the professor(教授)-第33章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
it said this so plainly； that I determined to request information on
the point concerning which my ignorance seemed to be thus
tacitly affirmed。
“Are you solicitous for your own improvement？”
“Rather。”
“How do you prove it； mademoiselle？”
An odd question； and bluntly put； it excited a second smile。
“Why； monsieur； I am not inattentive—am I？ I learn my lessons
well—”
“Oh； a child can do that！ and what more do you do？”
“What more can I do？”
“Oh； certainly； not much； but you are a teacher； are you not； as
well as a pupil？”
“Yes。”
“You teach lace…mending？”
“Yes。”
“A dull； stupid occupation； do you like it？”
“No—it is tedious。”
“Why do you pursue it？ Why do you not rather teach history；
geography； grammar； even arithmetic？”
“Is monsieur certain that I am myself thoroughly acquainted
with these studies？”
“I don’t know； you ought to be at your age。”
Charlotte Bronte ElecBook Classics
… Page 168…
The Professor 168
“But I never was at school； monsieur—”
“Indeed！ What then were your friends—what was your aunt
about？ She is very much to blame。”
“No monsieur； no—my aunt is good—she is not to blame—she
does what she can； she lodges and nourishes me” （I report Mdlle
Henri’s phrases literally； and it was thus she translated from the
French）。 “She is not rich； she has only an annuity of twelve
hundred francs； and it would be impossible for her to send me to
school。”
“Rather；” thought I to myself on hearing this； but I continued；
in the dogmatical tone I had adopted：—
“It is sad； however； that you should be brought up in ignorance
of the most ordinary branches of education； had you known
something of history and grammar you might； by degrees； have
relinquished your lace…mending drudgery； and risen in the world。”
“It is what I mean to do。”
“How？ By a knowledge of English alone？ That will not suffice；
no respectable family will receive a governess whose whole stock
of knowledge consists in a familiarity with one foreign language。”
“Monsieur； I know other things。”
“Yes； yes； you can work with Berlin wools； and embroider
handkerchiefs and collars—that will do little for you。”
Mdlle Henri’s lips were unclosed to answer； but she checked
herself； as thinking the discussion had been sufficiently pursued；
and remained silent。
“Speak；” I continued； impatiently； “I never like the appearance
of acquiescence when the reality is not there； and you had a
contradiction at your tongue’s end。”
“Monsieur； I have had many lessons both in grammar； history；
Charlotte Bronte ElecBook Classics
… Page 169…
The Professor 169
geography； and arithmetic。 I have gone through a course of each
study。”
“Bravo！ but how did you manage it； since your aunt could not
afford lo send you to school？”
“By lace…mending； by the thing monsieur despises so much。”
“Truly！ And now； mademoiselle； it will be a good exercise for
you to explain to me in English how such a result was produced by
such means。”
“Monsieur； I begged my aunt to have me taught lace…mending
soon after we came to Brussels； because I knew it was a métier； a
trade which was easily learnt； and by which I could earn some
money very soon。 I learnt it in a few days； and I quickly got work；
for all the Brussels ladies have old lace—very precious —which
must be mended all the times it is washed。 I earned money a little；
and this money I grave for lessons in the studies I have mentioned；
some of it I spent in buying books； English books especially； soon I
shall try to find a place of governess； or school…teacher； when I can
write and speak English well； but it will be difficult； because those
who know I have been a lace…mender will despise me； as the pupils
here despise me。 Pourtant j’ai mon projet；” she added in a lower
tone。
“What is it？”
“I will go and live in England； I will teach French there。”
The words were pronounced emphatically。 She said “England”
as you might suppose an Israelite of Moses’ days would have said
Canaan。
“Have you a wish to see England？”
“Yes； and an intention。”
And here a voice； the voice of the directress； interposed：—
Charlotte Bronte ElecBook Classics
… Page 170…
The Professor 170
“Mademoiselle Henri； je crois qu’il va pleuvoir； vous feriez bien；
ma bonne amie； de retourner chez vous tout de suite。”
In silence； without a word of thanks for this officious warning；
Mdlle Henri collected her books； she moved to me respectfully；
endeavoured to move to her superior； though the endeavour was
almost a failure； for her head seemed as if it would not bend； and
thus departed。
Where there is one grain of perseverance or wilfulness in the
composition； trifling obstacles are ever known rather to stimulate
than discourage。 Mdlle Reuter might as well have spared herself
the trouble of giving that intimation about the weather （by…the…by
her prediction was falsified by the event—it did not rain that
evening）。 At the close of the next lesson I was again at Mdlle
Henri’s desk。 Thus did I accost her：—
“What is your idea of England； mademoiselle？ Why do you wish
to go there？”
Accustomed by this time to the calculated abruptness of my
manner； it no longer discomposed or surprised her； and she
answered with only so much of hesitation as was rendered
inevitable by the difficulty she experienced in improvising the
translation of her thoughts from French to English。
“England is something unique； as I have heard and read； my
idea of it is vague； and I want to go there to render my idea clear；
definite。”
“Hum！ How much of England do you suppose you could see if
you went there in the capacity of a teacher？ A strange notion you
must have of getting a clear and definite idea of a country！ All you
could see of Great Britain would be the interior of a school； or at
most of one or two private dwellings。”
Charlotte Bronte ElecBook Classics
… Page 171…
The Professor 171
“It would be an English school； they would be English
dwellings。”
“Indisputably； but what then？ What would be the value of
observations made on a scale so narrow？”
“Monsieur； might not one learn something by analogy？ An
échantillon—a—a sample often serves to give an idea of the whole；
besides； narrow and wide are words comparative； are they not？ All
my life would perhaps seem narrow in your eyes—all the life of a—
that little animal subterranean—une taupe—comment dit…on？”
“Mole。”
“Yes—a mole； which lives underground would seem narrow
even to me。”
“Well； mademoiselle—what then？ Proceed。”
“Mais； monsieur； vous me comprenez。”
“Not in the least； have the goodness to explain。”
“Why； monsieur； it is just so。 In Switzerland I have done but
little； learnt but little； and seen but little； my life there was in a
circle； I walked the same round every day； I could not get out of it；
had I rested—remained there even till my death； I should never
have enlarged it； because I am poor and not skilful； I have not
great acquirements； when I was quite tired of this round； I begged
my aunt to go to Brussels； my existence is no larger here； because
I am no richer or higher； I walk in as narrow a limit； but the scene
is changed； it would change again if I went to England。 I knew
something of the bourgeois of Geneva； now I know something of
the bourgeois of Brussels； if I went to London； I would know
something of the bourgeois of London。 Can you make any sense
out of what I say； monsieur； or is it all obscure？”
“I see； I see—now let us advert to another subject； you propose
Charlotte Bronte ElecBook Classics
… Page 172…
The Professor 172
to devote your life to teaching； and you are a most unsuccessful
teacher； you cannot keep your pupils in order。”
A flush of painful confusion was the result of this harsh remark；
she bent her head to the desk； but soon raising it replied—
“Monsieur； I am not a skilful teacher； it is true； but practice
improves； besides； I work under difficulties； here I only teach
sewing； I can show no power in sewing； no superiority—it is a
subordinate art； then I have no associates in this house； I am
isolated； I am too a heretic； which deprives me of influence。”
“And in England you would be a foreigner； that too would
deprive you of influence； and would effectually separate you from
all round you； in England you would have as few connections； as
little importance as you have here。”
“But I should be learning something； for the rest； there are
probably difficulties for such as I everywhere； and if I must
contend； and perhaps： be conquered； I would rather submit to
English pride than to Flemish coarseness； besides； monsieur—”
She stopped—not evidently from any difficulty in finding words
to express herself； but because discretion seemed to say； “You
have said enough。”
“Finish your phrase；” I urged。
“Besides； monsieur； I long to live once more among
