第90部分(第1/7 頁)

already　July。　In　early　September　he　must　sail　for　India。　He

could　not　bear　to　think　of　going　alone。　She　must　e　with　him。

Nervously；　he　kept　beside　her。

Her　examination　was　finished；　her　college　career　was　over。

There　remained　for　her　now　to　marry　or　to　work　again。　She

applied　for　no　post。　It　was　concluded　she　would　marry。　India

tempted　her……the　strange；　strange　land。　But　with　the

thought　of　Calcutta；　or　Bombay；　or　of　Simla；　and　of　the　European

population；　India　was　no　more　attractive　to　her　than

Nottingham。

She　had　failed　in　her　examination：　she　had　gone　down：　she　had

not　taken　her　degree。　It　was　a　blow　to　her。　It　hardened　her

soul。

〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　he　said。　〃What　are　the　odds；　whether　you

are　a　Bachelor　of　Arts　or　not；　according　to　the　London

University？　All　you　know；　you　know；　and　if　you　are　Mrs。

Skrebensky；　the　B。A。　is　meaningless。〃

Instead　of　consoling　her；　this　made　her　harder；　more

ruthless。　She　was　now　up　against　her　own　fate。　It　was　for　her　to

choose　between　being　Mrs。　Skrebensky；　even　Baroness　Skrebensky；

wife　of　a　lieutenant　in　the　Royal　Engineers；　the　Sappers；　as　he

called　them；　living　with　the　European　population　in

India……or　being　Ursula　Brangwen；　spinster；　school…mistress。

She　was　qualified　by　her　Intermediate　Arts　examination。　She

would　probably　even　now　get　a　post　quite　easily　as　assistant　in

one　of　the　higher　grade　schools；　or　even　in　Willey　Green　School。

Which　was　she　to　do？

She　hated　most　of　all　entering　the　bondage　of　teaching　once

more。　Very　heartily　she　detested　it。　Yet　at　the　thought　of

marriage　and　living　with　Skrebensky　amid　the　European