第37章

第37章theeedingweekseemedlong：itcametoanendatlast，however，likeallsublunarythings，andoncemore，towardsthecloseofapleasantautumnday，ifoundmyselfafootontheroadtolowton.apicturesquetrackitwas，bytheway；lyingalongthesideofthebeckandthroughthesweetestcurvesofthedale：butthatdayithoughtmoreoftheletters，thatmightormightnotbeawaitingmeatthelittleburghwhitheriwasbound，thanofthecharmsofleaandwater.

myostensibleerrandonthisoccasionwastogetmeasuredforapairofshoes；soidischargedthatbusinessfirst，andwhenitwasdone，isteppedacrossthecleanandquietlittlestreetfromtheshoemaker’stothepost-office：itwaskeptbyanolddame，whoworehornspectaclesonhernose，andblackmittensonherhands.

“arethereanylettersforj.e.？”iasked.

shepeeredatmeoverherspectacles，andthensheopenedadrawerandfumbledamongitscontentsforalongtime，solongthatmyhopesbegantofalter.atlast，havingheldadocumentbeforeherglassesfornearlyfiveminutes，shepresenteditacrossthecounter，accompanyingtheactbyanotherinquisitiveandmistrustfulglance—itwasforj.e.

“isthereonlyone？”idemanded.

“therearenomore，”saidshe；andiputitinmypocketandturnedmyfacehomeward：icouldnotopenitthen；rulesobligedmetobebackbyeight，anditwasalreadyhalf-pastseven.

variousdutiesawaitedmeonmyarrival.ihadtositwiththegirlsduringtheirhourofstudy；thenitwasmyturntoreadprayers；toseethemtobed：afterwardsisuppedwiththeotherteachers.evenwhenwefinallyretiredforthenight，theinevitablemissgrycewasstillmycompanion：wehadonlyashortendofcandleinourcandlestick，andidreadedlestsheshouldtalktillitwasallburntout；fortunately，however，theheavysuppershehadeatenproducedasoporificeffect：shewasalreadysnoringbeforeihadfinishedundressing.therestillremainedaninchofcandle：inowtookoutmyletter；thesealwasaninitialf.；ibrokeit；thecontentswerebrief.

“ifj.e.，whoadvertisedinthe—shireheraldoflastthursday，possessestheacquirementsmentioned，andifsheisinapositiontogivesatisfactoryreferencesastocharacterandcompetency，asituationcanbeofferedherwherethereisbutonepupil，alittlegirl，undertenyearsofage；andwherethesalaryisthirtypoundsperannum.j.e.isrequestedtosendreferences，name，address，andallparticularstothedirection：—

“mrs.fairfax，thornfield，nearmillcote，—shire.”

iexaminedthedocumentlong：thewritingwasold-fashionedandratheruncertain，likethatofinelderlylady.thiscircumstancewassatisfactory：aprivatefearhadhauntedme，thatinthusactingformyself，andbymyownguidance，irantheriskofgettingintosomescrape；and，aboveallthings，iwishedtheresultofmyendeavourstoberespectable，proper，enrègle.inowfeltthatanelderlyladywasnobadingredientinthebusinessihadonhand.mrs.fairfax！isawherinablackgownandwidow’scap；frigid，perhaps，butnotuncivil：amodelofelderlyenglishrespectability.thornfield！that，doubtless，wasthenameofherhouse：aneatorderlyspot，iwassure；thoughifailedinmyeffortstoconceiveacorrectplanofthepremises.millcote，—shire；ibrushedupmyrecollectionsofthemapofengland，yes，isawit；boththeshireandthetown.—shirewasseventymilesnearerlondonthantheremotecountywhereinowresided：thatwasarecommendationtome.ilongedtogowheretherewaslifeandmovement：millcotewasalargemanufacturingtownonthebanksofthea—；abusyplaceenough，doubtless：somuchthebetter；itwouldbeacompletechangeatleast.notthatmyfancywasmuchcaptivatedbytheideaoflongchimneysandcloudsofsmoke—“but，”iargued，“thornfieldwill，probably，beagoodwayfromthetown.”

herethesocketofthecandledropped，andthewickwentout.

nextdaynewstepsweretobetaken；myplanscouldnolongerbeconfinedtomyownbreast；imustimparttheminordertoachievetheiress.havingsoughtandobtainedanaudienceofthesuperintendentduringthenoontiderecreation，itoldherihadaprospectofgettinganewsituationwherethesalarywouldbedoublewhatinowreceived(foratlowoodionlygotā15perannum)；andrequestedshewouldbreakthematterformetomr.brocklehurst，orsomeofthecommittee，andascertainwhethertheywouldpermitmetomentionthemasreferences.sheobliginglyconsentedtoactasmediatrixinthematter.thenextdayshelaidtheaffairbeforemr.brocklehurst，whosaidthatmrs.reedmustbewrittento，asshewasmynaturalguardian.anotewasaccordinglyaddressedtothatlady，whoreturnedforanswer，that“imightdoasipleased：shehadlongrelinquishedallinterferenceinmyaffairs.”thisnotewenttheroundofthecommittee，andatlast，afterwhatappearedtomemosttediousdelay，formalleavewasgivenmetobettermyconditionificould；andanassuranceadded，thatasihadalwaysconductedmyselfwell，bothasteacherandpupil，atlowood，atestimonialofcharacterandcapacity，signedbytheinspectorsofthatinstitution，shouldforthwithbefurnishedme.

thistestimonialiaccordinglyreceivedinaboutamonth，forwardedacopyofittomrs.fairfax，andgotthatlady’sreply，statingthatshewassatisfied，andfixingthatdayfortnightastheperiodformyassumingthepostofgovernessinherhouse.

inowbusiedmyselfinpreparations：thefortnightpassedrapidly.ihadnotaverylargewardrobe，thoughitwasadequatetomywants；andthelastdaysufficedtopackmytrunk，—thesameihadbroughtwithmeeightyearsagofromgateshead.