The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第104部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　illdressed　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
welldressed；　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　today；〃　continued　the
woman；　with　a　false　grace　of　manner。　〃He　came　home　last　night
so　illhe　was　violently　sickI　thought　I
should　have　to　send　for　the　doctor。You　know　he　has　a　weak
heart。〃

The　woman　looked　at　Ursula　with　her　pale；　dead　eyes。

〃No；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃I　did　not　know。〃

She　stood　still　with　repulsion　and　uncertainty。　Mr。　Harby；
large　and　male；　with　his　overhanging　moustache；　stood　by　with　a
slight；　ugly　smile　at　the　corner　of　his　eyes。　The　woman　went　on
insidiously；　not　quite　human：

〃Oh；　yes；　he　has　had　heart　disease　ever　since　he　was　a　child。
That　is　why　he　isn't　very　regular　at　school。　And　it　is　very　bad
to　beat　him。　He　was　awfully　ill　this　morningI　shall　call
on　the　doctor　as　I　go　back。〃

〃Who　is　staying　with　him　now；　then？〃　put　in　the　deep　voice　of
the　schoolmaster；　cunningly。

〃Oh；　I　left　him　with　a　woman　who　es　in　to　help
meand　who　understands　him。　But　I　shall　call　in　the　doctor
on　my　way　home。〃

Ursula　stood　still。　She　felt　vague　threats　in　all　this。　But
the　woman　was　so　utterly　strange　to　her；　that　she　did　not
understand。

〃He　told　me　he　had　been　beaten；〃　continued　the　woman；　〃and
when　I　undressed　him　to　put　him　to　bed；　his　body　was　covered
with　marksI　could　show　them　to　any　doctor。〃

Mr。　Harby　looked　at　Ursula　to　answer。　She　began　to
understand。　The　woman　was　threatening　to　take　out　a　charge　of
assault　on　her　son　against　her。　Perhaps　she　wanted　money。

〃I　caned　him；〃　she　said。　〃He　was　so　much　trouble。〃

〃I'm　sorry　if　he　was　troublesome；〃　said　the　woman；　〃but　he
must　have　been　shamefully　beaten。　I　could　show　the　marks　to　any
doctor。　I'm　sure　it　isn't　allowed；　if　it　was　known。〃

〃I　caned　him　while　he　kept　kicking　me；〃　said　Ursula；　getting
angry　because　she　was　half　excusing　herself；　Mr。　Harby　standing
there　with　the　twinkle　at　the　side　of　his　eyes；　enjoying　the
dilemma　of　the　two　women。

〃I'm　sure　I'm　sorry　if　he　behaved　badly；〃　said　the　woman。
〃But　I　can't　think　he　deserved　beating　as　he　has　been。　I　can't
send　him　to　school；　and　really　can't　afford　to　pay　the
doctor。Is　it　allowed　for　the　teachers　to　beat　the
children　like　that；　Mr。　Harby？〃

The　headmaster　refused　to　answer。　Ursula　loathed　herself；　and
loathed　Mr。　Harby　with　his　twinkling　cunning　and　malice　on　the
occasion。　The　other　miserable　woman　watched　her　chance。

〃It　is　an　expense　to　me；　and　I　have　a　great　struggle　to　keep
my　boy　decent。〃

Ursula　still　would　not　answer。　She　looked　out　at　the　asphalt
yard；　where　a　dirty　rag　of　paper　was　blowing。

〃And　it　isn't　allowed　to　beat　a　child　like　that；　I　am　sure；
especially　when　he　is　delicate。〃

Ursula　stared　with　a　set　face　on　the　yard；　as　if　she　did　not
hear。　She　loathed　all　this；　and　had　ceased　to　feel　or　to
exist。

〃Though　I　know　he　is　troublesome　sometimesbut　I　think
it　was　too　much。　His　body　is　covered　with　marks。〃

Mr。　Harby　stood　sturdy　and　unmoved；　waiting　now　to　have　done；
with　the　twinkling；　tiny　wrinkles　of　an　ironical　smile　at　the
corners　of　his　eyes。　He　felt　himself　master　of　the
situation。

〃And　he　was　violently　sick。　I　couldn't　possibly　send　him　to
school　today。　He　couldn't　keep　his　head　up。〃

Yet　she　had　no　answer。

〃You　will　understand；　sir；　why　he　is　absent；〃　she　said；
turning　to　Mr。　Harby。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　said；　rough　and　offhand。　Ursula　detested　him
for　his　male　triumph。　And　she　loathed　the　woman。　She　loathed
everything。

〃You　will　try　to　have　it　remembered；　sir；　that　he　has　a　weak
heart。　He　is　so　sick　after　these　things。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　headmaster；　〃I'll　see　about　it。〃

〃I　know　he　is　troublesome；〃　the　woman　only　addressed　herself
to　the　male　now〃but　if　you　could　have　him　punished
without　beatinghe　is　really　delicate。〃

Ursula　was　beginning　to　feel　upset。　Harby　stood　in　rather
superb　mastery；　the　woman　cringing　to　him　to　tickle　him　as　one
tickles　trout。

〃I　had　e　to　explain　why　he　was　away　this　morning；　sir。　You
will　understand。〃

She　held　out　her　hand。　Harby　took　it　and　let　it　go；　surprised
and　angry。

〃Good　morning；〃　she　said；　and　she　gave　her　gloved；　seedy　hand
to　Ursula。　She　was　not　illlooking；　and　had　a　curious
insinuating　way；　very　distasteful　yet　effective。

〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Harby；　and　thank　you。〃

The　figure　in　the　grey　costume　and　the　purple　hat　was　going
across　the　school　yard　with　a　curious　lingering　walk。　Ursula
felt　a　strange　pity　for　her；　and　revulsion　from　her。　She
shuddered。　She　went　into　the　school　again。

The　next　morning　Williams　turned　up；　looking　paler　than　ever；
very　neat　and　nicely　dressed　in　his　sailor　blouse。　He　glanced　at
Ursula　with　a　halfsmile：　cunning；　subdued；　ready　to　do　as　she
told　him。　There　was　something　about　him　that　made　her　shiver。
She　loathed　the　idea　of　having　laid　hands　on　him。　His　elder
brother　was　standing　outside　the　gate　at　playtime；　a　youth　of
about　fifteen；　tall　and　thin　and　pale。　He　raised　his　hat；　almost
like　a　gentleman。　But　there　was　something　subdued；　insidious
about　him　too。

〃Who　is　it？〃　said　Ursula。

〃It's　the　big　Williams；〃　said　Violet　Harby　roughly。
〃She　was　here　yesterday；　wasn't　she？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃It's　no　good　her　ingher　character's　not　good
enough　for　her　to　make　any　trouble。〃

Ursula　shrank　from　the　brutality　and　the　scandal。　But　it　had
some　vague；　horrid　fascination。　How　sordid　everything　seemed！
She　felt　sorry　for　the　queer　woman　with　the　lingering　walk；　and
those　queer；　insidious　boys。　The　Williams　in　her　class　was　wrong
somewhere。　How　nasty　it　was　altogether。

So　the　battle　went　on　till　her　heart　was　sick。　She　had
several　more　boys　to　subjugate　before　she　could　establish
herself。　And　Mr。　Harby　hated　her　almost　as　if　she　were　a　man。
She　knew　now　that　nothing　but　a　thrashing　would　settle　some　of
the　big　louts　who　wanted　to　play　cat　and　mouse　with　her。　Mr。
Harby　would　not　give　them　the　thrashing　if　he　could　help　it。　For
he　hated　the　teacher；　the　stuckup；　insolent　highschool　miss
with　her　independence。

〃Now；　Wright；　what　have　you　done　this　time？〃　he　would　say
genially　to　the　boy　who　was　sent　to　him　from　Standard　Five　for
punishment。　And　he　left　the　lad　standing；　lounging；　wasting　his
time。

So　that　Ursula　would　appeal　no　more　to　the　headmaster；　but；
when　she　was　driven　wild；　she　seized　her　cane；　and　slashed　the
boy　who　was　insolent　to　her；　over　head　and　ears　and　hands。　And
at　length　they　were　afraid　of　her；　she　had　them　in　order。

But　she　had　paid　a　great　price　out　of　her　own　soul；　to　do
this。　It　seemed　as　if　a　great　flame　had　gone　through　her　and
burnt　her　sensitive　tissue。　She　who　shrank　from　th