The Rainbow-虹(英文版)-第104部分

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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　violently　sick……I　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　morning……I　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
me……and　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　marks……I　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　sometimes……but　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　to…day。　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　off…hand。　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　beating……he　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　ill…looking；　and　had　a　curious
insinuating　way；　very　distasteful