stiff not far from him。 Nothing could touch her now： she was
beyond Mr。 Harby。 She was as if violated to death。
The headmaster muttered something； turned； and went down the
room； whence； from the far end； he was heard roaring in a mad
rage at his own class。
The boy blubbered wildly by the radiator。 Ursula looked at
the class。 There were fifty pale； still faces watching her； a
hundred round eyes fixed on her in an attentive； expressionless
stare。
〃Give out the history readers；〃 she said to the monitors。
There was dead silence。 As she stood there； she could hear
again the ticking of the clock； and the chock of piles of books
taken out of the low cupboard。 Then came the faint flap of books
on the desks。 The children passed in silence； their hands
working in unison。 They were no longer a pack； but each one
separated into a silent； closed thing。
〃Take page 125； and read that chapter；〃 said Ursula。
There was a click of many books opened。 The children found
the page； and bent their heads obediently to read。 And they
read； mechanically。
Ursula； who was trembling violently； went and sat in her high
chair。 The blubbering of the boy continued。 The strident voice
of Mr。 Brunt； the roar of Mr。 Harby； came muffled through the
glass partition。 And now and then a pair of eyes rose from the
readingbook； rested on her a moment； watchful； as if
calculating impersonally； then sank again。
She sat still without moving； her eyes watching the class；
unseeing。 She was quite still； and weak。 She felt that she could
not raise her hand from the desk。 If she sat there for ever； she
felt she could not move again； nor utter a mand。 It was a
quarterpast four。 She almost dreaded the closing of the school；
when she would be alone。
The class began to recover its ease； the tension relaxed。
Williams was still crying。 Mr。 Brunt was giving orders for the
closing of the lesson。 Ursula got down。
〃Take your place； Williams；〃 she said。
He dragged his feet across the room； wiping his face on his
sleeve。 As he sat down； he glanced at her furtively； his eyes
still redder。 Now he looked like some beaten rat。
At last the children were gone。 Mr。 Harby trod by heavily；
without looking her way； or speaking。 Mr。 Brunt hesitated as she
was locking her cupboard。
〃If you settle Clarke and Letts in the same way； Miss
Brangwen； you'll be all right；〃 he said； his blue eyes glancing
down in a strange fellowship； his long nose pointing at her。
〃Shall I？〃 she laughed nervously。 She did not want anybody to
talk to her。
As she went along the street； clattering on the granite
pavement； she was aware of boys dodging behind her。 Something
struck her hand that was carrying her bag； bruising her。 As it
rolled away she saw that it was a potato。 Her hand was hurt； but
she gave no sign。 Soon she would take the tram。
She was afraid； and strange。 It was to her quite strange and
ugly； like some dream where she was degraded。 She would have
died rather than admit it to anybody。 She could not look at her
swollen hand。 Something had broken in her； she had passed a
crisis。 Williams was beaten； but at a cost。
Feeling too much upset to go home； she rode a little farther
into the town； and got down from the tram at a small teashop。
There； in the dark little place behind the shop； she drank her
tea and ate breadandbutter。 She did not taste anything。 The
taking of tea was just a mechanical action； to cover over her
existence。 There she sat in the dark； obscure little place；
without knowing。 Only unconsciously she nursed the back of her
hand； which was bruised。
When finally she took her way home； it was sunset red across
the west。 She did not know why she was going home。 There was
nothing for her there。 She had； true； only to pretend to be
normal。 There was nobody she could speak to； nowhere to go for
escape。 But she must keep on； under this red sunset； alone；
knowing the horror in humanity； that would destroy her； and with
which she was at war。 Yet it had to be so。
In the morning again she must go to school。 She got up and
went without murmuring even to herself。 She was in the hands of
some bigger； stronger； coarser will。
School was fairly quiet。 But she could feel the class
watching her； ready to spring on her。 Her instinct was aware of
the class instinct to catch her if she were weak。 But she kept
cold and was guarded。
Williams was absent from school。 In the middle of the morning
there was a knock at the door： someone wanted the headmaster。
Mr。 Harby went out； heavily； angrily； nervously。 He was afraid
of irate parents。 After a moment in the passage； he came again
into school。
〃Sturgess；〃 he called to one of his larger boys。 〃Stand in
front of the class and write down the name of anyone who speaks。
Will you e this way； Miss Brangwen。〃
He seemed vindictively to seize upon her。
Ursula followed him； and found in the lobby a thin woman with
a whitish skin； not illdressed in a grey costume and a purple
hat。
〃I called about Vernon；〃 said the woman； speaking in a
refined accent。 There was about the woman altogether an
appearance of refinement and of cleanliness； curiously
contradicted by her half beggar's deportment； and a sense of her
being unpleasant to touch； like something going bad inside。 She
was neither a lady nor an ordinary working man's wife； but a
creature separate from society。 By her dress she was not
poor。
Ursula knew at once that she was Williams' mother； and that
he was Vernon。 She remembered that he was always clean； and
welldressed； in a sailor suit。 And he had this same peculiar；
half transparent unwholesomeness； rather like a corpse。
〃I wasn't able to send him to school today；〃 continued the
woman； with a false grace of manner。 〃He came home last night
so illhe was violently sickI thought I
should have to send for the doctor。You know he has a weak
heart。〃
The woman looked at Ursula with her pale； dead eyes。
〃No；〃 replied the girl； 〃I did not know。〃
She stood still with repulsion and uncertainty。 Mr。 Harby；
large and male； with his overhanging moustache； stood by with a
slight； ugly smile at the corner of his eyes。 The woman went on
insidiously； not quite human：
〃Oh； yes； he has had heart disease ever since he was a child。
That is why he isn't very regular at school。 And it is very bad
to beat him。 He was awfully ill this morningI shall call
on the doctor as I go back。〃
〃Who is staying with him now； then？〃 put in the deep voice of
the schoolmaster； cunningly。
〃Oh； I left him with a woman who es in to help
meand who understands him。 But I shall call in the doctor
on my way home。〃
Ursula stood still。 She felt vague threats in all this。 But
the woman was so utterly strange to her； that she did not
understand。
〃He told me he had been beaten；〃 continued the woman； 〃and
when I undressed him to put him to bed； his body was covered
with marksI could show them to any doctor。〃
Mr。 Harby looked at Ursula to answer。 She began to
understand。 The woman was threatening to take out a charge of
assault on her son against her。 Perhaps she wanted money。
〃I caned him；〃 she said。 〃He was so much trouble。〃
〃I'm sorry if he was troublesome；〃 said the woman； 〃but he
must have been shamefully beaten。 I could show the marks to any
doctor。 I'm sure it isn't allowed； if it was known。〃
〃I caned him while he kept kicking me；〃 said Ursula； getting
angry because she was half excusing herself； Mr。 Harby standing
there with the twinkle at the side of his eyes； enjoying the
dilemma of the two women。
〃I'm sure I'm sorry if he behaved badly；〃 said the woman。
〃But I can't think he deserved beating as he has been。 I can't
send him to school； and really can't afford to pay the
doctor。Is it allowed for the teachers to beat the
children like that； Mr。 Harby？〃
The headmaster refused to answer。 Ursula loathed herself； and
loathed Mr。 Harby with his twinkling cunning and malice on the
occasion。 The other miserable woman watched her chance。
〃It is an expense to me； and I have a great struggle to keep
my boy decent。〃
Ursula still would not answer。 She looked out at the asphalt
yard； where a dirty rag of paper was blowing。
〃And it isn't allowed to beat a child like that； I am sure；
especially when he is delicate。〃
Ursula stared with a set face on the yard； as if she did not
hear。 She loathed all this； and had ceased to feel or to
exist。
〃Though I know he is troublesome sometimesbut I think
it was too much。 His body is covered with marks。〃
Mr。 Harby stood sturdy and unmoved； waiting now to have done；
with the twinkling； tiny wrinkles of an ironical smile at the
corners of his eyes。 He felt himself master of the
situation。
〃And he was violently sick。 I couldn't possibly send him to
school today。 He couldn't keep his head up。〃
Yet she had no answer。
〃You will understand； sir； why he is absent；〃 she said；
turning to Mr。 Harby。
〃Oh； yes；〃 he said； rough and offhand。 Ursula detested him
for his male triumph。 And she loathed the woman。 She loathed
everything。
〃You will try to have it remembered； sir； that he has a weak
heart。 He is so sick after these things。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the headmaster； 〃I'll see about it。〃
〃I know he is troublesome；〃 the woman only addressed herself
to the male now〃but if you could have him punished
without beatinghe is really delicate。〃
Ursula was beginning to feel upset。 Harby stood in rather
superb mastery； the woman cringing to him to tickle him as one
tickles trout。
〃I had e to explain why he was away this morning； sir。 You
will understand。〃
She held out her hand。 Harby took it and let it go； surprised
and angry。
〃Good morning；〃 she said； and she gave her gloved； seedy hand
to Ursula。 She was not illlooking； and had a curious
insinuating way； very distasteful yet effective。
〃Good morning； Mr。 Harby； and thank you。〃
The figure in the grey costume and the purple hat was going
across the school yard with a curious lingering walk。 Ursula
felt a strange pity for her； and revulsion from her。 She
shuddered。 She went into the school again。
The next morning Williams turned up； looking paler than ever；
very neat and nicely dressed in his sail