第18部分(第3/7 页)

　candle：　I　now　took　out　my　letter；　the　seal　was　an　initial　F。；　I　broke　it；　the　contents　were　brief。

“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　petency；　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　règle。　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　remendation　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　plete　change　at　least。　Not　that