第75部分(第3/7 頁)

is　seat。　At　the　end　of　that　time　he　had　done　five　lines。

〃As　it　is　so　late　now；〃　said　Ursula；　〃you　will　finish　the

rest　this　evening。〃

The　boy　kicked　his　way　insolently　down　the　passage。

The　afternoon　came　again。　Williams　was　there；　glancing　at

her；　and　her　heart　beat　thick；　for　she　knew　it　was　a　fight

between　them。　She　watched　him。

During　the　geography　lesson；　as　she　was　pointing　to　the　map

with　her　cane；　the　boy　continually　ducked　his　whitish　head　under

the　desk；　and　attracted　the　attention　of　other　boys。

〃Williams；〃　she　said；　gathering　her　courage；　for　it　was

critical　now　to　speak　to　him；　〃what　are　you　doing？〃

He　lifted　his　face；　the　sore…rimmed　eyes　half　smiling。　There

was　something　intrinsically　indecent　about　him。　Ursula　shrank

away。

〃Nothing；〃　he　replied；　feeling　a　triumph。

〃What　are　you　doing？〃　she　repeated；　her　heart…beat

suffocating　her。

〃Nothing；〃　replied　the　boy；　insolently；　aggrieved；　ic。

〃If　I　speak　to　you　again；　you　must　go　down　to　Mr。　Harby；〃　she

said。

But　this　boy　was　a　match　even　for　Mr。　Harby。　He　was　so

persistent；　so　cringing；　and　flexible；　he　howled　so　when　he　was

hurt；　that　the　master　hated　more　the　teacher　who　sent　him　than

he　hated　the　boy　himself。　For　of　the　boy　he　was　sick　of　the

sight。　Which　Williams　knew。　He　grinned　visibly。

Ursula　turned　to　the　map　again；　to　go　on　with　the　geography

lesson。　But　there　was　a　little　ferment　in　the　class。　Williams'

spirit　infected　them　all。　She　heard　a　scuffle；　and　then　she

trembled　inwardly。　If　they　all　turned　on　her　this　time；　she　was

beaten。

〃Please；　miss〃　called　a　voice　in　distress。

She　t