r my mind or body to the school; I am out of it and disposed for full holiday。”
He looked grave。 “What now? What sudden eagerness is this you evince? What are you going to do?”
“To be active: as active as I can。 And first I must beg you to set Hannah at liberty; and get somebody else to wait on you。”
“Do you want her?”
“Yes; to go with me to Moor House。 Diana and Mary will be at home in a week; and I want to have everything in order against their arrival。”
“I understand。 I thought you were for flying off on some excursion。 It is better so: Hannah shall go with you。”
“Tell her to be ready by to…morrow then; and here is the schoolroom key: I will give you the key of my cottage in the morning。”
He took it。 “You give it up very gleefully;” said he; “I don’t quite understand your light…heartedness; because I cannot tell what employment you propose to yourself as a substitute for the one you are relinquishing。 What aim; what purpose; what ambition in life have you now?”
“My first aim will be to clean down (do you prehend the full force of the expression?)—to clean down Moor House from chamber to cellar; my next to rub it up with bees…wax; oil; and an indefinite number of cloths; till it glitters again; my third; to arrange every chair; table; bed; carpet; with mathematical precision; afterwards I shall go near to ruin you in coals and peat to keep up good fires in every room; and lastly; the two days preceding that on which yo