the life of charlotte bronte-1-第16章

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　cannot　be　expected　that　a　new　institution；　comprising　domestic　and　educational　arrangements　for　nearly　a　hundred　persons；　should　work　quite　smoothly　at　the　beginning。

All　this　occurred　during　the　first　two　years　of　the　establishment；　and　in　estimating　its　effect　upon　the　character　of　Charlotte　Bronte；　we　must　remember　that　she　was　a　sensitive　thoughtful　child；　capable　of　reflecting　deeply；　if　not　of　analyzing　truly；　and　peculiarly　susceptible；　as　are　all　delicate　and　sickly　children；　to　painful　impressions。　　What　the　healthy　suffer　from　but　momentarily　and　then　forget；　those　who　are　ailing　brood　over　involuntarily　and　remember　long；perhaps　with　no　resentment；　but　simply　as　a　piece　of　suffering　that　has　been　stamped　into　their　very　life。　　The　pictures；　ideas；　and　conceptions　of　character　received　into　the　mind　of　the　child　of　eight　years　old；　were　destined　to　be　reproduced　in　fiery　words　a　quarter　of　a　century　afterwards。　　She　saw　but　one　side　of　Mr。　Wilson's　character；　and　many　of　those　who　knew　him　at　that　time　assure　me　of　the　fidelity　with　which　this　is　represented；　while　at　the　same　time　they　regret　that　the　delineation　should　have　obliterated；　as　it　were；　nearly　all　that　was　noble　or　conscientious。　　And　that　there　were　grand　and　fine　qualities　in　Mr。　Wilson；　I　have　received　abundant　evidence。　　Indeed　for　several　weeks　past　I　have　received　letters　almost　daily；　bearing　on　the　subject　of　this　chapter；　some　vague；　some　definite；　many　full　of　love　and　admiration　for　Mr。　Wilson；　some　as　full　of　dislike　and　indignation；　few　containing　positive　facts。　　After　giving　careful　consideration　to　this　mass　of　conflicting　evidence；　I　have　made　such　alterations　and　omissions　in　this　chapter　as　seem　to　me　to　be　required。　　It　is　but　just　to　state　that　the　major　part　of　the　testimony　with　which　I　have　been　favoured　from　old　pupils　is　in　high　praise　of　Mr。　Wilson。　　Among　the　letters　that　I　have　read；　there　is　one　whose　evidence　ought　to　be　highly　respected。　　It　is　from　the　husband　of　〃Miss　Temple。〃　She　died　in　1856；　but　he；　a　clergyman；　thus　wrote　in　reply　to　a　letter　addressed　to　him　on　the　subject　by　one　of　Mr。　Wilson's　friends：…　〃Often　have　I　heard　my　late　dear　wife　speak　of　her　sojourn　at　Cowan　Bridge；　always　in　terms　of　admiration　of　Mr。　Carus　Wilson；　his　parental　love　to　his　pupils；　and　their　love　for　him；　of　the　food　and　general　treatment；　in　terms　of　approval。　　I　have　heard　her　allude　to　an　unfortunate　cook；　who　used　at　times　to　spoil　the　porridge；　but　who；　she　said；　was　soon　dismissed。〃

The　recollections　left　of　the　four　Bronte　sisters　at　this　period　of　their　lives；　on　the　minds　of　those　who　associated　with　them；　are　not　very　distinct。　　Wild；　strong　hearts；　and　powerful　minds；　were　hidden　under　an　enforced　propriety　and　regularity　of　demeanour　and　expression；　just　as　their　faces　had　been　concealed　by　their　father；　under　his　stiff；　unchanging　mask。　　Maria　was　delicate；　unusually　clever　and　thoughtful　for　her　age；　gentle；　and　untidy。　　Of　her　frequent　disgrace　from　this　last　faultof　her　sufferings；　so　patiently　borneI　have　already　spoken。　　The　only　glimpse　we　get　of　Elizabeth；　through　the　few　years　of　her　short　life；　is　contained　in　a　letter　which　I　have　received　from　〃Miss　Temple。〃　　〃The　second；　Elizabeth；　is　the　only　one　of　the　family　of　whom　I　have　a　vivid　recollection；　from　her　meeting　with　a　somewhat　alarming　accident；　in　consequence　of　which　I　had　her　for　some　days　and　nights　in　my　bedroom；　not　only　for　the　sake　of　greater　quiet；　but　that　I　might　watch　over　her　myself。　　Her　head　was　severely　cut；　but　she　bore　all　the　consequent　suffering　with　exemplary　patience；　and　by　it　won　much　upon　my　esteem。　　Of　the　two　younger　ones　（if　two　there　were）　I　have　very　slight　recollections；　save　that　one；　a　darling　child；　under　five　years　of　age；　was　quite　the　pet　nursling　of　the　school。〃　　This　last　would　be　Emily。　　Charlotte　was　considered　the　most　talkative　of　the　sistersa　〃bright；　clever；　little　child。〃　　Her　great　friend　was　a　certain　〃Mellany　Hane〃　（so　Mr。　Bronte　spells　the　name）；　whose　brother　paid　for　her　schooling；　and　who　had　no　remarkable　talent　except　for　music；　which　her　brother's　circumstances　forbade　her　to　cultivate。　　She　was　〃a　hungry；　good…natured；　ordinary　girl；〃　older　than　Charlotte；　and　ever　ready　to　protect　her　from　any　petty　tyranny　or　encroachments　on　the　part　of　the　elder　girls。　　Charlotte　always　remembered　her　with　affection　and　gratitude。

I　have　quoted　the　word　〃bright〃　in　the　account　of　Charlotte。　　I　suspect　that　this　year　of　1825　was　the　last　time　it　could　ever　be　applied　to　her。　　In　the　spring　of　it；　Maria　became　so　rapidly　worse　that　Mr。　Bronte　was　sent　for。　　He　had　not　previously　been　aware　of　her　illness；　and　the　condition　in　which　he　found　her　was　a　terrible　shock　to　him。　　He　took　her　home　by　the　Leeds　coach；　the　girls　crowding　out　into　the　road　to　follow　her　with　their　eyes　over　the　bridge；　past　the　cottages；　and　then　out　of　sight　for　ever。　　She　died　a　very　few　days　after　her　arrival　at　home。　Perhaps　the　news　of　her　death　falling　suddenly　into　the　life　of　which　her　patient　existence　had　formed　a　part；　only　a　little　week　or　so　before；　made　those　who　remained　at　Cowan　Bridge　look　with　more　anxiety　on　Elizabeth's　symptoms；　which　also　turned　out　to　be　consumptive。　　She　was　sent　home　in　charge　of　a　confidential　servant　of　the　establishment；　and　she；　too；　died　in　the　early　summer　of　that　year。　　Charlotte　was　thus　suddenly　called　into　the　responsibilities　of　eldest　sister　in　a　motherless　family。　　She　remembered　how　anxiously　her　dear　sister　Maria　had　striven；　in　her　grave　earnest　way；　to　be　a　tender　helper　and　a　counsellor　to　them　all；　and　the　duties　that　now　fell　upon　her　seemed　almost　like　a　legacy　from　the　gentle　little　sufferer　so　lately　dead。

Both　Charlotte　and　Emily　returned　to　school　after　the　Midsummer　holidays　in　this　fatal　year。　　But　before　the　next　winter　it　was　thought　desirable　to　advise　their　removal；　as　it　was　evident　that　the　damp　situation　of　the　house　at　Cowan　Bridge　did　not　suit　their　health。　｛3｝



CHAPTER　V



For　the　reason　just　stated；　the　little　girls　were　sent　home　in　the　autumn　of　1825；　when　Charlotte　was　little　more　than　nine　years　old。

About　this　time；　an　elderly　woman　of　the　village　came　to　live　as　servant　at　the　parsonage。　　She　remained　there；　as　a　member　of　the　household；　for　thirty　years；　and　from　the　length　of　her　faithful　service；　and　the　attachment　and　respect　which　she　inspired；　is　deserving　of　mention。　　Tabby　was　a　thorough　specimen　of　a　Yorkshire　woman　of　her　class；　in　dialect；　in　appearance；　and　in　character。　　She　abounded　in　strong　practical　sense　and　shrewdness。　Her　words　were　far　from　flattery；　but　she　would　spare　no　deeds　in　the　cause　of　those　whom　she　kindly　regarded。　　She　ruled　the　children　pretty　sharply；　and　yet　never　grudged　a　little　extra　trouble　to　provide　them　with　such　small　treats　as　came　within　her　power。　　In　return；　she　claimed　to　be　looked　upon　as　a　humble　friend；　and；　many　years　later；　Miss　Bronte　told　me　that　she　found　it　somewhat　difficult　to　manage；　as　Tabby　expected　to　be　informed　of　all　the　family　concerns；　and　yet　had　grown　so　deaf　that　what　was　repeated　to　her　became　known　to　whoever　might　be　in　or　about　the　house。　　To　obviate　this　publication　of　what　it　might　be　desirable　to　keep　secret；　Miss　Bronte　used　to　take　her　out　for　a　walk　on　the　solitary　moors；　where；　when　both　were　seated　on　a　tuft　of　heather；　in　some　high　lonely　place；　she　could　acquaint　the　old　woman；　at　leisure；　with　all　that　she　wanted　to　hear。

Tabby　had　lived　in　Haworth　in　the　days　when　the　pack…horses　went　through　once　a　week；　with　their　tinkling　bells　and　gay　worsted　adornment；　carrying　the　produce　of　the　country　from　Keighley　over　the　hills　to　Colne　and　Burnley。　　What　is　more；　she　had　known　the　〃bottom；〃　or　valley；　in　those　primitive　days　when　the　fairies　frequented　the　margin　of　the　〃beck〃　on　moonlight　nights；　and　had　known　folk　who　had　seen　them。　　But　that　was　when　there　were　no　mills　in　the　valleys；　and　when　all　the　wool…spinning　was　done　by　hand　in　the　farm…houses　round。　　〃It　wur　the　factories　as　had　driven　'em　away；〃　she　said。　　No　doubt　she　had　many　a　tale　to　tell　of　by…gone　days　of　the　country…side；　old　ways　of　living；　former　inhabitants；　decayed　gentry；　who　had　me