the life of charlotte bronte-1-第43节
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s to have rated Emily's genius as something even higher than Charlotte's； and her estimation of their relative powers was the same。 Emily had a head for logic； and a capability of argument； unusual in a man； and rare indeed in a woman； according to M。 Heger。 Impairing the force of this gift； was a stubborn tenacity of will； which rendered her obtuse to all reasoning where her own wishes； or her own sense of right； was concerned。 〃She should have been a mana great navigator；〃 said M。 Heger in speaking of her。 〃Her powerful reason would have deduced new spheres of discovery from the knowledge of the old； and her strong imperious will would never have been daunted by opposition or difficulty； never have given way but with life。〃 And yet； moreover； her faculty of imagination was such that； if she had written a history； her view of scenes and characters would have been so vivid； and so powerfully expressed； and supported by such a show of argument； that it would have dominated over the reader； whatever might have been his previous opinions； or his cooler perceptions of its truth。 But she appeared egotistical and exacting compared to Charlotte； who was always unselfish （this is M。 Heger's testimony）； and in the anxiety of the elder to make her younger sister contented she allowed her to exercise a kind of unconscious tyranny over her。
After consulting with his wife； M。 Heger told them that he meant to dispense with the old method of grounding in grammar； vocabulary； &c。； and to proceed on a new plansomething similar to what he had occasionally adopted with the elder among his French and Belgian pupils。 He proposed to read to them some of the master…pieces of the most celebrated French authors （such as Casimir de la Vigne's poem on the 〃Death of Joan of Arc；〃 parts of Bossuet； the admirable translation of the noble letter of St。 Ignatius to the Roman Christians in the 〃Bibliotheque Choisie des Peres de l'Eglise；〃 &c。）； and after having thus impressed the complete effect of the whole； to analyse the parts with them； pointing out in what such or such an author excelled； and where were the blemishes。 He believed that he had to do with pupils capable； from their ready sympathy with the intellectual； the refined； the polished； or the noble； of catching the echo of a style； and so reproducing their own thoughts in a somewhat similar manner。
After explaining his plan to them； he awaited their reply。 Emily spoke first； and said that she saw no good to be derived from it； and that； by adopting it； they should lose all originality of thought and expression。 She would have entered into an argument on the subject； but for this； M。 Heger had no time。 Charlotte then spoke； she also doubted the success of the plan； but she would follow out M。 Heger's advice； because she was bound to obey him while she was his pupil。 Before speaking of the results； it may be desirable to give an extract from one of her letters； which shows some of her first impressions of her new life。
〃Brussels； 1842 （May？）。
〃I was twenty…six years old a week or two since； and at this ripe time of life I am a school…girl； and； on the whole； very happy in that capacity。 It felt very strange at first to submit to authority instead of exercising itto obey orders instead of giving them； but I like that state of things。 I returned to it with the same avidity that a cow； that has long been kept on dry hay； returns to fresh grass。 Don't laugh at my simile。 It is natural to me to submit； and very unnatural to command。
〃This is a large school； in which there are about forty externes； or day pupils； and twelve pensionnaires； or boarders。 Madame Heger； the head； is a lady of precisely the same cast of mind； degree of cultivation； and quality of intellect as Miss …。 I think the severe points are a little softened； because she has not been disappointed； and consequently soured。 In a word； she is a married instead of a maiden lady。 There are three teachers in the schoolMademoiselle Blanche； Mademoiselle Sophie； and Mademoiselle Marie。 The two first have no particular character。 One is an old maid； and the other will be one。 Mademoiselle Marie is talented and original； but of repulsive and arbitrary manners； which have made the whole school； except myself and Emily； her bitter enemies。 No less than seven masters attend； to teach the different branches of educationFrench； Drawing； Music； Singing； Writing； Arithmetic； and German。 All in the house are Catholics except ourselves； one other girl； and the gouvernante of Madame's children； an Englishwoman； in rank something between a lady's maid and a nursery governess。 The difference in country and religion makes a broad line of demarcation between us and all the rest。 We are completely isolated in the midst of numbers。 Yet I think I am never unhappy； my present life is so delightful； so congenial to my own nature； compared to that of a governess。 My time； constantly occupied； passes too rapidly。 Hitherto both Emily and I have had good health； and therefore we have been able to work well。 There is one individual of whom I have not yet spokenM。 Heger； the husband of Madame。 He is professor of rhetoric； a man of power as to mind； but very choleric and irritable in temperament。 He is very angry with me just at present； because I have written a translation which he chose to stigmatize as 'PEU CORRECT。' He did not tell me so； but wrote the word on the margin of my book； and asked； in brief stern phrase； how it happened that my compositions were always better than my translations？ adding that the thing seemed to him inexplicable。 The fact is； some weeks ago； in a high…flown humour； he forbade me to use either dictionary or grammar in translating the most difficult English compositions into French。 This makes the task rather arduous； and compels me every now and then to introduce an English word； which nearly plucks the eyes out of his head when he sees it。 Emily and he don't draw well together at all。 Emily works like a horse； and she has had great difficulties to contend withfar greater than I have had。 Indeed； those who come to a French school for instruction ought previously to have acquired a considerable knowledge of the French language； otherwise they will lose a great deal of time； for the course of instruction is adapted to natives and not to foreigners； and in these large establishments they will not change their ordinary course for one or two strangers。 The few private lessons that M。 Heger has vouchsafed to give us； are； I suppose； to be considered a great favour； and I can perceive they have already excited much spite and jealousy in the school。
〃You will abuse this letter for being short and dreary； and there are a hundred things which I want to tell you； but I have not time。 Brussels is a beautiful city。 The Belgians hate the English。 Their external morality is more rigid than ours。 To lace the stays without a handkerchief on the neck is considered a disgusting piece of indelicacy。〃
The passage in this letter where M。 Heger is represented as prohibiting the use of dictionary or grammar； refers； I imagine； to the time I have mentioned； when he determined to adopt a new method of instruction in the French language； of which they were to catch the spirit and rhythm rather from the ear and the heart； as its noblest accents fell upon them； than by over…careful and anxious study of its grammatical rules。 It seems to me a daring experiment on the part of their teacher； but； doubtless； he knew his ground； and that it answered is evident in the composition of some of Charlotte's DEVOIRS； written about this time。 I am tempted； in illustration of this season of mental culture； to recur to a conversation which I had with M。 Heger on the manner in which he formed his pupils' style； and to give a proof of his success； by copying a DEVOIR of Charlotte's with his remarks upon it。
He told me that one day this summer （when the Brontes had been for about four months receiving instruction from him） he read to them Victor Hugo's celebrated portrait of Mirabeau； 〃mais； dans ma lecon je me bornais e ce qui concerne MIRABEAU ORATEUR。 C'est apres l'analyse de ce morceau； considere surtout du point de vue du fond； de la disposition de ce qu'on pourrait appeler LA CHARPENTE qu'ont ete faits les deux portraits que je vous donne。〃 He went on to say that he had pointed out to them the fault in Victor Hugo's style as being exaggeration in conception； and； at the same time； he had made them notice the extreme beauty of his 〃nuances〃 of expression。 They were then dismissed to choose the subject of a similar kind of portrait。 This selection M。 Heger always left to them； for 〃it is necessary；〃 he observed； 〃before sitting down to write on a subject； to have thoughts and feelings about it。 I cannot tell on what subject your heart and mind have been excited。 I must leave that to you。〃 The marginal comments； I need hardly say； are M。 Heger's； the words in italics are Charlotte's； for which he substitutes a better form of expression； which is placed between brackets。 ｛6｝
IMITATION。
〃Le 31 Juillet； 1842。
PORTRAIT DE PIERRE L'HERMITE。 CHARLOTTE BRONTE
〃De temps en temps； il parait sur la terre des hommes de
