She had received medical treatment, she learns as did Jane Eyre in the
similar incident. The "ghost," however, had been only George Burke--the
John Reed of _Jane Eyre_. Hence the choice of the name Burke by reason
of its connection with the Hare of the Burke and Hare association, the
writer by this choice showing his acquaintance with the fact that in
real life the Reeds and Jane Eyre were relations. After this incident
the story is for a while occupied with the petty happenings connected
with this orphan who "was not yet nine years old." An aunt of the Burkes
[? Aunt Branwell] comes to live with them, a "poor, quiet, elderly
spinster who paid a small stipend in order to preserve her independence
and keep up her dignity.... I must not attempt to describe her ... she
was fully six feet high." This is palpably antithetical: Miss Branwell
was not tall. And it is this aunt who provides the money for Catherine
Bell to go to school. Under the guise of presenting the Lowood school in
"Lagrange's Manuscript," M. Sue gives us often the Héger _pensionnat_.
Aunt Branwell provided Charlotte Brontë the money that enabled her to go
to the Hégers'.
I will give in parallel columns the arrival of Charlotte Brontë at the
Clergy Daughters' Institute as it is described in "Mademoiselle
Lagrange's Manuscript," and in _Jane Eyre_ the original:--
_Jane Eyre._ "Kitty Bell, the Orphan."
By the Mademoiselle Lagrange,
By Currer Bell. of Eugène Sue's _Miss Mary ou
L'Institutrice_.
The first days at the The first days at the
Institution. Institution.
The coach door was open and ... We got to Kendall House.... I
a servant was standing at it: I had been sitting near my trunk
saw her ... by the light of the on the outside of the coach, and
lamps. my legs were numb with cold. I
was quite unable to move, so the
"Is there a little girl called coachman lifted me down along
Jane Eyre here?" she asked. I with my box. The door was open
answered "Yes," and was lifted when the coach stopped; a
out, my trunk was handed down. servant was standing there with
a lamp. "Are you Catherine Bell
we expects down here to-day?"
she asked me.
"My name is Kitty Bell, if you
please," replied I.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account