the life of charlotte bronte-1-第31章

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〃A　distant　relation　of　mine；　one　Patrick　Branwell；　has　set　off　to　seek　his　fortune　in　the　wild；　wandering；　adventurous；　romantic；　knight…errant…like　capacity　of　clerk　on　the　Leeds　and　Manchester　Railroad。　　Leeds　and　Manchesterwhere　are　they？　　Cities　in　the　wilderness；　like　Tadmor；　alias　Palmyraare　they　not？

〃There　is　one　little　trait　respecting　Mr。　W。　which　lately　came　to　my　knowledge；　which　gives　a　glimpse　of　the　better　side　of　his　character。　　Last　Saturday　night　he　had　been　sitting　an　hour　in　the　parlour　with　Papa；　and；　as　he　went　away；　I　heard　Papa　say　to　him　'What　is　the　matter　with　you？　　You　seem　in　very　low　spirits　to…　night。'　　'Oh；　I　don't　know。　　I've　been　to　see　a　poor　young　girl；　who；　I'm　afraid；　is　dying。'　　'Indeed；　what　is　her　name？'　　'Susan　Bland；　the　daughter　of　John　Bland；　the　superintendent。'　　Now　Susan　Bland　is　my　oldest　and　best　scholar　in　the　Sunday…school；　and；　when　I　heard　that；　I　thought　I　would　go　as　soon　as　I　could　to　see　her。　　I　did　go　on　Monday　afternoon；　and　found　her　on　her　way　to　that　'bourn　whence　no　traveller　returns。'　　After　sitting　with　her　some　time；　I　happened　to　ask　her　mother；　if　she　thought　a　little　port　wine　would　do　her　good。　　She　replied　that　the　doctor　had　recommended　it；　and　that　when　Mr。　W。　was　last　there；　he　had　brought　them　a　bottle　of　wine　and　jar　of　preserves。　　She　added；　that　he　was　always　good…natured　to　poor　folks；　and　seemed　to　have　a　deal　of　feeling　and　kind…heartedness　about　him。　　No　doubt；　there　are　defects　in　his　character；　but　there　are　also　good　qualities　。　。　。　God　bless　him！　　I　wonder　who；　with　his　advantages；　would　be　without　his　faults。　　I　know　many　of　his　faulty　actions；　many　of　his　weak　points；　yet；　where　I　am；　he　shall　always　find　rather　a　defender　than　an　accuser。　　To　be　sure；　my　opinion　will　go　but　a　very　little　way　to　decide　his　character；　what　of　that？　　People　should　do　right　as　far　as　their　ability　extends。　　You　are　not　to　suppose；　from　all　this；　that　Mr。　W。　and　I　are　on　very　amiable　terms；　we　are　not　at　all。　　We　are　distant；　cold；　and　reserved。　　We　seldom　speak；　and　when　we　do；　it　is　only　to　exchange　the　most　trivial　and　common…place　remarks。〃


The　Mrs。　B。　alluded　to　in　this　letter；　as　in　want　of　a　governess；　entered　into　a　correspondence　with　Miss　Bronte；　and　expressed　herself　much　pleased　with　the　letters　she　received　from　her；　with　the　〃style　and　candour　of　the　application；〃　in　which　Charlotte　had　taken　care　to　tell　her；　that　if　she　wanted　a　showy；　elegant；　or　fashionable　person；　her　correspondent　was　not　fitted　for　such　a　situation。　　But　Mrs。　B。　required　her　governess　to　give　instructions　in　music　and　singing；　for　which　Charlotte　was　not　qualified：　　and；　accordingly；　the　negotiation　fell　through。　　But　Miss　Bronte　was　not　one　to　sit　down　in　despair　after　disappointment。　　Much　as　she　disliked　the　life　of　a　private　governess；　it　was　her　duty　to　relieve　her　father　of　the　burden　of　her　support；　and　this　was　the　only　way　open　to　her。　　So　she　set　to　advertising　and　inquiring　with　fresh　vigour。

In　the　meantime；　a　little　occurrence　took　place；　described　in　one　of　her　letters；　which　I　shall　give；　as　it　shows　her　instinctive　aversion　to　a　particular　class　of　men；　whose　vices　some　have　supposed　she　looked　upon　with　indulgence。　　The　extract　tells　all　that　need　be　known；　for　the　purpose　I　have　in　view；　of　the　miserable　pair　to　whom　it　relates。


〃You　remember　Mr。　and　Mrs。　…？　　Mrs。came　here　the　other　day；　with　a　most　melancholy　tale　of　her　wretched　husband's　drunken；　extravagant；　profligate　habits。　　She　asked　Papa's　advice；　there　was　nothing　she　said　but　ruin　before　them。　　They　owed　debts　which　they　could　never　pay。　　She　expected　Mr。　…'s　instant　dismissal　from　his　curacy；　she　knew；　from　bitter　experience；　that　his　vices　were　utterly　hopeless。　　He　treated　her　and　her　child　savagely；　with　much　more　to　the　same　effect。　　Papa　advised　her　to　leave　him　for　ever；　and　go　home；　if　she　had　a　home　to　go　to。　　She　said；　this　was　what　she　had　long　resolved　to　do；　and　she　would　leave　him　directly；　as　soon　as　Mr。　B。　dismissed　him。　　She　expressed　great　disgust　and　contempt　towards　him；　and　did　not　affect　to　have　the　shadow　of　regard　in　any　way。　　I　do　not　wonder　at　this；　but　I　do　wonder　she　should　ever　marry　a　man　towards　whom　her　feelings　must　always　have　been　pretty　much　the　same　as　they　are　now。　　I　am　morally　certain　no　decent　woman　could　experience　anything　but　aversion　towards　such　a　man　as　Mr。　…。　　Before　I　knew；　or　suspected　his　character；　and　when　I　rather　wondered　at　his　versatile　talents；　I　felt　it　in　an　uncontrollable　degree。　　I　hated　to　talk　with　himhated　to　look　at　him；　though　as　I　was　not　certain　that　there　was　substantial　reason　for　such　a　dislike；　and　thought　it　absurd　to　trust　to　mere　instinct；　I　both　concealed　and　repressed　the　feeling　as　much　as　I　could；　and；　on　all　occasions；　treated　him　with　as　much　civility　as　I　was　mistress　of。　　I　was　struck　with　Mary's　expression　of　a　similar　feeling　at　first　sight；　she　said；　when　we　left　him；　'That　is　a　hideous　man；　Charlotte！'　　I　thought　'He　is　indeed。'〃



CHAPTER　X



Early　in　March；　1841；　Miss　Bronte　obtained　her　second　and　last　situation　as　a　governess。　　This　time　she　esteemed　herself　fortunate　in　becoming　a　member　of　a　kind…hearted　and　friendly　household。　　The　master　of　it；　she　especially　regarded　as　a　valuable　friend；　whose　advice　helped　to　guide　her　in　one　very　important　step　of　her　life。　　But　as　her　definite　acquirements　were　few；　she　had　to　eke　them　out　by　employing　her　leisure　time　in　needlework；　and　altogether　her　position　was　that　of　〃bonne〃　or　nursery　governess；　liable　to　repeated　and　never…ending　calls　upon　her　time。　　This　description　of　uncertain；　yet　perpetual　employment；　subject　to　the　exercise　of　another　person's　will　at　all　hours　of　the　day；　was　peculiarly　trying　to　one　whose　life　at　home　had　been　full　of　abundant　leisure。　　IDLE　she　never　was　in　any　place；　but　of　the　multitude　of　small　talks；　plans；　duties；　pleasures；　&c。；　that　make　up　most　people's　days；　her　home　life　was　nearly　destitute。　　This　made　it　possible　for　her　to　go　through　long　and　deep　histories　of　feeling　and　imagination；　for　which　others；　odd　as　it　sounds；　have　rarely　time。　　This　made　it　inevitable　thatlater　on；　in　her　too　short　careerthe　intensity　of　her　feeling　should　wear　out　her　physical　health。　　The　habit　of　〃making　out；〃　which　had　grown　with　her　growth；　and　strengthened　with　her　strength；　had　become　a　part　of　her　nature。　　Yet　all　exercise　of　her　strongest　and　most　characteristic　faculties　was　now　out　of　the　question。　　She　could　not　（as　while　she　was　at　Miss　W…'s）　feel；　amidst　the　occupations　of　the　day；　that　when　evening　came；　she　might　employ　herself　in　more　congenial　ways。　　No　doubt；　all　who　enter　upon　the　career　of　a　governess　have　to　relinquish　much；　no　doubt；　it　must　ever　be　a　life　of　sacrifice；　but　to　Charlotte　Bronte　it　was　a　perpetual　attempt　to　force　all　her　faculties　into　a　direction　for　which　the　whole　of　her　previous　life　had　unfitted　them。　　Moreover；　the　little　Brontes　had　been　brought　up　motherless；　and　from　knowing　nothing　of　the　gaiety　and　the　sportiveness　of　childhoodfrom　never　having　experienced　caresses　or　fond　attentions　themselvesthey　were　ignorant　of　the　very　nature　of　infancy；　or　how　to　call　out　its　engaging　qualities。　Children　were　to　them　the　troublesome　necessities　of　humanity；　they　had　never　been　drawn　into　contact　with　them　in　any　other　way。　Years　afterwards；　when　Miss　Bronte　came　to　stay　with　us；　she　watched　our　little　girls　perpetually；　and　I　could　not　persuade　her　that　they　were　only　average　specimens　of　well　brought　up　children。　She　was　surprised　and　touched　by　any　sign　of　thoughtfulness　for　others；　of　kindness　to　animals；　or　of　unselfishness　on　their　part：　and　constantly　maintained　that　she　was　in　the　right；　and　I　in　the　wrong；　when　we　differed　on　the　point　of　their　unusual　excellence。　All　this　must　be　borne　in　mind　while　reading　the　following　letters。　　And　it　must　likewise　be　borne　in　mindby　those　who；　surviving　her；　look　back　upon　her　life　from　their　mount　of　observationhow　no　distaste；　no　suffering　ever　made　her　shrink　from　any　course　which　she　believed　it　to　be　her　duty　to　engage　in。


〃March　3rd；　1841。

〃I　told　some　time　since；　that　I　meant　to　get　a　situation；　and　when　I　said　so　my　resolution　was　quite　fixed。　　I　felt　that　however　often　I　was　disappointed；　I　had　no　intention　of　relinquishing　my　efforts。　　After　being　severely　baffled　two　or　three　times；after　a　world　of　trouble；　in　the　way　of　correspondence　and　interviews；　I　have　at　length　succeeded；　and　am　fairly　established　in　my　new　place。

*　*　*

〃The　house　is　not　very　large；　but　exceedingly　comfortable　and　well　regulated；　the　grounds　are　fine　and　extensive。　　In　taking　the　place；　I　have　made　a　large　sacrifice　in　the　way　of　salary；　in　the　hope　of　securing　comfort；by　which　word　I　do　not　mean　to　express　good　eating　and　drinking；　or　warm　fire；　or　a　soft　bed；　but　the　society　of　cheerful　faces；　and　minds　and　hearts　not　dug　out　of　a　lead…mine；　or　cut　from　a　marble　quarry。　　My　salary　is　not　really　more　than　16L。　per　annum；　though　it　is　nominally　20L。；　but　the　expense　of　washing　will　be　deducted　therefrom。　　My　pupils　are　two　in　number；　a　girl　of　eight；　and　a　boy　of　six。　　As　to　my　employers；　you　will　not　expect　me　to　say　much　about　their　characters　when　I　tell　you　that　I　only　arrived　here　yesterday。　　I　have　not　the　faculty　of　telling　an　individual's　disposition　at　first　sight。　Before　I　can　venture　to　pronounce　on　a　character；　I　must　see　it　first　under　various　lights　and　from　various　points　of　view。　　All　I　can　say　therefore　is；　both　Mr。　and　Mrs。seem　to　me　good　sort　of　people。　　I　have　as　yet　had　no　cause　to　complain　of　want　of　considerateness　or　civility。　　My　pupils　are　wild　and　unbroken；　but　apparently　well…disposed。　　I　wish　I　may　be　able　to　say　as　much　next　time　I　write　to　you。　　My　earnest　wish　and　endeavour　will　be　to　please　them。　　If　I　can　but　feel　that　I　am　giving　satisfaction；　and　if　at　the　same　time　I　can　keep　my　health；　I　shall；　I　hope；　be　moderately　happy。　　But　no　one　but　myself　can　tell　how　hard　a　governess's　work　is　to　mefor　no　one　but　myself　is　aware　how　utterly　averse　my　whole　mind　and　nature　are　for　the　employment。　Do　not　think　that　I　fail　to　blame　myself　for　this；　or　that　I　leave　any　means　unemployed　to　conquer　this　feeling。　　Some　of　my　greatest　difficulties　lie　in　things　that　would　appear　to　you　comparatively　trivial。　　I　find　it　so　hard　to　repel　the　rude　familiarity　of　children。　　I　find　it　so　difficult　to　ask　either　servants　or　mistress　for　anything　I　want；　however　much　I　want　it。　　It　is　less　pain　for　me　to　endure　the　greatest　inconvenience　than　to　go　into　the　kitchen　to　request　its　removal。　　I　am　a　fool。　　Heaven　knows　I　cannot　help　it！

〃Now　can　you　tell　me　whether　it　is　considered　improper　for　governesses　to　ask　their　friends　to　come　and　see　them。　　I　do　not　mean；　of　course；　to　stay；　but　just　for　a　call　of　an　hour　or　two？　If　it　is　not　absolute　treason；　I　do　fervently　request　that　you　will　contrive；　in　some　way　or　other；　to　let　me　have　a　sight　of　your　face。　　Yet　I　feel；　at　the　same　time；　that　I　am　making　a　very　foolish　and　almost　impracticable　demand；　yet　this　is　only　four　miles　from　B…　！〃

〃March　21st。

〃You　must　excuse　a　very　short　answer　to　your　most　welcome　letter；　for　my　time　is　entirely　occupied。　　Mrs。expected　a　good　deal　of