the life of charlotte bronte-1-第52节

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ng　at　present；　and　I　will　endeavour　to　do　so。〃

Of　course　her　absent　sister　and　brother　obtained　a　holiday　to　welcome　her　return　home；　and　in　a　few　weeks　she　was　spared　to　pay　a　visit　to　her　friend　at　B。　　But　she　was　far　from　well　or　strong；　and　the　short　journey　of　fourteen　miles　seems　to　have　fatigued　her　greatly。

Soon　after　she　came　back　to　Haworth；　in　a　letter　to　one　of　the　household　in　which　she　had　been　staying；　there　occurs　this　passage：…　〃Our　poor　little　cat　has　been　ill　two　days；　and　is　just　dead。　　It　is　piteous　to　see　even　an　animal　lying　lifeless。　　Emily　is　sorry。〃　　These　few　words　relate　to　points　in　the　characters　of　the　two　sisters；　which　I　must　dwell　upon　a　little。　　Charlotte　was　more　than　commonly　tender　in　her　treatment　of　all　dumb　creatures；　and　they；　with　that　fine　instinct　so　often　noticed；　were　invariably　attracted　towards　her。　　The　deep　and　exaggerated　consciousness　of　her　personal　defectsthe　constitutional　absence　of　hope；　which　made　her　slow　to　trust　in　human　affection；　and；　consequently；　slow　to　respond　to　any　manifestation　of　itmade　her　manner　shy　and　constrained　to　men　and　women；　and　even　to　children。　We　have　seen　something　of　this　trembling　distrust　of　her　own　capability　of　inspiring　affection；　in　the　grateful　surprise　she　expresses　at　the　regret　felt　by　her　Belgian　pupils　at　her　departure。　　But　not　merely　were　her　actions　kind；　her　words　and　tones　were　ever　gentle　and　caressing；　towards　animals：　　and　she　quickly　noticed　the　least　want　of　care　or　tenderness　on　the　part　of　others　towards　any　poor　brute　creature。　　The　readers　of　〃Shirley〃　may　remember　that　it　is　one　of　the　tests　which　the　heroine　applies　to　her　lover。


〃Do　you　know　what　soothsayers　I　would　consult？〃　。　。　。　〃The　little　Irish　beggar　that　comes　barefoot　to　my　door；　the　mouse　that　steals　out　of　the　cranny　in　my　wainscot；　the　bird　in　frost　and　snow　that　pecks　at　my　window　for　a　crumb；　the　dog　that　licks　my　hand　and　sits　beside　my　knee。　　I　know　somebody　to　whose　knee　the　black　cat　loves　to　climb；　against　whose　shoulder　and　cheek　it　likes　to　purr。　The　old　dog　always　comes　out　of　his　kennel　and　wags　his　tail；　and　whines　affectionately　when　somebody　passes。〃　　＇For　〃somebody〃　and　〃he；〃　read　〃Charlotte　Bronte〃　and　〃she。〃＇　　〃He　quietly　strokes　the　cat；　and　lets　her　sit　while　he　conveniently　can；　and　when　he　must　disturb　her　by　rising；　he　puts　her　softly　down；　and　never　flings　her　from　him　roughly：　　he　always　whistles　to　the　dog；　and　gives　him　a　caress。〃


The　feeling；　which　in　Charlotte　partook　of　something　of　the　nature　of　an　affection；　was；　with　Emily；　more　of　a　passion。　　Some　one　speaking　of　her　to　me；　in　a　careless　kind　of　strength　of　expression；　said；　〃she　never　showed　regard　to　any　human　creature；　all　her　love　was　reserved　for　animals。〃　　The　helplessness　of　an　animal　was　its　passport　to　Charlotte's　heart；　the　fierce；　wild；　intractability　of　its　nature　was　what　often　recommended　it　to　Emily。　　Speaking　of　her　dead　sister；　the　former　told　me　that　from　her　many　traits　in　Shirley's　character　were　taken；　her　way　of　sitting　on　the　rug　reading；　with　her　arm　round　her　rough　bull…　dog's　neck；　her　calling　to　a　strange　dog；　running　past；　with　hanging　head　and　lolling　tongue；　to　give　it　a　merciful　draught　of　water；　its　maddened　snap　at　her；　her　nobly　stern　presence　of　mind；　going　right　into　the　kitchen；　and　taking　up　one　of　Tabby's　red…hot　Italian　irons　to　sear　the　bitten　place；　and　telling　no　one；　till　the　danger　was　well…nigh　over；　for　fear　of　the　terrors　that　might　beset　their　weaker　minds。　　All　this；　looked　upon　as　a　well…　invented　fiction　in　〃Shirley；〃　was　written　down　by　Charlotte　with　streaming　eyes；　it　was　the　literal　true　account　of　what　Emily　had　done。　　The　same　tawny　bull…dog　（with　his　〃strangled　whistle〃）；　called　〃Tartar〃　in　〃Shirley；〃　was　〃Keeper〃　in　Haworth　parsonage；　a　gift　to　Emily。　　With　the　gift　came　a　warning。　　Keeper　was　faithful　to　the　depths　of　his　nature　as　long　as　he　was　with　friends；　but　he　who　struck　him　with　a　stick　or　whip；　roused　the　relentless　nature　of　the　brute；　who　flew　at　his　throat　forthwith；　and　held　him　there　till　one　or　the　other　was　at　the　point　of　death。　　Now　Keeper's　household　fault　was　this。　　He　loved　to　steal　upstairs；　and　stretch　his　square；　tawny　limbs；　on　the　comfortable　beds；　covered　over　with　delicate　white　counterpanes。　　But　the　cleanliness　of　the　parsonage　arrangements　was　perfect；　and　this　habit　of　Keeper's　was　so　objectionable；　that　Emily；　in　reply　to　Tabby's　remonstrances；　declared　that；　if　he　was　found　again　transgressing；　she　herself；　in　defiance　of　warning　and　his　well…known　ferocity　of　nature；　would　beat　him　so　severely　that　he　would　never　offend　again。　　In　the　gathering　dusk　of　an　autumn　evening；　Tabby　came；　half…　triumphantly；　half…tremblingly；　but　in　great　wrath；　to　tell　Emily　that　Keeper　was　lying　on　the　best　bed；　in　drowsy　voluptuousness。　Charlotte　saw　Emily's　whitening　face；　and　set　mouth；　but　dared　not　speak　to　interfere；　no　one　dared　when　Emily's　eyes　glowed　in　that　manner　out　of　the　paleness　of　her　face；　and　when　her　lips　were　so　compressed　into　stone。　　She　went　upstairs；　and　Tabby　and　Charlotte　stood　in　the　gloomy　passage　below；　full　of　the　dark　shadows　of　coming　night。　　Down…stairs　came　Emily；　dragging　after　her　the　unwilling　Keeper；　his　hind　legs　set　in　a　heavy　attitude　of　resistance；　held　by　the　〃scuft　of　his　neck；〃　but　growling　low　and　savagely　all　the　time。　　The　watchers　would　fain　have　spoken；　but　durst　not；　for　fear　of　taking　off　Emily's　attention；　and　causing　her　to　avert　her　head　for　a　moment　from　the　enraged　brute。　　She　let　him　go；　planted　in　a　dark　corner　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　no　time　was　there　to　fetch　stick　or　rod；　for　fear　of　the　strangling　clutch　at　her　throather　bare　clenched　fist　struck　against　his　red　fierce　eyes；　before　he　had　time　to　make　his　spring；　and；　in　the　language　of　the　turf；　she　〃punished　him〃　till　his　eyes　were　swelled　up；　and　the　half…blind；　stupified　beast　was　led　to　his　accustomed　lair；　to　have　his　swollen　head　fomented　and　cared　for　by　the　very　Emily　herself。　　The　generous　dog　owed　her　no　grudge；　he　loved　her　dearly　ever　after；　he　walked　first　among　the　mourners　to　her　funeral；　he　slept　moaning　for　nights　at　the　door　of　her　empty　room；　and　never；　so　to　speak；　rejoiced；　dog　fashion；　after　her　death。　　He；　in　his　turn；　was　mourned　over　by　the　surviving　sister。　　Let　us　somehow　hope；　in　half　Red　Indian　creed；　that　he　follows　Emily　now；　and；　when　he　rests；　sleeps　on　some　soft　white　bed　of　dreams；　unpunished　when　he　awakens　to　the　life　of　the　land　of　shadows。

Now　we　can　understand　the　force　of　the　words；　〃Our　poor　little　cat　is　dead。　　Emily　is　sorry。〃



CHAPTER　XIII



The　moors　were　a　great　resource　this　spring；　Emily　and　Charlotte　walked　out　on　them　perpetually；　〃to　the　great　damage　of　our　shoes；　but　I　hope；　to　the　benefit　of　our　health。〃　　The　old　plan　of　school…keeping　was　often　discussed　in　these　rambles；　but　in…doors　they　set　with　vigour　to　shirt…making　for　the　absent　Branwell；　and　pondered　in　silence　over　their　past　and　future　life。　　At　last　they　came　to　a　determination。

〃I　have　seriously　entered　into　the　enterprise　of　keeping　a　school…　…or　rather；　taking　a　limited　number　of　pupils　at　home。　　That　is；　I　have　begun　in　good　earnest　to　seek　for　pupils。　　I　wrote　to　Mrs。〃　（the　lady　with　whom　she　had　lived　as　governess；　just　before　going　to　Brussels）；　〃not　asking　her　for　her　daughterI　cannot　do　that　but　informing　her　of　my　intention。　　I　received　an　answer　from　Mr。…　…expressive　of；　I　believe；　sincere　regret　that　I　had　not　informed　them　a　month　sooner；　in　which　case；　he　said；　they　would　gladly　have　sent　me　their　own　daughter；　and　also　Colonel　S。's；　but　that　now　both　were　promised　to　Miss　C。　　I　was　partly　disappointed　by　this　answer；　and　partly　gratified；　indeed；　I　derived　quite　an　impulse　of　encouragement　from　the　warm　assurance　that　if　I　had　but　applied　a　little　sooner　they　would　certainly　have　sent　me　their　daughter。　　I　own　I　had　misgivings　that　nobody　would　be　willing　to　send　a　child　for　education　to　Haworth。　　These　misgivings　are　partly　done　away　with。　　I　have　written　also　to　Mrs。　B。；　and　have　enclosed　the　diploma　which　M。　Heger　gave　me　before　I　left　Brussels。　　I　have　not　yet　received　her　answer；　but　I　wait　for　it　with　some　anxiety。　　I　do　not　expect　that　she　will　send　me　any　of　her　children；　but　if　she　would；　I　dare　say　she　could　recommend　me　other　pupils。　　Unfortunately；　she　knows　us　only　very　slightly。　　As　soon　as　I　can　get　an　assurance　of　only　ONE　pupil；　I　will　have　cards　of　terms　printed；　and　will　commence　the　repairs　necessary　in　the　house。　　I　wish　all　that　to　be　done　before　winter。　　I　think　of　fixing　the　board　and　English　education　at　25L。　per　annum。〃

Again；　at　a　later　date；　July　24th；　in　the　same　year；　she　writes：…

〃I　am　driving　on　with　my　small　matter　as　well　as　I　can。　　I　have　written　to　all　the　friends　on　whom　I　have　the　slightest　claim；　and　to　some　on　whom　I　have　no　claim；　Mrs。　B。；　for　example。　　On　her；　also；　I　have　actually　made　bold　to　call。　　She　was　exceedingly　polite；　regretted　that　her　children　were　already　at　school　at　Liverpool；　thought　the　undertaking　a　most　praiseworthy　one；　but　feared　I　should　have　some　difficulty　in　making　it　succeed　on　account　of　the　SITUATION。　　Such　is　the　answer　I　receive　from　almost　every　one