第41章
第41章asnugsmallroom;aroundtablebyacheerfulfire;anarm-chairhigh-backedandold-fashioned,whereinsattheneatestimaginablelittleelderlylady,inwidow’scap,blacksilkgown,andsnowymuslinapron;exactlylikewhatihadfanciedmrs.fairfax,onlylessstatelyandmilderlooking.shewasoccupiedinknitting;alargecatsatdemurelyatherfeet;nothinginshortwaswantingtocompletethebeau-idealofdomesticcomfort.amorereassuringintroductionforanewgovernesscouldscarcelybeconceived;therewasnograndeurtooverwhelm,nostatelinesstoembarrass;andthen,asientered,theoldladygotupandpromptlyandkindlycameforwardtomeetme.
“howdoyoudo,mydear?iamafraidyouhavehadatediousride;johndrivessoslowly;youmustbecold,cometothefire.”
“mrs.fairfax,isuppose?”saidi.
“yes,youareright:dositdown.”
sheconductedmetoherownchair,andthenbegantoremovemyshawlanduntiemybonnet-strings;iedshewouldnotgiveherselfsomuchtrouble.
“oh,itisnotrouble;idaresayyourownhandsarealmostnumbedwithcold.leah,makealittlehotnegusandcutasandwichortwo:herearethekeysofthestoreroom.”
andsheproducedfromherpocketamosthousewifelybunchofkeys,anddeliveredthemtotheservant.
“now,then,drawnearertothefire,”shecontinued.“you’vebroughtyouragewithyou,haven’tyou,mydear?”
“yes,ma’am.”
“i’llseeitcarriedintoyourroom,”shesaid,andbustledout.
“shetreatsmelikeavisitor,”thoughti.“ilittleexpectedsuchareception;ianticipatedonlycoldnessandstiffness:thisisnotlikewhatihaveheardofthetreatmentofgovernesses;butimustnotexulttoosoon.”
shereturned;withherownhandsclearedherknittingapparatusandabookortwofromthetable,tomakeroomforthetraywhichleahnowbrought,andthenherselfhandedmetherefreshments.ifeltratherconfusedatbeingtheobjectofmoreattentionthanihadeverbeforereceived,and,thattoo,shownbymyemployerandsuperior;butasshedidnotherselfseemtoconsidershewasdoinganythingoutofherplace,ithoughtitbettertotakehercivilitiesquietly.
“shallihavethepleasureofseeingmissfairfaxto-night?”iasked,whenihadpartakenofwhatsheofferedme.
“whatdidyousay,mydear?iamalittledeaf,”returnedthegoodlady,approachinghereartomymouth.
irepeatedthequestionmoredistinctly.
“missfairfax?oh,youmeanmissvarens!varensisthenameofyourfuturepupil.”
“indeed!thensheisnotyourdaughter?”
“no,—ihavenofamily.”
ishouldhavefollowedupmyfirstinquiry,byaskinginwhatwaymissvarenswasconnectedwithher;butirecollecteditwasnotpolitetoasktoomanyquestions:besides,iwassuretohearintime.
“iamsoglad,”shecontinued,asshesatdownoppositetome,andtookthecatonherknee;“iamsogladyouarecome;itwillbequitepleasantlivingherenowwithacompanion.tobesureitispleasantatanytime;forthornfieldisafineoldhall,ratherneglectedoflateyearsperhaps,butstillitisarespectableplace;yetyouknowinwinter-timeonefeelsdrearyquitealoneinthebestquarters.isayalone—leahisanicegirltobesure,andjohnandhiswifeareverydecentpeople;butthenyouseetheyareonlyservants,andonecan’tconversewiththemontermsofequality:onemustkeepthematduedistance,forfearoflosingone’sauthority.i’msurelastwinter(itwasaverysevereone,ifyourecollect,andwhenitdidnotsnow,itrainedandblew),notacreaturebutthebutcherandpostmancametothehouse,fromnovembertillfebruary;andireallygotquitemelancholywithsittingnightafternightalone;ihadleahintoreadtomesometimes;butidon’tthinkthepoorgirllikedthetaskmuch:shefeltitconfining.inspringandsummeronegotonbetter:sunshineandlongdaysmakesuchadifference;andthen,justatthecommencementofthisautumn,littleadelavarenscameandhernurse:achildmakesahousealiveallatonce;andnowyouarehereishallbequitegay.”
myheartreallywarmedtotheworthyladyasiheardhertalk;andidrewmychairalittlenearertoher,andexpressedmysincerewishthatshemightfindmycompanyasagreeableassheanticipated.
“buti’llnotkeepyousittinguplateto-night,”saidshe;“itisonthestrokeoftwelvenow,andyouhavebeentravellingallday:youmustfeeltired.ifyouhavegotyourfeetwellwarmed,i’llshowyouyourbedroom.i’vehadtheroomnexttominepreparedforyou;itisonlyasmallapartment,butithoughtyouwouldlikeitbetterthanoneofthelargefrontchambers:tobesuretheyhavefinerfurniture,buttheyaresodrearyandsolitary,ineversleepinthemmyself.”
ithankedherforherconsideratechoice,andasireallyfeltfatiguedwithmylongjourney,expressedmyreadinesstoretire.shetookhercandle,andifollowedherfromtheroom.firstshewenttoseeifthehall-doorwasfastened;havingtakenthekeyfromthelock,sheledthewayupstairs.thestepsandbanisterswereofoak;thestaircasewindowwashighandlatticed;bothitandthelonggalleryintowhichthebedroomdoorsopenedlookedasiftheybelongedtoachurchratherthanahouse.averychillandvault-likeairpervadedthestairsandgallery,estingcheerlessideasofspaceandsolitude;andiwasglad,whenfinallyusheredintomychamber,tofinditofsmalldimensions,andfurnishedinordinary,modernstyle.