Read Online The Professor by Charlotte Brontë - Free Book Online
Authors: Charlotte Brontë
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to my uncles, I could not have stooped
with a good enough grace ever to have won their favour. I should
have sacrificed my own comfort and not have gained their
patronage in return."
"Very likely—so you calculated your wisest plan was to follow
your own devices at once?"
"Exactly. I must follow my own devices—I must, till the day of
my death; because I can neither comprehend, adopt, nor work out
those of other people."
Hunsden yawned. "Well," said he, "in all this, I see but one
thing clearly-that is, that the whole affair is no business of
mine. "He stretched himself and again yawned. "I wonder what
time it is," he went on: "I have an appointment for seven
o'clock."
"Three quarters past six by my watch."
"Well, then I'll go." He got up. "You'll not meddle with trade
again?" said he, leaning his elbow on the mantelpiece.
"No; I think not."
"You would be a fool if you did. Probably, after all, you'll
think better of your uncles' proposal and go into the Church."
"A singular regeneration must take place in my whole inner and
outer man before I do that. A good clergyman is one of the best
of men."
"Indeed! Do you think so?" interrupted Hunsden, scoffingly.
"I do, and no mistake. But I have not the peculiar points which
go to make a good clergyman; and rather than adopt a profession
for which I have no vocation, I would endure extremities of
hardship from poverty."
"You're a mighty difficult customer to suit. You won't be a
tradesman or a parson; you can't be a lawyer, or a doctor, or a
gentleman, because you've no money. I'd recommend you to
travel."
"What! without money?"
"You must travel in search of money, man. You can speak French-
-with a vile English accent, no doubt—still, you can speak it.
Go on to the Continent, and see what will turn up for you there."
"God knows I should like to go!" exclaimed I with involuntary
ardour.
"Go: what the deuce hinders you? You may get to Brussels, for
instance, for five or six pounds, if you know how to manage with
economy."
"Necessity would teach me if I didn't."
"Go, then, and let your wits make a way for you when you get
there. I know Brussels almost as well as I know X—, and I am
sure it would suit such a one as you better than London."
"But occupation, Mr. Hunsden! I must go where occupation is to
be had; and how could I get recommendation, or introduction, or
employment at Brussels?"
"There speaks the organ of caution. You hate to advance a step
before you know every inch of the way. You haven't a sheet of
paper and a pen-and-ink?"
"I hope so," and I produced writing materials with alacrity; for
I guessed what he was going to do. He sat down, wrote a few
lines, folded, sealed, and addressed a letter, and held it out to
me.
"There, Prudence, there's a pioneer to hew down the first rough
difficulties of your path. I know well enough, lad, you are not
one of those who will run their neck into a noose without seeing
how they are to get it out again, and you're right there. A
reckless man is my aversion, and nothing should ever persuade me
to meddle with the concerns of such a one. Those who are
reckless for themselves are generally ten times more so for their
friends."
"This is a letter of introduction, I suppose?" said I, taking the
epistle.
"Yes. With that in your pocket you will run no risk of finding
yourself in a state of absolute destitution, which, I know, you
will regard as a degradation—so should I, for that matter. The
person to whom you will present it generally has two or three
respectable places depending upon his recommendation."
"That will just suit me," said I.
"Well, and where's your gratitude?" demanded Mr. Hunsden; "don't
you know how to say 'Thank you?'"
"I've fifteen pounds and a watch, which my godmother, whom I
never saw, gave me eighteen years ago," was my rather irrelevant
answer; and I further avowed myself a happy man, and professed
that I did not envy any being in Christendom.
"But your gratitude?"
"I shall be off
with a good enough grace ever to have won their favour. I should
have sacrificed my own comfort and not have gained their
patronage in return."
"Very likely—so you calculated your wisest plan was to follow
your own devices at once?"
"Exactly. I must follow my own devices—I must, till the day of
my death; because I can neither comprehend, adopt, nor work out
those of other people."
Hunsden yawned. "Well," said he, "in all this, I see but one
thing clearly-that is, that the whole affair is no business of
mine. "He stretched himself and again yawned. "I wonder what
time it is," he went on: "I have an appointment for seven
o'clock."
"Three quarters past six by my watch."
"Well, then I'll go." He got up. "You'll not meddle with trade
again?" said he, leaning his elbow on the mantelpiece.
"No; I think not."
"You would be a fool if you did. Probably, after all, you'll
think better of your uncles' proposal and go into the Church."
"A singular regeneration must take place in my whole inner and
outer man before I do that. A good clergyman is one of the best
of men."
"Indeed! Do you think so?" interrupted Hunsden, scoffingly.
"I do, and no mistake. But I have not the peculiar points which
go to make a good clergyman; and rather than adopt a profession
for which I have no vocation, I would endure extremities of
hardship from poverty."
"You're a mighty difficult customer to suit. You won't be a
tradesman or a parson; you can't be a lawyer, or a doctor, or a
gentleman, because you've no money. I'd recommend you to
travel."
"What! without money?"
"You must travel in search of money, man. You can speak French-
-with a vile English accent, no doubt—still, you can speak it.
Go on to the Continent, and see what will turn up for you there."
"God knows I should like to go!" exclaimed I with involuntary
ardour.
"Go: what the deuce hinders you? You may get to Brussels, for
instance, for five or six pounds, if you know how to manage with
economy."
"Necessity would teach me if I didn't."
"Go, then, and let your wits make a way for you when you get
there. I know Brussels almost as well as I know X—, and I am
sure it would suit such a one as you better than London."
"But occupation, Mr. Hunsden! I must go where occupation is to
be had; and how could I get recommendation, or introduction, or
employment at Brussels?"
"There speaks the organ of caution. You hate to advance a step
before you know every inch of the way. You haven't a sheet of
paper and a pen-and-ink?"
"I hope so," and I produced writing materials with alacrity; for
I guessed what he was going to do. He sat down, wrote a few
lines, folded, sealed, and addressed a letter, and held it out to
me.
"There, Prudence, there's a pioneer to hew down the first rough
difficulties of your path. I know well enough, lad, you are not
one of those who will run their neck into a noose without seeing
how they are to get it out again, and you're right there. A
reckless man is my aversion, and nothing should ever persuade me
to meddle with the concerns of such a one. Those who are
reckless for themselves are generally ten times more so for their
friends."
"This is a letter of introduction, I suppose?" said I, taking the
epistle.
"Yes. With that in your pocket you will run no risk of finding
yourself in a state of absolute destitution, which, I know, you
will regard as a degradation—so should I, for that matter. The
person to whom you will present it generally has two or three
respectable places depending upon his recommendation."
"That will just suit me," said I.
"Well, and where's your gratitude?" demanded Mr. Hunsden; "don't
you know how to say 'Thank you?'"
"I've fifteen pounds and a watch, which my godmother, whom I
never saw, gave me eighteen years ago," was my rather irrelevant
answer; and I further avowed myself a happy man, and professed
that I did not envy any being in Christendom.
"But your gratitude?"
"I shall be off
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