something she wanted to push over。
〃You had a wet walk；〃 he said to Ursula。
〃Oh； I don't mind； I'm used to it；〃 she replied； with a
nervous little laugh。
But already he was not listening。 Her words sounded
ridiculous and babbling。 He was taking no notice of her。
〃You will sign your name here；〃 he said to her； as if she
were some child……〃and the time when you e and go。〃
Ursula signed her name in the time book and stood back。 No
one took any further notice of her。 She beat her brains for
something to say； but in vain。
〃I'd let them in now；〃 said Mr。 Harby to the thin man； who
was very hastily arranging his papers。
The assistant teacher made no sign of acquiescence； and went
on with what he was doing。 The atmosphere in the room grew
tense。 At the last moment Mr。 Brunt slipped into his coat。
〃You will go to the girls' lobby；〃 said the schoolmaster to
Ursula； with a fascinating； insulting geniality； purely official
and domineering。
She went out and found Miss Harby； and another girl teacher；
in the porch。 On the asphalt yard the rain was falling。 A
toneless bell tang…tang…tanged drearily overhead； monotonously；
insistently。 It came to an end。 Then Mr。 Brunt was seen；
bare…headed； standing at the other gate of the school yard；
blowing shrill blasts on a whistle and looking down the rainy；
dreary street。
Boys in gangs and streams came trotting up； running past the
master and with a loud clatter of feet and voices； over the yard
to the boys' porch。 Girls were running and walking through the
other entrance。
In the porch where Ursula stood there was a great noise of
girls； who were tearing off their coats and hats； and hanging
them on the racks bristling with pegs。 There was a smell of wet
clothing； a tossing out of wet； draggled hair； a noise of voices
and feet。
The mass of girls grew greater； the rage around the pegs grew
steadier； the scholars tended to fall into little noisy gangs in
the porch。 Then Violet Harby clapped her hands； clapped them
louder； with a shrill 〃Quiet； girls； quiet！〃
There was a pause。 The hubbub died down but did not
cease。
〃What did I say？〃 cried Miss Harby； shrilly。
There was almost plete silence。 Sometimes a girl； rather
late； whirled into the porch and flung off her things。
〃Leaders……in place；〃 manded Miss Harby shrilly。
Pairs of girls in pinafores and long hair stood separate in
the porch。
〃Standard Four； Five； and Six……fall in；〃 cried Miss
Harby。
There was a hubbub； which gradually resolved itself into
three columns of girls； two and two； standing smirking in the
passage。 In among the peg…racks； other teachers were putting the
lower classes into ranks。
Ursula stood by her own Standard Five。 They were jerking
their shoulders； tossing their hair； nudging； writhing； staring；
grinning； whispering and twisting。
A sharp whistle was heard； and Standard Six； the biggest
girls； set off； led by Miss Harby。 Ursula； with her Standard
Five； followed after。 She stood beside a smirking； grinning row
of girls； waiting in a narrow passage。 What she was herself she
did not know。
Suddenly the sound of a piano was heard； and Standard Six set
off hollowly down the big room。 The boys had entered by another
door。 The piano played on； a march tune； Standard Five followed
to the door of the big room。 Mr。 Harby was seen away beyond at
his desk。 Mr。 Brunt guarded the other door of the room。 Ursula's
class pushed up。 She stood near them。 They glanced and smirked
and shoved。
〃Go on；〃 said Ursula。
They tittered。
〃Go on；〃 said Ursula； for the piano continued。
The girls broke loosely into the room。 Mr。 Harby； who had
seemed immersed in some occupation； away at his desk； lifted his
head and thundered：
〃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。 Ursula's heart hardened with
ignominious pain。
〃Forward……march；〃 came Mr。 Brunt's 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 ha'penny 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。
The day passed incredibly slowly。 She never knew what to do；
there came horrible gaps； when she was merely exposed to the
children； and when； relying on some pert little girl for
information； she had started a lesson； she did not know how to
go on with it properly。 The children were her masters。 She
deferred to them。 She could always hear Mr。 Brunt。 Like a
machine； always in the same hard； high； inhuman voice he went on
with his teaching； oblivious of everything。 And before this
inhuman number of children she was always at bay。 She could not
get away from it。 There it was； this class of fifty collective
children； depending on her for mand； for mand it hated and
resented。 It made her feel she could not breathe： she must
suffocate； it was so inhuman。 They were so many； that they were
not children。 They were a squadron。 She could not speak as she
would to a child； because they were not individual children；
they were a collective； inhuman thing。
Dinner…time came； and stunned； bewildered； solitary； she went
into the teachers' room for dinner。 Never had she felt such a
stranger to life before。 It seemed to her she had just
disembarked from some strange horrible state where everything
was as in hell； a condition of hard； malevolent system。 And she
was not really free。 The afternoon drew at her like some
bondage。
The first week passed in a blind confusion。 She did not know
how to teach； and she felt she never would know。 Mr。 Harby came
down every now and then to her class； to see what she was doing。
She felt so inpetent as he stood by； bullying and
threatening； so unreal； that she wavered； became neutral and
non…existent。 But he stood there watching with the
listening…genial smile of the eyes； that was really threatening；
he said nothing； he made her go on teaching； she felt she had no
soul in her body。 Then he went away； and his going was like a
derision。 The class was his class。 She was a wavering
substitute。 He thrashed and bullied； he was hated。 But he was
master。 Though she was gentle and always considerate of her
class； yet they belonged to Mr。 Harby； and they did not belong
to her。 Like some invincible source of the mechanism he kept all
power to himself。 And the class owned his power。 And in school
it was power； and power alone that mattered。
Soon Ursula came to dread him； and at the bottom of her dread
was a seed of hate； for she despised him； yet he was master of
her。 Then she began to get on。 All the other teachers hated him；
and fanned their hatred among themselves。 For he was master of
them and the children； he stood like a wheel to make absolute
his authority over the herd。 That seemed to be his one reason in
life；