第73部分(第2/7 頁)

elled　a　lad；　loudly；　with　a　note

of　mockery。

At　that　moment　Mr。　Harby　was　passing。

〃Stand　up；　Hill！〃　he　called；　in　a　big　voice。

Everybody　started。　Ursula　watched　the　boy。　He　was　evidently

poor；　and　rather　cunning。　A　stiff　bit　of　hair　stood　straight　off

his　forehead；　the　rest　fitted　close　to　his　meagre　head。　He　was

pale　and　colourless。

〃Who　told　you　to　call　out？〃　thundered　Mr。　Harby。

The　boy　looked　up　and　down；　with　a　guilty　air；　and　a　cunning；

cynical　reserve。

〃Please；　sir；　I　was　answering；〃　he　replied；　with　the　same

humble　insolence。

〃Go　to　my　desk。〃

The　boy　set　off　down　the　room；　the　big　black　jacket　hanging

in　dejected　folds　about　him；　his　thin　legs；　rather　knocked　at

the　knees；　going　already　with　the　pauper's　crawl；　his　feet　in

their　big　boots　scarcely　lifted。　Ursula　watched　him　in　his

crawling；　slinking　progress　down　the　room。　He　was　one　of　her

boys！　When　he　got　to　the　desk；　he　looked　round；　half　furtively；

with　a　sort　of　cunning　grin　and　a　pathetic　leer　at　the　big　boys

in　Standard　VII。　Then；　pitiable；　pale；　in　his　dejected　garments；

he　lounged　under　the　menace　of　the　headmaster's　desk；　with　one

thin　leg　crooked　at　the　knee　and　the　foot　struck　out　sideways

his　hands　in　the　low…hanging　pockets　of　his　man's　jacket。

Ursula　tried　to　get　her　attention　back　to　the　class。　The　boy

gave　her　a　little　horror；　and　she　was　at　the　same　time　hot　with

pity　for　him。　She　felt　she　wanted　to　scream。　She　was　responsible

for　the　boy's　punishment。　Mr。　Harby　was　looking　at　her

handwriting　on　the　board。　He　turned　to　the　class。

〃Pens　down。〃

The　children　put　down　their　pens　and