high…backed and old…fashioned； wherein sat the neatest imaginable
little elderly lady； in widow's cap； black silk gown； and snowy muslin
apron； exactly like what I had fancied Mrs。 Fairfax； only less stately
and milder looking。 She was occupied in knitting； a large cat sat
demurely at her feet； nothing in short was wanting to complete the
beau…ideal of domestic comfort。 A more reassuring introduction for a
new governess could scarcely be conceived； there was no grandeur to
overwhelm； no stateliness to embarrass； and then； as I entered； the
old lady got up and promptly and kindly came forward to meet me。
'How do you do； my dear？ I am afraid you have had a tedious ride；
John drives so slowly； you must be cold； come to the fire。'
'Mrs。 Fairfax； I suppose？' said I。
'Yes； you are right： do sit down。'
She conducted me to her own chair； and then began to remove my
shawl and untie my bonnet…strings； I begged she would not give herself
so much trouble。
'Oh； it is no trouble； I daresay your own hands are almost numbed
with cold。 Leah； make a little hot negus and cut a sandwich or two：
here are the keys of the storeroom。'
And she produced from her pocket a most housewifely bunch of
keys； and delivered them to the servant。
'Now； then； draw nearer to the fire；' she continued。 'You've
brought your luggage with you； haven't you； my dear？'
'Yes； ma'am。'
'I'll see it carried into your room；' she said； and bustled out。
'She treats me like a visitor；' thought I。 'I little expected
such a reception； I anticipated only coldness and stiffness： this is
not like what I have heard of the treatment of governesses； but I must
not exult too soon。'
She returned； with her own hands cleared her knitting apparatus and
a book or two from the table； to make room for the tray which Leah now
brought； and then herself handed me the refreshments。 I felt rather
confused at being the object of more attention than I had ever
before received； and； that too； shown by my employer and superior； but
as she did not herself seem to consider she was doing anything out
of her place； I thought it better to take her civilities quietly。
'Shall I have the pleasure of seeing Miss Fairfax to…night？' I
asked； when I had partaken of what she offered me。
'What did you say； my dear？ I am a little deaf；' returned the
good lady； approaching her ear to my mouth。
I repeated the question more distinctly。
'Miss Fairfax？ Oh； you mean Miss Varens！ Varens is the name of your
future pupil。'
'Indeed！ Then she is not your daughter？'
'No；… I have no family。'
I should have followed up my first inquiry； by asking in what way
Miss Varens was connected with her； but I recollected it was not
polite to ask too many questions： besides； I was sure to hear in time。
'I am so glad；' she continued； as she sat down opposite to me；
and took the cat on her knee； 'I am so glad you are come； it will be
quite pleasant living here now with a companion。 To be sure it is
pleasant at any time； for Thornfield is a fine old hall； rather
neglected of late years perhaps； but still it is a respectable
place； yet you know in winter…time one feels dreary quite alone in the
best quarters。 I say alone… Leah is a nice girl to be sure； and John
and his wife are very decent people； but then you see they are only
servants； and one can't converse with them on terms of equality： one
must keep them at due distance； for fear of losing one's authority。
I'm sure last winter （it was a very severe one； if you recollect；
and when it did not snow； it rained and blew）； not a creature but
the butcher and postman came to the house； from November till
February； and I really got quite melancholy with sitting night after
night alone； I had Leah in to read to me sometimes； but I don't
think the poor girl liked the task much： she felt it confining。 In
spring and summer one got on better： sunshine and long days make
such a difference； and then； just at the commencement of this
autumn； little Adela Varens came and her nurse： a child makes a
house alive all at once； and now you are here I shall be quite gay。'
My heart really warmed to the worthy lady as I heard her talk；
and I drew my chair a little nearer to her； and expressed my sincere
wish that she might find my company as agreeable as she anticipated。
'But I'll not keep you sitting up late to…night；' said she； 'it
is on the stroke of twelve now； and you have been travelling all
day： you must feel tired。 If you have got your feet well warmed；
I'll show you your bedroom。 I've had the room next to mine prepared
for you； it is only a small apartment； but I thought you would like it
better than one of the large front chambers： to be sure they have
finer furniture； but they are so dreary and solitary； I never sleep in
them myself。'
I thanked her for her considerate choice； and as I really felt
fatigued with my long journey； expressed my readiness to retire。 She
took her candle； and I followed her from the room。 First she went to
see if the hall…door was fastened； having taken the key from the lock；
she led the way upstairs。 The steps and banisters were of oak； the
staircase window was high and latticed； both it and the long gallery
into which the bedroom doors opened looked as if they belonged to a
church rather than a house。 A very chill and vault…like air pervaded
the stairs and gallery； suggesting cheerless ideas of space and
solitude； and I was glad； when finally ushered into my chamber； to
find it of small dimensions； and furnished in ordinary； modern style。
When Mrs。 Fairfax had bidden me a kind good…night； and I had
fastened my door； gazed leisurely round； and in some measure effaced
the eerie impression made by that wide hall； that dark and spacious
staircase； and that long； cold gallery； by the livelier aspect of my
little room； I remembered that； after a day of bodily fatigue and
mental anxiety； I was now at last in safe haven。 The impulse of
gratitude swelled my heart； and I knelt down at the bedside； and
offered up thanks where thanks were due； not forgetting； ere I rose；
to implore aid on my further path； and the power of meriting the
kindness which seemed so frankly offered me before it was earned。 My
couch had no thorns in it that night； my solitary room no fears。 At
once weary and content； I slept soon and soundly： when I awoke it
was broad day。
The chamber looked such a bright little place to me as the sun
shone in between the gay blue chintz window curtains； showing
papered walls and a carpeted floor； so unlike the bare planks and
stained plaster of Lowood； that my spirits rose at the view。 Externals
have a great effect on the young： I thought that a fairer era of
life was beginning for me… one that was to have its flowers and
pleasures； as well as its thorns and toils。 My faculties； roused by
the change of scene； the new field offered to hope； seemed all
astir。 I cannot precisely define what they expected； but it was
something pleasant： not perhaps that day or that month； but at an
indefinite future period。
I rose； I dressed myself with care： obliged to be plain… for I
had no article of attire that was not made with extreme simplicity…
I was still by nature solicitous to be neat。 It was not my habit to be
disregardful of appearance or careless of the impression I made： on
the contrary； I ever wished to look as well as I could； and to
please as much as my want of beauty would permit。 I sometimes
regretted that I was not handsomer； I sometimes wished to have rosy
cheeks； a straight nose； and small cherry mouth； I desired to be tall；
stately； and finely developed in figure； I felt it a misfortune that I
was so little； so pale； and had features so irregular and so marked。
And why had I these aspirations and these regrets？ It would be
difficult to say： I could not then distinctly say it to myself； yet
I had a reason； and a logical； natural reason too。 However； when I had
brushed my hair very smooth； and put on my black frock… which；
Quakerlike as it was； at least had the merit of fitting to a nicety…
and adjusted my clean white tucker； I thought I should do
respectably enough to appear before Mrs。 Fairfax； and that my new
pupil would not at least recoil from me with antipathy。 Having
opened my chamber window； and seen that I left all things straight and
neat on the toilet table； I ventured forth。
Traversing the long and matted gallery； I descended the slippery
steps of oak； then I gained the hall： I halted there a minute； I
looked at some pictures on the walls （one； I remember； represented a
grim man in a cuirass； and one a lady with powdered hair and a pearl
necklace）； at a bronze lamp pendent from the ceiling； at a great clock
whose case was of oak curiously carved； and ebon black with time and
rubbing。 Everything appeared very stately and imposing to me； but then
I was so little accustomed to grandeur。 The hall…door； which was
half of glass； stood open； I stepped over the threshold。 It was a fine
autumn morning； the early sun shone serenely o