My older Signet Classics edition had translations of the book’s numerous French phrases and dialogue, but there were no notes to that effect within the text. I struggled through on my own, and didn’t see the translations until the end of the book. A Penguin edition would probably have clear footnotes.

Also, be steeled for the main character’s anti-Roman Catholicism. It was sort of a surprise to me, but I’m not sure why. I still liked Lucy’s mind. How I could stomach Emanuel’s hypocrisy and sexism and still fall a little in love with him is also mystifying. He’s human and flawed and fully written, I suppose.

I’ve been on a Bronte kick recently, and haven’t been disappointed. In that I adore their novels, I don’t need to make distinctions between the 3 sisters, do I? I am aware of their different biographical details and have kept those in mind while reading. “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” was gripping and heartbreaking, and I can imagine it would have felt modern and controversial in its time for its themes. The two novels I have left to read are “Agnes Grey,” for which I have high hopes, and “The Professor,” which I think is supposed to be a lesser novel than “Villette.”