The Life of the Fly 



beast. Those two apartments composed the 

 whole building. 



To return to the lower one, the schoolroom: 

 a window^ faces south, the only window in the 

 house, a low, narrow window whose frame 

 you can touch at the same time with your head 

 and both your shoulders. This sunny aperture 

 is the only lively spot in the dwelling, it over- 

 looks the greater part of the village, which 

 straggles along the slopes of a slanting valley. 

 In the window^-recess is the master's little 

 table. 



The opposite wall contains a niche in which 

 stands a gleaming copper pail full of water. 

 Here the parched children can relieve their 

 thirst when they please, with a cup left 

 within their reach. At the top of the niche 

 are a few shelves bright with pewter plates, 

 dishes and drinking-vessels, which are taken 

 down from their sanctuary on great occasions 

 only. 



More or less everywhere, at any spot which 

 the light touches, are crudely-coloured pictures, 

 pasted on the walls. Here is Our Lady of the 

 Seven Dolours, the disconsolate Mother of 

 God opening her blue cloak to show her heart 

 pierced with seven daggers. Between the sun 

 and moon, which stare at you with their great, 

 132 



