第3部分(第2/7 頁)

never　sure　under　his　feet；　he　was　nowhere。　His　final　downfall

was　his　plete　inability　to　attend　to　a　question　put　without

suggestion。　If　he　had　to　write　a　formal　position　on　the　Army；

he　did　at　last　learn　to　repeat　the　few　facts　he　knew：　〃You　can

join　the　army　at　eighteen。　You　have　to　be　over　five　foot　eight。〃

But　he　had　all　the　time　a　living　conviction　that　this　was　a

dodge　and　that　his　mon…places　were　beneath　contempt。　Then　he

reddened　furiously；　felt　his　bowels　sink　with　shame；　scratched

out　what　he　had　written；　made　an　agonized　effort　to　think　of

something　in　the　real　position　style；　failed；　became　sullen

with　rage　and　humiliation；　put　the　pen　down　and　would　have　been

torn　to　pieces　rather　than　attempt　to　write　another　word。

He　soon　got　used　to　the　Grammar　School；　and　the　Grammar

School　got　used　to　him；　setting　him　down　as　a　hopeless　duffer　at

learning；　but　respecting　him　for　a　generous；　honest　nature。　Only

one　narrow；　domineering　fellow；　the　Latin　master；　bullied　him

and　made　the　blue　eyes　mad　with　shame　and　rage。　There　was　a

horrid　scene；　when　the　boy　laid　open　the　master's　head　with　a

slate；　and　then　things　went　on　as　before。　The　teacher　got　little

sympathy。　But　Brangwen　winced　and　could　not　bear　to　think　of　the

deed；　not　even　long　after；　when　he　was　a　grown　man。

He　was　glad　to　leave　school。　It　had　not　been　unpleasant；　he

had　enjoyed　the　panionship　of　the　other　youths；　or　had

thought　he　enjoyed　it；　the　time　had　passed　very　quickly；　in

endless　activity。　But　he　knew　all　the　time　that　he　was　in　an

ignominious　position；　in　this　place　of　learning。　He　was　aware　of

failure　all　the　wh