第71部分(第4/7 頁)

not　know

how　to　teach；　and　she　felt　she　never　would　know。　Mr。　Harby　came

down　every　now　and　then　to　her　class；　to　see　what　she　was　doing。

She　felt　so　inpetent　as　he　stood　by；　bullying　and

threatening；　so　unreal；　that　she　wavered；　became　neutral　and

non…existent。　But　he　stood　there　watching　with　the

listening…genial　smile　of　the　eyes；　that　was　really　threatening；

he　said　nothing；　he　made　her　go　on　teaching；　she　felt　she　had　no

soul　in　her　body。　Then　he　went　away；　and　his　going　was　like　a

derision。　The　class　was　his　class。　She　was　a　wavering

substitute。　He　thrashed　and　bullied；　he　was　hated。　But　he　was

master。　Though　she　was　gentle　and　always　considerate　of　her

class；　yet　they　belonged　to　Mr。　Harby；　and　they　did　not　belong

to　her。　Like　some　invincible　source　of　the　mechanism　he　kept　all

power　to　himself。　And　the　class　owned　his　power。　And　in　school

it　was　power；　and　power　alone　that　mattered。

Soon　Ursula　came　to　dread　him；　and　at　the　bottom　of　her　dread

was　a　seed　of　hate；　for　she　despised　him；　yet　he　was　master　of

her。　Then　she　began　to　get　on。　All　the　other　teachers　hated　him；

and　fanned　their　hatred　among　themselves。　For　he　was　master　of

them　and　the　children；　he　stood　like　a　wheel　to　make　absolute

his　authority　over　the　herd。　That　seemed　to　be　his　one　reason　in

life；　to　hold　blind　authority　over　the　school。　His　teachers　were

his　subjects　as　much　as　the　scholars。　Only；　because　they　had

some　authority；　his　instinct　was　to　detest　them。

Ursula　could　not　make　herself　a　favourite　with　him。　From　the

first　moment　she　set　hard　against　him。　She　set　against　Violet

Harby　also。　Mr。　Harby　was；　ho