al from his
curacy; she knew, from bitter experience, that his vices were utterly
hopeless. He treated her and her child savagely; with much more to
the same effect. Papa advised her to leave him for ever, and go home,
if she had a home to go to. She said, this was what she had long
resolved to do; and she would leave him directly, as soon as Mr. B.
dismissed him. She expressed great disgust and contempt towards him,
and did not affect to have the shadow of regard in any way. I do not
wonder at this, but I do wonder she should ever marry a man towards
whom her feelings must always have been pretty much the same as they
are now. I am morally certain no decent woman could experience
anything but aversion towards such a man as Mr. ---. Before I knew,
or suspected his character, and when I rather wondered at his
versatile talents, I felt it in an uncontrollable degree. I hated to
talk with him--hated to look at him; though as I was not certain that
there was substantial reason for such a dislike, and thought it absurd
to trust to mere instinct, I both concealed and repressed the feeling
as much as I could; and, on all occasions, treated him with as much
civility as I was mistress of. I was struck with Mary's expression of
a similar feeling at first sight; she said, when we left him, 'That is
a hideous man, Charlotte!' I thought 'He is indeed.'"

CHAPTER X

Early in March, 1841, Miss Bronte obtained her second and last situation
as a governess. This time she esteemed herself fortunate in becoming a
member of a kind-hearted and friendly household. The master of it, she
especially regarded as a valuable friend, whose advice helped to guide
her in one very important step of her life. But as her definite
acquirements were few, she had to eke them out by employing her leisure
time in needlework; and altogether her position was that of "bonne" or
nursery governess, liable to repeated and never-ending calls upon her
time. This description of uncertain, yet perpetual employment, subject
to the exercise of another person's will at all hours of the day, was
peculiarly trying to one whose life at home had been full of abundant
leisure. _Idle_ she never was in any place, but of the multitude of
small talks, plans, duties, pleasures, &c., that make up most people's
days, her home life was nearly destitute. This made it possible for her
to go through long