Free A Thursday Next Digital Collection: Novels 1-5 by Jasper Fforde Page B

museum-goers.
    Although the pages had browned with age and the black ink faded to a light brown, the writing could still be read by the practiced eye, the fine spidery longhand flowing across the page in a steady stream of inventive prose. A page was turned every two days, allowing the more regular and fanatical Brontë followers to read the novel as originally drafted.
    The day that I came to the Brontë museum the manuscript was open at the point where Jane and Rochester first meet; a chance encounter by a stile.
    â€œâ€”which makes it one of the greatest romantic novels ever written,” continued the fluffy yet lofty guide in her oft-repeated monologue, ignoring several hands that had been raised to ask pertinent questions.
    â€œThe character of Jane Eyre, a tough and resilient heroine, drew her apart from the usual heroines of the time, and Rochester, a forbidding yet basically good man, also broke the mold with his flawed character’s dour humor. Jane Eyre was written by Charlotte Brontë in 1847 under the pseudonym Currer Bell. Thackeray described it as ‘the master work of a great genius.’ We continue on now to the shop where you may purchase picture postcards, commemorative plates, small plastic imitation Heathcliffs and other mementos of your visit. Thank you for—”
    One of the group had their hand up and was determined to have his say.
    â€œExcuse me,” began the young man in an American accent.A muscle in the tour guide’s cheek momentarily twitched as she forced herself to listen to someone else’s opinion.
    â€œYes?” she inquired with icy politeness.
    â€œWell,” continued the young man, “I’m kinda new to this whole Brontë thing, but I had trouble with the end of Jane Eyre. ”
    â€œTrouble?”
    â€œYeah. Like Jane leaves Thornfield Hall and hitches up with her cousins, the Riverses.”
    â€œI know who her cousins are, young man.”
    â€œYeah, well, she agrees to go with this drippy St. John Rivers guy but not to marry him, they depart for India and that’s the end of the book? Hello? What about a happy ending? What happens to Rochester and his nutty wife?”
    The guide glowered.
    â€œAnd what would you prefer? The forces of good and evil fighting to the death in the corridors of Thornfield Hall?”
    â€œThat’s not what I meant,” continued the young man, beginning to get slightly annoyed. “It’s just that the book cries out for a strong resolution, to tie up the narrative and finish the tale. I get the feeling from what she wrote that she just kinda pooped out.”
    The guide stared at him for a moment through her steel-rimmed glasses and wondered why the visitors couldn’t behave just that little bit more like sheep. Sadly, his point was a valid one; she herself had often pondered the diluted ending, wishing, like millions of others, that circumstances had allowed Jane and Rochester to marry after all.
    â€œSome things will never be known,” she replied noncommittally. Charlotte is no longer with us so the question is abstract. What we have to study and enjoy is what she has left us. The sheer exuberance of the writing easily outweighs any of its small shortcomings.”
    The young American nodded and the small crowd movedon, my aunt and uncle among them. I hung back until only I and a single Japanese tourist were left in the room; I then tried to look at the original manuscript on tiptoe. It was tricky, as I was small for my age.
    â€œWould you like me to read it for you?” said a kindly voice close at hand. It was the Japanese tourist. She smiled at me and I thanked her for her trouble.
    She checked that no one was around, unfolded her reading glasses and started to speak. She spoke excellent English and had a fine reading voice; the words peeled off the page into my imagination as she spoke.
. . . In those days I was young and all sorts of fancies bright