London, Jan 27 (IANS) Secret love letters written by Charlotte Bronte to a married Belgian professor have been found after they were preserved by his wife.

The letters written to Professor Constantin Heger in 1844 by a 28-year-old Bronte were torn up by the man, who was married and had children.

But they were later found by his wife in a rubbish bin and put back together, possibly to preserve evidence of a relationship, the Daily Mail reported.

Three letters were written entirely in French. One of them said: “If my master withdraws his friendship from me entirely, I shall be absolutely without hope.”

One letter that had a postscript in English will now be published by the British Library in an anthology of love letters written by historical figures.

“I must say one word to you in English - I wish I would write to you more cheerful letters, for when I read this over, I find it to be somewhat gloomy - but forgive me my dear master - do not be irritated at my sadness - according to the words of the Bible: ‘Out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaketh’ and truly I find it difficult to be cheerful so long as I think I shall never see you more,” the letter reads.

The letter with English parts in it was written Nov 18, 1844, while Bronte was living in Haworth, Yorkshire, two years after she first met Heger.

She had stayed with the professor and his wife in Brussels while she studied languages.

He reportedly spotted her talent for writing and encouraged it, but it is believed she misinterpreted his attentions.

Bronte’s novel “Villette”, published in 1853, has a similar story of a young woman having an obsession for a Belgian teacher.

“Love Letters: 2000 Years of Romance” is the first ever anthology to reproduce original letters in each of the writers’ own handwriting.