子浪小说

第71部分（第2页）

〃Halt！〃

There　was　a　halt；　the　piano　stopped。　The　boys　who　were　just

starting　through　the　other　door；　pushed　back。　The　harsh；　subdued

voice　of　Mr。　Brunt　was　heard；　then　the　booming　shout　of　Mr。

Harby；　from　far　down　the　room：

〃Who　told　Standard　Five　girls　to　e　in　like　that？〃

Ursula　crimsoned。　Her　girls　were　glancing　up　at　her；　smirking

their　accusation。

〃I　sent　them　in；　Mr。　Harby；〃　she　said；　in　a　clear；　struggling

voice。　There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　Then　Mr。　Harby　roared　from

the　distance。

〃Go　back　to　your　places；　Standard　Five　girls。〃

The　girls　glanced　up　at　Ursula；　accusing；　rather　jeering；

fugitive。　They　pushed　back。　Ursulas　heart　hardened　with

ignominious　pain。

〃Forward……march；〃　came　Mr。　Brunts　voice；　and　the　girls

set　off；　keeping　time　with　the　ranks　of　boys。

Ursula　faced　her　class；　some　fifty…five　boys　and　girls；　who

stood　filling　the　ranks　of　the　desks。　She　felt　utterly

nonexistent。　She　had　no　place　nor　being　there。　She　faced　the

block　of　children。

Down　the　room　she　heard　the　rapid　firing　of　questions。　She

stood　before　her　class　not　knowing　what　to　do。　She　waited

painfully。　Her　block　of　children；　fifty　unknown　faces；　watched

her；　hostile；　ready　to　jeer。　She　felt　as　if　she　were　in　torture

over　a　fire　of　faces。　And　on　every　side　she　was　naked　to　them。

Of　unutterable　length　and　torture　the　seconds　went　by。

Then　she　gathered　courage。　She　heard　Mr。　Brunt　asking

questions　in　mental　arithmetic。　She　stood　near　to　her　class；　so

that　her　voice　need　not　be　raised　too　much；　and　faltering；

uncertain；　she　said：

〃Seven　hats　at　twopence　hapenny　each？〃

A　grin　went　over　the　faces　of　the　class；　seeing　her　mence。

She　was　red　and　suffering。　Then　some　hands　shot　up　like　blades；

and　she　asked　for　the　answer。

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