The Rainbow-虹(英文版)

第70部分 (第5/7頁)

as　round　her　now！　She　looked　at　the　walls；　colour

washed；　pale　green　and　chocolate；　at　the　large　windows　with

frowsy　geraniums　against　the　pale　glass；　at　the　long　rows　of

desks；　arranged　in　a　squadron；　and　dread　filled　her。　This　was　a

new　world；　a　new　life；　with　which　she　was　threatened。　But　still

excited；　she　climbed　into　her　chair　at　her　teacher's　desk。　It

was　high；　and　her　feet　could　not　reach　the　ground；　but　must　rest

on　the　step。　Lifted　up　there；　off　the　ground；　she　was　in　office。

How　queer；　how　queer　it　all　was！　How　different　it　was　from　the

mist　of　rain　blowing　over　Cossethay。　As　she　thought　of　her　own

village；　a　spasm　of　yearning　crossed　her；　it　seemed　so　far　off；

so　lost　to　her。

She　was　here　in　this　hard；　stark　reality……reality。　It

was　queer　that　she　should　call　this　the　reality；　which　she　had

never　known　till　to…day；　and　which　now　so　filled　her　with　dread

and　dislike；　that　she　wished　she　might　go　away。　This　was　the

reality；　and　Cossethay；　her　beloved；　beautiful；　wellknown

Cossethay；　which　was　as　herself　unto　her；　that　was　minor

reality。　This　prison　of　a　school　was　reality。　Here；　then；　she

would　sit　in　state；　the　queen　of　scholars！　Here　she　would

realize　her　dream　of　being　the　beloved　teacher　bringing　light

and　joy　to　her　children！　But　the　desks　before　her　had　an

abstract　angularity　that　bruised　her　sentiment　and　made　her

shrink。　She　winced；　feeling　she　had　been　a　fool　in　her

anticipations。　She　had　brought　her　feelings　and　her　generosity

to　where　neither　generosity　nor　emotion　were　wanted。　And　already

she　felt　rebuffed；　troubled　by　the　new　atmosphere；　out　of

place。

She