the life of charlotte bronte-1-第24章

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es　they　had　to　traverse　before　reaching　Heald's　Hall。

One　other　illustration　of　his　character　may　be　given。　　He　discovered　that　his　servant　Betty　had　〃a　follower；〃　and；　watching　his　time　till　Richard　was　found　in　the　kitchen；　he　ordered　him　into　the　dining…room；　where　the　pupils　were　all　assembled。　　He　then　questioned　Richard　whether　he　had　come　after　Betty；　and　on　his　confessing　the　truth；　Mr。　Roberson　gave　the　word；　〃Off　with　him；　lads；　to　the　pump！〃　　The　poor　lover　was　dragged　to　the　court…　yard；　and　the　pump　set　to　play　upon　him；　and；　between　every　drenching；　the　question　was　put　to　him；　〃Will　you　promise　not　to　come　after　Betty　again？〃　　For　a　long　time　Richard　bravely　refused　to　give　in；　when　〃Pump　again；　lads！〃　was　the　order。　　But；　at　last；　the　poor　soaked　〃follower〃　was　forced　to　yield；　and　renounce　his　Betty。

The　Yorkshire　character　of　Mr。　Roberson　would　be　incomplete　if　I　did　not　mention　his　fondness　for　horses。　　He　lived　to　be　a　very　old　man；　dying　some　time　nearer　to　1840　than　1830；　and　even　after　he　was　eighty　years　of　age；　he　took　great　delight　in　breaking　refractory　steeds；　if　necessary；　he　would　sit　motionless　on　their　backs　for　half…an…hour　or　more　to　bring　them　to。　　There　is　a　story　current　that　once；　in　a　passion；　he　shot　his　wife's　favourite　horse；　and　buried　it　near　a　quarry；　where　the　ground；　some　years　after；　miraculously　opened　and　displayed　the　skeleton；　but　the　real　fact　is；　that　it　was　an　act　of　humanity　to　put　a　poor　old　horse　out　of　misery；　and　that；　to　spare　it　pain；　he　shot　it　with　his　own　hands；　and　buried　it　where；　the　ground　sinking　afterwards　by　the　working　of　a　coal…pit；　the　bones　came　to　light。　　The　traditional　colouring　shows　the　animus　with　which　his　memory　is　regarded　by　one　set　of　people。　　By　another；　the　neighbouring　clergy；　who　remember　him　riding；　in　his　old　age；　down　the　hill　on　which　his　house　stood；　upon　his　strong　white　horsehis　bearing　proud　and　dignified；　his　shovel　hat　bent　over　and　shadowing　his　keen　eagle　eyesgoing　to　his　Sunday　duty　like　a　faithful　soldier　that　dies　in　harnesswho　can　appreciate　his　loyalty　to　conscience；　his　sacrifices　to　duty；　and　his　stand　by　his　religion…　…his　memory　is　venerated。　　In　his　extreme　old　age；　a　rubric　meeting　was　held；　at　which　his　clerical　brethren　gladly　subscribed　to　present　him　with　a　testimonial　of　their　deep　respect　and　regard。

This　is　a　specimen　of　the　strong　character　not　seldom　manifested　by　the　Yorkshire　clergy　of　the　Established　Church。　　Mr。　Roberson　was　a　friend　of　Charlotte　Bronte's　father；　lived　within　a　couple　of　miles　of　Roe　Head　while　she　was　at　school　there；　and　was　deeply　engaged　in　transactions；　the　memory　of　which　was　yet　recent　when　she　heard　of　them；　and　of　the　part　which　he　had　had　in　them。

I　may　now　say　a　little　on　the　character　of　the　Dissenting　population　immediately　surrounding　Roe　Head；　for　the　〃Tory　and　clergyman's　daughter；〃　〃taking　interest　in　politics　ever　since　she　was　five　years　old；〃　and　holding　frequent　discussions　with　such　of　the　girls　as　were　Dissenters　and　Radicals；　was　sure　to　have　made　herself　as　much　acquainted　as　she　could　with　the　condition　of　those　to　whom　she　was　opposed　in　opinion。

The　bulk　of　the　population　were　Dissenters；　principally　Independents。　　In　the　village　of　Heckmondwike；　at　one　end　of　which　Roe　Head　is　situated；　there　were　two　large　chapels　belonging　to　that　denomination；　and　one　to　the　Methodists；　all　of　which　were　well　filled　two　or　three　times　on　a　Sunday；　besides　having　various　prayer…meetings；　fully　attended；　on　week…days。　　The　inhabitants　were　a　chapel…going　people；　very　critical　about　the　doctrine　of　their　sermons；　tyrannical　to　their　ministers；　and　violent　Radicals　in　politics。　　A　friend；　well　acquainted　with　the　place　when　Charlotte　Bronte　was　at　school；　has　described　some　events　which　occurred　then　among　them：…

〃A　scene；　which　took　place　at　the　Lower　Chapel　at　Heckmondwike；　will　give　you　some　idea　of　the　people　at　that　time。　　When　a　newly…　married　couple　made　their　appearance　at　chapel；　it　was　the　custom　to　sing　the　Wedding　Anthem；　just　after　the　last　prayer；　and　as　the　congregation　was　quitting　the　chapel。　　The　band　of　singers　who　performed　this　ceremony　expected　to　have　money　given　them；　and　often　passed　the　following　night　in　drinking；　at　least；　so　said　the　minister　of　the　place；　and　he　determined　to　put　an　end　to　this　custom。　　In　this　he　was　supported　by　many　members　of　the　chapel　and　congregation；　but　so　strong　was　the　democratic　element；　that　he　met　with　the　most　violent　opposition；　and　was　often　insulted　when　he　went　into　the　street。　　A　bride　was　expected　to　make　her　first　appearance；　and　the　minister　told　the　singers　not　to　perform　the　anthem。　　On　their　declaring　they　would；　he　had　the　large　pew　which　they　usually　occupied　locked；　they　broke　it　open：　　from　the　pulpit　he　told　the　congregation　that；　instead　of　their　singing　a　hymn；　he　would　read　a　chapter；　hardly　had　he　uttered　the　first　word；　before　up　rose　the　singers；　headed　by　a　tall；　fierce…looking　weaver；　who　gave　out　a　hymn；　and　all　sang　it　at　the　very　top　of　their　voices；　aided　by　those　of　their　friends　who　were　in　the　chapel。　　Those　who　disapproved　of　the　conduct　of　the　singers；　and　sided　with　the　minister；　remained　seated　till　the　hymn　was　finished。　　Then　he　gave　out　the　chapter　again；　read　it；　and　preached。　　He　was　just　about　to　conclude　with　prayer；　when　up　started　the　singers　and　screamed　forth　another　hymn。　　These　disgraceful　scenes　were　continued　for　many　weeks；　and　so　violent　was　the　feeling；　that　the　different　parties　could　hardly　keep　from　blows　as　they　came　through　the　chapel…yard。　　The　minister；　at　last；　left　the　place；　and　along　with　him　went　many　of　the　most　temperate　and　respectable　part　of　the　congregation；　and　the　singers　remained　triumphant。

〃I　believe　that　there　was　such　a　violent　contest　respecting　the　choice　of　a　pastor；　about　this　time；　in　the　Upper　Chapel　at　Heckmondwike；　that　the　Riot　Act　had　to　be　read　at　a　church…　meeting。〃

Certainly；　the　SOI…DISANT　Christians　who　forcibly　ejected　Mr。　Redhead　at　Haworth；　ten　or　twelve　years　before；　held　a　very　heathen　brotherhood　with　the　SOI…DISANT　Christians　of　Heckmondwike；　though　the　one　set　might　be　called　members　of　the　Church　of　England　and　the　other　Dissenters。

The　letter　from　which　I　have　taken　the　above　extract　relates　throughout　to　the　immediate　neighbourhood　of　the　place　where　Charlotte　Bronte　spent　her　school…days；　and　describes　things　as　they　existed　at　that　very　time。　　The　writer　says；〃Having　been　accustomed　to　the　respectful　manners　of　the　lower　orders　in　the　agricultural　districts；　I　was　at　first；　much　disgusted　and　somewhat　alarmed　at　the　great　freedom　displayed　by　the　working　classes　of　Heckmondwike　and　Gomersall　to　those　in　a　station　above　them。　　The　term　'lass；'　was　as　freely　applied　to　any　young　lady；　as　the　word　'wench'　is　in　Lancashire。　　The　extremely　untidy　appearance　of　the　villagers　shocked　me　not　a　little；　though　I　must　do　the　housewives　the　justice　to　say　that　the　cottages　themselves　were　not　dirty；　and　had　an　air　of　rough　plenty　about　them　（except　when　trade　was　bad）；　that　I　had　not　been　accustomed　to　see　in　the　farming　districts。　　The　heap　of　coals　on　one　side　of　the　house…　door；　and　the　brewing　tubs　on　the　other；　and　the　frequent　perfume　of　malt　and　hops　as　you　walked　along；　proved　that　fire　and　'home…　brewed'　were　to　be　found　at　almost　every　man's　hearth。　　Nor　was　hospitality；　one　of　the　main　virtues　of　Yorkshire；　wanting。　　Oat…　cake；　cheese；　and　beer　were　freely　pressed　upon　the　visitor。

〃There　used　to　be　a　yearly　festival；　half…religious；　half　social；　held　at　Heckmondwike；　called　'The　Lecture。'　　I　fancy　it　had　come　down　from　the　times　of　the　Nonconformists。　　A　sermon　was　preached　by　some　stranger　at　the　Lower　Chapel；　on　a　week…day　evening；　and　the　next　day；　two　sermons　in　succession　were　delivered　at　the　Upper　Chapel。　　Of　course；　the　service　was　a　very　long　one；　and　as　the　time　was　June；　and　the　weather　often　hot；　it　used　to　be　regarded　by　myself　and　my　companions　as　no　pleasurable　way　of　passing　the　morning。　　The　rest　of　the　day　was　spent　in　social　enjoyment；　great　numbers　of　strangers　flocked　to　the　place；　booths　were　erected　for　the　sale　of　toys　and　gingerbread　（a　sort　of　'Holy　Fair'）；　and　t