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."