Sunday morning。 That was plain enough; plain enough for Monday
morning too。 As she went down the hill to the station; going to
school; she took the saying with her。
〃Sell all thou hast; and give to the poor。〃
Did she want to do that? Did she want to sell her
pearl…backed brush and mirror; her silver candlestick; her
pendant; her lovely little necklace; and go dressed in drab like
the Wherrys: the unlovely unbed Wherrys; who were the 〃poor〃
to her? She did not。
She walked this Monday morning on the verge of misery。 For
she did want to do what was right。 And she didnt want to do
what the gospels said。 She didnt want to be poor……really
poor。 The thought was a horror to her: to live like the Wherrys;
so ugly; to be at the mercy of everybody。
〃Sell that thou hast; and give to the poor。〃
One could not do it in real life。 How dreary and hopeless it
made her!
Nor could one turn the other cheek。 Theresa slapped Ursula on
the face。 Ursula; in a mood of Christian humility; silently
presented the other side of her face。 Which Theresa; in
exasperation at the challenge; also hit。 Whereupon Ursula; with
boiling heart; went meekly away。
But anger; and deep; writhing shame tortured her; so she was
not easy till she had again quarrelled with Theresa and had
almost shaken her sisters head off。
〃Thatll teach you;〃 she said; grimly。
And she went away; unchristian but clean。
There was something unclean and degrading about this humble
side of Christianity。 Ursula suddenly revolted to the other
extreme。
〃I hate the Wherrys; and I wish they were dead。 Why does my
father leave us in the lurch like this; making us be poor and
insignificant? Why is he not more? If we had a father as he
ought to be; he would be Earl William Brangwen; and I should be
the Lady Ursula? What right have I to be poor? crawling