the life of charlotte bronte-1-第18章

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ve　made　herself　as　much　acquainted　as　she　could　with　the　condition　of　those　to　whom　she　was　opposed　in　opinion。

The　bulk　of　the　population　were　Dissenters；　principally　Independents。　　In　the　village　of　Heckmondwike；　at　one　end　of　which　Roe　Head　is　situated；　there　were　two　large　chapels　belonging　to　that　denomination；　and　one　to　the　Methodists；　all　of　which　were　well　filled　two　or　three　times　on　a　Sunday；　besides　having　various　prayer…meetings；　fully　attended；　on　week…days。　　The　inhabitants　were　a　chapel…going　people；　very　critical　about　the　doctrine　of　their　sermons；　tyrannical　to　their　ministers；　and　violent　Radicals　in　politics。　　A　friend；　well　acquainted　with　the　place　when　Charlotte　Bronte　was　at　school；　has　described　some　events　which　occurred　then　among　them：…

〃A　scene；　which　took　place　at　the　Lower　Chapel　at　Heckmondwike；　will　give　you　some　idea　of　the　people　at　that　time。　　When　a　newly…　married　couple　made　their　appearance　at　chapel；　it　was　the　custom　to　sing　the　Wedding　Anthem；　just　after　the　last　prayer；　and　as　the　congregation　was　quitting　the　chapel。　　The　band　of　singers　who　performed　this　ceremony　expected　to　have　money　given　them；　and　often　passed　the　following　night　in　drinking；　at　least；　so　said　the　minister　of　the　place；　and　he　determined　to　put　an　end　to　this　custom。　　In　this　he　was　supported　by　many　members　of　the　chapel　and　congregation；　but　so　strong　was　the　democratic　element；　that　he　met　with　the　most　violent　opposition；　and　was　often　insulted　when　he　went　into　the　street。　　A　bride　was　expected　to　make　her　first　appearance；　and　the　minister　told　the　singers　not　to　perform　the　anthem。　　On　their　declaring　they　would；　he　had　the　large　pew　which　they　usually　occupied　locked；　they　broke　it　open：　　from　the　pulpit　he　told　the　congregation　that；　instead　of　their　singing　a　hymn；　he　would　read　a　chapter；　hardly　had　he　uttered　the　first　word；　before　up　rose　the　singers；　headed　by　a　tall；　fierce…looking　weaver；　who　gave　out　a　hymn；　and　all　sang　it　at　the　very　top　of　their　voices；　aided　by　those　of　their　friends　who　were　in　the　chapel。　　Those　who　disapproved　of　the　conduct　of　the　singers；　and　sided　with　the　minister；　remained　seated　till　the　hymn　was　finished。　　Then　he　gave　out　the　chapter　again；　read　it；　and　preached。　　He　was　just　about　to　conclude　with　prayer；　when　up　started　the　singers　and　screamed　forth　another　hymn。　　These　disgraceful　scenes　were　continued　for　many　weeks；　and　so　violent　was　the　feeling；　that　the　different　parties　could　hardly　keep　from　blows　as　they　came　through　the　chapel…yard。　　The　minister；　at　last；　left　the　place；　and　along　with　him　went　many　of　the　most　temperate　and　respectable　part　of　the　congregation；　and　the　singers　remained　triumphant。

〃I　believe　that　there　was　such　a　violent　contest　respecting　the　choice　of　a　pastor；　about　this　time；　in　the　Upper　Chapel　at　Heckmondwike；　that　the　Riot　Act　had　to　be　read　at　a　church…　meeting。〃

Certainly；　the　SOI…DISANT　Christians　who　forcibly　ejected　Mr。　Redhead　at　Haworth；　ten　or　twelve　years　before；　held　a　very　heathen　brotherhood　with　the　SOI…DISANT　Christians　of　Heckmondwike；　though　the　one　set　might　be　called　members　of　the　Church　of　England　and　the　other　Dissenters。

The　letter　from　which　I　have　taken　the　above　extract　relates　throughout　to　the　immediate　neighbourhood　of　the　place　where　Charlotte　Bronte　spent　her　school…days；　and　describes　things　as　they　existed　at　that　very　time。　　The　writer　says；〃Having　been　accustomed　to　the　respectful　manners　of　the　lower　orders　in　the　agricultural　districts；　I　was　at　first；　much　disgusted　and　somewhat　alarmed　at　the　great　freedom　displayed　by　the　working　classes　of　Heckmondwike　and　Gomersall　to　those　in　a　station　above　them。　　The　term　'lass；'　was　as　freely　applied　to　any　young　lady；　as　the　word　'wench'　is　in　Lancashire。　　The　extremely　untidy　appearance　of　the　villagers　shocked　me　not　a　little；　though　I　must　do　the　housewives　the　justice　to　say　that　the　cottages　themselves　were　not　dirty；　and　had　an　air　of　rough　plenty　about　them　（except　when　trade　was　bad）；　that　I　had　not　been　accustomed　to　see　in　the　farming　districts。　　The　heap　of　coals　on　one　side　of　the　house…　door；　and　the　brewing　tubs　on　the　other；　and　the　frequent　perfume　of　malt　and　hops　as　you　walked　along；　proved　that　fire　and　'home…　brewed'　were　to　be　found　at　almost　every　man's　hearth。　　Nor　was　hospitality；　one　of　the　main　virtues　of　Yorkshire；　wanting。　　Oat…　cake；　cheese；　and　beer　were　freely　pressed　upon　the　visitor。

〃There　used　to　be　a　yearly　festival；　half…religious；　half　social；　held　at　Heckmondwike；　called　'The　Lecture。'　　I　fancy　it　had　come　down　from　the　times　of　the　Nonconformists。　　A　sermon　was　preached　by　some　stranger　at　the　Lower　Chapel；　on　a　week…day　evening；　and　the　next　day；　two　sermons　in　succession　were　delivered　at　the　Upper　Chapel。　　Of　course；　the　service　was　a　very　long　one；　and　as　the　time　was　June；　and　the　weather　often　hot；　it　used　to　be　regarded　by　myself　and　my　companions　as　no　pleasurable　way　of　passing　the　morning。　　The　rest　of　the　day　was　spent　in　social　enjoyment；　great　numbers　of　strangers　flocked　to　the　place；　booths　were　erected　for　the　sale　of　toys　and　gingerbread　（a　sort　of　'Holy　Fair'）；　and　the　cottages；　having　had　a　little　extra　paint　and　white…washing；　assumed　quite　a　holiday　look。

〃The　village　of　Gomersall〃　（where　Charlotte　Bronte's　friend　〃Mary〃　lived　with　her　family）；　〃which　was　a　much　prettier　place　than　Heckmondwike；　contained　a　strange…looking　cottage；　built　of　rough　unhewn　stones；　many　of　them　projecting　considerably；　with　uncouth　heads　and　grinning　faces　carved　upon　them；　and　upon　a　stone　above　the　door　was　cut；　in　large　letters；　'SPITE　HALL。'　　It　was　erected　by　a　man　in　the　village；　opposite　to　the　house　of　his　enemy；　who　had　just　finished　for　himself　a　good　house；　commanding　a　beautiful　view　down　the　valley；　which　this　hideous　building　quite　shut　out。〃

Fearlessbecause　this　people　were　quite　familiar　to　all　of　them　amidst　such　a　population；　lived　and　walked　the　gentle　Miss　W…'s　eight　or　nine　pupils。　　She　herself　was　born　and　bred　among　this　rough；　strong；　fierce　set；　and　knew　the　depth　of　goodness　and　loyalty　that　lay　beneath　their　wild　manners　and　insubordinate　ways。　　And　the　girls　talked　of　the　little　world　around　them；　as　if　it　were　the　only　world　that　was；　and　had　their　opinions　and　their　parties；　and　their　fierce　discussions　like　their　elderspossibly；　their　betters。　　And　among　them；　beloved　and　respected　by　all；　laughed　at　occasionally　by　a　few；　but　always　to　her　facelived；　for　a　year　and　a　half；　the　plain；　short…sighted；　oddly…dressed；　studious　little　girl　they　called　Charlotte　Bronte。



CHAPTER　VII



Miss　Bronte　left　Roe　Head　in　1832；　having　won　the　affectionate　regard　both　of　her　teacher　and　her　school…fellows；　and　having　formed　there　the　two　fast　friendships　which　lasted　her　whole　life　long；　the　one　with　〃Mary；〃　who　has　not　kept　her　letters；　the　other　with　〃E。；〃　who　has　kindly　entrusted　me　with　a　large　portion　of　Miss　Bronte's　correspondence　with　her。　　This　she　has　been　induced　to　do　by　her　knowledge　of　the　urgent　desire　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Bronte　that　the　life　of　his　daughter　should　be　written；　and　in　compliance　with　a　request　from　her　husband　that　I　should　be　permitted　to　have　the　use　of　these　letters；　without　which　such　a　task　could　be　but　very　imperfectly　executed。　　In　order　to　shield　this　friend；　however；　from　any　blame　or　misconstruction；　it　is　only　right　to　state　that；　before　granting　me　this　privilege；　she　throughout　most　carefully　and　completely　effaced　the　names　of　the　persons　and　places　which　occurred　in　them；　and　also　that　such　information　as　I　have　obtained　from　her　bears　reference　solely　to　Miss　Bronte　and　her　sisters；　and　not　to　any　other　individuals　whom　I　may　find　it　necessary　to　allude　to　in　connection　with　them。

In　looking　over　the　earlier　portion　of　this　correspondence；　I　am　struck　afresh　by　the　absence　of　hope；　which　formed　such　a　strong　characteristic　in　Charlotte。　　At　an　age　when　girls；　in　general；　look　forward　to　an　eternal　duration　of　such　feelings　as　they　or　their　friends　entertain；　and　can　therefore　see　no　hindrance　to　the　fulfilment　of　any　engagements　dependent　on　the　future　state　of　the　affections；　she　is　surprised　that　〃E。〃　keeps　her　promise　to　write。　In　after…life；　I　was　painfully　impressed　with　the　fact；　that　Miss　Bronte　never　dared　to　allow　herself　to　look　forward　with　hope；　that　she　had　no　confidence　in　the　future；　and　I　thought；　when　I　heard　of　the　sorrowful　years　she　had　passed　through；　that　it　had　been　this　pressure　of　grief　which　had　crushed　all　buoyancy　of　expectation　out　of　her。　　But　it　appears　from　the　letters；　that　it　must　have　been；　so　to　speak；　constitutional；　or；　perhaps；　the　deep　pang　of　losing　her　two　elder　sisters　combined　with　a　permanent　state　of　bodily　weakness　in　producing　her　hopelessness。　　If　her　trust　in　God　had　been　less　strong；　she　would　have　given　way　to　unbounded　anxiety；　at　many　a　period　of　her　life。　　As　it　was；　we　shall　see；　she　made　a　great　and　successful　effort　to　leave　〃her　times　in　His　hands。〃

After　her　return　home；　she　employed　herself　in　teaching　her　sisters；　over　whom　she　had　had　superior　advantages。　　She　writes　thus；　July　21st；　1832；　of　her　course　of　life　at　the　parsonage：…

〃An　account　of　one　day　is　an　account　of　all。　　In　the　morning；　from　nine　o'clock　till　half…past　twelve；　I　instruct　my　sisters；　and　draw；　then　we　walk　till　dinner…time。　　After　dinner　I　sew　till　tea…　time；　and　after　tea　I　either　write；　read；　or　do　a　little　fancy…　work；　or　draw；　as　I　please。　　Thus；　in　one　delightful；　though　somewhat　monotonous　course；　my　life　is　passed。　　I　have　been　only　out　twice　to　tea　since　I　came　home。　　We　are　expecting　company　this　afternoon；　and　on　Tuesday　next　we　shall　have　all　the　female　teachers　of　the　Sunday…school　to　tea。〃

I　may　here　introduce　a　quotation　from　a　letter　which　I　have　received　from　〃Mary〃　since　the　publication　of　the　previous　editions　of　this　memoir。

〃Soon　after　leaving　school　she　admitted　reading　something　of　Cobbett's。　　'She　did　not　like　him；'　she　said；　'but　all　was　fish　that　came　to　her　net。'　　At　this　time　she　wrote　to　me　that　reading　and　drawing　were　the　only　amusements　she　had；　and　that　her　supply　of　books　was　very　small　in　proportion　to　her　wants。　　She　never　spoke　of　her　aunt。　　When　I　saw　Miss　Branwell　she　was　a　very　precise　person；　and　looked　very　odd；　because　her　dress；　&c。；　was　so　utterly　out　of　fashion。　　She　corrected　one　of　us　once　for　using　the　word　'spit'　or　'spitting。'　　She　made　a　great　favourite　of　Branwell。　　She　made　her　nieces　sew；　with　purpose　or　without；　and　as　far　as　possible　discouraged　any　other　culture。　　She　used　to　keep　the　girls　sewing　charity　clothing；　and　maintained　to　me　that　it　was　not　for　the　good　of　the　recipients；　but　of　the　sewers。　　'It　was　proper　for　them　to　do　it；'　she　said。　　Charlotte　never　was　'in　wild　excitement'　that　I　know　of。　　When　in　health　she　used　to　talk　better；　and　indeed　when　in　low　spirits　never　spoke　at　all。　　She　needed　her　best　spirits　to　say　what　was　in　her　heart；　for　at　other　times　she　had　not　courage。　　She　never　gave　decided　opinions　at　such　times　。　。　。

〃Charlotte　said　she　could　get　on　with　any　one　who　had　a　bump　at　the　top　of　their　heads　（meaning　conscientiousness）。　　I　found　that　I　seldom　differed　from　her；　except　that　she　was　far　too　t