the life of charlotte bronte-1-第41部分

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；　and　in　occasional　meetings　with　these；　they　could　have　the　inexpressible　solace　to　residents　in　a　foreign　countryand　peculiarly　such　to　the　Brontesof　talking　over　the　intelligence　received　from　their　respective　homesreferring　to　past；　or　planning　for　future　days。　〃Mary〃　and　her　sister；　the　bright；　dancing；　laughing　Martha；　were　parlour…boarders　in　an　establishment　just　beyond　the　barriers　of　Brussels。　　Again；　the　cousins　of　these　friends　were　resident　in　the　town；　and　at　their　house　Charlotte　and　Emily　were　always　welcome；　though　their　overpowering　shyness　prevented　their　more　valuable　qualities　from　being　known；　and　generally　kept　them　silent。　　They　spent　their　weekly　holiday　with　this　family；　for　many　months；　but　at　the　end　of　the　time；　Emily　was　as　impenetrable　to　friendly　advances　as　at　the　beginning；　while　Charlotte　was　too　physically　weak　（as　〃Mary〃　has　expressed　it）　to　〃gather　up　her　forces〃　sufficiently　to　express　any　difference　or　opposition　of　opinion；　and　had　consequently　an　assenting　and　deferential　manner；　strangely　at　variance　with　what　they　knew　of　her　remarkable　talents　and　decided　character。　　At　this　house；　the　T。's　and　the　Brontes　could　look　forward　to　meeting　each　other　pretty　frequently。　　There　was　another　English　family　where　Charlotte　soon　became　a　welcome　guest；　and　where；　I　suspect；　she　felt　herself　more　at　her　ease　than　either　at　Mrs。　Jenkins'；　or　the　friends　whom　I　have　first　mentioned。

An　English　physician；　with　a　large　family　of　daughters；　went　to　reside　at　Brussels；　for　the　sake　of　their　education。　　He　placed　them　at　Madame　Heger's　school　in　July；　1842；　not　a　month　before　the　beginning　of　the　GRANDES　VACANCES　on　August　15th。　　In　order　to　make　the　most　of　their　time；　and　become　accustomed　to　the　language；　these　English　sisters　went　daily；　through　the　holidays；　to　the　pensionnat　in　the　Rue　d'Isabelle。　　Six　or　eight　boarders　remained；　besides　the　Miss　Brontes。　　They　were　there　during　the　whole　time；　never　even　having　the　break　to　their　monotonous　life；　which　passing　an　occasional　day　with　a　friend　would　have　afforded　them；　but　devoting　themselves　with　indefatigable　diligence　to　the　different　studies　in　which　they　were　engaged。　　Their　position　in　the　school　appeared；　to　these　new　comers；　analogous　to　what　is　often　called　that　of　a　parlour…boarder。　　They　prepared　their　French；　drawing；　German；　and　literature　for　their　various　masters；　and　to　these　occupations　Emily　added　that　of　music；　in　which　she　was　somewhat　of　a　proficient；　so　much　so　as　to　be　qualified　to　give　instruction　in　it　to　the　three　younger　sisters　of　my　informant。

The　school　was　divided　into　three　classes。　　In　the　first　were　from　fifteen　to　twenty　pupils；　in　the　second；　sixty　was　about　the　average　numberall　foreigners；　excepting　the　two　Brontes　and　one　other；　in　the　third；　there　were　from　twenty　to　thirty　pupils。　　The　first　and　second　classes　occupied　a　long　room；　divided　by　a　wooden　partition；　in　each　division　were　four　long　ranges　of　desks；　and　at　the　end　was　the　ESTRADE；　or　platform；　for　the　presiding　instructor。　　On　the　last　row；　in　the　quietest　corner；　sat　Charlotte　and　Emily；　side　by　side；　so　deeply　absorbed　in　their　studies　as　to　be　insensible　to　any　noise　or　movement　around　them。　The　school…hours　were　from　nine　to　twelve　（the　luncheon　hour）；　when　the　boarders　and　half…boardersperhaps　two…and…thirty　girls…　…went　to　the　refectoire　（a　room　with　two　long　tables；　having　an　oil…lamp　suspended　over　each）；　to　partake　of　bread　and　fruit；　the　EXTERNES；　or　morning　pupils；　who　had　brought　their　own　refreshment　with　them；　adjourning　to　eat　it　in　the　garden。　　From　one　to　two；　there　was　fancy…worka　pupil　reading　aloud　some　light　literature　in　each　room；　from　two　to　four；　lessons　again。　　At　four；　the　externes　left；　and　the　remaining　girls　dined　in　the　refectoire；　M。　and　Madame　Heger　presiding。　　From　five　to　six　there　was　recreation；　from　six　to　seven；　preparation　for　lessons；　and；　after　that　succeeded　the　LECTURE　PIEUSECharlotte's　nightmare。　　On　rare　occasions；　M。　Heger　himself　would　come　in；　and　substitute　a　book　of　a　different　and　more　interesting　kind。　　At　eight；　there　was　a　slight　meal　of　water　and　PISTOLETS　（the　delicious　little　Brussels　rolls）；　which　was　immediately　followed　by　prayers；　and　then　to　bed。

The　principal　bedroom　was　over　the　long　classe；　or　school…room。　There　were　six　or　eight　narrow　beds　on　each　side　of　the　apartment；　every　one　enveloped　in　its　white　draping　curtain；　a　long　drawer；　beneath　each；　served　for　a　wardrobe；　and　between　each　was　a　stand　for　ewer；　basin；　and　looking…glass。　　The　beds　of　the　two　Miss　Brontes　were　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　room；　almost　as　private　and　retired　as　if　they　had　been　in　a　separate　apartment。

During　the　hours　of　recreation；　which　were　always　spent　in　the　garden；　they　invariably　walked　together；　and　generally　kept　a　profound　silence；　Emily；　though　so　much　the　taller；　leaning　on　her　sister。　　Charlotte　would　always　answer　when　spoken　to；　taking　the　lead　in　replying　to　any　remark　addressed　to　both；　Emily　rarely　spoke　to　any　one。　　Charlotte's　quiet；　gentle　manner　never　changed。　She　was　never　seen　out　of　temper　for　a　moment；　and　occasionally；　when　she　herself　had　assumed　the　post　of　English　teacher；　and　the　impertinence　or　inattention　of　her　pupils　was　most　irritating；　a　slight　increase　of　colour；　a　momentary　sparkling　of　the　eye；　and　more　decided　energy　of　manner；　were　the　only　outward　tokens　she　gave　of　being　conscious　of　the　annoyance　to　which　she　was　subjected。　　But　this　dignified　endurance　of　hers　subdued　her　pupils；　in　the　long　run；　far　more　than　the　voluble　tirades　of　the　other　mistresses。　　My　informant　adds：…　〃The　effect　of　this　manner　was　singular。　　I　can　speak　from　personal　experience。　　I　was　at　that　time　high…spirited　and　impetuous；　not　respecting　the　French　mistresses；　yet；　to　my　own　astonishment；　at　one　word　from　her；　I　was　perfectly　tractable；　so　much　so；　that　at　length；　M。　and　Madame　Heger　invariably　preferred　all　their　wishes　to　me　through　her；　the　other　pupils　did　not；　perhaps；　love　her　as　I　did；　she　was　so　quiet　and　silent；　but　all　respected　her。〃

With　the　exception　of　that　part　which　describes　Charlotte's　manner　as　English　teacheran　office　which　she　did　not　assume　for　some　months　laterall　this　description　of　the　school　life　of　the　two　Brontes　refers　to　the　commencement　of　the　new　scholastic　year　in　October　1842；　and　the　extracts　I　have　given　convey　the　first　impression　which　the　life　at　a　foreign　school；　and　the　position　of　the　two　Miss　Brontes　therein；　made　upon　an　intelligent　English　girl　of　sixteen。　　I　will　make　a　quotation　from　〃Mary's〃　letter　referring　to　this　time。

〃The　first　part　of　her　time　at　Brussels　was　not　uninteresting。　She　spoke　of　new　people　and　characters；　and　foreign　ways　of　the　pupils　and　teachers。　　She　knew　the　hopes　and　prospects　of　the　teachers；　and　mentioned　one　who　was　very　anxious　to　marry；　'she　was　getting　so　old。'　　She　used　to　get　her　father　or　brother　（I　forget　which）　to　be　the　bearer　of　letters　to　different　single　men；　who　she　thought　might　be　persuaded　to　do　her　the　favour；　saying　that　her　only　resource　was　to　become　a　sister　of　charity　if　her　present　employment　failed　and　that　she　hated　the　idea。　　Charlotte　naturally　looked　with　curiosity　to　people　of　her　own　condition。　This　woman　almost　frightened　her。　　'She　declares　there　is　nothing　she　can　turn　to；　and　laughs　at　the　idea　of　delicacy；and　she　is　only　ten　years　older　than　I　am！'　　I　did　not　see　the　connection　till　she　said；　'Well；　Polly；　I　should　hate　being　a　sister　of　charity；　I　suppose　that　would　shock　some　people；　but　I　should。'　　I　thought　she　would　have　as　much　feeling　as　a　nurse　as　most　people；　and　more　than　some。　　She　said　she　did　not　know　how　people　could　bear　the　constant　pressure　of　misery；　and　never　to　change　except　to　a　new　form　of　it。　　It　would　be　impossible　to　keep　one's　natural　feelings。　　I　promised　her　a　better　destiny　than　to　go　begging　any　one　to　marry　her；　or　to　lose　her　natural　feelings　as　a　sister　of　charity。　　She　said；　'My　youth　is　leaving　me；　I　can　never　do　better　than　I　have　done；　and　I　have　done　nothing　yet。'　　At　such　times　she　seemed　to　think　that　most　human　beings　were　destined　by　the　pressure　of　worldly　interests　to　lose　one　faculty　and　feeling　after　another　'till　they　went　dead　altogether。　　I　hope　I　shall　be　put　in　my　grave　as　soon　as　I'm　dead；　I　don't　want　to　walk　about　so。'　　Here　we　always　differed。　　I　thought　the　degradation　of　nature　she　feared　was　a　consequence　of　poverty；　and　that　she　should　give　her　attention　to　earning　money。　　Sometimes　she　admitted　this；　but　could　find　no　means　of　earning　money。　　At　others　she　seemed　afraid　of　letting　her　thoughts　dwell　on　the　subject；　saying　it　brought　on　the　worst　palsy　of　all。　　Indeed；　in　her　position；　nothing　less　than　entire　constant　absorption　in　petty　money　matters　could　have　scraped　together　a　provision。

〃Of　course　artists　and　authors　stood　high　with　Charlotte；　and　the　best　thing　after　their　works　would　have　been　their　company。　　She　used　very　inconsistently　to　rail　at　money　and　money…getting；　and　then　wish　she　was　able　to　visit　all　the　large　towns　in　Europe；　see　all　the　sights　and　know　all　the　celebrities。　　This　was　her　notion　of　literary　fame；a　passport　to　the　society　of　clever　people　。　。　。　When　she　had　become　acquainted　with　the　people　and　ways　at　Brussels　her　life　became　monotonous；　and　she　fell　into　the　same　hopeless　state　as　at　Miss　W…'s；　though　in　a　less　degree。　　I　wrote　to　her；　urging　her　to　go　home　or　elsewhere；　she　had　got　what　she　wanted　（French）；　and　there　was　at　least　novelty　in　a　new　place；　if　no　improvement。　　That　if　she　sank　into　deeper　gloom　she　would　soon　not　have　energy　to　go；　and　she　was　too　far　from　home　for　her　friends　to　hear　of　her　condition　and　order　her　home　as　they　had　done　from　Miss　W…'s。　　She　wrote　that　I　had　done　her　a　great　service；　that　she　should　certainly　follow　my　advice；　and　was　much　obliged　to　me。　　I　have　often　wondered　at　this　letter。　　Though　she　patiently　tolerated　advice；　she　could　always　quietly　put　it　aside；　and　do　as　she　thought　fit。　　More　than　once　afterwards　she　mentioned　the　'service'　I　had　done　her。　　She　sent　me　10L。　to　New　Zealand；　on　hearing　some　exaggerated　accounts　of　my　circumstances；　and　told　me　she　hoped　it　would　come　in　seasonably；　it　was　a　debt　she　owed　me　'for　the