the life of charlotte bronte-1-第32部分

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er　wishes　he　expressed。　　Of　course；　he　was　careful　enough　not　to　reveal　anything　before　his　father　and　sisters　of　the　pleasures　he　indulged　in；　but　his　tone　of　thought　and　conversation　became　gradually　coarser；　and；　for　a　time；　his　sisters　tried　to　persuade　themselves　that　such　coarseness　was　a　part　of　manliness；　and　to　blind　themselves　by　love　to　the　fact　that　Branwell　was　worse　than　other　young　men。　　At　present；　though　he　had；　they　were　aware；　fallen　into　some　errors；　the　exact　nature　of　which　they　avoided　knowing；　still　he　was　their　hope　and　their　darling；　their　pride；　who　should　some　time　bring　great　glory　to　the　name　of　Bronte。

He　and　his　sister　Charlotte　were　both　slight　and　small　of　stature；　while　the　other　two　were　of　taller　and　larger　make。　　I　have　seen　Branwell's　profile；　it　is　what　would　be　generally　esteemed　very　handsome；　the　forehead　is　massive；　the　eye　well　set；　and　the　expression　of　it　fine　and　intellectual；　the　nose　too　is　good；　but　there　are　coarse　lines　about　the　mouth；　and　the　lips；　though　of　handsome　shape；　are　loose　and　thick；　indicating　self…indulgence；　while　the　slightly　retreating　chin　conveys　an　idea　of　weakness　of　will。　　His　hair　and　complexion　were　sandy。　　He　had　enough　of　Irish　blood　in　him　to　make　his　manners　frank　and　genial；　with　a　kind　of　natural　gallantry　about　them。　　In　a　fragment　of　one　of　his　manuscripts　which　I　have　read；　there　is　a　justness　and　felicity　of　expression　which　is　very　striking。　　It　is　the　beginning　of　a　tale；　and　the　actors　in　it　are　drawn　with　much　of　the　grace　of　characteristic　portrait…painting；　in　perfectly　pure　and　simple　language　which　distinguishes　so　many　of　Addison's　papers　in　the　〃Spectator。〃　　The　fragment　is　too　short　to　afford　the　means　of　judging　whether　he　had　much　dramatic　talent；　as　the　persons　of　the　story　are　not　thrown　into　conversation。　　But　altogether　the　elegance　and　composure　of　style　are　such　as　one　would　not　have　expected　from　this　vehement　and　ill…fated　young　man。　　He　had　a　stronger　desire　for　literary　fame　burning　in　his　heart；　than　even　that　which　occasionally　flashed　up　in　his　sisters'。　　He　tried　various　outlets　for　his　talents。　　He　wrote　and　sent　poems　to　Wordsworth　and　Coleridge；　who　both　expressed　kind　and　laudatory　opinions；　and　he　frequently　contributed　verses　to　the　LEEDS　MERCURY。　　In　1840；　he　was　living　at　home；　employing　himself　in　occasional　composition　of　various　kinds；　and　waiting　till　some　occupation；　for　which　he　might　be　fitted　without　any　expensive　course　of　preliminary　training；　should　turn　up；　waiting；　not　impatiently；　for　he　saw　society　of　one　kind　（probably　what　he　called　〃life〃）　at　the　Black　Bull；　and　at　home　he　was　as　yet　the　cherished　favourite。

Miss　Branwell　was　unaware　of　the　fermentation　of　unoccupied　talent　going　on　around　her。　　She　was　not　her　nieces'　confidanteperhaps　no　one　so　much　older　could　have　been；　but　their　father；　from　whom　they　derived　not　a　little　of　their　adventurous　spirit；　was　silently　cognisant　of　much　of　which　she　took　no　note。　　Next　to　her　nephew；　the　docile；　pensive　Anne　was　her　favourite。　　Of　her　she　had　taken　charge　from　her　infancy；　she　was　always　patient　and　tractable；　and　would　submit　quietly　to　occasional　oppression；　even　when　she　felt　it　keenly。　　Not　so　her　two　elder　sisters；　they　made　their　opinions　known；　when　roused　by　any　injustice。　　At　such　times；　Emily　would　express　herself　as　strongly　as　Charlotte；　although　perhaps　less　frequently。　　But；　in　general；　notwithstanding　that　Miss　Branwell　might　be　occasionally　unreasonable；　she　and　her　nieces　went　on　smoothly　enough；　and　though　they　might　now　and　then　be　annoyed　by　petty　tyranny；　she　still　inspired　them　with　sincere　respect；　and　not　a　little　affection。　　They　were；　moreover；　grateful　to　her　for　many　habits　she　had　enforced　upon　them；　and　which　in　time　had　become　second　nature：　　order；　method；　neatness　in　everything；　a　perfect　knowledge　of　all　kinds　of　household　work；　an　exact　punctuality；　and　obedience　to　the　laws　of　time　and　place；　of　which　no　one　but　themselves；　I　have　heard　Charlotte　say；　could　tell　the　value　in　after…life；　with　their　impulsive　natures；　it　was　positive　repose　to　have　learnt　implicit　obedience　to　external　laws。　　People　in　Haworth　have　assured　me　that；　according　to　the　hour　of　daynay；　the　very　minutecould　they　have　told　what　the　inhabitants　of　the　parsonage　were　about。　　At　certain　times　the　girls　would　be　sewing　in　their　aunt's　bedroomthe　chamber　which；　in　former　days；　before　they　had　outstripped　her　in　their　learning；　had　served　them　as　a　schoolroom；　at　certain　（early）　hours　they　had　their　meals；　from　six　to　eight；　Miss　Branwell　read　aloud　to　Mr。　Bronte；　at　punctual　eight；　the　household　assembled　to　evening　prayers　in　his　study；　and　by　nine　he；　the　aunt；　and　Tabby；　were　all　in　bed；the　girls　free　to　pace　up　and　down　（like　restless　wild　animals）　in　the　parlour；　talking　over　plans　and　projects；　and　thoughts　of　what　was　to　be　their　future　life。

At　the　time　of　which　I　write；　the　favourite　idea　was　that　of　keeping　a　school。　　They　thought　that；　by　a　little　contrivance；　and　a　very　little　additional　building；　a　small　number　of　pupils；　four　or　six；　might　be　accommodated　in　the　parsonage。　　As　teaching　seemed　the　only　profession　open　to　them；　and　as　it　appeared　that　Emily　at　least　could　not　live　away　from　home；　while　the　others　also　suffered　much　from　the　same　cause；　this　plan　of　school…　keeping　presented　itself　as　most　desirable。　　But　it　involved　some　outlay；　and　to　this　their　aunt　was　averse。　　Yet　there　was　no　one　to　whom　they　could　apply　for　a　loan　of　the　requisite　means；　except　Miss　Branwell；　who　had　made　a　small　store　out　of　her　savings；　which　she　intended　for　her　nephew　and　nieces　eventually；　but　which　she　did　not　like　to　risk。　　Still；　this　plan　of　school…keeping　remained　uppermost；　and　in　the　evenings　of　this　winter　of　1839…40；　the　alterations　that　would　be　necessary　in　the　house；　and　the　best　way　of　convincing　their　aunt　of　the　wisdom　of　their　project；　formed　the　principal　subject　of　their　conversation。

This　anxiety　weighed　upon　their　minds　rather　heavily；　during　the　months　of　dark　and　dreary　weather。　　Nor　were　external　events；　among　the　circle　of　their　friends；　of　a　cheerful　character。　　In　January；　1840；　Charlotte　heard　of　the　death　of　a　young　girl　who　had　been　a　pupil　of　hers；　and　a　schoolfellow　of　Anne's；　at　the　time　when　the　sisters　were　together　at　Roe　Head；　and　had　attached　herself　very　strongly　to　the　latter；　who；　in　return；　bestowed　upon　her　much　quiet　affection。　　It　was　a　sad　day　when　the　intelligence　of　this　young　creature's　death　arrived。　　Charlotte　wrote　thus　on　January　12th；　1840：…


〃Your　letter；　which　I　received　this　morning；　was　one　of　painful　interest。　　Anne　C。；　it　seems；　is　DEAD；　when　I　saw　her　last；　she　was　a　young；　beautiful；　and　happy　girl；　and　now　'life's　fitful　fever'　is　over　with　her；　and　she　'sleeps　well。'　　I　shall　never　see　her　again。　　It　is　a　sorrowful　thought；　for　she　was　a　warm…hearted；　affectionate　being；　and　I　cared　for　her。　　Wherever　I　seek　for　her　now　in　this　world；　she　cannot　be　found；　no　more　than　a　flower　or　a　leaf　which　withered　twenty　years　ago。　　A　bereavement　of　this　kind　gives　one　a　glimpse　of　the　feeling　those　must　have　who　have　seen　all　drop　round　them；　friend　after　friend；　and　are　left　to　end　their　pilgrimage　alone。　　But　tears　are　fruitless；　and　I　try　not　to　repine。〃


During　this　winter；　Charlotte　employed　her　leisure　hours　in　writing　a　story。　　Some　fragments　of　the　manuscript　yet　remain；　but　it　is　in　too　small　a　hand　to　be　read　without　great　fatigue　to　the　eyes；　and　one　cares　the　less　to　read　it；　as　she　herself　condemned　it；　in　the　preface　to　the　〃Professor；〃　by　saying　that　in　this　story　she　had　got　over　such　taste　as　she　might　once　have　had　for　the　〃ornamental　and　redundant　in　composition。〃　　The　beginning；　too；　as　she　acknowledges；　was　on　a　scale　commensurate　with　one　of　Richardson's　novels；　of　seven　or　eight　volumes。　　I　gather　some　of　these　particulars　from　a　copy　of　a　letter；　apparently　in　reply　to　one　from　Wordsworth；　to　whom　she　had　sent　the　commencement　of　the　story；　sometime　in　the　summer　of　1840。


〃Authors　are　generally　very　tenacious　of　their　productions；　but　I　am　not　so　much　attached　to　this　but　that　I　can　give　it　up　without　much　distress。　　No　doubt；　if　I　had　gone　on；　I　should　have　made　quite　a　Richardsonian　concern　of　it　。　。　。　I　had　materials　in　my　head　for　half…a…dozen　volumes　。　。　。　Of　course；　it　is　with　considerable　regret　I　relinquish　any　scheme　so　charming　as　the　one　I　have　sketched。　　It　is　very　edifying　and　profitable　to　create　a　world　out　of　your　own　brains；　and　people　it　with　inhabitants；　who　are　so　many　Melchisedecs；　and　have　no　father　nor　mother　but　your　own　imagination　。　。　。　I　am　sorry　I　did　not　exist　fifty　or　sixty　years　ago；　when　the　'Ladies'　Magazine'　was　flourishing　like　a　green　bay…tree。　　In　that　case；　I　make　no　doubt；　my　aspirations　after　literary　fame　would　have　met　with　due　encouragement；　and　I　should　have　had　the　pleasure　of　introducing　Messrs。　Percy　and　West　into　the　very　best　society；　and　recording　all　their　sayings　and　doings　in　double…columned　close…printed　pages　。　。　。　I　recollect；　when　I　was　a　child；　getting　hold　of　some　antiquated　volumes；　and　reading　them　by　stealth　with　the　most　exquisite　pleasure。　　You　give　a　correct　description　of　the　patient　Grisels　of　those　days。　My　aunt　was　one　of　them；　and　to　this　day　she　thinks　the　tales　of　the　'Ladies'　Magazine'　infinitely　superior　to　any　trash　of　modern　literature。　　So　do　I；　for　I　read　them　in　childhood；　and　childhood　has　a　very　strong　faculty　of　admiration；　but　a　very　weak　one　of　criticism　。　。　。　I　am　pleased　that　you　cannot　quite　decide　whether　I　am　an　attorney's　clerk　or　a　novel…reading　dress…maker。　　I　will　not　help　you　at　all　in　the　discovery；　and　as　to　my　handwriting；　or　the　lady…like　touches　in　my　style　and　imagery；　you　must　not　draw　any　conclusion　from　thatI　may　employ　an　amanuensis。　　Seriously；　sir；　I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you　for　your　kind　and　candid　letter。　　I　almost　wonder　you　took　the　trouble　to　read　and　notice　the　novelette　of　an　anonymous　scribe；　who　had　not　even　the　manners　to　tell　you　whether　he　was　a　man　or　a　woman；　or　whether　his　'C。　T。'　meant　Charles　Timms　or　Charlotte　Tomkins。〃


There　are　two　or　three　things　noticeable　in　the　letter　from　which　these　extracts　are　taken。　　The　f