The sedentary and monotonous nature of the life, too, was preying upon her health and spirits, although, with necessity "as her mistress," she might hardly like to acknowledge this even to herself.

But Emily--that free, wild, untameable spirit, never happy nor well but on the sweeping moors that gathered round her home--that hater of strangers, doomed to live amongst them, and not merely to live but to slave in their service--what Charlotte could have borne patiently for herself, she could not bear for her sister.

And yet what to do?
She had once hoped that she herself might become an artist, and so earn her livelihood; but her eyes had failed her in the minute and useless labour which she had imposed upon herself with a view to this end.
It was the household custom among these girls to sew till nine o'clock at night.

At that hour, Miss Branwell generally went to bed, and her nieces' duties for the day were accounted done.

They put away their work, and began to pace the room backwards and forwards, up and down,--as often with the candles extinguished, for economy's sake, as not,--their figures glancing into the fire-light, and out into the shadow, perpetually.