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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

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