the life of charlotte bronte-1- 第16部分

Pain　trembled　in　his　weary　limbs；　Pain　filled　his　patient　eye；　Pain…crushed　amid　the　shadowy　fern　His　branchy　crown　did　lie。

Where　were　his　comrades？　where　his　mate？　All　from　his　death…bed　gone！　And　he；　thus　struck　and　desolate；　Suffered　and　bled　alone。

Did　he　feel　what　a　man　might　feel；　Friend…left；　and　sore　distrest？　Did　Pain's　keen　dart；　and　Grief's　sharp　sting　Strive　in　his　mangled　breast？

Did　longing　for　affection　lost　Barb　every　deadly　dart；　Love　unrepaid；　and　Faith　betrayed；　Did　these　torment　his　heart？

No！　leave　to　man　his　proper　doom！　These　are　the　pangs　that　rise　Around　the　bed　of　state　and　gloom；　Where　Adam's　offspring　dies！



CHAPTER　VI



This　is　perhaps　a　fitting　time　to　give　some　personal　description　of　Miss　Bronte。　　In　1831；　she　was　a　quiet；　thoughtful　girl；　of　nearly　fifteen　years　of　age；　very　small　in　figure〃stunted〃　was　the　word　she　applied　to　herself；but　as　her　limbs　and　head　were　in　just　proportion　to　the　slight；　fragile　body；　no　word　in　ever　so　slight　a　degree　suggestive　of　deformity　could　properly　be　applied　to　her；　with　soft；　thick；　brown　hair；　and　peculiar　eyes；　of　which　I　find　it　difficult　to　give　a　description；　as　they　appeared　to　me　in　her　later　life。　　They　were　large　and　well　shaped；　their　colour　a　reddish　brown；　but　if　the　iris　was　closely　examined；　it　appeared　to　be　composed　of　a　great　variety　of　tints。　　The　usual　expression　was　of　quiet；　listening　intelligence；　but　now　and　then；　on　some　just　occasion　for　vivid　interest　or　wholesome　indignation；　a　light　would　shine　out；　as　if　some　spiritual　lamp　had　been　kindled；　which　glowed　behind　those　expressive　orbs。　　I　never　saw　the　like　in　any　other　human　creature。　　As　for　the　rest　of　her　features；　they　were　plain；　large；　and　ill　set；　but；　unless　you　began　to　catalogue　them；　you　were　hardly　aware　of　the　fact；　for　the　eyes　and　power　of　the　countenance　over…balanced　every　physical　defect；　the　crooked　mouth　and　the　large　nose　were　forgotten；　and　the　whole　face　arrested　the　attention；　and　presently　attracted　all　those　whom　she　herself　would　have　cared　to　attract。　　Her　hands　and　feet　were　the　smallest　I　ever　saw；　when　one　of　the　former　was　placed　in　mine；　it　was　like　the　soft　touch　of　a　bird　in　the　middle　of　my　palm。　　The　delicate　long　fingers　had　a　peculiar　fineness　of　sensation；　which　was　one　reason　why　all　her　handiwork；　of　whatever　kindwriting；　sewing；　knittingwas　so　clear　in　its　minuteness。　　She　was　remarkably　neat　in　her　whole　personal　attire；　but　she　was　dainty　as　to　the　fit　of　her　shoes　and　gloves。

I　can　well　imagine　that　the　grave　serious　composure；　which；　when　I　knew　her；　gave　her　face　the　dignity　of　an　old　Venetian　portrait；　was　no　acquisition　of　later　years；　but　dated　from　that　early　age　when　she　found　herself　in　the　position　of　an　elder　sister　to　motherless　children。　　But　in　a　girl　only　just　entered　on　her　teens；　such　an　expression　would　be　called　（to　use　a　country　phrase）　〃old…fashioned；〃　and　in　1831；　the　period　of　which　I　now　write；　we　must　think　of　her　as　a　little；　set；　antiquated　girl；　very　quiet　in　manners；　and　very　quaint　in　dress；　for　besides　the　influence　exerted　by　her　father's　ideas　concerning　the　simplicity　of　attire　befitting　the　wife　and　daughters　of　a　country　clergyman；　her　aunt；　on　whom　the　duty　of　dressing　her　nieces　principally　devolved；　had　never　been　in　society　since　she　left　Penzance；　eight　or　nine　years　before；　and　the　Penzance　fashions　of　that　day　were　still　dear　to　her　heart。

In　January；　1831；　Charlotte　was　sent　to　school　again。　　This　time　she　went　as　a　pupil　to　Miss　W…；　who　lived　at　Roe　Head；　a　cheerful　roomy　country　house；　standing　a　little　apart　in　a　field；　on　the　right　of　the　road　from　Leeds　to　Huddersfield。　　Three　tiers　of　old…　fashioned　semicircular　bow　windows　run　from　basement　to　roof；　and　look　down　upon　a　long　green　slope　of　pasture…land；　ending　in　the　pleasant　woods　of　Kirklees；　Sir　George　Armitage's　park。　　Although　Roe　Head　and　Haworth　are　not　twenty　miles　apart；　the　aspect　of　the　country　is　as　totally　dissimilar　as　if　they　enjoyed　a　different　climate。　　The　soft　curving　and　heaving　landscape　round　the　former　gives　a　stranger　the　idea　of　cheerful　airiness　on　the　heights；　and　of　sunny　warmth　in　the　broad　green　valleys　below。　　It　is　just　such　a　neighbourhood　as　the　monks　loved；　and　traces　of　the　old　Plantagenet　times　are　to　be　met　with　everywhere；　side　by　side　with　the　manufacturing　interests　of　the　West　Riding　of　to…day。　　There　is　the　park　of　Kirklees；　full　of　sunny　glades；　speckled　with　black　shadows　of　immemorial　yew…trees；　the　grey　pile　of　building；　formerly　a　〃House　of　professed　Ladies；〃　the　mouldering　stone　in　the　depth　of　the　wood；　under　which　Robin　Hood　is　said　to　lie；　close　outside　the　park；　an　old　stone…gabled　house；　now　a　roadside　inn；　but　which　bears　the　name　of　the　〃Three　Nuns；〃　and　has　a　pictured　sign　to　correspond。　　And　this　quaint　old　inn　is　frequented　by　fustian…dressed　mill…hands　from　the　neighbouring　worsted　factories；　which　strew　the　high　road　from　Leeds　to　Huddersfield；　and　form　the　centres　round　which　future　villages　gather。　　Such　are　the　contrasts　of　modes　of　living；　and　of　times　and　seasons；　brought　before　the　traveller　on　the　great　roads　that　traverse　the　West　Riding。　　In　no　other　part　of　England；　I　fancy；　are　the　centuries　brought　into　such　close；　strange　contact　as　in　the　district　in　which　Roe　Head　is　situated。　　Within　six　miles　of　Miss　W…'s　houseon　the　left　of　the　road；　coming　from　Leedslie　the　remains　of　Howley　Hall；　now　the　property　of　Lord　Cardigan；　but　formerly　belonging　to　a　branch　of　the　Saviles。　　Near　to　it　is　Lady　Anne's　well；　〃Lady　Anne；〃　according　to　tradition；　having　been　worried　and　eaten　by　wolves　as　she　sat　at　the　well；　to　which　the　indigo…dyed　factory　people　from　Birstall　and　Batley　woollen　mills　would　formerly　repair　on　Palm　Sunday；　when　the　waters　possess　remarkable　medicinal　efficacy；　and　it　is　still　believed　by　some　that　they　assume　a　strange　variety　of　colours　at　six　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　that　day。

All　round　the　lands　held　by　the　farmer　who　lives　in　the　remains　of　Howley　Hall　are　stone　houses　of　to…day；　occupied　by　the　people　who　are　making　their　living　and　their　fortunes　by　the　woollen　mills　that　encroach　upon　and　shoulder　out　the　proprietors　of　the　ancient　halls。　　These　are　to　be　seen　in　every　direction；　picturesque；　many…gabled；　with　heavy　stone　carvings　of　coats　of　arms　for　heraldic　ornament；　belonging　to　decayed　families；　from　whose　ancestral　lands　field　after　field　has　been　shorn　away；　by　the　urgency　of　rich　manufacturers　pressing　hard　upon　necessity。

A　smoky　atmosphere　surrounds　these　old　dwellings　of　former　Yorkshire　squires；　and　blights　and　blackens　the　ancient　trees　that　overshadow　them；　cinder…paths　lead　up　to　them；　the　ground　round　about　is　sold　for　building　upon；　but　still　the　neighbours；　though　they　subsist　by　a　different　state　of　things；　remember　that　their　forefathers　lived　in　agricultural　dependence　upon　the　owners　of　these　halls；　and　treasure　up　the　traditions　connected　with　the　stately　households　that　existed　centuries　ago。　　Take　Oakwell　Hall；　for　instance。　　It　stands　in　a　pasture…field；　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　high　road。　　It　is　but　that　distance　from　the　busy　whirr　of　the　steam…engines　employed　in　the　woollen　mills　at　Birstall；　and　if　you　walk　to　it　from　Birstall　Station　about　meal…　time；　you　encounter　strings　of　mill…hands；　blue　with　woollen　dye；　and　cranching　in　hungry　haste　over　the　cinder…paths　bordering　the　high　road。　　Turning　off　from　this　to　the　right；　you　ascend　through　an　old　pasture…field；　and　enter　a　short　by…road；　called　the　〃Bloody　Lane〃a　walk　haunted　by　the　ghost　of　a　certain　Captain　Batt；　the　reprobate　proprietor　of　an　old　hall　close　by；　in　the　days　of　the　Stuarts。　　From　the　〃Bloody　Lane；〃　overshadowed　by　trees；　you　come　into　the　field　in　which　Oakwell　Hall　is　situated。　It　is　known　in　the　neighbourhood　to　be　the　place　described　as　〃Field　Head；〃　Shirley's　residence。　　The　enclosure　in　front；　half　court；　half　garden；　the　panelled　hall；　with　the　gallery　opening　into　the　bed…chambers　running　round；　the　barbarous　peach…coloured　drawing…room；　the　bright　look…out　through　the　garden…door　upon　the　grassy　lawns　and　terraces　behind；　where　the　soft…hued　pigeons　still　love　to　coo　and　strut　in　the　sun；are　described　in　〃Shirley。〃　　The　scenery　of　that　fiction　lies　close　around；　the　real　events　which　suggested　it　took　place　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood。

They　show　a　bloody　footprint　in　a　bedchamber　of　Oakwell　Hall；　and　tell　a　story　connected　with　it；　and　with　the　lane　by　which　the　house　is　approached。　　Captain　Batt　was　believed　to　be　far　away；　his　family　was　at　Oakwell；　when　in　the　dusk；　one　winter　evening；　he　came　stalking　along　the　lane；　and　through　the　hall；　and　up　the　stairs；　into　his　own　room；　where　he　vanished。　　He　had　been　killed　in　a　duel　in　London　that　very　same　afternoon　of　December　9th；　1684。

The　stones　of　the　Hall　formed　part　of　the　more　ancient　vicarage；　which　an　ancestor　of　Captain　Batt's　had　seized　in　the　troublous　times　for　property　which　succeeded　the　Reformation。　　This　Henry　Batt　possessed　himself　of　houses　and　money　without　scruple；　and；　at　last；　stole　the　great　bell　of　Birstall　Church；　for　which　sacrilegious　theft　a　fine　was　imposed　on　the　land；　and　has　to　be　paid　by　the　owner　of　the　Hall　to　this　day。

But　the　Oakwell　property　passed　out　of　the　hands　of　the　Batts　at　the　beginning　of　the　last　century；　collateral　descendants　succeeded；　and　left　this　picturesque　trace　of　their　having　been。　In　the　great　hall　hangs　a　mighty　pair　of　stag's　horns；　and　dependent　from　them　a　printed　card；　recording　the　fact　that；　on　the　1st　of　September；　1763；　there　was　a　great　hunting…match；　when　this　stag　was　slain；　and　that　fourteen　gentlemen　shared　in　the　chase；　and　dined　on　the　spoil　in　that　hall；　along　with　Fairfax　Fearneley；　Esq。；　the　owner。　　The　fourteen　names　are　given；　doubtless　〃mighty　men　of　yore；〃　but；　among　them　all；　Sir　Fletcher　Norton；　Attorney…General；　and　Major…General　Birch　were　the　only　ones　with　which　I　had　any　association　in　1855。　　Passing　on　from　Oakwell　there　lie　houses　right　and　left；　which　were　well　known　to　Miss　Bronte　when　she　lived　at　Roe　Head；　as　the　hospitable　homes　of　some　of　her　schoolfellows。　　Lanes　branch　off　for　three　or　four　miles　to　heaths　and　commons　on　the　higher　ground；　which　f