the life of charlotte bronte-1-第14章

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reat　duke　in　green　sash　and　waistcoat；　the　rising　of　all　the　peeresses　when　he　rose；　the　reading　of　his　speechPapa　saying　that　his　words　were　like　precious　gold；　and　lastly；　the　majority　of　one　to　four　（sic）　in　favour　of　the　Bill。　　But　this　is　a　digression；〃　&c。；　&c。


This　must　have　been　written　when　she　was　between　thirteen　and　fourteen。

It　will　be　interesting　to　some　of　my　readers　to　know　what　was　the　character　of　her　purely　imaginative　writing　at　this　period。　　While　her　description　of　any　real　occurrence　is；　as　we　have　seen；　homely；　graphic；　and　forcible；　when　she　gives　way　to　her　powers　of　creation；　her　fancy　and　her　language　alike　run　riot；　sometimes　to　the　very　borders　of　apparent　delirium。　　Of　this　wild　weird　writing；　a　single　example　will　suffice。　　It　is　a　letter　to　the　editor　of　one　of　the　〃Little　Magazines。〃


〃Sir；It　is　well　known　that　the　Genii　have　declared　that　unless　they　perform　certain　arduous　duties　every　year；　of　a　mysterious　nature；　all　the　worlds　in　the　firmament　will　be　burnt　up；　and　gathered　together　in　one　mighty　globe；　which　will　roll　in　solitary　grandeur　through　the　vast　wilderness　of　space；　inhabited　only　by　the　four　high　princes　of　the　Genii；　till　time　shall　be　succeeded　by　Eternity；　and　the　impudence　of　this　is　only　to　be　paralleled　by　another　of　their　assertions；　namely；　that　by　their　magic　might　they　can　reduce　the　world　to　a　desert；　the　purest　waters　to　streams　of　livid　poison；　and　the　clearest　lakes　to　stagnant　waters；　the　pestilential　vapours　of　which　shall　slay　all　living　creatures；　except　the　blood…thirsty　beast　of　the　forest；　and　the　ravenous　bird　of　the　rock。　　But　that　in　the　midst　of　this　desolation　the　palace　of　the　Chief　Genii　shall　rise　sparkling　in　the　wilderness；　and　the　horrible　howl　of　their　war…cry　shall　spread　over　the　land　at　morning；　at　noontide　and　night；　but　that　they　shall　have　their　annual　feast　over　the　bones　of　the　dead；　and　shall　yearly　rejoice　with　the　joy　of　victors。　　I　think；　sir；　that　the　horrible　wickedness　of　this　needs　no　remark；　and　therefore　I　haste　to　subscribe　myself；　&c。

〃July　14；　1829。〃


It　is　not　unlikely　that　the　foregoing　letter　may　have　had　some　allegorical　or　political　reference；　invisible　to　our　eyes；　but　very　clear　to　the　bright　little　minds　for　whom　it　was　intended。　Politics　were　evidently　their　grand　interest；　the　Duke　of　Wellington　their　demi…god。　　All　that　related　to　him　belonged　to　the　heroic　age。　　Did　Charlotte　want　a　knight…errant；　or　a　devoted　lover；　the　Marquis　of　Douro；　or　Lord　Charles　Wellesley；　came　ready　to　her　hand。　　There　is　hardly　one　of　her　prose…writings　at　this　time　in　which　they　are　not　the　principal　personages；　and　in　which　their　〃august　father〃　does　not　appear　as　a　sort　of　Jupiter　Tonans；　or　Deus　ex　Machina。

As　one　evidence　how　Wellesley　haunted　her　imagination；　I　copy　out　a　few　of　the　titles　to　her　papers　in　the　various　magazines。

〃Liffey　Castle；〃　a　Tale　by　Lord　C。　Wellesley。

〃Lines　to　the　River　Aragua；〃　by　the　Marquis　of　Douro。

〃An　Extraordinary　Dream；〃　by　Lord　C。　Wellesley。

〃The　Green　Dwarf；　a　Tale　of　the　Perfect　Tense；〃　by　the　Lord　Charles　Albert　Florian　Wellesley。

〃Strange　Events；〃　by　Lord　C。　A。　F。　Wellesley。

Life　in　an　isolated　village；　or　a　lonely　country…house；　presents　many　little　occurrences　which　sink　into　the　mind　of　childhood；　there　to　be　brooded　over。　　No　other　event　may　have　happened；　or　be　likely　to　happen；　for　days；　to　push　one　of　these　aside；　before　it　has　assumed　a　vague　and　mysterious　importance。　　Thus；　children　leading　a　secluded　life　are　often　thoughtful　and　dreamy：　　the　impressions　made　upon　them　by　the　world　withoutthe　unusual　sights　of　earth　and　skythe　accidental　meetings　with　strange　faces　and　figures　（rare　occurrences　in　those　out…of…the…way　places）are　sometimes　magnified　by　them　into　things　so　deeply　significant　as　to　be　almost　supernatural。　　This　peculiarity　I　perceive　very　strongly　in　Charlotte's　writings　at　this　time。　Indeed；　under　the　circumstances；　it　is　no　peculiarity。　　It　has　been　common　to　all；　from　the　Chaldean　shepherds〃the　lonely　herdsman　stretched　on　the　soft　grass　through　half　a　summer's　day〃…　…the　solitary　monkto　all　whose　impressions　from　without　have　had　time　to　grow　and　vivify　in　the　imagination；　till　they　have　been　received　as　actual　personifications；　or　supernatural　visions；　to　doubt　which　would　be　blasphemy。

To　counterbalance　this　tendency　in　Charlotte；　was　the　strong　common　sense　natural　to　her；　and　daily　called　into　exercise　by　the　requirements　of　her　practical　life。　　Her　duties　were　not　merely　to　learn　her　lessons；　to　read　a　certain　quantity；　to　gain　certain　ideas；　she　had；　besides；　to　brush　rooms；　to　run　errands　up　and　down　stairs；　to　help　in　the　simpler　forms　of　cooking；　to　be　by　turns　play…fellow　and　monitress　to　her　younger　sisters　and　brother；　to　make　and　to　mend；　and　to　study　economy　under　her　careful　aunt。　　Thus　we　see　that；　while　her　imagination　received　vivid　impressions；　her　excellent　understanding　had　full　power　to　rectify　them　before　her　fancies　became　realities。　　On　a　scrap　of　paper；　she　has　written　down　the　following　relation：…


〃June　22；　1830；　6　o'clock　p。m。　〃Haworth；　near　Bradford。

〃The　following　strange　occurrence　happened　on　the　22nd　of　June；　1830：…　At　the　time　Papa　was　very　ill；　confined　to　his　bed；　and　so　weak　that　he　could　not　rise　without　assistance。　　Tabby　and　I　were　alone　in　the　kitchen；　about　half…past　nine　ante…meridian。　Suddenly　we　heard　a　knock　at　the　door；　Tabby　rose　and　opened　it。　An　old　man　appeared；　standing　without；　who　accosted　her　thus：…

〃OLD　MAN。'Does　the　parson　live　here？'

〃TABBY。'Yes。'

〃OLD　MAN。'I　wish　to　see　him。'

〃TABBY。'He　is　poorly　in　bed。'

〃OLD　MAN。'I　have　a　message　for　him。'

〃TABBY。'Who　from？'

〃OLD　MAN。'From　the　Lord。'

〃TABBY。'Who？'

〃OLD　MAN。'The　Lord。　　He　desires　me　to　say　that　the　Bridegroom　is　coming；　and　that　we　must　prepare　to　meet　him；　that　the　cords　are　about　to　be　loosed；　and　the　golden　bowl　broken；　the　pitcher　broken　at　the　fountain。'

〃Here　he　concluded　his　discourse；　and　abruptly　went　his　way。　　As　Tabby　closed　the　door；　I　asked　her　if　she　knew　him。　　Her　reply　was；　that　she　had　never　seen　him　before；　nor　any　one　like　him。　Though　I　am　fully　persuaded　that　he　was　some　fanatical　enthusiast；　well　meaning　perhaps；　but　utterly　ignorant　of　true　piety；　yet　I　could　not　forbear　weeping　at　his　words；　spoken　so　unexpectedly　at　that　particular　period。〃


Though　the　date　of　the　following　poem　is　a　little　uncertain；　it　may　be　most　convenient　to　introduce　it　here。　　It　must　have　been　written　before　1833；　but　how　much　earlier　there　are　no　means　of　determining。　　I　give　it　as　a　specimen　of　the　remarkable　poetical　talent　shown　in　the　various　diminutive　writings　of　this　time；　at　least；　in　all　of　them　which　I　have　been　able　to　read。


THE　WOUNDED　STAG。

Passing　amid　the　deepest　shade　Of　the　wood's　sombre　heart；　Last　night　I　saw　a　wounded　deer　Laid　lonely　and　apart。

Such　light　as　pierced　the　crowded　boughs　（Light　scattered；　scant　and　dim；）　Passed　through　the　fern　that　formed　his　couch　And　centred　full　on　him。

Pain　trembled　in　his　weary　limbs；　Pain　filled　his　patient　eye；　Pain…crushed　amid　the　shadowy　fern　His　branchy　crown　did　lie。

Where　were　his　comrades？　where　his　mate？　All　from　his　death…bed　gone！　And　he；　thus　struck　and　desolate；　Suffered　and　bled　alone。

Did　he　feel　what　a　man　might　feel；　Friend…left；　and　sore　distrest？　Did　Pain's　keen　dart；　and　Grief's　sharp　sting　Strive　in　his　mangled　breast？

Did　longing　for　affection　lost　Barb　every　deadly　dart；　Love　unrepaid；　and　Faith　betrayed；　Did　these　torment　his　heart？

No！　leave　to　man　his　proper　doom！　These　are　the　pangs　that　rise　Around　the　bed　of　state　and　gloom；　Where　Adam's　offspring　dies！



CHAPTER　VI



This　is　perhaps　a　fitting　time　to　give　some　personal　description　of　Miss　Bronte。　　In　1831；　she　was　a　quiet；　thoughtful　girl；　of　nearly　fifteen　years　of　age；　very　small　in　figure〃stunted〃　was　the　word　she　applied　to　herself；but　as　her　limbs　and　head　were　in　just　proportion　to　the　slight；　fragile　body；　no　word　in　ever　so　slight　a　degree　suggestive　of　deformity　could　properly　be　applied　to　her；　with　soft；　thick；　brown　hair；　and　peculiar　eyes；　of　which　I　find　it　difficult　to　give　a　description；　as　they　appeared　to　me　in　her　later　life。　　They　were　large　and　well　shaped；　their　colour　a　reddish　brown；　but　if　the　iris　was　closely　examined；　it　appeared　to　be　composed　of　a　great　variety　of　tints。　　The　usual　expression　was　of　quiet；　listening　intelligence；　but　now　and　then；　on　some　just　occasion　for　vivid　interest　or　wholesome　indignation；　a　light　would　shine　out；　as　if　some　spiritual　lamp　had　been　kindled；　which　glowed　behind　those　expressive　orbs。　　I　never　saw　the　like　in　any　other　human　creature。　　As　for　the　rest　of　her　features；　they　were　plain；　large；　and　ill　set；　but；　unless　you　began　to　catalogue　them；　you　were　hardly　aware　of　the　fact；　for　the　eyes　and　power　of　the　countenance　over…balanced　every　physical　defect；　the　crooked　mouth　and　the　large　nose　were　forgotten；　and　the　whole　face　arrested　the　attention；　and　presently　attracted　all　those　whom　she　herself　would　have　cared　to　attract。　　Her　hands　and　feet　were　the　smallest　I　ever　saw；　when　one　of　the　former　was　placed　in　mine；　it　was　like　the　soft　touch　of　a　bird　in　the　middle　of　my　palm。　　The　delicate　long　fingers　had　a　peculiar　fineness　of　sensation；　which　was　one　reason　why　all　her　handiwork；　of　whatever　kindwriting；　sewing；　knittingwas　so　clear　in　its　minuteness。　　She　was　remarkably　neat　in　her　whole　personal　attire；　but　she　was　dainty　as　to　the　fit　of　her　shoes　and　gloves。

I　can　well　imagine　that　the　grave　serious　composure；　which；　when　I　knew　her；　gave　her　face　the　dignity　of　an　old　Venetian　portrait；　was　no　acquisition　of　later　years；　but　dated　from　that　early　age　when　she　found　herself　in　the　position　of　an　elder　sister　to　motherless　children。　　But　in　a　girl　only　just　entered　on　her　teens；　such　an　expression　would　be　called　（to　use　a　country　phrase）　〃old…fashioned；〃　and　in　1831；　the　period　of　which　I　now　write；　we　must　think　of　her　as　a　little；　set；　antiquated　girl；　very　quiet　in　manners；　and　very　quaint　in　dress；　for　besides　the　influence　exerted　by　her　father's　ideas　concerning　the　simplicity　of　attire　befitting　the　wife　and　daughters　of　a　country　clergyman；　her　aunt；　on　whom　the　duty　of　dressing　her　nieces　principally　devolved；　had　never　been　in　society　since　she　left　Penzance；　eight　or　nine　years　before；　and　the　Penzance　fashions　of　that　day　were　still　dear　to　her　heart。

In　January；　1831；　Charlotte　was　sent　to　school　again。　　This　time　she　went　as　a　pupil　to　Miss　W…；　who　lived　at　Roe　Head；　a　cheerful　roomy　country　house；　standing　a　little　apart　in　a　field；　on　the　right　of　the　road　from　Leeds　to　Huddersfield。　　Three　tiers　of　old…　fashioned　semicircular　bow　windows　run　from　basement　to　roof；　and　look　down　upon　a　long　green　slope　of　pasture…land；　ending　in　the　pleasant　woods　of　Kirklees；　Sir　George　Armitage's　park。　　Although　Roe　Head　and　Haworth　are　not　twenty　miles　apart；　the　aspect　of　the　country　is　as　totally　dissimilar　as　if　they　enjoyed　a　different　climate。　　The　soft　curving　and　heaving　landscape　round　the　former　gives　a　stranger　the　idea　of　cheerful　airiness　on　the　heights；　and　of　sunny　warmth　in　the　broad　green　valleys　below。　　It　is　just　su