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Tales of Islanders

The play of the Islanders was formed in December 1827 in the following manner. One night about the time when the cold sleet and dreary fogs of November are succeeded by the snow storms & high peircing nightwinds of confirmed winter we where all sitting round the warm blazing kitchen fire having just concluded a quarrel with Taby concerning the propriety of lighting a candle from which she came of victorious no candle having been produced . a long pause suceeded which was at last broken by Branwell saying in a lazy maner “ I don’t know what to do.” this was reechoed by Emily and Anne T wha ya may go t’bed’

B I’d rather do anything than that & C your so glum tonight C well supose we had each an Island B if we had I would choose the Island of Man C & I would choose Isle of Wight E the Isle of Arran for me’

A & mine should be Guernsey C the D of Wellington should be my cheif man B Herries should be mine E Walter Scott should be mine A I should have Bentinck here our conversation was interrupted by the to us dismal sound of the clock striking 7 & we where sumoned of to bed. the next day we added several others to our list of names till we had got allmost all the cheif men in the kingdom.

after this for a long time nothing worth noticing ocured. In June 1828 we erected a school on a fictitous Island which was to contain 1000 children. the maner of the building was as followsf: the Island was 50 miles in circumference & certainly it apeared more like the region of enchantment or a beautiful fiction than sober reality. in some parts made terribly sublime by mighty rocks rushing streams and roaring cataracts with here and there an oak either scathed by lightning or withered by time & as if to remind the lonely passenger of what it once was a green young scion twisting round its old grey trunk. in other parts of the Island there were greensward’s glittering fountains springing in the flowery meadows or among the pleasant woods where fairys were said to dwell its borders embroidered by the purple violet & the yellow primrose and the air perfumed by the sweet wild flowers and ringing with the sound of the cuckoo & turtle dove or the merry music of the blackbird & thrush formed the beautiful scenery.

One specialty? around the palace school was a fine large park in which the beautiful undulations of hill & plain variegated the sceen-ery which might otherwise have been monotonous shady Groves crowened the hills pure streams wandered through the plains watering? the banks with a lovelier verdure as4 clear lakes whose borders are overhung by the drooping willow the elegant larch the venerable oak & the evergreen laurel seemed the crystal emerald framed mirrors of some huge Giant. often at times it is said of one of the most beautiful of these lakes that when all is quiet the music of fairyland may be heard and a tiny barge of red sandalwood its mast of amber its sails & cordage of silk and its oars of fine ivory may be seen skimming across the lake & when its small crew have gathered the water lily plant back again & landing on the flowery bank spread their transparent wings & melt away at the sound of mortal footsteps like the mists of the morning before the splendour of the sun.

from a beautiful grove of winter roses & twining woodbine towers a magnificent palace of pure white marble whose elegant & finely wrought pillars & majestic turrets seem the work of mighty Geni & not of feeble men. ascending a flight of marble steps you come to a grand entrance which leads into a Hall surrounded by Corinthian pillars of white marblef. in the midst of the hall is a colossal statue holding in each hand a vase of crystal from which rushes a stream of clear water and breaking into a thousand diamonds & pearls falls into a basin of pure Gold & disapearing through an opening rises again in different parts of the park in the form of brilliant fountains these falling part into numerous rills which winding through the ground throw themselves into a river which runs into the sea.

at the uper end of the hall was a grove of orange trees bearing the golden fruit & fragrant blossoms often upon the same branch, from this hall you pass into another splendid & spacious apartment all hung with rich deep crimson velvet & from the grand dome is suspended a magnificent lustre of fine gold the drops of which are pure crystal, the whole length of the room run long sofa’s covered also with Crimson velvet, at each end are chimney peices of dove coulour Italian marble the pillars of which are of the Corinthian order fluted and wreathed with goldf. from this we pass into a smaller but very elegant room the sofas of which are covered with light blue velvet flowerd with silver and surrounded with small white marble columns.

& now from fine halls splendid drawing rooms I must begin to describe scenes of a very different nature, in the Hall of the fountain behind a statue is a small door over which is drawn a curtain of white silk. this door when opened discover’s a small apartment at the father end of which is a very large iron door which leads to a long dark passage at the the end of which is a flight of steps leading to a subterranean dungeon which I shall now endeavour to describe.

it has the appearance of a wide vault dimly lighted by a lamp asphaltas which casts a strange death like lustre over part of the dungeon & leaves the rest in the gloom & darkness of midnight. in the middle is a slab of black marble supported by 4 pillars of the same. at the head of it stands a throne of iron. in several parts of the vault are instrument’s of torture for this place is the dreadful hall where wicked cockneys are judged by that most unjust of Judges, CN and his gang S. TOD & the rest.? at the end of this dungeon is the entrance to the cell’s which are apropriated to the private & particular use of Hal B. Stunt the Cockney’s & the naughty school childrenf. these cells are dark, vaulted arched and so far down in the earth that the loudest shreik could not be heard by any inhabitant of the upper world & in these as well as the dungeon the most unjust torturing might go on without any fear of detection if it was not that I keep the key of the dungeon & Emily keeps the key of the cell’s6 & the huge strong iron entrances will brave any assault except with the lawful instrument’s.

the children which inhabit this magnificent palace are composed only of the young nobles of the land except such asJohnny Lockhart. the cheif Governor under us is the Duke of Wellington. this however is only a honorary distinction as when applied to his Grace returned the following answer.

“Little King and Queens Qthese are our titles)7 I am sorry to say my avocation’s of Soldier & Statesman will not allow me to comply with your requests that I would be Governer of some ioodreds, not to say any looods of Children unless the title be merely honorary & I am to have a few scores of subordinates under me. with the request that it may be I remain your obedient subject, W.” the request was complied with.

the Guards for keeping the children in order & taking them out to walk are the Marquis of Douro & Lord Charles Wfellesley for which they are peculiarly fitted as they lead them into the wildest & most dangerous parts of the country leaping rocks precepeces chasms &c & little caring whether the children go before or stop behind & finally coming home with about a dozen wanting who are found a few days after in hedges or ditches with legs or head broken & affording a fine field for Sir A Hume Sir A Cooper & Sir H Halford to display their different modes of setting and trepanning.”

The Gfuards for threshing the Children when they do wrong and sometimes they exercicise the priveledge when they do not need it are Colonel O’Shaugnesy and his Nephew Foghartyf. these are often eminently useful. I forgot to mention that Branwell has a large black club with which he thump’s the children upon ocasion and that most unmercifully. I have now done my notices of the school children for the present.

among our Islanders there are Baines’s 3 sons T E & T who go by the seperate name’s of toltol, Nedned or sometimes rr Raten & Tomtomf. these 3 are the most mischevous trio in existencef: t is about 2 foot long n is half the length of his brother & t is 3 quaters as long as ned. tol is dressed in a lawyers gown & a huge wig which reaches to his feet & wraps round him; rat is atired in a coarse peice of sackcloth tied round the neck and feet with rope & having the appearance of a tail & ears & Tom is dressed in the dress of a reporter.

about a year ago as we where wandering in one of the woods which belong to the great Domain of Strathfeildsay we heard a low voice behind us saying “there has been a storm today & the now blue & radiant arch of the mighty firmament has been overcast with dark cloud’s the gloom of which was only broken by feirce gleams of lightning which shot across the black vapours like the word of revenge through the clouds hatred which obscured the bright dawn of Whigish intellect! & I was appointed to be their avenger! yes this arm (here we saw an arm of little more than an inch long dart through the foliage) this arm shall wreak their spite upon the head of that stern Duke in whose domains I am. but soon I shall bring his pride down to the dust & make him bow to the soveriegn people “ then with a rush through the tangled grass (for the spiteful creature did not reach higher than the grass) it reached the park gate but here a great obstacle presented itself for the keeper of the gate is an old veteran who has followed the Duke through all his wars & attended him in all his Battle’s & if he had seen the animal he would certainly have taken it for a rat & would have treated it accordingly, ned turned round & seeing us he said “Little Queens will you open that gate?” as we wished to see the end of this adventure we took raten up and threw him over the High wall & then knocked at the gate. we presently heard a rustling among the tree’s and the soldier stood before us. LQjf you please orderly man will you open that gate for us OM I must first know who you are LQJ We’re Lfittle Queens OM 0 you are are you? come then so saying he opened the gate & we entredf. Rfaten ran swiftly up the park & narowly escaped been trod to Death by a deer which bounded close past him. there was however one thing which threatened to stop his progress & that was a river that gently & silently was winding it’s way through the park. for a while he stood still on its banks & looked around & behind him was the large wood he had just quitted. it was situated on a high hill & covered to the top with dark green foliage interspersed here & there with the lightly waveing Branches of the purple Beach or the pale green of the white poplar. on each side of him lay the extensive & beautiful park bounded by the wide domains of the Great Duke before him was the splendid mansion of Strathfieldsay & close to his feet was the river on the opposite banks of which stood a deer stooping it’s head & branching antlers to drink of the pure waters which flowed before it. on the branches of a young oak which grew close by the stream sat a nightingale which was begining it’s early song to the silver moon that now appeared like a pale crescent in the clear sky of the east, over all the setting sun shed a golden radiance which invested every thing with a splendour that made it appear like burning gold - for a while raten seemed moved by the beauty of the scene but sudenly exclaiming “rr no weaknessf he leaped into the river & swiming across he gained the opposite Bank then runing with inconceivable swiftness up the rest of the park he reached the house ran through the hall the gallery the stairs & at last reached the Duke’s library . nobody was there & upon the table stood a tumbler of water; into this Raton put something which however did not change it’s coulour then leaping from the table he hid himself behind a large Book which lay on the carpet.

just then the sound of footsteps was heard in the gallery the door opened & a tall man with the air & carriage of a soldier entred followed by another who was likewise tall but very stout. the first was his grace the Duke of Wellington & the 2 was Sir Alexander Hume, as soon as they entred the duke took from a shelf a volume & sitting down the following conversation ensued .

D Hume what do you think of Wfalter Scott’s history of Nfapoleon?’

H do you mean me to take the fact of it being written by a pekin’0 into consideration my lord? D yes H then I think it is written as well as a pekin is capable of writing D do you think it has any truth in it?

H a great deal my Lord D you have given it a high meed of praise H do you think I have praised it too highly?

D Oh no H I would never wish to praise a pekin too much after this a silence of about half an hour ensued & still the Duke did not touch the water. raten began to be impatient & to fear for the success of his enterprize. at last his Grace took up the glass & drained it’s contents. Rfaten was on the point of giving a shriek through joy but restrained himself . just then Hume said UI never thought much good came of drinking cold waterf & a few minutes after he exclaimed “my Lord are you well? how pale how very pale you are I never saw anybody more so”

here raten shouted out “And pale he will always be.” the Duke fixed his stern eye on him & the creature shrank shuddering back to his corner “my Lord are you dyingf? ring the bell Lfittle QJueens “

his Grace’s features collapsed with agony the volume fell from his hand and he sank back in his chair. just then a loud yell rang in our ears a rushing noise was heard & a Giant of Cloud’s stood before us. he touched the Duke & new life seemed to be given him. he stood up & in a firm tone demandefd the name of the Giant. it answered with a voice of thunder “mystery” & then slowly vanished.”

his Grace then ordered every one out of his prescence & a few days after raten was found in his father’s house at Lfeeds pale with horor trembling & half dead but how he got there is uncertainf. nor could he ever be induced to give any explanation & truly a mystry doth the whole affair remain to this day.

Prince Lfeopold & Sir George Hill have always entertained a great dislike to the Marquis of Douro & Lord Charles Wfellesley . Prince Lfeopold it is well known is a very mean sort of personage with an appearance of cunning about him that is very disagreeable. Sir George Hill is frank and brave somewhat given to gambling & an undue dislike of pekins. it has been lately surmised that he only pretends to dislike Afrthur & Cfharles Wellesley for a little amusement & this is most likely true.

A little while ago as Emily & me one stormy night were going through the wood which leads to school we saw by the light of the moon which just then broke through a cloud the flashing of some bright substance, the moon then became obscured & we could discern nothing more but see very black cloud. we heard a well known voice saying “0 Arthur I wish we had never come! what will my father say if he ever gets to know of it? & I am begining to get very cold for it rains fast and the wind is highf “wrap your fur cloak closer round you Charles & let us lean against this old tree for I shall not be able to stand much longer without some suportf. the sky is quite covered with dark clouds & how dismaly the wind is moaning among the trees.” “Athur what was that noise I heard? listenf “it is a raven Charles I am not much given to superstition but I remember hearing my grandmother say it is a sign that something bad is comeing to pass.f “if we were to die here tonight & remember Athur we came here by apointment of two of our worst enemies what would my mother do & my father - “ here they both sobbed aloud & we likewise heard a strange & horrible noise sweep through the wood. “what is the matter with our dogs Arthurf? are they dying?”

“no Charles but that likewise is said to be a sound of death “ “a sound of death Arthur! but listen again to the raven O! this is a dreadful place.f’

“Hush Charles! they are coming.”

the glimmering of a lantern appeared through the trees and two men burst upon the path. one of them was tall & bony but he had an expression of pity in his face as he said “poor fellows! Though I dont particularly like you yet I’m sorry you’ve had to wait so long in the rain this cold night - “ the other was a mean despicable wretch & he squinted . “prince Leopold & Sir gfeorge I — I ill we are quite ready to follow you but go slowly for we cannot possibly walk fastf’ “come along then.f so saying they set off & we followed closfe behind . by the light of the lantern we could see that the Marquis of Douro & Lord Charles Wellesley had 2 bloodhound’s with them & as soon as they imerged from the forest these 2 dogs gave a dreadful yell . Prince Lfeopold shook with terror & Charles patted them at which they moaned piteously. after this they were silent for awhile & the march proceededf. after climbing a great many high steep rocks & leaping many ditches we entred on the confines of the great moor. just then the bloodhound’s stopped again & gave another horrible cry which rang all over the wide heath & seemed to be answered from a great distance with a deeper & more dreadful yell.

“do make your nasty dogs hold their tongues or else I will” said Sir Gfeorge “if you touch them Hill you must take the consequences” answered Arthur “they might bite you”

Leopold was panting with fear.

“come on boy’s “ shouted Sir George with a peal of hollow laughter which was answered by the echoing rocks with tenfold vehemence. just at that moment a dull flapping of wings & an ominous croak was heard .

“what in the name of wonder is that?”

“jit’s a ravenlf replied Leopold almost fainting with cowardice. f”0! do make haste that we may reach some shelter for the darkness of the night is increasing the rain is falling faster & the wind sweeps with more fearful blast over this wild bleak moorf they all moved on & after a while a light became visible on the verge of the horizon which as they approached it vanished but by the help of the lantern we could discern a small & seemingly deserted cottagef. they entred it & we followed by a door which was decayed by time & shattered by violence in many places.

“& is this where you intend to take us?” exclaimed the Marquis of Dfouro.

f”Oh no but as you seem unable to go any father I thought you had better stop here & very likely we shall find some of our freind’s below said Sfir Gfeorge as he opened a door which discovered a narrow flight of steps down which they went & then came to another door & now likewise they heard a sound of many voices & much mirth . Sir G eorge opened the door & imediatly a blaze of light & genial warmth burst forth which almost overpowered them after being so long exposed to the dark wet night. the cellar into which they came was vaulted & the lime dropping of the wall in many parts, there was a large peat fire blazing on the hearth & on benches round sat a great many officers among whom was the Marquis of A Lords CAW & G P.u some where drinking some playing at card’s singing & yet. as soon as the marquis of Douro & Lord Charles Wfellesley saw these things they exclaimed “we will go no father & though we die for it we had rather stop all night on the open moor than in this wicked place & if you prevent us from going hence it will be at your peril.”

“will it?” said Leopold with a shrill scornful laughf.

they called their dog’s which however did not make their appear-ancef. Leopold then rushed toward’s them threw them down & gaged them & tied their hand’s & feet then returning to the party round the fire he began to play sing and be as loud & talkative as any among them, but in the midst of all this mirth & cheerfulness the sound of footsteps was heard descending the stairs the door was burst open & 2 men followd by 3 large dogs burst into the apartmentf. one of the men was instantly known by his stern countenance & flashing eye as he exclaimed with feirce energy “you wretches where are my son’s.?” it was the. DUKE OF WELLINGTON, they where too much astounded to reply till he repeated the question more feircely than before & commanded them to give him an answer. Leopold replied tremblingly “they are there.”

“they are! you vile beggarf said his Grace & kicked him to the opposite end of the cellar then going to the corner which Lfeopold had pointed to he unbound & ungaged his sons & raised them up. they were however unable to stand & fell back againf. his Grace then turned to the rest & said in a tone of voice which showed he meant to be obeyed, “I command you all to quit this place & if ever you return here again I shall make you suffer for it & that dreadfully.”

imediatly they flung open the door rushed up the stair & scampered of as fast as they could. In the meantime the other man who was Doctor Hume had given Afrthur & Charles something which strengthened them so much that they could stand & even walk. the Duke then inquired how they came to that house, just at this moment we issued from our hiding place & related all the circumstances after which we asked how his Grace got to know of Charles & Arthur being theref. His Grace told us that as he was on his way to sfchool accompanied by Hume & his great Bloodhound he thought he heard at a distance the yelling of his sons dogs which was imediatly answered by his own and that after he had gone about a mile father he met a countryman who told him that he had seen his sons on the Great moor in the company of George Hill & Prince Leopold that then though it was night he rode towards the moor but was met on his way by his sons dogs who led them to the cottage.

as soon as his Grace had finished he rose to depart & Afrthur &

Charles followed. when they had got up the dark narrow stairs and to the door of the cottage they were surprised to find the rising sun beaming through the chinks of the door & when they reached the open air the scenes which greeted their eyes were truly refreshing. instead of dark watery clouds there was the blue radiant dome like sky in which the pale moon was yet visible. the glorious sun was rising in the east & making the rain which had fallen the preceding night and which still remained on the balmy heath to sparkle like fine diamond’s. a few little wild mountain sheep were to be seen & as they drew near they scurried? away & sprang up the rocks till they could view us safely at a distance^ the lark sprang from his mossy bed at our approach and began to warble its matin song & the higher it mounted up in the blue heavens the sweeter did its song become till it could no longer be heard, in a short time they came to the edge of the moor & reached School about 9 oclock all sound in life & limb. thus ended the Duke’s Marquis’s & Lord’s adventure of the cottage

Charlotte Bronte June the 31 - 1829