The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第109部分

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him；　and　she　looked　again；　for　him　to　bee　real　to　her。　But　it
was　her　own　self　that　was　occupied　elsewhere。　She　seemed　to　have
some　other　being。

And　she　turned　to　spring　and　the　opening　buds。　There　was　a
large　pear　tree　by　a　wall；　and　it　was　full；　thronged　with　tiny；
greygreen　buds；　myriads。　She　stood　before　it　arrested　with
delight；　and　a　realization　went　deep　into　her　heart。　There　was
so　great　a　host　in　array　behind　the　cloud　of　pale；　dim　green；　so
much　to　e　forthso　much　sunshine　to　pour　down。

So　the　weeks　passed　on；　trancelike　and　pregnant。　The　pear
tree　at　Cossethay　burst　into　bloom　against　the　cottageend；　like
a　wave　burst　into　foam。　Then　gradually　the　bluebells　came；　blue
as　water　standing　thin　in　the　level　places　under　the　trees　and
bushes；　flowing　in　more　and　more；　till　there　was　a　flood　of
azure；　and　palegreen　leaves　burning；　and　tiny　birds　with　fiery
little　song　and　flight。　Then　swiftly　the　flood　sank　and　was
gone；　and　it　was　summer。

There　was　to　be　no　going　to　the　seaside　for　a　holiday。　The
holiday　was　the　removal　from　Cossethay。

They　were　going　to　live　near　Willey　Green；　which　place　was
most　central　for　Brangwen。　It　was　an　old；　quiet　village　on　the
edge　of　the　thronged　collierydistrict。　So　that　it　served；　in
its　quaintness　of　odd　old　cottages　lingering　in　their　sunny
gardens；　as　a　sort　of　bower　or　pleasaunce　to　the　sprawling
collierytownlet　of　Beldover；　a　pleasant　walkround　for　the
colliers　on　Sunday　morning；　before　the　publichouses　opened。

In　Willey　Green　stood　the　Grammar　School　where　Brangwen　was
occupied　for　two　days　during　the　week；　and　where　experiments　in
education　were　being　carried　on。

Ursula　wanted　to　live　in　Willey　Green　on　the　remoter　side；
towards　Southwell；　and　Sherwood　Forest。　There　it　was　so　lovely
and　romantic。　But　out　into　the　world　meant　out　into　the　world。
Will　Brangwen　must　bee　modern。

He　bought；　with　his　wife's　money；　a　fairly　large　house　in　the
new；　redbrick　part　of　Beldover。　It　was　a　villa　built　by　the
widow　of　the　late　colliery　manager；　and　stood　in　a　quiet；　new
little　sidestreet　near　the　large　church。

Ursula　was　rather　sad。　Instead　of　having　arrived　at
distinction　they　had　e　to　new　redbrick　suburbia　in　a　grimy；
small　town。

Mrs。　Brangwen　was　happy。　The　rooms　were　splendidly
largea　splendid　diningroom；　drawingroom　and　kitchen；
besides　a　very　pleasant　study　downstairs。　Everything　was
admirably　appointed。　The　widow　had　settled　herself　in　lavishly。
She　was　a　native　of　Beldover；　and　had　intended　to　reign　almost
queen。　Her　bathroom　was　white　and　silver；　her　stairs　were　of
oak；　her　chimneypieces　were　massive　and　oaken；　with　bulging；
columnar　supports。

〃Good　and　substantial；〃　was　the　keynote。　But　Ursula　resented
the　stout；　inflated　prosperity　implied　everywhere。　She　made　her
father　promise　to　chisel　down　the　bulging　oaken　chimneypieces；
chisel　them　flat。　That　sort　of　important　paunch　was　very
distasteful　to　her。　Her　father　was　himself　long　and　loosely
built。　What　had　he　to　do　with　so　much　〃good　and　substantial〃
importance？

They　bought　a　fair　amount　also　of　the　widow's　furniture。　It
was　in　mon　good　tastethe　great　Wilton　carpet；　the
large　round　table；　the　Chesterfield　covered　with　glossy　chintz
in　roses　and　birds。　It　was　all　really　very　sunny　and　nice；　with
large　windows；　and　a　view　right　across　the　shallow　valley。

After　all；　they　would　be；　as　one　of　their　acquaintances　said；
among　the　elite　of　Beldover。　They　would　represent　culture。　And
as　there　was　no　one　of　higher　social　importance　than　the
doctors；　the　collierymanagers；　and　the　chemists；　they　would
shine；　with　their　Della　Robbia　beautiful　Madonna；　their　lovely
reliefs　from　Donatello；　their　reproductions　from　Botticelli。
Nay；　the　large　photographs　of　the　Primavera　and　the　Aphrodite
and　the　Nativity　in　the　diningroom；　the　ordinary
receptionroom；　would　make　dumb　the　mouth　of　Beldover。

And　after　all；　it　is　better　to　be　princess　in　Beldover　than　a
vulgar　nobody　in　the　country。

There　was　great　preparation　made　for　the　removal　of　the　whole
Brangwen　family；　ten　in　all。　The　house　in　Beldover　was　prepared；
the　house　in　Cossethay　was　dismantled。　e　the　end　of　the
schoolterm　the　removal　would　begin。

Ursula　left　school　at　the　end　of　July；　when　the　summer
holiday　menced。　The　morning　outside　was　bright　and　sunny；　and
the　freedom　got　inside　the　schoolroom　this　last　day。　It　was　as
if　the　walls　of　the　school　were　going　to　melt　away。　Already　they
seemed　shadowy　and　unreal。　It　was　breakingup　morning。　Soon
scholars　and　teachers　would　be　outside；　each　going　his　own　way。
The　irons　were　struck　off；　the　sentence　was　expired；　the　prison
was　a　momentary　shadow　halting　about　them。　The　children　were
carrying　away　books　and　inkwell；　and　rolling　up　maps。　All　their
faces　were　bright　with　gladness　and　goodwill。　There　was　a　bustle
of　cleaning　and　clearing　away　all　marks　of　this　last　term　of
imprisonment。　They　were　all　breaking　free。　Busily；　eagerly；
Ursula　made　up　her　totals　of　attendances　in　the　register。　With
pride　she　wrote　down　the　thousands：　to　so　many　thousands　of
children　had　she　given　another　sessions's　lessons。　It　looked
tremendous。　The　excited　hours　passed　slowly　in　suspense。　Then　at
last　it　was　over。　For　the　last　time；　she　stood　before　her
children　whilst　they　said　their　prayers　and　sang　a　hymn。　Then　it
was　over。

〃Goodbye；　children；〃　she　said。　〃I　shall　not　fet　you；　and
you　must　not　fet　me。〃

〃No；　miss；〃　cried　the　children　in　chorus；　with　shining
faces。

She　stood　smiling　on　them；　moved；　as　they　filed　out。　Then　she
gave　her　monitors　their　term　sixpences；　and　they　too　departed。
Cupboards　were　locked；　blackboards　washed；　ink　wells　and　dusters
removed。　The　place　stood　bare　and　vacated。　She　had　triumphed
over　it。　It　was　a　shell　now。　She　had　fought　a　good　fight　here；
and　it　had　not　been　altogether　unenjoyable。　She　owed　some
gratitude　even　to　this　hard；　vacant　place；　that　stood　like　a
memorial　or　a　trophy。　So　much　of　her　life　had　been　fought　for
and　won　and　lost　here。　Something　of　this　school　would　always
belong　to　her；　something　of　her　to　it。　She　acknowledged　it。　And
now　came　the　leavetaking。

In　the　teachers'　room　the　teachers　were　chatting　and
loitering；　talking　excitedly　of　where　they　were　going：　to　the
Isle　of　Man；　to　Llandudno；　to　Yarmouth。　They　were　eager；　and
attached　to　each　other；　like　rades　leaving　a　ship。

Then　it　was　Mr。　Harby's　turn　to　make　a　speech　to　Ursula。　He
looked　handsome；　with　his　silvergrey　temples　and　black　brows；
and　his　imperturbable　male　solidity。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃we　must　say　goodbye　to　Miss　Brangwen　and
wish　her　all　good　fortune　for　the　future。　I　suppose　we　shall　see
her　again　some　time；　and　hear　how　she　is　getting　on。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Ursula；　stammering；　blushing；　laughing。　〃Oh；
yes；　I　shall　e　and　see　you。〃

Then　she　realized　that　this　sounded　too　personal；　and　she
felt　foolish。

〃Miss　Schofield　suggested　these　two　books；〃　he　said；　putting
a　couple　of　volumes　on　the　table：　〃I　hope　you　will　like
them。〃

Ursula　feeling　very　shy　picked　up　the　books。　There　was　a
volume　of　Swinburne's　poetry；　and　a　volume　of　Meredith's。

〃Oh；　I　shall　love　them；〃　she　said。　〃Thank　you　very
muchthank　you　all　so　muchit　is
so〃

She　stuttered　to　an　end；　and　very　red；　turned　the　leaves　of
the　books　eagerly；　pretending　to　be　taking　the　first　pleasure；
but　really　seeing　nothing。

Mr。　Harby's　eyes　were　twinkling。　He　alone　was　at　his　ease；
master　of　the　situation。　It　was　pleasing　to　him　to　make　Ursula
the　gift；　and　for　once　extend　good　feeling　to　his　teachers。　As　a
rule；　it　was　so　difficult；　each　one　was　so　strained　in
resentment　under　his　rule。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃we　hoped　you　would　like　the
choice〃

He　looked　with　his　peculiar；　challenging　smile　for　a　moment；
then　returned　to　his　cupboards。

Ursula　felt　very　confused。　She　hugged　her　books；　loving　them。
And　she　felt　that　she　loved　all　the　teachers；　and　Mr。　Harby。　It
was　very　confusing。

At　last　she　was　out。　She　cast　one　hasty　glance　over　the
school　buildings　squatting　on　the　asphalt　yard　in　the　hot；
glistening　sun；　one　look　down　the　wellknown　road；　and　turned
her　back　on　it　all。　Something　strained　in　her　heart。　She　was
going　away。

〃Well；　g