Chapter I: Front Matter

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THE SECRET OF CHARLOTTE BRONTË

Followed by Some Reminiscences of the Real Monsieur and Madame Heger

by

FREDERIKA MACDONALD, D.LITT.

Authoress of 'Xavier and I,' 'The Iliad of the East,' 'A New Criticism of J.-J. Rousseau,' 'The Flower and The Spirit,' 'The Humane Philosophy of Rousseau,' etc.

London: T.C. & E.C. Jack 67 Long Acre, W.C. and Edinburgh 1914

'And now I will rehearse the tale of Love, which I heard
from Diotima of Mantineia, a woman wise in this, and many
other kinds of knowledge....

'... "What then is Love," I asked: "Is he mortal?" "He is
neither mortal nor immortal, but in a mean between the two,"
she replied. "He is a great Spirit, and, like all spirits,
an intermediate between the divine and the mortal." "And
what," I said, "is his power?" "He interprets," she replied,
"between gods and men; conveying to the gods the prayers and
sacrifices of men; and to men the commands and replies of
the gods." "And who," I said, "is his father? and who is his
mother?" "His father," she replied, "was Plenty (Poros), and
his mother Poverty (Penia), and as his parentage is, so are
his fortunes. He is always poor, and has no shoes, nor a
house to dwell in; on the bare earth exposed he lies under
the open heaven, in the streets, or at the doors of houses,
taking his rest, and like his mother he is always in
distress. Like his father, too, he is bold, enterprising,--a
philosopher at all times, terrible as an enchanter,
sorcerer, sophist. As he is neither mortal nor immortal, he
is alive and flourishing one moment, and dead another
moment; and again alive, by reason of his father's nature."'

(_Symposium_. Plato's _Dialogues_. Translator, Jowett, vol.
ii. pp. 54, 55.)

CONTENTS

PART I

CHARLOTTE BRONTË'S LETTERS TO M. HEGER _(These Letters supply the Key to the Secret of Charlotte Brontë)_

CHAPTER I THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM OF CHARLOTTE BRONTË, CREATED BY A FALSE CRITICAL METHOD

CHAPTER II THE KEY TO THE PROBLEM

CHAPTER III CHARLOTTE'S LAST YEAR AT BRUXELLES, 1842-43

CHAPTER IV THE CONFESSION AT STE. GUDULE

CHAPTER V THE LEAVE-TAKING--THE SCENE IN THE CLASS-ROOM --'MY HEART WILL BREAK'

CHAPTER VI THE LOVE-LETTERS OF A ROMANTIC

PART II

SOME REMINISCENCES OF THE REAL MONSIEUR AND MADAME HEGER

CHAPTER I THE HISTORICAL DIFFICULTY: TO DISENTANGLE FACT FROM FICTION

CHAPTER II MY FIRST INTRODUCTION TO CHARLOTTE BRONTË'S PROFESSOR

CHAPTER III MONSIEUR AND MADAME HEGER AS I SAW THEM: AND BELGIAN SCHOOLGIRLS AS I KNEW THEM

CHAPTER IV MY SECOND INTERVIEW WITH M. HEGER. THE WASHING OF 'PEPPER.' THE LESSON IN ARITHMETIC

CHAPTER V THE STORY OF A CHAPEAU D'UNIFORME

CHAPTER VI MADAME HEGER'S SENTIMENT OF THE JUSTICE OF RESIGNATION TO INJUSTICE

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

CHARLOTTE BRONTË .... _Frontispiece_
THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL IN THE RUE D'ISABELLE
M. HEGER AT SIXTY
DRAWING BY CHARLOTTE BRONTË OF ASHBURNHAM CHURCH
(_Copyright of Author_)
MADAME HEGER AT SIXTY
(_Copyright of Author_)
THE ALLÉE DÉFENDUE
(_Copyright of Author_)
THE GALERIE AND GARDEN IN WINTER
(_Copyright of Author_)

THE SECRET OF CHARLOTTE BRONTË