10 cont. Jane Eyre - Stephanie Poppins

This is chapter 10 (part 2)of the classic novel by Charlotte Bronte. It follows the story of Jane, a seemingly plain and simple girl as she battles through life's struggles. Jane has many obstacles in her life - her cruel and abusive Aunt Reed, the grim conditions at Lowood school, her love for Mr Rochester, and Mr Rochester's marriage. Read by Children's author Stephanie Poppins. In this chapter, Jane takes the first steps to make her way in the big, wide world.

Transcript

This is s d hudson magic jane eyre chapter x continued 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 companion 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 dressing 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 competency 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 miss fairfax thornfield near millcote i examined the document long the writing was old-fashioned and rather uncertain like that of an 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 regue 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 i brushed up my recollections of the map of england yes i saw it both the shire and the town it was seventy miles nearer london than the remote country where i now resided that was recommendation to me i longed to go where there was life and movement millcote was a large manufacturing town on the banks of the river a busy place enough doubtless so much the better it would be a complete 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 if in order to achieve their success having sought and obtained an audience of the superintendent during the noon-tide 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 got only twenty pounds per annum and requested she would break the matter for me to mr brocklehurst or some of the committee and ascertain whether they would permit me to mention them as references she obligingly consented to act as mediatrix in the matter the next day she laid the affair before mr brocklehurst who said that mrs reed must be written to as she was my natural guardian a note was accordingly addressed to that lady who returned for answer that i might do as i pleased she had long relinquished all interference in my affairs this note went the round of the committee and at last after what appeared to me a most tedious delay formal leave was given to me to better my condition if i could and assurance added that as i had always conducted myself well both as teacher and pupil at lowood a testimony of character and capacity signed by the inspectors of that institution should forthwith be furnished me this testimonial i accordingly received in about a week forwarded a copy of it to mrs fairfax and got that lady's reply stating that she was satisfied and fixing that fortnight as the period for my assuming the post of governess in her house i now busied myself in preparations the fortnight passed rapidly i had not a very large wardrobe though it was adequate to my wants and the last day sufficed to pack my trunk the same i had brought with me eight years ago from gateshead the box was corded the card nailed on in half an hour the carry was to call for it to take me to lowton whither i myself was to repair at an early hour the next morning to meet the coach i had brushed my black-stuffed travelling dress prepared my bonnet gloves and muff sought in all my drawers to see that no article was left behind and now having nothing more to do i sat down and tried to rest i could not though i had been on foot all day i could not now repose an even more though i had been on foot all day i could not now repose an instance i was much too excited a phase of my life was closing to-night a new one opening to-morrow impossible to slumber in the interval i must watch feverishly while the change was being accomplished miss said a servant who met me in the lobby where i was wandering like a troubled spirit a person below wishes to see you the carrier no doubt i thought and ran downstairs without enquiry i was passing the back parlour old teacher's sitting-room the door of which was half open to go to the kitchen when some one ran out it's her i'm sure i could have told her anywhere cried the individual who stopped my progress and took my hand i looked i saw a woman attired like a well-dressed servant matronly yet still very young very good-looking with black hair and eyes and lively complexion well who is it she asked in a voice and with a smile i half recognised you've not quite forgotten me i think miss jane in another second i was embracing and kissing her rapturously bessie bessie bessie that was all i said whereas she half laughed half cried and we both went into the parlour by the fire stood a little fellow of three years old in plaid frock and trousers that is my little boy said bessie directly then you are married bessie yes nearly five years to robert leaven the coachman and i've a little girl besides bobby there that i've christened jane and you don't live at gateshead i live at the lodge the old porter's left well and how do they all get on tell me everything about them bessie but sit down first and bobby come and sit on my knee will you but bobby preferred sidling over to his mother you've not grown so very tall miss jane nor so very stout continued mrs leaven i dare say they've not kept you too well at school miss reed is the head and shoulders taller than you are and miss georgiana would make two of you in breadth georgiana is handsome i suppose bessie very she went up to london last winter with her mamma and there everybody admired her and a young lord fell in love with her but his relations were against the match and what do you think he and miss georgiana made it up to run away but they were found out and stopped it was miss reed that found them out i can't believe she was envious and now she and her sister lead a cat-and-dog life together they're always quarrelling well what of john reed oh he's not doing so well as his mamma could wish he went to college and he got plucked i think they call it and then his uncles wanted him to be a parister and study the law but he's such a dissipated young man they'll never make much of him i think what does he look like he's very tall some people call him a fine-looking young man but he's got such thick lips and mrs reed and mrs reed mrs looks stout and well enough in the face but i think she's not quite easy in her mind mr john's conduct doesn't please her he spends a great deal of money did she send you here bessie no indeed but i've long wanted to see you and when i heard there'd been a letter from you and you were going to another part of the country i thought i'd just set off and get a good look at you before you were quite out of my reach i'm afraid you're disappointed in me bessie i said this laughing and perceived that bessie's glance though it expressed regard did in no way denote admiration no miss jane not exactly you're genteel enough you look like a lady and it is as much as i ever expected of you you were no beauty as a child i smiled at bessie's frank answer i felt that it was correct but i confess i was not quite indifferent to its import at eighteen most people wish to please and the conviction that they have not an exterior likely to second that desire brings anything but gratification i dare say you're clever enough though continued bessie by way of solace what can you do can you play on the piano a little there was one in the room bessie went and opened it and asked me to sit down and give her a tune i played a waltz or two and she was charmed the miss rae's could not play as well said she exultingly i always said you surpassed them in learning and can you draw that is one of my paintings over the chimney-piece it was a landscape in water-colours of which i had made a present to the superintendent in acknowledgment of her obliging mediation with the committee on my behalf and of which she had framed and glazed that is beautiful miss jane it's as fine a picture as any miss reed's drawing master could paint let alone the young ladies themselves who could not come near it and have you learnt french yes bessie i can both read it and speak it and you can work on muslin and canvas i can you are quite a lady miss jane i knew it be you'll get on whether your relations notice you or not there was something i wanted to ask you have you ever heard anything from your father's kinsfolk yes never in my life well you know missis always said they were poor and quite despicable and they may be poor but i believe they're as much gentry as the reeds are for one day nearly seven years ago a mr eyre came to gitshead and wanted to see you missis said you were at school fifty miles off he seemed so much disappointed for he couldn't stay he was going on a voyage to a foreign country and the ship was to sail from london in a day or two he looked quite a gentleman and i believe he was your father's brother what foreign country was he going to bessie an island thousands of miles off where they make wine the butler did tell me madeira i suggested yes that's it that's the very word so he went yes he didn't stay very many minutes in the house missis was very high with him she called him afterwards a sneaking tradesman my robert believes he was a wine-merchant very likely i returned or perhaps clerk or agent to a wine-merchant bessie and i conversed about old times an hour longer and then she was obliged to leave me i saw her again for a few minutes the next morning at lowton while i was waiting for the coach we parted finally at the door of the brocklehurst arms there each went her separate way she set off for the brow of lowood fell to meet the conveyance which was to take her back to gateshead i mounted the vehicle and i i mounted the vehicle which was to bear me to new duties and a new life in the unknown environs of millcote

Reviews

Thank you thank you! Some improvements coming for dear Jane, hopefully!