Quotation from: Villette

Written by: Charlotte Bronte


On the night in question, I was sitting on the hidden seat reclaimed
from fungi and mould, listening to what seemed the far-off sounds of
the city. Far off, in truth, they were not: this school was in the
city's centre; hence, it was but five minutes' walk to the park,
scarce ten to buildings of palatial splendour. Quite near were wide
streets brightly lit, teeming at this moment with life: carriages were
rolling through them to balls or to the opera. The same hour which
tolled curfew for our convent, which extinguished each lamp, and
dropped the curtain round each couch, rang for the gay city about us
the summons to festal enjoyment. Of this contrast I thought not,
however: gay instincts my nature had few; ball or opera I had never
seen; and though often I had heard them described, and even wished to
see them, it was not the wish of one who hopes to partake a pleasure
if she could only reach it--who feels fitted to shine in some bright
distant sphere, could she but thither win her way; it was no yearning
to attain, no hunger to taste; only the calm desire to look on a new
thing.

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