第18部分(第4/8 頁)

gs；　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　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　g