the life of charlotte bronte-1-第34章

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ongs　and　heap　coals　of　fire　upon　my　head。　　I　have　had　letters　to　write　lately　to　Brussels；　to　Lille；　and　to　London。　　I　have　lots　of　chemises；　nightgowns；　pocket…　handkerchiefs；　and　pockets　to　make；　besides　clothes　to　repair。　　I　have　been；　every　week　since　I　came　home；　expecting　to　see　Branwell；　and　he　has　never　been　able　to　get　over　yet。　　We　fully　expect　him；　however；　next　Saturday。　　Under　these　circumstances　how　can　I　go　visiting？　　You　tantalize　me　to　death　with　talking　of　conversations　by　the　fireside。　　Depend　upon　it；　we　are　not　to　have　any　such　for　many　a　long　month　to　come。　　I　get　an　interesting　impression　of　old　age　upon　my　face；　and　when　you　see　me　next　I　shall　certainly　wear　caps　and　spectacles。〃



CHAPTER　XI



I　am　not　aware　of　all　the　circumstances　which　led　to　the　relinquishment　of　the　Lille　plan。　　Brussels　had　had　from　the　first　a　strong　attraction　for　Charlotte；　and　the　idea　of　going　there；　in　preference　to　any　other　place；　had　only　been　given　up　in　consequence　of　the　information　received　of　the　second…rate　character　of　its　schools。　　In　one　of　her　letters　reference　has　been　made　to　Mrs。　Jenkins；　the　wife　of　the　chaplain　of　the　British　Embassy。　　At　the　request　of　his　brothera　clergyman；　living　not　many　miles　from　Haworth；　and　an　acquaintance　of　Mr。　Bronte'sshe　made　much　inquiry；　and　at　length；　after　some　discouragement　in　her　search；　heard　of　a　school　which　seemed　in　every　respect　desirable。　There　was　an　English　lady　who　had　long　lived　in　the　Orleans　family；　amidst　the　various　fluctuations　of　their　fortunes；　and　who；　when　the　Princess　Louise　was　married　to　King　Leopold；　accompanied　her　to　Brussels；　in　the　capacity　of　reader。　　This　lady's　granddaughter　was　receiving　her　education　at　the　pensionnat　of　Madame　Heger；　and　so　satisfied　was　the　grandmother　with　the　kind　of　instruction　given；　that　she　named　the　establishment；　with　high　encomiums；　to　Mrs。　Jerkins；　and；　in　consequence；　it　was　decided　that；　if　the　terms　suited；　Miss　Bronte　and　Emily　should　proceed　thither。　　M。　Heger　informs　me　that；　on　receipt　of　a　letter　from　Charlotte；　making　very　particular　inquiries　as　to　the　possible　amount　of　what　are　usually　termed　〃extras；〃　he　and　his　wife　were　so　much　struck　by　the　simple　earnest　tone　of　the　letter；　that　they　said　to　each　other：…　〃These　are　the　daughters　of　an　English　pastor；　of　moderate　means；　anxious　to　learn　with　an　ulterior　view　of　instructing　others；　and　to　whom　the　risk　of　additional　expense　is　of　great　consequence。　　Let　us　name　a　specific　sum；　within　which　all　expenses　shall　be　included。〃

This　was　accordingly　done；　the　agreement　was　concluded；　and　the　Brontes　prepared　to　leave　their　native　county　for　the　first　time；　if　we　except　the　melancholy　and　memorable　residence　at　Cowan　Bridge。　　Mr。　Bronte　determined　to　accompany　his　daughters。　　Mary　and　her　brother；　who　were　experienced　in　foreign　travelling；　were　also　of　the　party。　　Charlotte　first　saw　London　in　the　day　or　two　they　now　stopped　there；　and；　from　an　expression　in　one　of　her　subsequent　letters；　they　all；　I　believe；　stayed　at　the　Chapter　Coffee　House；　Paternoster　Rowa　strange；　old…fashioned　tavern；　of　which　I　shall　have　more　to　say　hereafter。

Mary's　account　of　their　journey　is　thus　given。

〃In　passing　through　London；　she　seemed　to　think　our　business　was　and　ought　to　be；　to　see　all　the　pictures　and　statues　we　could。　She　knew　the　artists；　and　know　where　other　productions　of　theirs　were　to　be　found。　　I　don't　remember　what　we　saw　except　St。　Paul's。　Emily　was　like　her　in　these　habits　of　mind；　but　certainly　never　took　her　opinion；　but　always　had　one　to　offer　。　。　。　I　don't　know　what　Charlotte　thought　of　Brussels。　　We　arrived　in　the　dark；　and　went　next　morning　to　our　respective　schools　to　see　them。　　We　were；　of　course；　much　preoccupied；　and　our　prospects　gloomy。　　Charlotte　used　to　like　the　country　round　Brussels。　　'At　the　top　of　every　hill　you　see　something。'　　She　took；　long　solitary　walks　on　the　occasional　holidays。〃

Mr。　Bronte　took　his　daughters　to　the　Rue　d'Isabelle；　Brussels；　remained　one　night　at　Mr。　Jenkins'；　and　straight　returned　to　his　wild　Yorkshire　village。

What　a　contrast　to　that　must　the　Belgian　capital　have　presented　to　those　two　young　women　thus　left　behind！　　Suffering　acutely　from　every　strange　and　unaccustomed　contactfar　away　from　their　beloved　home；　and　the　dear　moors　beyondtheir　indomitable　will　was　their　great　support。　　Charlotte's　own　words；　with　regard　to　Emily；　are：…


〃After　the　age　of　twenty；　having　meantime　studied　alone　with　diligence　and　perseverance；　she　went　with　me　to　an　establishment　on　the　continent。　　The　same　suffering　and　conflict　ensued；　heightened　by　the　strong　recoil　of　her　upright　heretic　and　English　spirit　from　the　gentle　Jesuitry　of　the　foreign　and　Romish　system。　Once　more　she　seemed　sinking；　but　this　time　she　rallied　through　the　mere　force　of　resolution：　　with　inward　remorse　and　shame　she　looked　back　on　her　former　failure；　and　resolved　to　conquer；　but　the　victory　cost　her　dear。　　She　was　never　happy　till　she　carried　her　hard…won　knowledge　back　to　the　remote　English　village；　the　old　parsonage…house；　and　desolate　Yorkshire　hills。〃


They　wanted　learning。　　They　came　for　learning。　　They　would　learn。　Where　they　had　a　distinct　purpose　to　be　achieved　in　intercourse　with　their　fellows；　they　forgot　themselves；　at　all　other　times　they　were　miserably　shy。　　Mrs。　Jenkins　told　me　that　she　used　to　ask　them　to　spend　Sundays　and　holidays　with　her；　until　she　found　that　they　felt　more　pain　than　pleasure　from　such　visits。　　Emily　hardly　ever　uttered　more　than　a　monosyllable。　　Charlotte　was　sometimes　excited　sufficiently　to　speak　eloquently　and　wellon　certain　subjects；　but　before　her　tongue　was　thus　loosened；　she　had　a　habit　of　gradually　wheeling　round　on　her　chair；　so　as　almost　to　conceal　her　face　from　the　person　to　whom　she　was　speaking。

And　yet　there　was　much　in　Brussels　to　strike　a　responsive　chord　in　her　powerful　imagination。　　At　length　she　was　seeing　somewhat　of　that　grand　old　world　of　which　she　had　dreamed。　　As　the　gay　crowds　passed　by　her；　so　had　gay　crowds　paced　those　streets　for　centuries；　in　all　their　varying　costumes。　　Every　spot　told　an　historic　tale；　extending　back　into　the　fabulous　ages　when　Jan　and　Jannika；　the　aboriginal　giant　and　giantess；　looked　over　the　wall；　forty　feet　high；　of　what　is　now　the　Rue　Villa　Hermosa；　and　peered　down　upon　the　new　settlers　who　were　to　turn　them　out　of　the　country　in　which　they　had　lived　since　the　deluge。　　The　great　solemn　Cathedral　of　St。　Gudule；　the　religious　paintings；　the　striking　forms　and　ceremonies　of　the　Romish　Churchall　made　a　deep　impression　on　the　girls；　fresh　from　the　bare　walls　and　simple　worship　of　Haworth　Church。　　And　then　they　were　indignant　with　themselves　for　having　been　susceptible　of　this　impression；　and　their　stout　Protestant　hearts　arrayed　themselves　against　the　false　Duessa　that　had　thus　imposed　upon　them。

The　very　building　they　occupied　as　pupils；　in　Madame　Heger's　pensionnat；　had　its　own　ghostly　train　of　splendid　associations；　marching　for　ever；　in　shadowy　procession；　through　and　through　the　ancient　rooms；　and　shaded　alleys　of　the　gardens。　　From　the　splendour　of　to…day　in　the　Rue　Royale；　if　you　turn　aside；　near　the　statue　of　the　General　Beliard；　you　look　down　four　flights　of　broad　stone　steps　upon　the　Rue　d'Isabelle。　　The　chimneys　of　the　houses　in　it　are　below　your　feet。　　Opposite　to　the　lowest　flight　of　steps；　there　is　a　large　old　mansion　facing　you；　with　a　spacious　walled　garden　behindand　to　the　right　of　it。　　In　front　of　this　garden；　on　the　same　side　as　the　mansion；　and　with　great　boughs　of　trees　sweeping　over　their　lowly　roofs；　is　a　row　of　small；　picturesque；　old…fashioned　cottages；　not　unlike；　in　degree　and　uniformity；　to　the　almshouses　so　often　seen　in　an　English　country　town。　　The　Rue　d'Isabelle　looks　as　though　it　had　been　untouched　by　the　innovations　of　the　builder　for　the　last　three　centuries；　and　yet　any　one　might　drop　a　stone　into　it　from　the　back　windows　of　the　grand　modern　hotels　in　the　Rue　Royale；　built　and　furnished　in　the　newest　Parisian　fashion。

In　the　thirteenth　century；　the　Rue　d'Isabelle　was　called　the　Fosse…aux…Chiens；　and　the　kennels　for　the　ducal　hounds　occupied　the　place　where　Madame　Heger's　pensionnat　now　stands。　　A　hospital　（in　the　ancient　large　meaning　of　the　word）　succeeded　to　the　kennel。　　The　houseless　and　the　poor；　perhaps　the　leprous；　were　received；　by　the　brethren　of　a　religious　order；　in　a　building　on　this　sheltered　site；　and　what　had　been　a　fosse　for　defence；　was　filled　up　with　herb…gardens　and　orchards　for　upwards　of　a　hundred　years。　　Then　came　the　aristocratic　guild　of　the　cross…bow　men　that　company　the　members　whereof　were　required　to　prove　their　noble　descentuntainted　for　so　many　generations；　before　they　could　be　admitted　into　the　guild；　and；　being　admitted；　were　required　to　swear　a　solemn　oath；　that　no　other　pastime　or　exercise　should　take　up　any　part　of　their　leisure；　the　whole　of　which　was　to　be　devoted　to　the　practice　of　the　noble　art　of　shooting　with　the　cross…bow。　　Once　a　year　a　grand　match　was　held；　under　the　patronage　of　some　saint；　to　whose　church…steeple　was　affixed　the　bird；　or　semblance　of　a　bird；　to　be　hit　by　the　victor。　｛5｝　　The　conqueror　in　the　game　was　Roi　des　Arbaletriers　for　the　coming　year；　and　received　a　jewelled　decoration　accordingly；　which　he　was　entitled　to　wear　for　twelve　months；　after　which　he　restored　it　to　the　guild；　to　be　again　striven　for。　　The　family　of　him　who　died　during　the　year　that　he　was　king；　were　bound　to　present　the　decoration　to　the　church　of　the　patron　saint　of　the　guild；　and　to　furnish　a　similar　prize　to　be　contended　for　afresh。　　These　noble　cross…bow　men　of　the　middle　ages　formed　a　sort　of　armed　guard　to　the　powers　in　existence；　and　almost　invariably　took　the　aristocratic；　in　preference　to　the　democratic　side；　in　the　numerous　civil　dissensions　of　the　Flemish　towns。　　Hence　they　were　protected　by　the　authorities；　and　easily　obtained　favourable　and　sheltered　sites　for　their　exercise…ground。　　And　thus　they　came　to　occupy　the　old　fosse；　and　took　possession　of　the　great　orchard　of　the　hospital；　lying　tranquil　and　sunny　in　the　hollow　below　the　rampart。

But；　in　the　sixteenth　century；　it　became　necessary　to　construct　a　street　through　the　exercise…ground　of　the　〃Arbaletriers　du　Grand　Serment；〃　and；　after　much　delay；　the　company　were　induced　by　the　beloved　Infanta　Isabella　to　give　up　the　requisite　plot　of　ground。　In　recompense　for　this；　Isabellawho　herself　was　a　member　of　the　guild；　and　had　even　shot　down　the　bird；　and　been　queen　in　1615　made　many　presents　to　the　arbaletriers；　and；　in　return；　the　grateful　city；　which　had　long　wanted　a　nearer　road　to　St。　Gudule；　but　been　baffled　by　the　noble　archers；　called　the　street　after　her　name。　　She；　as　a　sort　of　indemnification　to　the　arbaletriers；　caused　a　〃great　mansion〃　to　be　built　for　their　accommodation　in　the　new　Rue　d'Isabelle。　　This　mansion　was　placed　in　front　of　their　exercise…ground；　and　was　of　a　square　shape。　　On　a　remote　part　of　the　walls；　may　still　be　read　…


PHILLIPPO　IIII。　　HISPAN。　　REGE。　　ISABELLA…CLARA…EUGENIA　HISPAN。　INFANS。　　MAGNAE　GULDAE　REGINA　GULDAE　FRATRIBUS　POSUIT。


In　that　mansion　were　held　all　the　splendid　feasts　of　the　Grand　Serment　des　Arbaletriers。　　The　master…archer　lived　there　constantly；　in　order　to　be　ever