第73部分(第5/7 頁)

y　exercise　his　own　brute　will。　He　did

not　believe　in　the　least　in　the　education　he　kept　inflicting

year　after　year　upon　the　children。　So　he　must　bully；　only　bully；

even　while　it　tortured　his　strong；　wholesome　nature　with　shame

like　a　spur　always　galling。　He　was　so　blind　and　ugly　and　out　of

place。　Ursula　could　not　bear　it　as　he　stood　there。　The　whole

situation　was　wrong　and　ugly。

The　lesson　was　finished；　Mr。　Harby　went　away。　At　the　far　end

of　the　room　she　heard　the　whistle　and　the　thud　of　the　cane。　Her

heart　stood　still　within　her。　She　could　not　bear　it；　no；　she

could　not　bear　it　when　the　boy　was　beaten。　It　made　her　sick。　She

felt　that　she　must　go　out　of　this　school；　this　torture…place。

And　she　hated　the　schoolmaster；　thoroughly　and　finally。　The

brute；　had　he　no　shame？　He　should　never　be　allowed　to　continue

the　atrocity　of　this　bullying　cruelty。　Then　Hill　came　crawling

back；　blubbering　piteously。　There　was　something　desolate　about

this　blubbering　that　nearly　broke　her　heart。　For　after　all；　if

she　had　kept　her　class　in　proper　discipline；　this　would　never

have　happened；　Hill　would　never　have　called　out　and　been

caned。

She　began　the　arithmetic　lesson。　But　she　was　distracted。　The

boy　Hill　sat　away　on　the　back　desk；　huddled　up；　blubbering　and

sucking　his　hand。　It　was　a　long　time。　She　dared　not　go　near；　nor

speak　to　him。　She　felt　ashamed　before　him。　And　she　felt　she

could　not　forgive　the　boy　for　being　the　huddled；　blubbering

object；　all　wet　and　snivelled；　which　he　was。

She　went　on　correcting　the　sums。　But　there　were　too　many

children。　She　could　not　get　round　the　class。　And　Hill　was　on　her