During the hours of recreation, which were always spent in the garden, they invariably walked together, and generally kept a profound silence; Emily, though so much the taller, leaning on her sister.  Charlotte would always answer when spoken to, taking the lead in replying to any remark addressed to both; Emily rarely spoke to any one.  Charlotte’s quiet, gentle manner never changed.  She was never seen out of temper for a moment; and occasionally, when she herself had assumed the post of English teacher, and the impertinence or inattention of her pupils was most irritating, a slight increase of colour, a momentary sparkling of the eye, and more decided energy of manner, were the only outward tokens she gave of being conscious of the annoyance to which she was subjected.  But this dignified endurance of hers subdued her pupils, in the long run, far more than the voluble tirades of the other mistresses.  My informant adds:—­“The effect of this manner was singular.  I can speak from personal experience.  I was at that time high-spirited and impetuous, not respecting the French mistresses; yet, to my own astonishment, at one word from her, I was perfectly tractable; so much so, that at length, M. and Madame Heger invariably preferred all their wishes to me through her; the other pupils did not, perhaps, love her as I did, she was so quiet and silent; but all respected her.”

With the exception of that part which describes Charlotte’s manner as English teacher—­an office which she did not assume for some months later—­all this description of the school life of the two Brontes refers to the commencement of the new scholastic year in October 1842; and the extracts I have given convey the first impression which the life at a foreign school, and the position of the two Miss Brontes therein, made upon an intelligent English girl of sixteen.  I will make a quotation from “Mary’s” letter referring to this time.

“The first part of her time at Brussels was not uninteresting.  She spoke of new people and characters, and foreign ways of the pupils and teachers.  She knew the hopes and prospects of the teachers, and mentioned one who was very anxious to marry, ‘she was getting so old.’  She used to get her father or brother (I forget which) to be the bearer of letters to different single men, who she thought might be persuaded to do her the favour, saying that her only resource was to become a sister of charity if her present employment failed and that she hated the idea.  Charlotte naturally looked with curiosity to people of her own condition.  This woman almost frightened her.  ’She declares there is nothing she can turn to, and laughs at the idea of delicacy,—­and she is only ten years older than I am!’ I did not see the connection till she said, ’Well, Polly, I should hate being a sister of charity; I suppose that would shock some people, but I should.’  I thought she would have as much feeling as a nurse as most people, and