Villette
Chapter One
BRETTON
My godmother lived in a handsome house in the clean and ancient town of
Bretton. Her husband's family had been residents there for generations,
and bore, indeed, the name of their birthplace — Bretton of Bretton:
whether by coincidence, or because some remote ancestor had been a
personage of sufficient importance to leave his name to his
neighbourhood, I know not.
When I was a girl I went to Bretton about twice a year, and well I liked
the visit. The house and its inmates specially suited me. The large
peaceful rooms, the well-arranged furniture, the clear wide windows, the
balcony outside, looking down on a fine antique street, where Sundays
and holidays seemed always to abide — so quiet was its atmosphere, so
clean its pavement — these things pleased me well.
One child in a household of grown people is usually made very much of,
and in a quiet way I was a good deal taken notice of by Mrs. Bretton,
who had been left a widow, with one son, before I knew her; her husband,
a physician, havin ... read full excerpt from Villette ebook
