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the life of charlotte bronte-1-第47章

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 was condemned in the Bible。  In default of turbaned Saracens; they entered on a crusade against Methodists in broadcloth; and the consequence was that the Methodists and Baptists refused to pay the church…rates。  Miss Bronte thus describes the state of things at this time:…


〃Little Haworth has been all in a bustle about church…rates; since you were here。  We had a stirring meeting in the schoolroom。  Papa took the chair; and Mr。 C。 and Mr。 W。 acted as his supporters; one on each side。  There was violent opposition; which set Mr。 C。's Irish blood in a ferment; and if papa had not kept him quiet; partly by persuasion and partly by compulsion; he would have given the Dissenters their kale through the reeka Scotch proverb; which I will explain to you another time。  He and Mr。 W。 both bottled up their wrath for that time; but it was only to explode with redoubled force at a future period。  We had two sermons on dissent; and its consequences; preached last Sundayone in the afternoon by Mr。 W。; and one in the evening by Mr。 C。  All the Dissenters were invited to come and hear; and they actually shut up their chapels; and came in a body; of course the church was crowded。  Mr。 W。 delivered a noble; eloquent; High…Church; Apostolical…Succession discourse; in which he banged the Dissenters most fearlessly and unflinchingly。  I thought they had got enough for one while; but it was nothing to the dose that was thrust down their throats in the evening。  A keener; cleverer; bolder; and more heart…stirring harangue than that which Mr。 C。 delivered from Haworth pulpit; last Sunday evening; I never heard。 He did not rant; he did not cant; he did not whine; he did not sniggle; he just got up and spoke with the boldness of a man who was impressed with the truth of what he was saying; who has no fear of his enemies; and no dread of consequences。  His sermon lasted an hour; yet I was sorry when it was done。  I do not say that I agree either with him; or with Mr。 W。; either in all or in half their opinions。  I consider them bigoted; intolerant; and wholly unjustifiable on the ground of common sense。  My conscience will not let me be either a Puseyite or a Hookist; MAIS; if I were a Dissenter; I would have taken the first opportunity of kicking; or of horse…whipping both the gentlemen for their stern; bitter attack on my religion and its teachers。  But in spite of all this; I admired the noble integrity which could dictate so fearless an opposition against so strong an antagonist。

〃P。S。Mr。 W。 has given another lecture at the Keighley Mechanics' Institution; and papa has also given a lecture; both are spoken of very highly in the newspapers; and it is mentioned as a matter of wonder that such displays of intellect should emanate from the village of Haworth; 'situated among the bogs and mountains; and; until very lately; supposed to be in a state of semi…barbarism。' Such are the words of the newspaper。〃


To fill up the account of this outwardly eventless year; I may add a few more extracts from the letters entrusted to me。


〃May 15th; 1840。

〃Do not be over…persuaded to marry a man you can never respectI do not say LOVE; because; I think; if you can respect a person before marriage; moderate love at least will come after; and as to intense PASSION; I am convinced that that is no desirable feeling。 In the first place; it seldom or never meets with a requital; and; in the second place; if it did; the feeling would be only temporary:  it would last the honeymoon; and then; perhaps; give place to disgust; or indifference; worse; perhaps; than disgust。 Certainly this would be the case on the man's part; and on the woman'sGod help her; if she is left to love passionately and alone。

〃I am tolerably well convinced that I shall never marry at all。 Reason tells me so; and I am not so utterly the slave of feeling but that I can OCCASIONALLY HEAR her voice。〃

〃June 2nd; 1840。

〃M。 is not yet come to Haworth; but she is to come on the condition that I first go and stay a few days there。  If all be well; I shall go next Wednesday。  I may stay at G… until Friday or Saturday; and the early part of the following week I shall pass with you; if you will have mewhich last sentence indeed is nonsense; for as I shall be glad to see you; so I know you will be glad to see me。  This arrangement will not allow much time; but it is the only practicable one which; considering all the circumstances; I can effect。  Do not urge me to stay more than two or three days; because I shall be obliged to refuse you。  I intend to walk to Keighley; there to take the coach as far as B…; then to get some one to carry my box; and to walk the rest of the way to G…。  If I manage this; I think I shall contrive very well。  I shall reach B。 by about five o'clock; and then I shall have the cool of the evening for the walk。  I have communicated the whole arrangement to M。  I desire exceedingly to see both her and you。 Good…bye。

C。 B。 C。 B。 C。 B。 C。 B。

〃If you have any better plan to suggest I am open to conviction; provided your plan is practicable。〃

〃August 20th; 1840。

〃Have you seen anything of Miss H。 lately?  I wish they; or somebody else; would get me a situation。  I have answered advertisements without number; but my applications have met with no success。

〃I have got another bale of French books from G。 containing upwards of forty volumes。  I have read about half。  They are like the rest; clever; wicked; sophistical; and immoral。  The best of it is; they give one a thorough idea of France and Paris; and are the best substitute for French conversation that I have met with。

〃I positively have nothing more to say to you; for I am in a stupid humour。  You must excuse this letter not being quite as long as your own。  I have written to you soon; that you might not look after the postman in vain。  Preserve this writing as a curiosity in caligraphyI think it is exquisiteall brilliant black blots; and utterly illegible letters。  〃CALIBAN。〃


〃'The wind bloweth where it listeth。  Thou hearest the sound thereof; but canst not tell whence it cometh; nor whither it goeth。'  That; I believe; is Scripture; though in what chapter or book; or whether it be correctly quoted; I can't possibly say。 However; it behoves me to write a letter to a young woman of the name of E。; with whom I was once acquainted; 'in life's morning march; when my spirit was young。'  This young woman wished me to write to her some time since; though I have nothing to sayI e'en put it off; day by day; till at last; fearing that she will 'curse me by her gods;' I feel constrained to sit down and tack a few lines together; which she may call a letter or not as she pleases。 Now if the young woman expects sense in this production; she will find herself miserably disappointed。  I shall dress her a dish of salmagundiI shall cook a hashcompound a stewtoss up an OMELETTE SOUFFLEE E LA FRANCAISE; and send it her with my respects。  The wind; which is very high up in our hills of Judea; though; I suppose; down in the Philistine flats of B。 parish it is nothing to speak of; has produced the same effects on the contents of my knowledge…box that a quaigh of usquebaugh does upon those of most other bipeds。  I see 
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