"If J.E., who advertised in the -shire Herald of last Thursday,

possesses the acquirements mentioned, and if she is in a position to

give satisfactory references as to character and competency, a

situation can be offered her where there is but one pupil, a little

girl, under ten years of age; and where the salary is thirty pounds

per annum. J.E. is requested to send references, name, address, and

all particulars to the direction:"Mrs. Fairfax, Thornfield, near Millcote, -shire."

I examined the document long: the writing was old-fashioned and

rather uncertain, like that of in elderly lady. This circumstance

was satisfactory: a private fear had haunted me, that in thus

acting for myself, and by my own guidance, I ran the risk of getting

into some scrape; and, above all things, I wished the result of my

endeavours to be respectable, proper, en regle. I now felt that an

elderly lady was no bad ingredient in the business I had on hand.

Mrs. Fairfax! I saw her in a black gown and widow's cap; frigid,

perhaps, but not uncivil: a model of elderly English

respectability. Thornfield! that, doubtless, was the name of her

house: a neat orderly spot, I was sure; though I failed in my

efforts to conceive a correct plan of the premises. Millcote, -

shire; I brushed up my recollections of the map of England, yes, I

saw it; both the shire and the town. -shire was seventy miles

nearer London than the remote county where I now resided: that was

a recommendation to me. I longed to go where there was life and

movement: Millcote was a large manufacturing town on the banks of

the A-; a busy place enough, doubtless: so much the better; it

would be a complete change at least. Not that my fancy was much

captivated by the idea of long chimneys and clouds of smoke--"but,"

I argued, "Thornfield will, probably, be a good way from the town."

Here the socket of the candle dropped, and the wick went out.

Next day new steps were to be taken; my plans could no longer be

confined to my own breast; I must impart them in order to achieve

their success. Having sought and obtained an audience of the

superintendent during the noontide recreation, I told her I had a

prospect of getting a new situation where the salary would be double

what I now received (for at Lowood I only got 15 pounds per annum);

and requested she would break the matter for me to Mr. Brocklehurst,

or some of the committee, and ascertain whether they would permit me

to mention them as references. She obligingly consented to act as

mediatrix in the matter. The next day she laid the affair before

Mr. Brocklehurst, who said that Mrs. Reed must be written to, as she

was my natural guardian. A note was accordingly addressed to that

lady, who returned for answer, that "I might do as I pleased: she

had long relinquished all interference in my affairs." This note

went the round of the committee, and at last, after what appeared to

me most tedious delay, formal leave was given me to better my

condition if I could; and an assurance added, that as I had always

conducted myself well, both as teacher and pupil, at Lowood, a

testimonial of character and capacity, signed by the inspectors of

that institution, should forthwith be furnished me.




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