When the house was out of sight, I sat, with my bird-cage in the straw at my feet, forward on the low seat, to look out of the high window; watching the frosty trees, that were like beautiful pieces of spar; and the fields all smooth and white with last night's snow; and the sun, so red but yielding so little heat; and the ice, dark like metal, where the skaters and sliders had brushed the snow away. There was a gentleman in the coach who sat on the opposite seat, and looked very large in a quantity of wrappings; but he sat gazing out of the other window, and took no notice of me.
I thought of my dead godmother; of the night when I read to her; of her frowning so fixedly and sternly in her bed; of the strange place I was going to; of the people I should find there, and what they would be like, and what they would say to me; when a voice in the coach gave me a terrible start.
It said, 'What the devil are you crying for?'
I was so frightened that I lost my voice, and could only answer in a whisper. 'Me, sir?' For of course I knew it must have been the gentleman in the quantity of wrappings, though he was still looking out of his window.
'Yes, you,' he said, turning round.
'I didn't know I was crying, sir,' I faltered.
'But you are!' said the gentleman. 'Look here!' He came quite opposite to me from the other corner of the coach, brushed one of his large furry cuffs across my eyes (but without hurting me), and showed me that it was wet.
'There! Now you know you are,' he said. 'Don't you?'
'Yes, sir,' I said.
'And what are you crying for?' said the gentleman. 'Don't you want to go there?'
'Where, sir?'
'Where? Why, wherever you are going,' said the gentleman.
'I am very glad to go there, sir,' I answered.
'Well then! Look glad!' said the gentleman.
I thought he was very strange; or at least that what I could see of him was very strange, for he was wrapped up to the chin, and his face was almost hidden in a fur cap, with broad fur straps at the side of his head, fastened under his chin; but I was composed again, and not afraid of him. So I told him that I thought I must have been crying, because of my godmother's death, and because of Mrs. Rachael's not being sorry to part with me.
'Confound Mrs. Rachael!' said the gentleman, 'Let her fly away in a high wind on a broomstick!'
I began to be really afraid of him now, and looked at him with the greatest astonishment. But I thought that he had pleasant eyes, although he kept on muttering to himself in an angry manner, and calling Mrs. Rachael names.
After a little while, he opened his outer wrapper, which appeared to me large enough to wrap up the whole coach, and put his arm down into a deep pocket in the side.
'Now, look here!' he said. 'In this paper,' which was nicely folded, 'is a piece of the best plum-cake that can be got for money – sugar on the outside an inch thick, like fat on mutton chops. Here's a little pie (a gem this is, both for size and quality), made in France. And what do you suppose it's made of? Livers of fat geese. There's a pie! Now let's see you eat 'em.'
'Thank you, sir,' I replied, 'thank you very much indeed, but I hope you won't be offended; they are too rich for me.'
'Floored again!' said the gentleman, which I didn't at all understand, and threw them both out of window.
He did not speak to me any more, until he got out of the coach a little way short of Reading, when he advised me to be a good girl, and to be studious; and shook hands with me. I must say I was relieved by his departure. We left him at a milestone. I often walked past it afterwards, and never for a long time, without thinking of him, and half expecting to meet him. But I never did; and so, as time went on, he passed out of my mind.
When the coach stopped, a very neat lady looked up at the window, and said:
'Miss Donny.'
'No, ma'am, Esther Summerson.'
'That is quite right,' said the lady, 'Miss Donny.'
I now understood that she introduced herself by that name, and begged Miss Donny's pardon for my mistake, and pointed out my boxes at her request. Under the direction of a very neat maid, they were put outside a very small green carriage; and then Miss Donny, the maid, and I, got inside, and were driven away.
'Everything is ready for you, Esther'' said Miss Donny; 'and the scheme of your pursuits has been arranged in exact accordance with the wishes of your guardian, Mr. Jarndyce.'
'Of – did you say, ma'am?'
'Of your guardian, Mr. Jarndyce,' said Miss Donny.
I was so bewildered that Miss Donny thought the cold had been too severe for me, and lent me her smelling-bottle.
'Do you know my – guardian, Mr. Jarndyce, ma'am?' I asked, after a good deal of hesitation.
'Not personally, Esther,' said Miss Donny; 'merely through his solicitors, Messrs. Kenge and Carboy, of London. A very superior gentleman, Mr. Kenge. Truly eloquent indeed. Some of his periods quite majestic!'
I felt this to be very true, but was too confused to attend to it. Our speedy arrival at our destination, before I had time to recover myself, increased my confusion; and I never shall forget the uncertain and the unreal air of everything at Green-leaf (Miss Donny's house), that afternoon!
But I soon became used to it. I was so adapted to the routine of Greenleaf before long, that I seemed to have been there a great while: and almost to have dreamed rather than really lived, my old life at my godmother's. Nothing could be more precise, exact, and orderly, than Greenleaf. There was a time for everything all round the dial of the clock, and everything was done at its appointed moment.
We were twelve boarders, and there were two Miss Donnys, twins. It was understood that I would have to depend, by-and-by, on my qualifications as a governess; and I was not only instructed in everything that was taught at Greenleaf, but was very soon engaged in helping to instruct others. Although I was treated in every other respect like the rest of the school, this single difference was made in my case from the first. As I began to know more, I taught more, and so in course of time I had plenty to do, which I was very fond of doing, because it made the dear girls fond of me. At last, whenever a new pupil came who was a little downcast and unhappy, she was so sure – indeed I don't know why – to make a friend of me, that all new-comers were confided to my care. They said I was so gentle; but I am sure they were! I often thought of the resolution I had made on my birthday, to try to be industrious, contented, and true-hearted, and to do some good to some one, and win some love if I could; and indeed, indeed, I felt almost ashamed to have done so little and have won so much.
I passed at Greenleaf six happy, quiet years. I never saw in any face there, thank Heaven, on my birthday, that it would have been better if I had never been born. When the day came round, it brought me so many tokens of affectionate remembrance that my room was beautiful with them from New Year's Day to Christmas.
In those six years I had never been away, except on visits at holiday time in the neighbourhood. After the first six months or so, I had taken Miss Donny's advice in reference to the propriety of writing to Mr. Kenge, to say that I was happy and grateful; and with her approval I had written such a letter. I had received a formal answer acknowledging its receipt, and saying, 'We note the contents thereof, which shall be duly communicated to our client.' After that, I sometimes heard Miss Donny and her sister mention how