The Rainbow-虹(英文版)

第76部分 (第4/7頁)

　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　sometimes……but　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　to…day。　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　off…hand。　Ursula　detested　him

for　his　male　triumph。　And　she　loathed　the　woman。　She　loathed

everything。

〃You　will　try　to　have　it　remembe