第73部分(第3/7 頁)

looked　up。

〃Fold　arms。〃

They　pushed　back　their　books　and　folded　arms。

Ursula；　stuck　among　the　back　forms；　could　not　extricate

herself。

〃What　is　your　position　about？〃　asked　the

headmaster。　Every　hand　shot　up。　〃The　〃　stuttered

some　voice　in　its　eagerness　to　answer。

〃I　wouldn't　advise　you　to　call　out；〃　said　Mr。　Harby。　He　would

have　a　pleasant　voice；　full　and　musical；　but　for　the　detestable

menace　that　always　tailed　in　it。　He　stood　unmoved；　his　eyes

twinkling　under　his　bushy　black　eyebrows；　watching　the　class。

There　was　something　fascinating　in　him；　as　he　stood；　and　again

she　wanted　to　scream。　She　was　all　jarred；　she　did　not　know　what

she　felt。

〃Well；　Alice？〃　he　said。

〃The　rabbit；〃　piped　a　girl's　voice。

〃A　very　easy　subject　for　Standard　Five。〃

Ursula　felt　a　slight　shame　of　inpetence。　She　was　exposed

before　the　class。　And　she　was　tormented　by　the　contradictoriness

of　everything。　Mr。　Harby　stood　so　strong；　and　so　male；　with　his

black　brows　and　clear　forehead；　the　heavy　jaw；　the　big；

overhanging　moustache：　such　a　man；　with　strength　and　male　power；

and　a　certain　blind；　native　beauty。　She　might　have　liked　him　as

a　man。　And　here　he　stood　in　some　other　capacity；　bullying　over

such　a　trifle　as　a　boy's　speaking　out　without　permission。　Yet　he

was　not　a　little；　fussy　man。　He　seemed　to　have　some　cruel；

stubborn；　evil　spirit；　he　was　imprisoned　in　a　task　too　small　and

petty　for　him；　which　yet；　in　a　servile　acquiescence；　he　would

fulfil；　because　he　had　to　earn　his　living。　He　had　no　finer

control　over　himself；　only　this　blind；　dogged；　wholesale　will。

He　would　keep　the　job　goin