第75部分(第5/7 頁)

er　cane　from　the　desk；　and　brought　it　down　on　him。　He　was

writhing　and　kicking。　She　saw　his　face　beneath　her；　white；　with

eyes　like　the　eyes　of　a　fish；　stony；　yet　full　of　hate　and

horrible　fear。　And　she　loathed　him；　the　hideous　writhing　thing

that　was　nearly　too　much　for　her。　In　horror　lest　he　should

overe　her；　and　yet　at　the　heart　quite　calm；　she　brought　down

the　cane　again　and　again；　whilst　he　struggled　making

inarticulate　noises；　and　lunging　vicious　kicks　at　her。　With　one

hand　she　managed　to　hold　him；　and　now　and　then　the　cane　came

down　on　him。　He　writhed；　like　a　mad　thing。　But　the　pain　of　the

strokes　cut　through　his　writhing；　vicious；　coward's　courage；　bit

deeper；　till　at　last；　with　a　long　whimper　that　became　a　yell；　he

went　limp。　She　let　him　go；　and　he　rushed　at　her；　his　teeth　and

eyes　glinting。　There　was　a　second　of　agonized　terror　in　her

heart：　he　was　a　beast　thing。　Then　she　caught　him；　and　the　cane

came　down　on　him。　A　few　times；　madly；　in　a　frenzy；　he　lunged　and

writhed；　to　kick　her。　But　again　the　cane　broke　him；　he　sank　with

a　howling　yell　on　the　floor；　and　like　a　beaten　beast　lay　there

yelling。

Mr。　Harby　had　rushed　up　towards　the　end　of　this

performance。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　he　roared。

Ursula　felt　as　if　something　were　going　to　break　in　her。

〃I've　thrashed　him；〃　she　said；　her　breast　heaving；　forcing

out　the　words　on　the　last　breath。　The　headmaster　stood　choked

with　rage；　helpless。　She　looked　at　the　writhing；　howling　figure

on　the　floor。

〃Get　up；〃　she　said。　The　thing　writhed　away　from　her。　She　took

a　step　forward。　She　had　realized　the　presence　of　the　headmaster

f