A short story Charlotte Brontë wrote for a married teacher with whom she fell in love is to be published for the first time after it was found in a museum, The Telegraph reported.

The work entitled L'Ingratitude is penned in grammatically incorrect French and is the first known piece of homework set by her Belgian tutor Constantin Heger.

Brontë, who studied under Heger in Brussels alongside her sister Emily, became infatuated with the married tutor, writing several love letters to him after returning to England.

The manuscript was discovered by Brian Bracken, a Brussels-based archivist and Brontë expert, in Belgium’s Musée Royal de Mariemont.

The story was last heard of in 1913, when it was given to a wealthy Belgian collector by Heger's son, Paul, Mr Bracken said.

The story is dated March 16, 1842 and is about a thoughtless young rat who comes a cropper after escaping his father's protective care and heading off into the countryside in search of adventure. Bracken suggests it may have been inspired by the works of the celebrated French fabulist, Jean de La Fontaine.

The Brussels period is recognised by Brontë scholars as being pivotal in the careers of both sisters.

Brontë, who stayed in Brussels during the early 1840s, is believed to have drawn inspiration for her novel Villette from her relationship with Heger.

Teacher/pupil relationships receive further attending in her novel The Professor, written shortly after her return from Belgium which was published posthumously.