第76部分(第3/7 頁)

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