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have no friends。 There are many others who have no friends; who must look about for themselves and be their own helpers; and what is their resource?”
I could not tell: nothing answered me; I then ordered my brain to find a response; and quickly。 It worked and worked faster: I felt the pulses throb in my head and temples; but for nearly an hour it worked in chaos; and no result came of its efforts。 Feverish with vain labour; I got up and took a turn in the room; undrew the curtain; noted a star or two; shivered with cold; and again crept to bed。
A kind fairy; in my absence; had surely dropped the required suggestion on my pillow; for as I lay down; it came quietly and naturally to my mind。—“Those who want situations advertise; you must advertise in the—shire Herald。”
“How? I know nothing about advertising。”
Replies rose smooth and prompt now:—
“You must enclose the advertisement and the money to pay for it under a cover directed to the editor of the Herald; you must put it; the first opportunity you have; into the post at Lowton; answers must be addressed to J。E。; at the post…office there; you can go and inquire in about a week after you send your letter; if any are e; and act accordingly。”
This scheme I went over twice; thrice; it was then digested in my mind; I had it in a clear practical form: I felt satisfied; and fell asleep。
With earliest day; I was up: I had my advertisement written; enclosed; and directed before the bell rang to rouse the school; it ran thus:—
“A young lady accustomed to tuition” (had I not been a teacher two years?) “is desirous of meeting with a situation in a private family where the children are under fourteen (I thought that as I was barely eighteen; it would not do to undertake the guidance of pupils nearer my own age)。 She is qualified to teach the usual branches of a good English education; together with French; Drawing; and Music” (in those days; reader; this now narrow catalogue of acplishments; would have been held tolerably prehensive)。 “Address; J。E。; Post…office; Lowton;—shire。”
This document remained locked in my drawer all day: after tea; I asked leave of the new superintendent to go to Lowton; in order to perform some small missions for myself and one or two of my fellow…teachers; permission was readily granted; I went。 It was a walk of two miles; and the evening was wet; but the days were still long; I visited a shop or two; slipped the letter into the post… office; and came back through heavy rain; with streaming garments; but with a relieved heart。
The succeeding week seemed long: it came to an end at last; however; like all sublunary things; and once more; towards the close of a pleasant autumn day; I found myself afoot on the road to Lowton。 A picturesque track it was; by the way; lying along the side of the beck and through the sweetest curves of the dale: but that day I thought more of the letters; that might or might not be awaiting me at the little burgh whither I was bound; than of the charms of lea and water。
My ostensible errand on this occasion was to get measured for a pair of shoes; so I discharged that business first; and when it was done; I stepped across the clean and quiet little street from the shoemaker’s to the post…office: it was kept by an old dame; who wore horn spectacles on her nose; and black mittens on her hands。
“Are there any letters for J。E。?” I asked。
She peered at me over her spectacles; and then she opened a drawer and fumbled among its contents for a long time; so long that my hopes began to falter。 At last; having held a document before her glasses for nearly five minutes; she presented it across the counter; acpanying the act by another inquisitive and mistrustful glance—it was for J。E。
“Is there only one?” I demanded。
“There are no more;” said she; and I put it in my pocket and turned my face homeward: I could not open it then; rules obliged me to be back by eight; and it was already half…past seven。
Various duties awaited me on my arrival。 I had to sit with the girls during their hour of study; then it was my turn to read prayers; to see them to bed: afterwards I supped with the other teachers。 Even when we finally retired for the night; the inevitable Miss Gryce was still my panion: we had only a short end of candle in our candlestick; and I dreaded lest she should talk till it was all burnt out; fortunately; however; the heavy supper she had eaten produced a soporific effect: she was already snoring before I had finished undressing。 There still remained an inch of 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 o