A week passed, and no news arrived of Mr. Rochester: ten days, and still he did not e. Mrs. Fairfax said she should not be surprised if he were to ght from the Leas to London, and theo the ti, and not show his face again at Thornfield for a year to e; he had not unfrequently quitted it in a manner quite as abrupt and ued. When I heard this, I was beginning to feel a strange chill and failing at the heart. I was actually permitting myself to experience a siing sense of disappoi; but rallying my wits, and recolleg my principles, I at once called my sensations to order; and it was wonderful how I got over the temporary blunder—how I cleared up the mistake of supposing Mr. Rochester』s movements a matter in which I had any cause to take a vital i. Not that I humbled myself by a slavish notion of inferiority: on the trary, I just said—
「You have nothing to do with the master of Thornfield, further than to receive the salary he gives you for teag his protégée, and to be grateful for such respectful and kind treatment as, if you do your duty, you have a right to expect at his hands. Be sure that is the only tie he seriously aowledges between you and him; so don』t make him the object of your fine feelings, your raptures, agonies, and so forth. He is not of your order: keep to your caste, aoo self-respeg to lavish the love of the whole heart, soul, and strength, where such a gift is not wanted and would be despised.」
I went on with my day』s busiranquilly; but ever and anon vague suggestio wandering ay brain of reasons why I should quit Thornfield; and I kept involuntarily framing advertisements and p jectures about new situations: these thoughts I did not think check; they might germinate and bear fruit if they could.
Mr. Rochester had been absent upwards of a fht, when the post brought Mrs. Fairfax a letter.
「It is from the master,」 said she, as she looked at the dire. 「Now I suppose we shall know whether we are to expect his return or not.」
And while she broke the seal and perused the dot, I went on taking my coffee (we were at breakfast): it was hot, and I attributed to that circumstance a fiery glow which suddenly rose to my face. Why my hand shook, and why I involuntarily spilt half the tents of my cup into my saucer, I did not choose to sider.
「Well, I sometimes think we are too quiet; but we run a ce of being busy enough now: for a little while at least,」 said Mrs. Fairfax, still holding the note before her spectacles.
Ere I permitted myself to request an explanation, I tied the string of Adèle』s pinafore, which happeo be loose: having helped her also to another bun and refilled her mug with milk, I said, nonchalantly—
「Mr. Rochester is not likely to return soon, I suppose?」
「Indeed he is—in three days, he says: that will be hursday; and not aloher. I don』t know how many of the fine people at the Leas are ing with him: he sends dires for all the best bedrooms to be prepared; and the library and drawing-rooms are to be ed out; I am to get more kit hands from the Gee Inn, at Millcote, and from wherever else I ; and the ladies will bring their maids and the gentlemen their valets: so we shall have a full house of it.」 And Mrs. Fairfax swallowed her breakfast and hastened away to ence operations.
The three days were, as she had foretold, busy enough. I had thought all the rooms at Thornfield beautifully and well arranged; but it appears I was mistaken. Three women were got to hel