第74部分(第4/7 頁)

　go　back　till　you　are　not　fit　for　Standard

Three。　I　shall　examine　all　books　every　Monday〃

Then　in　a　rage；　he　went　away　with　his　cane；　leaving　Ursula　to

confront　a　pale；　quivering　class；　whose　childish　faces　were　shut

in　blank　resentment；　fear；　and　bitterness；　whose　souls　were　full

of　anger　and　contempt　for　her　rather　than　of　the　master；　whose

eyes　looked　at　her　with　the　cold；　inhuman　accusation　of

children。　And　she　could　hardly　make　mechanical　words　to　speak　to

them。　When　she　gave　an　order　they　obeyed　with　an　insolent

off…handedness；　as　if　to　say：　〃As　for　you；　do　you　think　we　would

obey　you；　but　for　the　master？〃　She　sent　the　blubbering；

caned　boys　to　their　seats；　knowing　that　they　too　jeered　at　her

and　her　authority；　holding　her　weakness　responsible　for　what

punishment　had　overtaken　them。　And　she　knew　the　whole　position；

so　that　even　her　horror　of　physical　beating　and　suffering　sank

to　a　deeper　pain；　and　became　a　moral　judgment　upon　her；　worse

than　any　hurt。

She　must；　during　the　next　week；　watch　over　her　books；　and

punish　any　fault。　Her　soul　decided　it　coldly。　Her　personal

desire　was　dead　for　that　day　at　least。　She　must　have　nothing

more　of　herself　in　school。　She　was　to　be　Standard　Five　teacher

only。　That　was　her　duty。　In　school；　she　was　nothing　but　Standard

Five　teacher。　Ursula　Brangwen　must　be　excluded。

So　that；　pale；　shut；　at　last　distant　and　impersonal；　she　saw

no　longer　the　child；　how　his　eyes　danced；　or　how　he　had　a　queer

little　soul　that　could　not　be　bothered　with　shaping　handwriting

so　long　as　he　dashed　down　what　he　thought。　She　saw　no　children；

only　the　task　that　was　to　be　do