A week passed, and no news arrived of Mr. Rochester: ten days, and

still he did not come. Mrs. Fairfax said she should not be

surprised if he were to go straight from the Leas to London, and

thence to the Continent, and not show his face again at Thornfield

for a year to come; he had not unfrequently quitted it in a manner

quite as abrupt and unexpected. When I heard this, I was beginning

to feel a strange chill and failing at the heart. I was actually

permitting myself to experience a sickening sense of disappointment;

but rallying my wits, and recollecting my principles, I at once

called my sensations to order; and it was wonderful how I got over

the temporary blunder--how I cleared up the mistake of supposing Mr.

Rochester's movements a matter in which I had any cause to take a

vital interest. Not that I humbled myself by a slavish notion of

inferiority: on the contrary, I just said "You have nothing to do with the master of Thornfield, further than

to receive the salary he gives you for teaching his protegee, and to

be grateful for such respectful and kind treatment as, if you do

your duty, you have a right to expect at his hands. Be sure that is

the only tie he seriously acknowledges between you and him; so don't

make him the object of your fine feelings, your raptures, agonies,

and so forth. He is not of your order: keep to your caste, and be

too self-respecting to lavish the love of the whole heart, soul, and

strength, where such a gift is not wanted and would be despised."

I went on with my day's business tranquilly; but ever and anon vague

suggestions kept wandering across my brain of reasons why I should

quit Thornfield; and I kept involuntarily framing advertisements and

pondering conjectures about new situations: these thoughts I did

not think check; they might germinate and bear fruit if they could.

Mr. Rochester had been absent upwards of a fortnight, when the post

brought Mrs. Fairfax a letter.

"It is from the master," said she, as she looked at the direction.

"Now I suppose we shall know whether we are to expect his return or

not."

And while she broke the seal and perused the document, I went on

taking my coffee (we were at breakfast): it was hot, and I

attributed to that circumstance a fiery glow which suddenly rose to

my face. Why my hand shook, and why I involuntarily spilt half the

contents of my cup into my saucer, I did not choose to consider.




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