the life of charlotte bronte-1-第19章

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〃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　tolerant　of　stupid　people；　if　they　had　a　grain　of　kindness　in　them。〃

It　was　about　this　time　that　Mr。　Bronte　provided　his　children　with　a　teacher　in　drawing；　who　turned　out　to　be　a　man　of　considerable　talent；　but　very　little　principle。　　Although　they　never　attained　to　anything　like　proficiency；　they　took　great　interest　in　acquiring　this　art；　evidently；　from　an　instinctive　desire　to　express　their　powerful　imaginations　in　visible　forms。　　Charlotte　told　me；　that　at　this　period　of　her　life；　drawing；　and　walking　out　with　her　sisters；　formed　the　two　great　pleasures　and　relaxations　of　her　day。

The　three　girls　used　to　walk　upwards　toward　the　〃purple…black〃　moors；　the　sweeping　surface　of　which　was　broken　by　here　and　there　a　stone…quarry；　and　if　they　had　strength　and　time　to　go　far　enough；　they　reached　a　waterfall；　where　the　beck　fell　over　some　rocks　into　the　〃bottom。〃　　They　seldom　went　downwards　through　the　village。　　They　were　shy　of　meeting　even　familiar　faces；　and　were　scrupulous　about　entering　the　house　of　the　very　poorest　uninvited。　They　were　steady　teachers　at　the　Sunday…School；　a　habit　which　Charlotte　kept　up　very　faithfully；　even　after　she　was　left　alone；　but　they　never　faced　their　kind　voluntary；　and　always　preferred　the　solitude　and　freedom　of　the　moors。


In　the　September　of　this　year；　Charlotte　went　to　pay　her　first　visit　to　her　friend　〃E。〃　　It　took　her　into　the　neighbourhood　of　Roe　Head；　and　brought　her　into　pleasant　contact　with　many　of　her　old　school…fellows。　　After　this　visit　she　and　her　friend　seem　to　have　agreed　to　correspond　in　French；　for　the　sake　of　improvement　in　the　language。　　But　this　improvement　could　not　be　great；　when　it　could　only　amount　to　a　greater　familiarity　with　dictionary　words；　and　when　there　was　no　one　to　explain　to　them　that　a　verbal　translation　of　English　idioms　hardly　constituted　French　composition；　but　the　effort　was　laudable；　and　of　itself　shows　how　willing　they　both　were　to　carry　on　the　education　which　they　had　begun　under　Miss　W…。　　　I　will　give　an　extract　which；　whatever　may　be　thought　of　the　language；　is　graphic　enough；　and　presents　us　with　a　happy　little　family　picture；　the　eldest　sister　returning　home　to　the　two　younger；　after　a　fortnight's　absence。

〃J'arrivait　e　Haworth　en　parfaite　sauvete　sans　le　moindre　accident　ou　malheur。　　Mes　petites　soeurs　couraient　hors　de　la　maison　pour　me　rencontrer　aussitot　que　la　voiture　se　fit　voir；　et　elles　m'embrassaient　avec　autant　d'empressement　et　de　plaisir　comme　si　j'avais　ete　absente　pour　plus　d'an。　　Mon　Papa；　ma　Tante；　et　le　monsieur　dent　men　frere　avoit　parle；　furent　tous　assembles　dans　le　Salon；　et　en　peu　de　temps　je　m'y　rendis　aussi。　　C'est　souvent　l'ordre　du　Ciel　que　quand　on　a　perdu　un　plaisir　il　y　en　a　un　autre　pret　e　prendre　sa　place。　　Ainsi　je　venois　de　partir　de　tres…chers　amis；　mais　tout　e　l'heure　je　revins　e　des　parens　aussi　chers　et　bon　dans　le　moment。　　Meme　que　vous　me　perdiez　（ose…je　croire　que　mon　depart　vous　etait　un　chagrin？）　vous　attendites　l'arrivee　de　votre　frere；　et　de　votre　soeur。　　J'ai　donne　e　mes　soeurs　les　pommes　que　vous　leur　envoyiez　avec　tant　de　bonte；　elles　disent　qu'elles　sont　sur　que　Mademoiselle　E。　est　tres…aimable　et　bonne；　l'une　et　l'autre　sont　extremement　impatientes　de　vous　voir；　j'espere　qu'en　peu　de　mois　elles　auront　ce　plaisir。〃

But　it　was　some　time　yet　before　the　friends　could　meet；　and　meanwhile　they　agreed　to　correspond　once　a　month。　　There　were　no　events　to　chronicle　in　the　Haworth　letters。　　Quiet　days；　occupied　in　reaching；　and　feminine　occupations　in　the　house；　did　not　present　much　to　write　about；　and　Charlotte　was　naturally　driven　to　criticise　books。

Of　these　there　were　many　in　different　plights；　and　according　to　their　plight；　kept　in　different　places。　　The　well…bound　were　ranged　in　the　sanctuary　of　Mr。　Bronte's　study；　but　the　purchase　of　books　was　a　necessary　luxury　to　him；　but　as　it　was　often　a　choice　between　binding　an　old　one；　or　buying　a　new　one；　the　familiar　volume；　which　had　been　hungrily　read　by　all　the　members　of　the　family；　was　sometimes　in　such　a　condition　that　the　bedroom　shelf　was　considered　its　fitting　place。　　Up　and　down　the　house　were　to　be　found　many　standard　works　of　a　solid　kind。　　Sir　Walter　Scott's　writings；　Wordsworth's　and　Southey's　poems　were　among　the　lighter　literature；　while；　as　having　a　character　of　their　ownearnest；　wild；　and　occasionally　fanaticalmay　be　named　some　of　the　books　which　came　from　the　Branwell　side　of　the　familyfrom　the　Cornish　followers　of　the　saintly　John　Wesleyand　which　are　touched　on　in　the　account　of　the　works　to　which　Caroline　Helstone　had　access　in　〃Shirley：〃〃Some　venerable　Lady's　Magazines；　that　had　once　performed　a　voyage　with　their　owner；　and　undergone　a　storm〃　（possibly　part　of　the　relics　of　Mrs。　Bronte's　possessions；　contained　in　the　ship　wrecked　on　the　coast　of　Cornwall）〃and　whose　pages　were　stained　with　salt　water；　some　mad　Methodist　Magazines　full　of　miracles　and　apparitions；　and　preternatural　warnings；　ominous　dreams；　and　frenzied　fanaticisms；　and　the　equally　mad　letters　of　Mrs。　Elizabeth　Rowe　from　the　Dead　to　the　Living。〃

Mr。　Bronte　encouraged　a　taste　for　reading　in　his　girls；　and　though　Miss　Branwell　kept　it　in　due　bounds；　by　the　variety　of　household　occupations；　in　which　she　expected　them　not　merely　to　take　a　part；　but　to　become　proficients；　thereby　occupying　regularly　a　good　portion　of　every　day；　they　were　allowed　to　get　books　from　the　circulating　library　at　Keighley；　and　many　a　happy　walk；　up　those　long　four　miles；　must　they　have　had；　burdened　with　some　new　book；　into　which　they　peeped　as　they　hurried　home。　　Not　that　the　books　were　what　would　generally　be　called　new；　in　the　beginning　of　1833；　the　two　friends　seem　almost　simultaneously　to　have　fallen　upon　〃Kenilworth；〃　and　Charlotte　writes　as　follows　about　it：…

〃I　am　glad　you　like　'Kenilworth；'　it　is　certainly　more　resembling　a　romance　than　a　novel：　　in　my　opinion；　one　of　the　most　interesting　works　that　ever　emanated　from　the　great　Sir　Walter's　pen。　　Varney　is　certainly　the　personification　of　consummate　villainy；　and　in　the　delineation　of　his　dark　and　profoundly　artful　mind；　Scott　exhibits　a　wonderful　knowledge　of　human　nature；　as　well　as　a　surprising　skill　in　embodying　his　perceptions；　so　as　to　enable　others　to　become　participators　in　that　knowledge。〃

Commonplace　as　this　extract　may　seem；　it　is　noteworthy　on　two　or　three　accounts：　　in　the　first　place；　instead　of　discussing　the　plot　or　story；　she　analyses　the　character　of　Varney；　and　next；　she；　knowing　nothing　of　the　world；　both　from　her　youth　and　her　isolated　position；　has　yet　been　so　accustomed　to　hear　〃human　nature〃　distrusted；　as　to　receive　the　notion　of　intense　and　artful　villainy　without　surprise。

What　was　formal　and　set　in　her　way　of　writing　to　〃E。〃　diminished　as　their　personal　acquaintance　increased；　and　as　each　came　to　know　the　home　of　the　other；　so　that　small　details　concerning　people　and　places　had　their　interest　and　their　significance。　　In　the　summer　of　1833；　she　wrote　to　invite　her　friend　to　come　and　pay　her　a　visit。　　〃Aunt　thought　it　would　be　better〃　（she　says）　〃to　defer　it　until　about　the　middle　of　summer；　as　the　winter；　and　even　the　spring　seasons；　are　remarkably　cold　and　bleak　among　our　mountains。〃

The　first　impression　made　on　the　visitor　by　the　sisters　of　her　school…friend　was；　that　Emily　was　a　tall；　long…armed　girl；　more　fully　grown　than　her　elder　sister；　extremely　reserved　in　manner。　I　distinguish　reserve　from　shyness；　because　I　imagine　shyness　would　please；　if　it　knew　how；　whereas；　reserve　is　indifferent　whether　it　pleases　or　not。　　Anne；　like　her　eldest　sister；　was　shy；　Emily　was　reserved。

Branwell　was　rather　a　handsome　boy；　with　〃tawny〃　hair；　to　use　Miss　Bronte's　phrase　for　a　more　obnoxious　colour。　　All　were　very　clever；　original；　and　utterly　different　to　any　people　or　family　〃E。〃　had　ever　seen　before。　　But；　on　the　whole；　it　was　a　happy　visit　to　all　parties。　　Charlotte　says；　in　writing　to　〃E。；〃　just　after　her　return　home〃Were　I　to　tell　you　of　the　impression　you　have　made　on　every　one　here；　you　would　accuse　me　of　flattery。　Papa　and　aunt　are　continually　adducing　you　as　an　example　for　me　to　shape　my　actions　and　behaviour　by。　　Emily　and　Anne　say　'they　never　saw　any　one　they　liked　so　well　as　you。'　　And　Tabby；　whom　you　have　absolutely　fascinated；　talks　a　great　deal　more　nonsense　about　your　ladyship　than　I　care　to　repeat。　　It　is　now　so　dark　that；　notwithstanding　the　singular　property　of　seeing　in　the　night…time；　which　the　young　ladies　at　Roe　Head　used　to　attribute　to　me；　I　can　scribble　no　longer。〃

To　a　visitor　at　the　parsonage；　it　was　a　great　thing　to　have　Tabby's　good　word。　　She　had　a　Yorkshire　keenness　of　perception　into　character；　and　it　was　not　everybody　she　liked。

Haworth　is　built　with　an　utter　disregard　of　all　sanitary　conditions：　　the　great　old　churchyard　lies　above　all　the　houses；　and　it　is　terrible　to　think　how　the　very　water…springs　of　the　pumps　below　must　be　poisoned。　　But　this　winter　of　1833…4　was　particularly　wet　and　rainy；　and　there　were　an　unusual　number　of　deaths　in　the　village。　　A　dreary　season　it　was　to　the　family　in　the　parsonage：　　their　usual　walks　obstructed　by　the　spongy　state　of　the　moorsthe　passing　and　funeral　bells　so　frequently　tolling；　and　filling　the　heavy　air　with　their　mournful　soundand；　when　they　were　still；　the　〃chip；　chip；〃　of　the　mason；　as　he　cut　the　grave…stones　in　a　shed　close　by。　　In　many；　living；　as　it　were；　in　a　churchyard；　and　with　all　the　sights　and　sounds　connected　with　the　last　offices　to　the　dead　things　of　every…day　occurrence；　the　very　familiarity　would　have　bred　indifference。　　But　it　was　otherwise　with　Charlotte　Bronte。　　One　of　her　friends　says：…　〃I　have　seen　her　turn　pale　and　feel　faint　when；　in　Hartshead　church；　some　one　accidentally　remarked　that　we　were　walking　over　graves。　Charlotte　was　certainly　afraid　of　death。　　Not　only　of　dead　bodies；　or　dying　people。　　She　dreaded　it　as　something　horrible。　　She　thought　we　did　not　know　how　long　the　'moment　of　dissolution'　might　really　be；　or　how　terrible。　　This　was　just　such　a　terror　as　only　hypochondriacs　can　provide　for　themselves。　　She　told　me　long　ago　that　a　misfortune　was　often　preceded　by　the　dream　frequently　repeated　which　she　gives　to　'Jane　Eyre；'　of　carrying　a　little　wailing　child；　and　being　unable　to　still　it。　　She　described　herself　as　having　the　most　painful　sense　of　pity　for　the　little　thing；　lying　INERT；　as　sick　children　do；　while　she　walked　about　in　some　gloomy　place　with　it；　such　as　the　aisle　of　Haworth　Church。　The　misfortunes　she　mentioned　were　not　always　to　herself。　　She　thought　such　sensitiveness　to　omens　was　like　the　cholera；　present　to　susceptible　people；some　feeling　more；　some　less。〃

About　the　beginning　of　1834；　〃E。〃　went　to　London　for　the　first　time。　　The　idea　of　her　friend's　visit　seems　to　have　stirred　Charlotte　strangely。　　She　appears　to　have　formed　her　notions　of　its　probable　consequences　from　some　of　the　papers　in　the　〃British　Essayists；〃　〃The　Rambler；〃　〃The　Mirror；〃　or　〃The　Lounger；〃　which　may　have　been　among　the　English　classics　on　the　parsonage　bookshelves；　for　she　evidently　imagines　that　an　entire　change　of　ch