cette assurance, cet aplomb si necessaire dans l’enseignement; encore un an tout au plus et l’oeuvre etait achevee et bien achevee.  Alors nous aurions pu, si cela vous eut convenu, offrir a mesdemoiselles vos filles ou du moins a l’une des deux une position qui eut ete dans ses gouts, et qui lui eut donne cette douce independance si difficile a trouver pour une jeune personne.  Ce n’est pas, croyez le bien, Monsieur, ce n’est pas ici pour nous une question d’interet personnel, c’est une question d’affection; vous me pardonnerez si nous vous parlons de vos enfants, si nous nous occupons de leur avenir, comme si elles faisaient partie de notre famille; leurs qualites personnelles, leur bon vouloir, leur zele extreme sont les seules causes qui nous poussent a nous hasarder de la sorte.  Nous savons, Monsieur, que vous peserez plus murement et plus sagement que nous la consequence qu’aurait pour l’avenir une interruption complete dans les etudes de vos deux filles; vous deciderez ce qu’il faut faire, et vous nous pardonnerez notre franchise, si vous daignez considerer que le motif qui nous fait agir est une affection bien desinteressee et qui s’affligerait beaucoup de devoir deja se resigner a n’etre plus utile a vos chers enfants.

   “Agreez, je vous prie, Monsieur, l’expression respectueuse de mes
   sentiments de haute consideration.

   “C.  HEGER.”

There was so much truth, as well as so much kindness in this letter—­it was so obvious that a second year of instruction would be far more valuable than the first, that there was no long hesitation before it was decided that Charlotte should return to Brussels.

Meanwhile, they enjoyed their Christmas all together inexpressibly.  Branwell was with them; that was always a pleasure at this time; whatever might be his faults, or even his vices, his sisters yet held him up as their family hope, as they trusted that he would some day be their family pride.  They blinded themselves to the magnitude of the failings of which they were now and then told, by persuading themselves that such failings were common to all men of any strength of character; for, till sad experience taught them better, they fell into the usual error of confounding strong passions with strong character.

Charlotte’s friend came over to see her, and she returned the visit.  Her Brussels life must have seemed like a dream, so completely, in this short space of time, did she fall back into the old household ways; with more of household independence than she could ever have had during her aunt’s lifetime.  Winter though it was, the sisters took their accustomed walks on the snow-covered moors; or went often down the long road to Keighley, for such books as had been added to the library there during their absence from England.

CHAPTER XII