"Belgium! What a complex myriad of emotions are raised within my breast, at the sound of that single word. Belgium! The name has become synonymous in my mind with a person, and a place, both of which - or of whom - combined to exert such a profound influence on me, as to irrevocably change my life."
The account of Charlotte Brontë's time in Belgium, where she travelled twice, once with her sister Emily and once alone, is historically accurate. The sisters travelled to the Pensionnat Héger, a school for young ladies, to learn French and German, so that they could eventually start their own school. Charlotte returned the following year, upon Mr. and Mme Héger's invitation, to teach English. It was during this time that Charlotte became infatuated with her teacher, Mr. Héger. When his wife, having observed them in the garden together, discovered their mutual affection, she made things difficult for Charlotte, eventually causing her to return home. The details of Charlotte and Mr. Héger's attraction to each other may be fictitious but the historical background is accurate. It is said that her love for him inspired two subsequent novels, Villete and The Professor.
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