The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第92章

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but　very　difficult；　slouched　out　to　the　front。　She　went　on　with
the　lesson；　aware　that　Williams　was　making　faces　at　Wright；　and
that　Wright　was　grinning　behind　her。　She　was　afraid。　She　turned
to　the　map　again。　And　she　was　afraid。

〃Please；　miss；　Williams〃　came　a　sharp　cry；　and
a　boy　on　the　back　row　was　standing　up；　with　drawn；　pained　brows；
half　a　mocking　grin　on　his　pain；　half　real　resentment　against
Williams……〃Please；　miss；　he's　nipped　me；〃……and　he
rubbed　his　leg　ruefully。

〃e　in　front；　Williams；〃　she　said。

The　rat…like　boy　sat　with　his　pale　smile　and　did　not
move。

〃e　in　front；〃　she　repeated；　definite　now。

〃I　shan't；〃　he　cried；　snarling；　rat…like；　grinning。　Something
went　click　in　Ursula's　soul。　Her　face　and　eyes　set；　she　went
through　the　class　straight。　The　boy　cowered　before　her
glowering；　fixed　eyes。　But　she　advanced　on　him；　seized　him　by
the　arm；　and　dragged　him　from　his　seat。　He　clung　to　the　form。　It
was　the　battle　between　him　and　her。　Her　instinct　had　suddenly
bee　calm　and　quick。　She　jerked　him　from　his　grip；　and　dragged
him；　struggling　and　kicking；　to　the　front。　He　kicked　her　several
times；　and　clung　to　the　forms　as　he　passed；　but　she　went　on。　The
class　was　on　its　feet　in　excitement。　She　saw　it；　and　made　no
move。

She　knew　if　she　let　go　the　boy　he　would　dash　to　the　door。
Already　he　had　run　home　once　out　of　her　class。　So　she　snatched
her　cane　from　the　desk；　and　brought　it　down　on　him。　He　was
writhing　and　kicking。　She　saw　his　face　beneath　her；　white；　with
eyes　like　the　eyes　of　a　fish；　stony；　yet　full　of　hate　and
horrible　fear。　And　she　loathed　him；　the　hideous　writhing　thing
that　was　nearly　too　much　for　her。　In　horror　lest　he　should
overe　her；　and　yet　at　the　heart　quite　calm；　she　brought　down
the　cane　again　and　again；　whilst　he　struggled　making
inarticulate　noises；　and　lunging　vicious　kicks　at　her。　With　one
hand　she　managed　to　hold　him；　and　now　and　then　the　cane　came
down　on　him。　He　writhed；　like　a　mad　thing。　But　the　pain　of　the
strokes　cut　through　his　writhing；　vicious；　coward's　courage；　bit
deeper；　till　at　last；　with　a　long　whimper　that　became　a　yell；　he
went　limp。　She　let　him　go；　and　he　rushed　at　her；　his　teeth　and
eyes　glinting。　There　was　a　second　of　agonized　terror　in　her
heart：　he　was　a　beast　thing。　Then　she　caught　him；　and　the　cane
came　down　on　him。　A　few　times；　madly；　in　a　frenzy；　he　lunged　and
writhed；　to　kick　her。　But　again　the　cane　broke　him；　he　sank　with
a　howling　yell　on　the　floor；　and　like　a　beaten　beast　lay　there
yelling。

Mr。　Harby　had　rushed　up　towards　the　end　of　this
performance。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　he　roared。

Ursula　felt　as　if　something　were　going　to　break　in　her。

〃I've　thrashed　him；〃　she　said；　her　breast　heaving；　forcing
out　the　words　on　the　last　breath。　The　headmaster　stood　choked
with　rage；　helpless。　She　looked　at　the　writhing；　howling　figure
on　the　floor。

〃Get　up；〃　she　said。　The　thing　writhed　away　from　her。　She　took
a　step　forward。　She　had　realized　the　presence　of　the　headmaster
for　one　second；　and　then　she　was　oblivious　of　it　again。

〃Get　up；〃　she　said。　And　with　a　little　dart　the　boy　was　on　his
feet。　His　yelling　dropped　to　a　mad　blubber。　He　had　been　in　a
frenzy。

〃Go　and　stand　by　the　radiator；〃　she　said。

As　if　mechanically；　blubbering；　he　went。

The　headmaster　stood　robbed　of　movement　or　speech。　His　face
was　yellow；　his　hands　twitched　convulsively。　But　Ursula　stood
stiff　not　far　from　him。　Nothing　could　touch　her　now：　she　was
beyond　Mr。　Harby。　She　was　as　if　violated　to　death。

The　headmaster　muttered　something；　turned；　and　went　down　the
room；　whence；　from　the　far　end；　he　was　heard　roaring　in　a　mad
rage　at　his　own　class。

The　boy　blubbered　wildly　by　the　radiator。　Ursula　looked　at
the　class。　There　were　fifty　pale；　still　faces　watching　her；　a
hundred　round　eyes　fixed　on　her　in　an　attentive；　expressionless
stare。

〃Give　out　the　history　readers；〃　she　said　to　the　monitors。

There　was　dead　silence。　As　she　stood　there；　she　could　hear
again　the　ticking　of　the　clock；　and　the　chock　of　piles　of　books
taken　out　of　the　low　cupboard。　Then　came　the　faint　flap　of　books
on　the　desks。　The　children　passed　in　silence；　their　hands
working　in　unison。　They　were　no　longer　a　pack；　but　each　one
separated　into　a　silent；　closed　thing。

〃Take　page　125；　and　read　that　chapter；〃　said　Ursula。

There　was　a　click　of　many　books　opened。　The　children　found
the　page；　and　bent　their　heads　obediently　to　read。　And　they
read；　mechanically。

Ursula；　who　was　trembling　violently；　went　and　sat　in　her　high
chair。　The　blubbering　of　the　boy　continued。　The　strident　voice
of　Mr。　Brunt；　the　roar　of　Mr。　Harby；　came　muffled　through　the
glass　partition。　And　now　and　then　a　pair　of　eyes　rose　from　the
reading…book；　rested　on　her　a　moment；　watchful；　as　if
calculating　impersonally；　then　sank　again。

She　sat　still　without　moving；　her　eyes　watching　the　class；
unseeing。　She　was　quite　still；　and　weak。　She　felt　that　she　could
not　raise　her　hand　from　the　desk。　If　she　sat　there　for　ever；　she
felt　she　could　not　move　again；　nor　utter　a　mand。　It　was　a
quarter…past　four。　She　almost　dreaded　the　closing　of　the　school；
when　she　would　be　alone。

The　class　began　to　recover　its　ease；　the　tension　relaxed。
Williams　was　still　crying。　Mr。　Brunt　was　giving　orders　for　the
closing　of　the　lesson。　Ursula　got　down。

〃Take　your　place；　Williams；〃　she　said。

He　dragged　his　feet　across　the　room；　wiping　his　face　on　his
sleeve。　As　he　sat　down；　he　glanced　at　her　furtively；　his　eyes
still　redder。　Now　he　looked　like　some　beaten　rat。

At　last　the　children　were　gone。　Mr。　Harby　trod　by　heavily；
without　looking　her　way；　or　speaking。　Mr。　Brunt　hesitated　as　she
was　locking　her　cupboard。

〃If　you　settle　Clarke　and　Letts　in　the　same　way；　Miss
Brangwen；　you'll　be　all　right；〃　he　said；　his　blue　eyes　glancing
down　in　a　strange　fellowship；　his　long　nose　pointing　at　her。

〃Shall　I？〃　she　laughed　nervously。　She　did　not　want　anybody　to
talk　to　her。

As　she　went　along　the　street；　clattering　on　the　granite
pavement；　she　was　aware　of　boys　dodging　behind　her。　Something
struck　her　hand　that　was　carrying　her　bag；　bruising　her。　As　it
rolled　away　she　saw　that　it　was　a　potato。　Her　hand　was　hurt；　but
she　gave　no　sign。　Soon　she　would　take　the　tram。

She　was　afraid；　and　strange。　It　was　to　her　quite　strange　and
ugly；　like　some　dream　where　she　was　degraded。　She　would　have
died　rather　than　admit　it　to　anybody。　She　could　not　look　at　her
swollen　hand。　Something　had　broken　in　her；　she　had　passed　a
crisis。　Williams　was　beaten；　but　at　a　cost。

Feeling　too　much　upset　to　go　home；　she　rode　a　little　farther
into　the　town；　and　got　down　from　the　tram　at　a　small　tea…shop。
There；　in　the　dark　little　place　behind　the　shop；　she　drank　her
tea　and　ate　bread…and…butter。　She　did　not　taste　anything。　The
taking　of　tea　was　just　a　mechanical　action；　to　cover　over　her
existence。　There　she　sat　in　the　dark；　obscure　little　place；
without　knowing。　Only　unconsciously　she　nursed　the　back　of　her
hand；　which　was　bruised。

When　finally　she　took　her　way　home；　it　was　sunset　red　across
the　west。　She　did　not　know　why　she　was　going　home。　There　was
nothing　for　her　there。　She　had；　true；　only　to　pretend　to　be
normal。　There　was　nobody　she　could　speak　to；　nowhere　to　go　for
escape。　But　she　must　keep　on；　under　this　red　sunset；　alone；
knowing　the　horror　in　humanity；　that　would　destroy　her；　and　with
which　she　was　at　war。　Yet　it　had　to　be　so。

In　the　morning　again　she　must　go　to　school。　She　got　up　and
went　without　murmuring　even　to　herself。　She　was　in　the　hands　of
some　bigger；　stronger；　coarser　will。

School　was　fairly　quiet。　But　she　could　feel　the　class
watching　her；　ready　to　spring　on　her。　Her　instinct　was　aware　of
the　class　instinct　to　catch　her　if　she　were　weak。　But　she　kept
cold　and　was　guarded。

Williams　was　absent　from　school。　In　the　middle　of　the　morning
there　was　a　knock　at　the　door：　someone　wanted　the　headmaster。
Mr。　Harby　went　out；　heavily；　angrily；　nervously。　He　was　afraid
of　irate　parents。　After　a　moment　in　the　passage；　he　came　again
into　school。

〃Sturgess；〃　he　called　to　one　of　his　larger　boys。　〃Stand　in
front　of　the　class　and　write　down　the　name　of　anyone　who　speaks。
Will　you　e　this　way；　Miss　Brangwen。〃

He　seemed　vindictively　to　seize　upon　her。

Ursula　followed　him；　and　found　in　the　lobby　a　thin　woman　with
a　whitish　skin；　not　ill…dressed　in　a　grey　costume　and　a　purple
hat。

〃I　called　about　Vernon；〃　said　the　woman；　speaking　in　a
refined　accent。　There　was　about　the　woman　altogether　an
appearance　of　refinement　and　of　cleanliness；　curiously
contradicted　by　her　half　beggar's　deportment；　and　a　sense　of　her
being　unpleasant　to　touch；　like　something　going　bad　inside。　She
was　neither　a　lady　nor　an　ordinary　working　man's　wife；　but　a
creature　separate　from　society。　By　her　dress　she　was　not
poor。

Ursula　knew　at　once　that　she　was　Williams'　mother；　and　that
he　was　Vernon。　She　remembered　that　he　was　always　clean；　and
well…dressed；　in　a　sailor　suit。　And　he　had　this　same　peculiar；
half　transparent　unwholesomeness；　rather　like　a　corpse。

〃I　wasn't　able　to　send　him　to　school　to…day；〃　continued　the
woman；　with　a　false　grace　of　manner。　〃He　came　home　last　night
so　ill……he　was