soul was always wandering in far…off valleys and glades of
poetry。 Maggie was free。 Yet there was something like subjection
in Maggie's very freedom。 Mr。 Harby； the man； disliked the
reserved woman； Maggie。 Mr。 Harby； the schoolmaster； respected
his teacher； Miss Schofield。
For the present； however； Ursula only envied and admired
Maggie。 She herself had still to get where Maggie had got。 She
had still to make her footing。 She had taken up a position on
Mr。 Harby's ground； and she must keep it。 For he was now
beginning a regular attack on her； to drive her away out of his
school。 She could not keep order。 Her class was a turbulent
crowd； and the weak spot in the school's work。 Therefore she
must go； and someone more useful must e in her place； someone
who could keep discipline。
The headmaster had worked himself into an obsession of fury
against her。 He only wanted her gone。 She had e； she had got
worse as the weeks went on； she was absolutely no good。 His
system； which was his very life in school； the oute of his
bodily movement； was attacked and threatened at the point where
Ursula was included。 She was the danger that threatened his body
with a blow； a fall。 And blindly； thoroughly； moving from strong
instinct of opposition； he set to work to expel her。
When he punished one of her children as he had punished the
boy Hill； for an offence against himself； he made the
punishment extra heavy with the significance that the extra
stroke came in because of the weak teacher who allowed all these
things to be。 When he punished for an offence against her； he
punished lightly； as if offences against her were not
significant。 Which all the children knew； and they behaved
accordingly。
Every now and again Mr。 Harby would swoop down to examine
exercise books。 For a whole hour； he would be going round the
class； taking book after book； paring page after page； whilst
Ursula stood aside for all the remarks and fault…finding to be
pointed at her through the scholars。 It was true； since she had
e； the position books had grown more and more untidy；
disorderly； filthy。 Mr。 Harby pointed to the pages done before
her regime； and to those done after； and fell into a passion of
rage。 Many children he sent out to the front with their books。
And after he had thoroughly gone through the silent and
quivering class he caned the worst offenders well； in front of
the others； thundering in real passion of anger and chagrin。
〃Such a condition in a class； I can't believe it！ It is
simply disgraceful！ I can't think how you have been let to get
like it！ Every Monday morning I shall e down and examine
these books。 So don't think that because there is nobody paying
any attention to you； that you are free to unlearn everything
you ever learned； and go back till you are not fit for Standard
Three。 I shall examine all books every Monday〃
Then in a rage； he went away with his cane； leaving Ursula to
confront a pale； quivering class； whose childish faces were shut
in blank resentment； fear； and bitterness； whose souls were full
of anger and contempt for her rather than of the master； whose
eyes looked at her with the cold； inhuman accusation of
children。 And she could hardly make mechanical words to speak to
them。 When she gave an order they obeyed with an insolent
off…handedness； as if to say： 〃As for you； do you think we would
obey you； but for the master？〃 She sent the blubbering；
caned boys to their seats； knowing that they too jeered at her
and her authority； holding her weakness responsible for what
punishment had overtaken them。 And she knew the whole position；
so that even her horror of physical beating and suffering sank
to a deeper pain； and became a moral judgment upon her； worse
than any hurt。
She must； during the next week； watch over her books； and
punish any fault。 Her soul decided it coldly。 Her personal
desire was dead for that day at least。 She must have nothing
more of herself in school。 She was to be Standard Five teacher
only。 That was her duty。 In school； she was nothing but Standard
Five teacher。 Ursula Brangwen must be excluded。
So that； pale； shut； at last distant and impersonal； she saw
no longer the child； how his eyes danced； or how he had a queer
little soul that could not be bothered with shaping handwriting
so long as he dashed down what he thought。 She saw no children；
only the task that was to be done。 And keeping her eyes there；
on the task； and not on the child； she was impersonal enough to
punish where she could otherwise only have sympathized；
understood； and condoned； to approve where she would have been
merely uninterested before。 But her interest had no place any
more。
It was agony to the impulsive； bright girl of seventeen to
bee distant and official； having no personal relationship
with the children。 For a few days； after the agony of the
Monday； she succeeded； and had some success with her class。 But
it was a state not natural to her； and she began to relax。
Then came another infliction。 There were not enough pens to
go round the class。 She sent to Mr。 Harby for more。 He came in
person。
〃Not enough pens； Miss Brangwen？〃 he said； with the smile and
calm of exceeding rage against her。
〃No； we are six short；〃 she said； quaking。
〃Oh； how is that？〃 he said； menacingly。 Then； looking over
the class； he asked：
〃How many are there here to…day？〃
〃Fifty…two；〃 said Ursula； but he did not take any notice；
counting for himself。
〃Fifty…two；〃 he said。 〃And how many pens are there；
Staples？〃
Ursula was now silent。 He would not heed her if she answered；
since he had addressed the monitor。
〃That's a very curious thing；〃 said Mr。 Harby； looking over
the silent class with a slight grin of fury。 All the childish
faces looked up at him blank and exposed。
〃A few days ago there were sixty pens for this
class……now there are forty…eight。 What is forty…eight from
sixty； Williams？〃 There was a sinister suspense in the question。
A thin； ferret…faced boy in a sailor suit started up
exaggeratedly。
〃Please； sir！〃 he said。 Then a slow； sly grin came over his
face。 He did not know。 There was a tense silence。 The boy
dropped his head。 Then he looked up again； a little cunning
triumph in his eyes。 〃Twelve；〃 he said。
〃I would advise you to attend；〃 said the headmaster
dangerously。 The boy sat down。
〃Forty…eight from sixty is twelve： so there are twelve pens
to account for。 Have you looked for them； Staples？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Then look again。〃
The scene dragged on。 Two pens were found： ten were missing。
Then the storm burst。
〃Am I to have you thieving； besides your dirt and bad work
and bad behaviour？〃 the headmaster began。 〃Not content with
being the worst…behaved and dirtiest class in the school； you
are thieves into the bargain； are you？ It is a very funny thing！
Pens don't melt into the air： pens are not in the habit of
mizzling away into nothing。 What has bee of them then？ They
must be somewhere。 What has bee of them？ For they must be
found； and found by Standard Five。 They were lost by Standard
Five； and they must be found。〃
Ursula stood and listened； her heart hard and cold。 She was
so