第71部分(第5/7 頁)

wever；　too　much　for　her；　he　was

something　she　could　not　e　to　grips　with；　something　too　strong

for　her。　She　tried　to　approach　him　as　a　young；　bright　girl

usually　approaches　a　man；　expecting　a　little　chivalrous

courtesy。　But　the　fact　that　she　was　a　girl；　a　woman；　was　ignored

or　used　as　a　matter　for　contempt　against　her。　She　did　not　know

what　she　was；　nor　what　she　must　be。　She　wanted　to　remain　her　own

responsive；　personal　self。

So　she　taught　on。　She　made　friends　with　the　Standard　Three

teacher；　Maggie　Schofield。　Miss　Schofield　was　about　twenty　years

old；　a　subdued　girl　who　held　aloof　from　the　other　teachers。　She

was　rather　beautiful；　meditative；　and　seemed　to　live　in　another；

lovelier　world。

Ursula　took　her　dinner　to　school；　and　during　the　second　week

ate　it　in　Miss　Schofield's　room。　Standard　Three　classroom　stood

by　itself　and　had　windows　on　two　sides；　looking　on　to　the

playground。　It　was　a　passionate　relief　to　find　such　a　retreat　in

the　jarring　school。　For　there　were　pots　of　chrysanthemums　and

coloured　leaves；　and　a　big　jar　of　berries：　there　were　pretty

little　pictures　on　the　wall；　photogravure　reproductions　from

Greuze；　and　Reynolds's　〃Age　of　Innocence〃；　giving　an　air　of

intimacy；　so　that　the　room；　with　its　window　space；　its　smaller；

tidier　desks；　its　touch　of　pictures　and　flowers；　made　Ursula　at

once　glad。　Here　at　last　was　a　little　personal　touch；　to　which

she　could　respond。

It　was　Monday。　She　had　been　at　school　a　week　and　was　getting

used　to　the　surroundings；　though　she　was　still　an　entire

foreigner　in　herself。　She　looked　forward　to　having　dinner　with

Maggie。　That　was　the　bri