Ithankedherforherconsideratechoice，andasIreallyfeltfatiguedwithmylongjourney，expressedmyreadinesstoretire。Shetookhercandle，andIfollowedherfromtheroom。Firstshewenttoseeifthehall—doorwasfastened;havingtakenthekeyfromthelock，sheledthewayupstairs。Thestepsandbanisterswereofoak;thestaircasewindowwashighandlatticed;bothitandthelonggalleryintowhichthebedroomdoorsopenedlookedasiftheybelongedtoachurchratherthanahouse。Averychillandvault—likeairpervadedthestairsandgallery，suggestingcheerlessideasofspaceandsolitude;andIwasglad，whenfinallyusheredintomychamber，tofinditofsmalldimensions，andfurnishedinordinary，modernstyle。
WhenMrs。Fairfaxhadbiddenmeakindgood—night，andIhadfastenedmydoor，gazedleisurelyround，andinsomemeasureeffacedtheeerieimpressionmadebythatwidehall，thatdarkandspaciousstaircase，andthatlong，coldgallery，bythelivelieraspectofmylittleroom，Irememberedthat，afteradayofbodilyfatigueandmentalanxiety，Iwasnowatlastinsafehaven。Theimpulseofgratitudeswelledmyheart，andIkneltdownatthebedside，andofferedupthankswherethanksweredue;notforgetting，ereIrose，toimploreaidonmyfurtherpath，andthepowerofmeritingthekindnesswhichseemedsofranklyofferedmebeforeitwasearned。Mycouchhadnothornsinitthatnight;mysolitaryroomnofears。Atoncewearyandcontent，Isleptsoonandsoundly:whenIawokeitwasbroadday。
Thechamberlookedsuchabrightlittleplacetomeasthesunshoneinbetweenthegaybluechintzwindowcurtains，showingpaperedwallsandacarpetedfloor，sounlikethebareplanksandstainedplasterofLowood，thatmyspiritsroseattheview。Externalshaveagreateffectontheyoung:Ithoughtthatafairereraoflifewasbeginningforme，onethatwastohaveitsflowersandpleasures，aswellasitsthornsandtoils。Myfaculties，rousedbythechangeofscene，thenewfieldofferedtohope，seemedallastir。Icannotpreciselydefinewhattheyexpected，butitwassomethingpleasant:notperhapsthatdayorthatmonth，butatanindefinitefutureperiod。
Irose;Idressedmyselfwithcare:obligedtobeplain—forIhadnoarticleofattirethatwasnotmadewithextremesimplicity—Iwasstillbynaturesolicitoustobeneat。ItwasnotmyhabittobedisregardfulofappearanceorcarelessoftheimpressionImade:onthecontrary，IeverwishedtolookaswellasIcould，andtopleaseasmuchasmywantofbeautywouldpermit。IsometimesregrettedthatIwasnothandsomer;Isometimeswishedtohaverosycheeks，astraightnose，andsmallcherrymouth;Idesiredtobetall，stately，andfinelydevelopedinfigure;IfeltitamisfortunethatIwassolittle，sopale，andhadfeaturessoirregularandsomarked。AndwhyhadItheseaspirationsandtheseregrets？Itwouldbedifficulttosay:Icouldnotthendistinctlysayittomyself;yetIhadareason，andalogical，naturalreasontoo。However，whenIhadbrushedmyhairverysmooth，andputonmyblackfrock—which，Quakerlikeasitwas，atleasthadthemeritoffittingtoanicety—andadjustedmycleanwhitetucker，IthoughtIshoulddorespectablyenoughtoappearbeforeMrs。Fairfax，andthatmynewpupilwouldnotatleastrecoilfrommewithantipathy。Havingopenedmychamberwindow，andseenthatIleftallthingsstraightandneatonthetoilettable，Iventuredforth。
Traversingthelongandmattedgallery，Idescendedtheslipperystepsofoak;thenIgainedthehall:Ihaltedthereaminute;Ilookedatsomepicturesonthewalls（one，Iremember，representedagrimmaninacuirass，andonealadywithpowderedhairandapearlnecklace），atabronzelamppendentfromtheceiling，atagreatclockwhosecasewasofoakcuriouslycarved，andebonblackwithtimeandrubbing。Everythingappearedverystatelyandimposingtome;butthenIwassolittleaccustomedtograndeur。Thehall—door，whichwashalfofglass，stoodopen;Isteppedoverthethreshold。Itwasafineautumnmorning;theearlysunshoneserenelyonembrownedgrovesandstillgreenfields;advancingontothelawn，Ilookedupandsurveyedthefrontofthemansion。Itwasthreestoreyshigh，ofproportionsnotvast，thoughconsiderable:agentleman’smanor—house，notanobleman’sseat:battlementsroundthetopgaveitapicturesquelook。Itsgreyfrontstoodoutwellfromthebackgroundofarookery，whosecawingtenantswerenowonthewing:theyflewoverthelawnandgroundstoalightinagreatmeadow，fromwhichthesewereseparatedbyasunkfence，andwhereanarrayofmightyoldthorntrees，strong，knotty，andbroadasoaks，atonceexplainedtheetymologyofthemansion’sdesignation。Fartheroffwerehills:notsoloftyasthoseroundLowood，norsocraggy，norsolikebarriersofseparationfromthelivingworld;butyetquietandlonelyhillsenough，andseemingtoembraceThornfieldwithaseclusionIhadnotexpectedtofindexistentsonearthestirringlocalityofMillcote。Alittlehamlet，whoseroofswereblentwithtrees，straggledupthesideofoneofthesehills;thechurchofthedistrictstoodnearerThornfield:itsoldtower—toplookedoveraknollbetweenthehouseandgates。