第78章 CHAPTER XI(6)

"Mahomet n'avait jamais remue les molles nations de l'Orient comme alors Pierre remua les peuples austeres de l'Occident; il fallait que cette eloquence fut d'une force presque miraculeuse QUIPOUVAIT [presqu'elle] persuadER [ait] aux rois de vendre leurs royaumes AFIN DE PROCURER [pour avoir] des armes et des soldats POUR AIDER [e offrir] e Pierre dans la guerre sainte qu'il voulait livrer aux infideles. La puissance de Pierre [l'Hermite] n'etait nullement une puissance physique, car la nature, ou pour mieux dire, Dieu est impartial dans la distribution de ses dons; il accorde e l'un de ses enfants la grace, la beaute, les perfections corporelles, e l'autre l'esprit, la grandeur morale. Pierre donc etait un homme petit, d'une physionomie peu agreable; mais il avait ce courage, cette constance, cet enthousiasme, cette energie de sentiment qui ecrase toute opposition, et qui fait que la volonte d'un seul homme devient la loi de toute une nation. Pour se former une juste idee de l'influence qu'exerca cet homme sur les CARACTERES [choses] et les idees de son temps, il faut se le representer au milieu de l'armee des croisees dans son double role de prophete et de guerrier; le pauvre hermite, vetu DU PAUVRE [de l'humble] habit gris est le plus puissant qieun roi; il est entoure D'UNE [de la] multitude [avide] une multitude qui ne voit que lui, tandis qui lui, il ne voit que le ciel; ses yeux leves semblent dire, 'Je vois Dieu et les anges, et j'ai perdu de vue la terre!'

"DANS CE MOMENT LE [mais ce] pauvre HABIT [froc] gris est pour lui comme le manteau d'Elijah; il l'enveloppe d'inspiration; IL[Pierre] lit dans l'avenir; il voit Jerusalem delivree; [il voit] le saint sepulcre libre; il voit le Croissant argent est arrache du Temple, et l'Oriflamme et la Croix rouge sont etabli e sa place; non-seulement Pierre voit ces merveilles, mais il les fait voir e tous ceux qui l'entourent; il ravive l'esperance et le courage dans [tous ces corps epuises de fatigues et de privations]. La bataille ne sera livree que demain, mais la victoire est decidee ce soir. Pierre a promis; et les Croises se fient e sa parole, comme les Israelites se fiaient e celle de Moise et de Josue."As a companion portrait to this, Emily chose to depict Harold on the eve of the battle of Hastings. It appears to me that her DEVOIR is superior to Charlotte's in power and in imagination, and fully equal to it in language; and that this, in both cases, considering how little practical knowledge of French they had when they arrived at Brussels in February, and that they wrote without the aid of dictionary or grammar, is unusual and remarkable. We shall see the progress Charlotte had made, in ease and grace of style, a year later.

In the choice of subjects left to her selection, she frequently took characters and scenes from the Old Testament, with which all her writings show that she was especially familiar. The picturesqueness and colour (if I may so express it), the grandeur and breadth of its narrations, impressed her deeply. To use M.

Heger's expression, "Elle etait nourrie de la Bible." After he had read De la Vigne's poem on Joan of Arc, she chose the "Vision and Death of Moses on Mount Nebo" to write about; and, in looking over this DEVOIR, I was much struck with one or two of M. Heger's remarks. After describing, in a quiet and simple manner, the circumstances under which Moses took leave of the Israelites, her imagination becomes warmed, and she launches out into a noble strain, depicting the glorious futurity of the Chosen People, as, looking down upon the Promised Land, he sees their prosperity in prophetic vision. But, before reaching the middle of this glowing description, she interrupts herself to discuss for a moment the doubts that have been thrown on the miraculous relations of the Old Testament. M. Heger remarks, "When you are writing, place your argument first in cool, prosaic language; but when you have thrown the reins on the neck of your imagination, do not pull her up to reason." Again, in the vision of Moses, he sees the maidens leading forth their flocks to the wells at eventide, and they are described as wearing flowery garlands. Here the writer is reminded of the necessity of preserving a certain verisimilitude:

Moses might from his elevation see mountains and plains, groups of maidens and herds of cattle, but could hardly perceive the details of dress, or the ornaments of the head.

When they had made further progress, M. Heger took up a more advanced plan, that of synthetical teaching. He would read to them various accounts of the same person or event, and make them notice the points of agreement and disagreement. Where they were different, he would make them seek the origin of that difference by causing them to examine well into the character and position of each separate writer, and how they would be likely to affect his conception of truth. For instance, take Cromwell. He would read Bossuet's description of him in the "Oraison Funebre de la Reine d'Angleterre," and show how in this he was considered entirely from the religious point of view, as an instrument in the hands of God, preordained to His work. Then he would make them read Guizot, and see how, in this view, Cromwell was endowed with the utmost power of free-will, but governed by no higher motive than that of expediency; while Carlyle regarded him as a character regulated by a strong and conscientious desire to do the will of the Lord. Then he would desire them to remember that the Royalist and Commonwealth men had each their different opinions of the great Protector. And from these conflicting characters, he would require them to sift and collect the elements of truth, and try to unite them into a perfect whole.

This kind of exercise delighted Charlotte. It called into play her powers of analysis, which were extraordinary, and she very soon excelled in it.