should she say to herself; that it mattered; if she failed to
teach a class to write perfectly neatly? Why should she take the
blame unto herself?
Pay day came; and she received four pounds two shillings and
one penny。 She was very proud that day。 She had never had so
much money before。 And she had earned it all herself。 She sat on
the top of the tram…car fingering the gold and fearing she might
lose it。 She felt so established and strong; because of it。 And
when she got home she said to her mother:
〃It is pay day to…day; mother。〃
〃Ay;〃 said her mother; coolly。
Then Ursula put down fifty shillings on the table。
〃That is my board;〃 she said。
〃Ay;〃 said her mother; letting it lie。
Ursula was hurt。 Yet she had paid her scot。 She was free。 She
paid for what she had。 There remained moreover thirty…two
shillings of her own。 She would not spend any; she who was
naturally a spendthrift; because she could not bear to damage
her fine gold。
She had a standing ground now apart from her parents。 She was
something else besides the mere daughter of William and Anna
Brangwen。 She was independent。 She earned her own living。 She
was an important member of the working munity。 She was sure
that fifty shillings a month quite paid for her keep。 If her
mother received fifty shillings a month for each of the
children; she would have twenty pounds a month and no clothes to
provide。 Very well then。
Ursula was independent of her parents。 She now adhered
elsewhere。 Now; the Board of Education was a phrase that rang
significant to her; and she felt Whitehall far beyond her as her
ultimate home。 In the government; she knew which minister had
supreme control over Education; and it seemed