De Britse schrijfster Charlotte Brontë werd geboren in Thornton op 21 april 1816. Zie ook alle tags voor Charlotte Brontë op dit blog.
Uit: Jane Eyre
” Good-night, then, sir,” said I, departing. He seemed surprised—very inconsistently so, as he had just told me to go. ” What!” he exclaimed, “are you quitting me already, and in that way?” ” You said I might go, sir.” ” But not without taking leave; not without a word or two of acknowledgment and good-will: not, in short, in that brief, dry fashion. Why, you have saved my life! —snatched me from a horrible and excruciating death! and you walk past me as if we were mutual strangers! At least shake hands.” He held out his hand; I gave him mine: he took it first in one, them in both his own. ” You have saved my life: I have a pleasure in owing you so immense a debt. I cannot say more. Nothing else that has being would have been tolerable to me in the character of creditor for such an obligation: but you: it is different;—I feel your benefits no burden, Jane.” He paused; gazed at me: words almost visible trembled on his lips,—but his voice was checked. ” Good-night again, sir. There is no debt, benefit, burden, obligation, in the case.” ” I knew,” he continued, “you would do me good in some way, at some time; —I saw it in your eyes when I first beheld you: their expression and smile did not”—(again he stopped)—”did not” (he proceeded hastily) “strike delight to my very inmost heart so for nothing. People talk of natural sympathies; I have heard of good genii: there are grains of truth in the wildest fable. My cherished preserver, goodnight!” Strange energy was in his voice, strange fire in his look. ” I am glad I happened to be awake,” I said: and then I was going. ” What! you will go?” ” I am cold, sir.” ” Cold? Yes,—and standing in a pool! Go, then, Jane; go!” But he still retained my hand, and I could not free it. I bethought myself of an expedient. ” I think I hear Mrs. Fairfax move, sir,” said I. ” Well, leave me:” he relaxed his fingers, and I was gone.”
Cover
Onafhankelijk van geboortedagen:
De Duitse dichter Gerrit Wustmann werd in 1982 in Keulen geboren. Zie ook alle tags voor Gerrit Wustmann op dit blog.
Berlijn II
de stoel waarop je zit
voor de spiegel waarin
de gordijnen zijn opgeruimd
het is een stille stoel
hij laat je huid
ritselen de rugleuningen strelen
je handen die
niet weten waar naartoe
aan je handen
ontglijden de woorden zetten zich vast
in de groeven en nissen
tot de een of ander
ze vindt
Vertaald door Frans Roumen
Zie voor nog meer schrijvers van de 21e april ook mijn blog van 21 april 2019 deel 2 en eveneens deel 3.