The Key to the Bronte Works Part 9

The following description of Heathcliffe could be read as of Rochester, whose "olive cheek" and "deep eyes" Jane describes:--

_Wuthering Heights._

His cheeks were sallow and half-covered with black whiskers, the brows were lowering, the eyes deep-set and singular. I remembered the eyes. His upright carry suggested his having been in the army [M. Heger had fought as a soldier] ... His countenance ... looked intelligent. A half-civilized ferocity lurked in the depressed brows and eyes full of black fire, but it was subdued, and his manner was even dignified, though too stern for grace.

In view of the general evidence that Heathcliffe, like Rochester, was drawn by Charlotte Bronte from M. Heger, her Brussels friend the professor, it is not surprising that Heathcliffe's was "a deep voice and foreign in sound." Her reference in _Wuthering Heights_ to his Spanish extraction reminds us of M. Paul Emanuel's "jetty hair and Spanish face"

in _Villette_, and of course it is well known M. Paul Emanuel was drawn by Currer Bell from M. Heger.

CHAPTER XI.

CATHERINE AND HEATHCLIFFE OF "WUTHERING HEIGHTS" AS JANE AND ROCHESTER OF "JANE EYRE."

We have already seen Catherine in _Wuthering Heights_ represented Charlotte Bronte as intimately portrayed by herself in the work, and that Heathcliffe was drawn by her from the original of the Rochester of _Jane Eyre_. So faithfully did Charlotte Bronte tell again in _Jane Eyre_ the history of her life in relation to her family and M. Heger, that she gives the main lines of her biography in both works. I will show them side by side.

For the literal parallels when not given in this chapter see the index.

My amazing discovery on the return of the runaway Heathcliffe to Catherine and the return of the runaway Jane to Rochester I give literally herewith.

_Wuthering Heights._ _Jane Eyre._

Opening scene: A rainy day in Opening scene: A rainy day in Catherine's (Charlotte Bronte's) Jane's (Charlotte Bronte's) childhood. She is treated childhood. She is treated unkindly by the rest of the unkindly by the rest of the household. It is impossible to household. It is impossible to go out on account of the rain. go out on account of the rain.

She had been commanded to keep She had been commanded to keep aloof from the family group. aloof from the family group.

This group included in This group included in particular, little Catherine particular, little Jane tells us tells us with bitter feeling, with bitter feeling, John Reed Hindley Earnshaw (Branwell (Branwell Bronte), who Bronte), who luxuriated in the luxuriated in the warmth of the warmth of the fire with other fire with other members of the members of the family. family.

Nevertheless, though banished, Nevertheless, though banished Catherine (Charlotte Bronte) herself, Jane (Charlotte Bronte) makes herself snug in a recess makes herself snug in a recess behind a curtain, and believes behind a curtain, and believes herself secure, when Hindley herself secure, when John Reed Earnshaw (Branwell Bronte), (Branwell Bronte), coming up coming up from his paradise on from his paradise on the hearth, the hearth, makes her come out makes her come out of the recess of the recess precipitantly, precipitantly. He hurls the book after she has hurled the book she was reading. Little Jane she was reading. Little (Charlotte Bronte) sees a tyrant Catherine (Charlotte Bronte) in John Reed (Branwell Bronte).

sees a tyrant in Hindley He tells her that he is the Earnshaw (Branwell Bronte). He master of the house, or soon tells her that he is the master will be.

of the house.

Later, Catherine complains to Later, Jane complains to herself herself of her brother Hindley's of John Reed's (Branwell's) (Branwell's) tyrannies. He has tyrannies. He has made her cry made her cry and her head ached, and her head ached, she says, as she says, as a result of his a result of his behaviour.

behaviour.

Little Catherine (Charlotte Little Jane (Charlotte Bronte), Bronte), although she was held although she was held to be to be pa.s.sionate, and was pa.s.sionate, and was treated treated harshly and almost as an harshly and almost an outsider outsider by the rest of the by the rest of the household, household, finds a kind, but finds a kind, but apparently apparently unsympathetic, friend unsympathetic, friend in a in a woman-servant, Nelly Dean, woman-servant, Bessie, who has a who has a remarkable gift of remarkable gift of narrative, narrative, like Tabitha Aykroyd, like Tabitha Aykroyd, whom whom Charlotte Bronte loved, and Charlotte Bronte loved, and who who came to the Haworth came to the Haworth parsonage parsonage when Charlotte was when Charlotte was about nine about nine years of age. But years of age. But even Bessie even Nelly Dean (Tabitha (Tabitha Aykroyd) sometimes Aykroyd) sometimes tasked and tasked and scolded Jane scolded Catherine (Charlotte (Charlotte Bronte) unreasonably, Bronte) unreasonably, and and mistrusted her.

mistrusted her.

She even believes that Catherine She even believes that Jane (Charlotte Bronte) is an actor (Charlotte) is an actor and and feigns in regard to certain feigns in regard to certain fits fits of frenzy. of frenzy.

On the occasion of one of these On the occasion of one of these bouts of frenzy, Catherine bouts of frenzy, Jane (Charlotte (Charlotte Bronte) is in a room, Bronte) is in a room, the door the door of which has been of which has been locked.

locked.

In a paroxysm of alarm, In a paroxysm of alarm, Jane Catherine (Charlotte Bronte) (Charlotte Bronte) summons summons Mrs. Dean (Tabitha Bessie (Tabitha Aykroyd) Aykroyd) frantically, and with a frantically, and with a piercing piercing scream. The latter scream. The latter enters enters annoyed, and quite annoyed, and quite unsympathetic. unsympathetic.

It is suggested Catherine was It is suggested Jane was only only acting, and Catherine acting, and Jane overhears this.

overhears this. She had desired She finds Bessie (Tabitha Mrs. Dean (Tabitha Aykroyd) to Aykroyd) at the foot of her bed bring her a basin of gruel. with a basin in her hand.

Catherine (Charlotte) relates Jane (Charlotte) relates her her fears of the locked room: fears of the locked room: How How she thought it haunted; she she thought it haunted; she showed fear of the mirror, and showed fear of the mirror, and describes excitedly to Mrs. Dean describes excitedly to Bessie (Tabitha) her terrifying (Tabitha) her terrifying sensations previous to her sensations previous to her losing consciousness, and how losing consciousness. She she supposed she must supposed she must immediately immediately have had a species have had a species of fit.

of fit.

Mrs. Dean (Tabitha) suggests Bessie (Tabitha) suggests sleep sleep to Catherine (Charlotte to Jane (Charlotte Bronte).

Bronte).

Mrs. Dean (Tabitha) believes Bessie (Tabitha) believes that that to see the apparition of a the apparition of a child is a child is a sign of calamity sign of calamity having befallen having befallen some one near some one near akin. Jane dreams akin. One day Mrs. Dean sees a of a child-apparition, and fears child-apparition, and fears it it may be a sign of calamity, may be a sign of calamity to and the day following Bessie's Catherine's (Charlotte's) husband brings word of the brother, Hindley Earnshaw disgrace of John Reed (Branwell (Branwell Bronte). He is really Bronte, Charlotte's brother).

in disgrace.

Catherine falls in love with Jane falls in love with a a morose, "sallow-cheeked" morose, "olive-cheeked"

individual with deep eyes, that individual with deep eyes, that have a singular expression, have a singular expression, which makes the narrator which makes the narrator a.s.sociate "h.e.l.l's light" with a.s.sociate "h.e.l.l's light" with them. He has a handsome, erect them. He has a handsome, erect carry, but is rather negligent carry, but is rather negligent in his apparel. His speech is in his apparel. His speech is abrupt. (His name is abrupt. (His name is Rochester.) Heathcliffe.)

But Catherine loved him, and he But Jane loved him, and he loved loved Catherine. Indeed, Jane. Indeed, Jane likens Catherine likens themselves to a themselves to a cloven tree, cloven tree by saying that which is one at the root, but whosoever would come between divided by storm. Thus she them to divide them would meet believes in the "twin-soul" or the fate of Mlo, who, of the elective affinities, and course, endeavoured to drive says of Rochester:-- asunder a cloven tree held firmly at its base, and was himself trapped by it for his pains. Thus she believes in the "twin-soul" or the elective affinities, and says:--

"It would degrade me to marry "I feel akin to him.... I have Heathcliffe now; so he shall something in my brain and heart never know how I love him; and that a.s.similates me mentally to that not because he's handsome, him.... I know I must conceal my ... but because he's more myself sentiments.... Yet, while I than I am. Whatever our souls breathe and think, I must love are made of, his and mine are him."[53]

the same."[53]

However, Heathcliffe and However, Rochester and Jane Catherine part, Heathcliffe part, Jane running away running away unexpectedly. unexpectedly.

(Method I., interchange of the s.e.xes of characters.)

Catherine dreams she is in Jane finds refuge with the heaven, but broke her heart to Rivers family (the Bronte family come to earth again, upon which at Haworth). She is tempted to the angels flung her out near take to a religious Heathcliffe's abode, where she life:--"Angels beckoned, and awoke sobbing for joy: Catherine Heaven rolled together like a preferred her lover to scroll," but she heard heaven.[54] Rochester's voice calling, though he was miles away. Jane preferred her lover to heaven.[54]

The two parted lovers, however, The two parted lovers, however, meet again, and by Charlotte meet again, and by Charlotte Bronte's Method I., (interchange Bronte's Method I., (interchange of the s.e.xes of characters of the s.e.xes of characters portrayed), we arrive at another portrayed), we arrive at another of my sensational and important of my sensational and important Bronte discoveries. Bronte discoveries.

THE RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY LOVER THE RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY LOVER HEATHCLIFFE TO CATHERINE.[55] JANE TO ROCHESTER.[55]

_Wuthering Heights._ _Jane Eyre._

Chapter X. Chapter x.x.xVII.

On [an] ... evening ... I was ... I came, just ere dark ...

coming from the garden.... It the darkness ... of dusk had got dusk, ... the moon gathered.... I beheld the causing ... shadows to lurk in house--scarce by this dim light the corners of ... portions of distinguishable.... Entering a the building. I set my burden on portal fastened by a latch, ...

the house steps by the ... door I stood.... The windows were and lingered to rest ... my back latticed, ... the front door was to the entrance, when I heard a narrow; ... one step led up to voice behind me say:-- it.... I heard a movement--that narrow front-door was unclosing, "... Is that you?" and some shape was about to issue from the grange.

It was a deep voice, and foreign [Charlotte Bronte's _Wuthering in sound.... Something stirred Heights_ version of the returned in the porch; and moving nearer runaway lover, is also staged at I distinguished a tall man "the grange."] It opened slowly: dressed in dark clothes, with a figure came out into the dark face and hair. He leant twilight and stood on the step; against the side, and held his a man, ... he stretched forth fingers on the latch as if his hand.... Dusk as it was I intending to open for had recognized him--it was my himself.... A ray fell on his master ... Rochester. I stayed features; the cheeks were my step, almost my breath....

sallow, and half-covered with His form was of the same strong black whiskers; the brows and stalwart contour as ever: lowering, the eyes deep-set and his port was still erect, his singular. I remembered the eyes. hair was still raven-black: nor were his features altered or sunk.... But in his countenance I saw a change: that looked desperate and brooding--that reminded me of some wronged and fettered wild beast or bird, dangerous to approach in his sullen woe.... He closed the door. I now drew near and knocked: John's wife opened for me.... She started as if she had seen a ghost: I calmed her. To her hurried "Is it really you, "What!" I cried, uncertain Miss, come at this late whether to regard him as a hour...?" I answered by taking worldly visitor, and raised my her hand.

hands in amazement. "What! you come back? Is it really you? Is "... Tell your master ... a it?" person wishes to speak to him."

"Yes; Heathcliffe," he replied When she returned, I inquired ... "where is she?... Is she what he had said.

here? Speak! I want to have one word with her--your mistress "You are to send in your name [Catherine]. Go, and say some and business," she replied.

person ... desires to see her."

She then proceeded to fill a "... And you _are_ Heathcliffe. gla.s.s of water, and place it on But altered!" a tray, together with candles.

... I could not persuade myself "Is that what he rang for?" I to proceed. At length I resolved asked.

on making an excuse to ask if ... [Catherine] would have the "Yes; he always has candles candles lighted, and I opened brought in at dusk...."

the door. [She] sat ... by a window whose lattice lay back. "Give the tray to me, I will carry it in."

"What does he want?" asked Catherine. ... Mary opened the door for me.... Mr. Rochester turned "I did not question him," I mechanically.

answered.

"This is you, Mary, is it not?"

... Mr. Edgar inquired ... who it was? "Mary is in the kitchen," I answered.

"Some one mistress does not expect," I replied. "That "_Who_ is it? _What_ is it? Who Heathcliffe.... Hus.h.!.+ you must speaks?"