I also find that the paper on which the Héger portrait of Miss Brontë was drawn was that used in 1850 by the house where she was a guest in London in the early June of 1850, at the very time to within a day when, as there is indisputable evidence--despite assertions that she "never under any circumstances during the later period of her life wore a green dress"--Charlotte Brontë was wearing a light green dress. That was "the first occasion on which Miss Brontë wore colours," as the inscription tells us, and fact substantiates, after she had concluded the remarkably long mourning period for her sisters, which began with "the death of Emily" and did not end till twelve months after the death of Anne, who died on May 28th, 1849. (Signed) J. MALHAM-DEMBLEBY. Scarr Hill, Eccleshill, Bradford, May 16th, 1907. The publication of this letter ended the controversy.[99] Since it was published Mrs. Gaskell's daughters, who well knew Miss Brontë, have declared themselves fully satisfied as to the authenticity of the Héger portrait of Charlotte Brontë and the faithfulness of the likeness. The testimony of Lady Ritchie, Thackeray's daughter, also supports this portrait. See my further references to my correspondence with her ladyship herewith. As regards the green dress, apart from the indisputable external evidence I referred to in the printed letter, I believe Charlotte Brontë speaks of it in _Villette_, though therein it is for obfuscation's sake (necessary indeed, since _Villette_ was published only a short time after her London visit) made "pink" and "flounceless." In Chapter XXVIII. we find M. Paul saying--and it is interesting thus to have connected with the green dress a character whose prototype was M. Héger--that: "Pink or scarlet, yellow or crimson, _pea-green_ or sky-blue, [the dress] was all one."[100] As I stated to Lady Ritchie in 1907, I believe that in Chapter XX. of _Villette_ we undoubtedly have a real glimpse of incidents connected with the wearing of the green dress; and it should be remembered that Mrs. Bretton and Dr. John Graham Bretton in this chapter represent Mrs. Smith, and her son Mr. George Smith, the publisher, whose guest Charlotte Brontë was in 1850, when she first wore the green dress:-- One morning, Mrs. Bretton ... desired me to ... show her my dresses; which I did, without a word. "That will do," said she.... "You must have a new one." ... She returned presently with a dressmaker. She had me measured. "I mean," said she, "to follow my own taste, and to have my own way in this little matter." Two days after came home--a pink [green] dress! "That is not for me," I said hurriedly, feeling that I would ... as soon clothe myself in the costume of a Chinese lady of rank. ... "You will wear it this ... evening."