I examined the document long: the writing was old-fashioned andrather uncertain, like that of an elderly lady. This circumstancewas satisfactory: a private fear had haunted me, that in thus actingfor myself, and by my own guidance, I ran the risk of getting intosome scrape; and, above all things, I wished the result of myendeavours to be respectable, proper, en regle. I now felt that anelderly 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 orderlyspot, I was sure; though I failed in my efforts to conceive arecollections of the map of England; yes, I saw it; both the shire andcounty where I now resided: that was a recommendation to me. Ilonged to go where there was life and movement: Millcote was a largedoubtless: so much the better; it would be a complete change at least.Not that my fancy was much captivat…