Brontës (129 page)

we were schoolfellows – in the course of time we learnt each others faults and good points – we were contrasts – still we suited – affection was first a germ, then a sapling – then a strong tree: now – no new friend, however lofty or profound in intellect – not even Miss Martineau herself – could be to me what Ellen is, yet she is no more than a conscientious, observant, calm, well-bred Yorkshire girl. She is without romance – if she attempts to read poetry – or poetic prose aloud – I am irritated and deprive her of the book – if she talks of it I stop my ears – but she is good – she is true – she is faithful and I love her.
⁹¹

While Ellen's friendship was undoubtedly genuine and based on many years' standing, Charlotte's new-found fame as an author allowed Ellen to bask in reflected glory. The deaths of her sisters had deprived Charlotte of her most intimate companions and Ellen now willingly filled their place, gaining a higher level of Charlotte's affection and confidence than might otherwise have been the case.

An early indication of Ellen's newly acquired status came during her visit to Charlotte, when she received a letter from the vicar of Birstall. ‘Fame says you are on a visit with the renowned Currer Bell', William Margetson Heald had written, before asking her to get Charlotte to identify all the originals
of the characters in
Shirley
. He had just discovered that he himself featured in the novel as Mr Hall, admitting ‘In that Mr Hall is represented as black, bilious & of dismal aspect, stooping a trifle & indulging a little now & then in the indigenous dialect, – this seems to sit very well on your humble servant'. Mr Heald himself had recognized many of the characters in the book, though he defended Hammond Roberson against his unflattering portrayal as Mr Helstone, declaring that Charlotte had evidently got her impressions of him through an unfriendly medium and did not understand the full value of ‘one of the most admirable characters I ever knew or expect to know'. As he had become part of ‘Currer Bell's' stock-in-trade himself, ‘tho' I had no idea that I should ever be made a means to amuse the public', Mr Heald thought he had ‘an equitable claim to this intelligence by way of my dividend'. Fortunately, he took the whole affair in good part, ending his letter with the comment, ‘One had need “walk … warily in these dangerous days” when as Burns (is it not he?) says

“A chield's among you taking notes

and faith he'll prent it” –'.
⁹²

Someone else who took his portrayal in
Shirley
in remarkably good part was Arthur Bell Nicholls, the curate of Haworth. He got to know about the novels earlier than anyone else in Haworth and, as Charlotte herself was unlikely to have confided in him, it was probably Patrick who, unable to contain his pride in his daughter's reception among the London literati, had told her secret to his curate. He immediately got hold of
Jane Eyre
and, having read it, was soon ‘crying out for the “other book” – … much good may it do him', Charlotte commented truculently.
⁹³
Her description of his reaction to
Shirley
is deservedly famous, though it is rarely pointed out that it gives a much more attractive portrait of Mr Nicholls than the dour, doctrinaire one of Brontë legend.

Mr Nicholls has finished reading ‘Shirley' he \is/ delighted with it – John Brown's wife seriously thought he had gone wrong in the head as she heard him giving vent to roars of laughter as he sat alone – clapping his hands and stamping on the floor. He would read all the scenes about the curates aloud to papa – he triumphed in his own character.

What Mr Grant will say is another question. No matter.
⁹⁴

Perhaps encouraged by Mr Nicholls' reaction, Patrick had also informed his old friend, William Morgan, that his daughter was the acclaimed author of
Jane Eyre
. Much to Charlotte's surprise, since she regarded him as a stuffy and bombastic pedant, he too reacted favourably, writing to her ‘not in blame but in the highest strain of eulogy –! he says it thoroughly fascinated and enchained him – &c. &c. &c.'
⁹⁵

What little remained of Charlotte's secret was finally blown away at the beginning of February. She glumly reported the circumstance to Ellen, who was now back at Brookroyd.

Martha came in yesterday – puffing and blowing and much excited – ‘I've heard sich news' she began – ‘What about?' ‘Please ma'am you've been and written two books – the grandest books that ever was seen – My Father has heard it at Halifax and Mr George Taylor and Mr Greenwood and Mr Merrall at Bradford – and they are going to have a meeting at the Mechanics' Institute and to settle about ordering them.'

‘Hold your tongue, Martha and be off.' I fell into a cold sweat.

‘Jane Eyre' will be read by John Brown by Mrs Taylor and Betty – God help keep & deliver me!
⁹⁶

The news spread like wildfire throughout the township and soon all Haworth was clamouring to read Miss Brontës clever books. ‘The Haworth People have been making great fools of themselves about “Shirley” –', Charlotte told Ellen,

they take it in an enthusiastic light – when they got the Vols. at the Mech[anics'] Instn all the members wanted them – they cast lots for the whole three – and whoever got a vol. was only allowed to keep it two days and to be fined a shilling per diem for longer detention – It would be mere nonsense and vanity to tell you what they say.
⁹⁷

Though Charlotte pretended to scoff at the reaction of her neighbours to the discovery that their parson's daughter was a famous author, she was nevertheless grateful for their enthusiasm and for their pride in her books, not least because it was a source of ‘reviving pleasure' to her father in his old age. She was particularly touched by the ‘artless and earnest, genuine and generous' testimony of one of the poor working men of the township. A Dissenter to whom she had not spoken above two or three times in her life, he had a mind ‘too keen for his frame' and could barely support his large family. After reading
Jane Eyre
he had written a record of his feelings, and
this, by fair means or foul and without his knowledge, had come into Charlotte's hands. He had not dared give it to her himself, saying ‘Miss Brontë if she knew he had written it would scorn him', but Charlotte considered it ‘one of the highest, because one of the most truthful and artless tributes her work has yet received'; ‘I value it more than testimonies from higher sources', she told Williams.
⁹⁸

Another working man who had read
Jane Eyre
and
Shirley
was prompted to write to his local paper when his suspicions that he knew the author were confirmed by articles in the press. As he was ‘a factory boy' who had emigrated from Haworth and now lived in Spencer, Massachusetts, his letter had peculiar interest for Charlotte, who was sent a copy by Smith, Elder & Co. As she said, it was a ‘curious mixture of truth and inaccuracy', vividly recalling Patrick's features, hearing him preach, his failing sight and his cataract operation, but having ‘no very particular recollection' of his children. Indeed, the writer only remembered the son who ‘came home a year or two ago, having just finished his education. He was thought to be an able artist', and two daughters ‘who lived in Bradford … although they have made the tour of Europe'. Oddly, his most enduring image of the sisters – and one which occurs again and again in contemporary recollections – is that of the sisters taking their daily walk with their favourite dog.
⁹⁹

Though it might be expected that local people would be proud of Charlotte Brontës success, it was surprising that this seems to have extended even to those who should have been mortified by their own portrayal in
Shirley
.

The very Curates – poor fellows! shew no resentment; each characteristically finds solace for his own wounds in crowing over his brethren. Mr Donne was – at first, a little disturbed; for a week or two He fidgetted about the neighbourhood in some disquietude – but he is now soothed down, only yesterday I had the pleasure of making him a comfortable cup of tea and seeing him sip it with revived complacency. It is a curious fact that since he read ‘Shirley' he has come to the house oftener than ever and been remarkably meek and assiduous to please. – Some people's natures are veritable enigmas – I quite expected to have one good scene at the least with him, but as yet nothing of the sort has occurred – and if the other curates do not tease him into irritation, he will remain quiet now.
¹⁰⁰

As if the local furore were not enough, Charlotte's ‘anchorite seclusion' at
Haworth was also under threat. ‘One or two curiosity-hunters have made their way to Haworth Parsonage', she reported to Williams, adding somewhat optimistically, ‘– but our rude hills and rugged neighbourhood will I doubt not form a sufficient barrier to the frequent repetition of such visits'.
¹⁰¹

Among those who braved the hills was the Reverend Andrew Cassels, who arrived unannounced just after dinner one afternoon, demanded to see Mr Brontë and was shown into the parlour where he talked for an hour ‘in a loud vulgar key'. Consumed with curiosity, Charlotte interrogated Martha as to who the visitor was: ‘Some mak' of a tradesman', she had replied, ‘he's not a gentleman I'm sure'. When Charlotte took her tea with her father, she discovered that the caller was the vicar of Batley though Martha, with her usual forthrightness, declared he looked no more like a parson than she did. Even Patrick had to admit that he was ‘rather shabby-looking' and amused Charlotte by telling her that Cassels had tried to induce him to dine at the Black Bull that evening by offering him ‘two or three bottles of the best wine Haworth could afford!' Though he professed to have come to view the scenery, the real purpose of his visit was to invite Patrick to Batley, telling him, by way of a corollary, to bring his daughter with him.
¹⁰²

Any lingering hopes that it might be possible to retain at least some measure of local anonymity were soon to be dashed. On 28 February 1850, the
Bradford Observer
trumpeted:

It is understood that the only daughter of the Rev P Bronté, incumbent of Haworth is the authoress of
Jane Eyre
and
Shirley
, two of the most popular novels of the day, which have appeared under the name of ‘Currer Bell'.
¹⁰³

The power to walk invisible had finally been withdrawn.

Chapter Twenty-Two

THE SOCIETY OF CLEVER PEOPLE

While Ellen Nussey stayed at Haworth, Charlotte had managed to keep reasonably cheerful. Once she had gone, depression began to creep in. Anxious to keep it at bay, and remembering how her work had been her saviour through the dark days of the previous year, Charlotte attempted to make a start on her next novel. Without her almost visionary imaginative power to aid her, however, the words, the characters, the scenes would not come and she abandoned the effort after two or three attempts.
¹

Charlotte's gloom was not helped by an unaccountable silence from Smith, Elder & Co. Now that the publication of
Shirley
was out of the way and her visit was over, there was really no need for a continuation of the correspondence except as a token of friendship. The complete absence of letters for over a month was therefore both galling and distressing and Charlotte was very much ashamed to discover how dependent upon their stimulus she had become. Day after day she waited for the post with rising expectation, only to have her hopes dashed once more. ‘This is a stupid, disgraceful,
unmeaning state of things –', she wrote angrily to Ellen, ‘I feel bitterly enraged at my own dependence and folly – It is so bad for the mind to be quite alone – to have none with whom to talk over little crosses and disappointments and laugh them away. If I could write I daresay I should be better but I cannot write a line.'
²

In this mood, Charlotte took violent exception to a well-meaning letter from poor Miss Wooler, who had written to assure her former pupil that ‘in spite of all I had gone and done in the writing line – I still retained a place in her esteem'. Charlotte wrote her a crushing reply.

You seem to think that I had feared some loss in your esteem owing to my being the reputed Author of this book
[Jane Eyre]
– such a fear – one so unjust to both you and myself, never crossed my mind.

When I was in London – a woman whose celebrity is not wider than her moral standing is elevated – and in each point she has no living superior – said to me
‘I have ever observed that it is to the coarse-minded alone – “Jane Eyre” is coarse.'
This remark tallied with what I had myself noticed; I felt its truth … I own when I hear of any one making an exaggerated outcry against ‘Jane Eyre' immediately in my own mind I come to no very complimentary conclusion respecting the natural quality of that persons tastes and propensities.
³