off； from Poland； and that dark…bearded impressive man。 Strange；
her antecedents were； and she felt fate on either side of her
terrible。
Almost every day； Ursula saw her grandmother； and every time；
they talked together。 Till the grandmother's sayings and
stories； told in the plete hush of the Marsh bedroom；
accumulated with mystic significance； and became a sort of Bible
to the child。
And Ursula asked her deepest childish questions of her
grandmother。
〃Will somebody love me； grandmother？〃
〃Many people love you； child。 We all love you。〃
〃But when I am grown up； will somebody love me？〃
〃Yes； some man will love you； child； because it's your
nature。 And I hope it will be somebody who will love you for
what you are； and not for what he wants of you。 But we have a
right to what we want。〃
Ursula was frightened； hearing these things。 Her heart sank；
she felt she had no ground under her feet。 She clung to her
grandmother。 Here was peace and security。 Here； from her
grandmother's peaceful room； the door opened on to the greater
space； the past； which was so big； that all it contained seemed
tiny； loves and births and deaths； tiny units and features
within a vast horizon。 That was a great relief； to know the tiny
importance of the individual； within the great past。
CHAPTER X
THE WIDENING CIRCLE
It was very burdensome to Ursula； that she was the eldest of
the family。 By the time she was eleven； she had to take to
school Gudrun and Theresa and Catherine。 The boy； William；
always called Billy； so that he should not be confused with his
father； was a lovable； rather delicate child of three； so he
stayed at home as yet。 There was another baby girl； called
Cassandra。
The children went for a time to the little church school just
near the Marsh。 It was the only place within reach； and being so
small； Mrs。 Brangwen felt safe in sending her children there；
though the village boys did nickname Ursula 〃Urtler〃； and Gudrun
〃Good…runner〃； and Theresa 〃Tea…pot〃。
Gudrun and Ursula were co…mates。 The second child； with her
long； sleepy body and her endless chain of fancies； would have
nothing to do with realities。 She was not for them； she was for
her own fancies。 Ursula was the one for realities。 So Gudrun
left all such to her elder sister； and trusted in her
implicitly； indifferently。 Ursula had a great tenderness for her
co…mate sister。
It was no good trying to make Gudrun responsible。 She floated
along like a fish in the sea； perfect within the medium of her
own difference and being。 Other existence did not trouble her。
Only she believed in Ursula； and trusted to Ursula。
The eldest child was very much fretted by her responsibility
for the other young ones。 Especially Theresa； a sturdy；
bold…eyed thing； had a faculty for warfare。
〃Our Ursula； Billy Pillins has lugged my hair。〃
〃What did you say to him？〃
〃I said nothing。〃
Then the Brangwen girls were in for a feud with the
Pillinses； or Phillipses。
〃You won't pull my hair again； Billy Pillins；〃 said Theresa；
walking with her sisters； and looking superbly at the freckled；
red…haired boy。
〃Why shan't I？〃 retorted Billy Pillins。
〃You won't because you dursn't；〃 said the tiresome
Theresa。
〃You e here； then； Tea…pot； an' see if I dursna。〃
Up marched Tea…pot； and immediately Billy Pillins lugged her
black； snaky locks。 In a rage she flew at him。 Immediately in
rushed Ursula and Gudrun； and little Katie； in clashed the other
Phillipses； Clem and Walter； and Eddie Anthony。 Then there was a
fray。 The Brangwen girls were well…grown and stronger than many
boys。 But for pinafores and long hair； they would have carried
easy victories。 They went home； however； with hair lugged and
pinafores torn。 It was a joy to the Phillips boys to rip the
pinafores of the Brangwen girls。
Then there was an outcry。 Mrs。 Brangwen would not have
it； no； she would not。 All her innate dignity and
standoffishness rose up。 Then there was the vicar lecturing the
school。 〃It was a sad thing that the boys of Cossethay could not
behave more like gentlemen to the girls of Cossethay。 Indeed；
what kind of boy was it that should set upon a girl； and kick
her； and beat her； and tear her pinafore？ That boy deserved
severe castigation； and the name of coward； for no boy
who was not a coward……etc。； etc。〃
Meanwhile much hang…dog fury in the Pillinses' hearts； much
virtue in the Brangwen girls'； particularly in Theresa's。 And
the feud continued； with periods of extraordinary amity； when
Ursula was Clem Phillips's sweetheart； and Gudrun was Walter's；
and Theresa was Billy's； and even the tiny Katie had to be Eddie
Ant'ny's sweetheart。 There was the closest union。 At every
possible moment the little gang of Brangwens and Phillipses flew
together。 Yet neither Ursula nor Gudrun would have any real
intimacy with the Phillips boys。 It was a sort of fiction to
them； this alliance and this dubbing of sweethearts。
Again Mrs。 Brangwen rose up。
〃Ursula； I will not have you raking the roads with
lads； so I tell you。 Now stop it； and the rest will stop
it。〃
How Ursula hated always to represent the little
Brangwen club。 She could never be herself； no； she was always
Ursula…Gudrun…Theresa…Catherine……and later even Billy was
added on to her。 Moreover； she did not want the Phillipses
either。 She was out of taste with them。
However； the Brangwen…Pillins coalition readily broke down；
owing to the unfair superiority of the Brangwens。 The Brangwens
were rich。 They had free access to the Marsh Farm。 The school
teachers were almost respectful to the girls； the vicar spoke to
them on equal terms。 The Brangwen girls presumed； they tossed
their heads。
〃You're not ivrybody； Urtler Brangwin； ugly…mug；〃 said
Clem Phillips； his face going very red。
〃I'm better than you； for all that；〃 retorted Urtler。
〃You think you are……wi' a face like
that……Ugly Mug；……Urtler Brangwin；〃 he began to jeer；
trying to set all the others in cry against her。 Then there was
hostility again。 How she hated their jeering。 She became
cold against the Phillipses。 Ursula was very proud in her
family。 The Brangwen girls had all a curious blind dignity； even
a kind of nobility in their bearing。 By some result of breed and
upbringing； they seemed to rush along their own lives without
caring that they existed to other people。 Never from the start
did it occur to Ursula that other people might hold a low
opinion of her。 She thought that whosoever knew her； knew she
was enough and accepted her as such。 She thought it was a world
of people like herself。 She suffered bitterly if she were forced
to have a low opinion of any person； and she never forgave that
person。
This was maddening to many little people。 All their lives；
the Brangwens were meeting folk who tried to pull them down to
make them seem little。 Curiously； the mother was aware of what
would happen； and was always ready to give her children the
advantage of the move。
When Ursula was twelve； and the mon school and the
panionship of the village children； niggardly and begrudging；
was beginning to affect her； Anna sent her with Gudrun to the
Grammar School in N