The Brontë Library

Villette Chapter 17 - La Terrasse

In which the narrator, recovering from a mysterious illness, finds solace and quiet companionship under the attentive care of Mrs Bretton and her son, Dr John, whose gentle presence and practical counsel bring comfort amid lingering shadows of mental distress. The evening unfolds softly with reflections on health, the kindness of strangers, and the serene beauty of moonlight, fostering a sense of calm and tentative connection in the once lonely chamber.

Villette Chapter 16 - Auld Lang Syne - Part 2

In which the narrator, recovering from a fainting-fit, is gently tended by Mrs. Bretton and soon reunited with her godson, Dr. John Graham Bretton, in his warm and familiar home amidst a wild, stormy night. Their meeting awakens old memories and affectionate recognition, tempering the narrator’s solitude with the quiet comfort of newfound companionship.

Villette Chapter 16 - Auld Lang Syne - Part 1

In which the narrator awakens from a mysterious swoon to find herself in a curious chamber filled with familiar yet displaced relics of her childhood, provoking a haunting sense of bewilderment and spectral unreality. As she grapples with her surroundings and the recognition of a godmother’s presence, she endeavours, with trembling heart, to discern the nature and place of her confinement.

Villette Chapter 15 - The Long Vacation Part 2

In which the narrator describes a period of profound melancholy and physical debilitation amid relentless autumn storms, seeking solace in a solemn church and an unexpected encounter with a compassionate priest. The episode gently unfolds the quiet tensions of solitude, spiritual yearning, and the fragile interplay of hope and despair under the weight of an oppressive fate.

Villette Chapter 15 - The Long Vacation Part 1

In which the solemn days following Madame Beck’s fête are given over to the arduous preparation and grim realities of examination, revealing the peculiar temperaments and rivalries of the school’s instructors. Amidst the desolation of empty halls and the care of a peculiar pupil, the narrator endures a melancholy and solitary holiday, wandering through fields and lanes while her heart wrestles with a profound and silent longing.