Mr。　Brunt　guarded　the　other　door　of　the　room。　Ursula's
class　pushed　up。　She　stood　near　them。　They　glanced　and　smirked
and　shoved。

〃Go　on；〃　said　Ursula。

They　tittered。

〃Go　on；〃　said　Ursula；　for　the　piano　continued。

The　girls　broke　loosely　into　the　room。　Mr。　Harby；　who　had
seemed　immersed　in　some　occupation；　away　at　his　desk；　lifted　his
head　and　thundered：

〃Halt！〃

There　was　a　halt；　the　piano　stopped。　The　boys　who　were　just
starting　through　the　other　door；　pushed　back。　The　harsh；　subdued
voice　of　Mr。　Brunt　was　heard；　then　the　booming　shout　of　Mr。
Harby；　from　far　down　the　room：

〃Who　told　Standard　Five　girls　to　e　in　like　that？〃

Ursula　crimsoned。　Her　girls　were　glancing　up　at　her；　smirking
their　accusation。

〃I　sent　them　in；　Mr。　Harby；〃　she　said；　in　a　clear；　struggling
voice。　There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　Then　Mr。　Harby　roared　from
the　distance。

〃Go　back　to　your　places；　Standard　Five　girls。〃

The　girls　glanced　up　at　Ursula；　accusing；　rather　jeering；
fugitive。　They　pushed　back。　Ursula's　heart　hardened　with
ignominious　pain。

〃Forward……march；〃　came　Mr。　Brunt's　voice；　and　the　girls
set　off；　keeping　time　with　the　ranks　of　boys。

Ursula　faced　her　class；　some　fifty…five　boys　and　girls；　who
stood　filling　the　ranks　of　the　desks。　She　felt　utterly
nonexistent。　She　had　no　place　nor　being　there。　She　faced　the
block　of　children。

Down　the　room　she　heard　the　rapid　firing　of　questions。　She
stood　before　her　class　not　knowing　what　to　do。　She　waited
painfully。　Her　block　of　children；　fifty　unknown　faces；　watched
her；　hostile；　ready　to　jeer。　She　felt　as　if　she　were　in　torture
over　a　fire　of　faces。　And　on　every　side　she　was　naked　to　them。
Of　unutterable　length　and　torture　the　seconds　went　by。

Then　she　gathered　courage。　She　heard　Mr。　Brunt　asking
questions　in　mental　arithmetic。　She　stood　near　to　her　class；　so
that　her　voice　need　not　be　raised　too　much；　and　faltering；
uncertain；　she　said：

〃Seven　hats　at　twopence　ha'penny　each？〃

A　grin　went　over　the　faces　of　the　class；　seeing　her　mence。
She　was　red　and　suffering。　Then　some　hands　shot　up　like　blades；
and　she　asked　for　the　answer。

The　day　passed　incredibly　slowly。　She　never　knew　what　to　do；
there　came　horrible　gaps；　when　she　was　merely　exposed　to　the
children；　and　when；　relying　on　some　pert　little　girl　for
information；　she　had　started　a　lesson；　she　did　not　know　how　to
go　on　with　it　properly。　The　children　were　her　masters。　She
deferred　to　them。　She　could　always　hear　Mr。　Brunt。　Like　a
machine；　always　in　the　same　hard；　high；　inhuman　voice　he　went　on
with　his　teaching；　oblivious　of　everything。　And　before　this
inhuman　number　of　children　she　was　always　at　bay。　She　could　not
get　away　from　it。　There　it　was；　this　class　of　fifty　collective
children；　depending　on　her　for　mand；　for　mand　i