I bethought myself to ring the bell.

"Is there a place in this neighbourhood called Thornfield?" I asked of the waiter who answered the summons.

"Thornfield? I don"t know，ma"am; I"ll inquire at the bar." He vanished，but reappeared instantly-

"Is your name Eyre，Miss?"

"Yes."

"person here waiting for you."

I jumped up，took my muff and umbrella，and hastened into the inn-passage: a man was standing by the open door，and in the lamp-lit street I dimly saw a one-horse conveyance.

"This will be your luggage，I suppose?" said the man rather abruptly when he saw me，pointing to my trunk in the passage.

"Yes." He hoisted it on to the vehicle，which was a sort of car，and then I got in; before he shut me up，I asked him how far it was to Thornfield.

"A matter of six miles."

"How long shall we be before we get there?"

"Happen an hour and a half."

He fastened the car door，climbed to his own seat outside，and we set off. Our progress was leisurely，and gave me ample time to reflect; I was content to be at length so near the end of my journey; and as I leaned back in the fortable though not elegant conveyance，I meditated much at my ease.

"I suppose," thought I，"judging from the plainness of the servant and carriage，Mrs. Fairfax is not a very dashing person: so much the better; I never lived amongst fine people but once，and I was very miserable with them. I wonder if she lives alone except this little girl; if so，and if she is in any degree amiable，I shall surely be able to get on with her; I will do my best; it is a pity that doing one"s best does not always answer. At Lowood，indeed，I took that resolution，kept it，and succeeded in pleasing; but with Mrs. Reed，I remember my best was always spurned with scorn. I pray God Mrs. Fairfax may not turn out a second Mrs. Reed; but if she does，I am not bound to stay with her! let the worst e to the worst，I can advertise again. How far are we on our road now，I wonder?"

I let down the window and looked out; Millcote was behind us; judging by the number of its lights，it seemed a place of considerable magnitude，much larger than Lowton. We were now，as far as I could see，on a sort of mon; but there were houses scattered all over the district; I felt we were in a different region to Lowood，more populous，less picturesque; more stirring，less romantic.