Fourthly，andlastly，Thatnopersonneedthinkofapplyingforthissituationunlesshecouldfurnishthemostunexceptionablereferencestocharacterandabilities。ThereferencesweretobesenttoMrFairlie’sfriendinLondon，whowasempoweredtoconcludeallnecessaryarrangements。
　　TheseinstructionswerefollowedbythenameandaddressofPesca’semployerinPortlandPlace——andtherethenote，ormemorandum，ended。
　　Theprospectwhichthisofferofanengagementheldoutwascertainlyanattractiveone。Theemploymentwaslikelytobebotheasyandagreeable；
　　itwasproposedtomeattheautumntimeoftheyearwhenIwasleastoccupied；
　　andtheterms，judgingbymypersonalexperienceinmyprofession，weresurprisinglyliberal。Iknewthis；IknewthatIoughttoconsidermyselfveryfortunateifIsucceededinsecuringtheofferedemployment——andyet，nosoonerhadIreadthememorandumthanIfeltaninexplicableunwillingnesswithinmetostirinthematter。IhadneverinthewholeofmypreviousexperiencefoundmydutyandmyinclinationsopainfullyandsounaccountablyatvarianceasIfoundthemnow。
　　`Oh，Walter，yourfatherneverhadsuchachanceasthis！’saidmymother，whenshehadreadthenoteoftermsandhadhandeditbacktome。
　　`Suchdistinguishedpeopletoknow，’remarkedSarah，straighteningherselfinthechair；`andonsuchgratifyingtermsofequalitytoo！’
　　`Yes，yes；theterms，ineverysense，aretemptingenough，’Irepliedimpatiently。`ButbeforeIsendinmytestimonials，Ishouldlikealittletimetoconsider——’
　　`Consider！’exclaimedmymother。`Why，Walter，whatisthematterwithyou？’
　　`Consider！’echoedmysister。`Whataveryextraordinarythingtosay，underthecircumstances！’
　　`Consider！’chimedintheProfessor。`Whatistheretoconsiderabout？
　　Answermethis！Haveyounotbeencomplainingofyourhealth，andhaveyounotbeenlongingforwhatyoucallasmackofthecountrybreeze？Well！
　　thereinyourhandisthepaperthatoffersyouperpetualchokingmouthfulsofcountrybreezeforfourmonths’time。Isitnotso？Ha！Again——youwantmoney。Well！Isfourgoldenguineasaweeknothing？My-soul-bless-my-soul！
　　onlygiveittome——andmybootsshallcreaklikethegoldenPapa’s，withasenseoftheoverpoweringrichnessofthemanwhowalksinthem！
　　Fourguineasaweek，and，morethanthat，thecharmingsocietyoftwoyoungmisses！and，morethanthat，yourbed，yourbreakfast，yourdinner，yourgorgingEnglishteasandlunchesanddrinksoffoamingbeer，allfornothing——why，Walter，mydeargoodfriend——deuce-what-the-deuce！——forthefirsttimeinmylifeIhavenoteyesenoughinmyheadtolook，andwonderatyou！’
　　Neithermymother’sevidentastonishmentatmybehaviour，norPesca’sfervidenumerationoftheadvantagesofferedtomebythenewemployment，hadanyeffectinshakingmyunreasonabledisinclinationtogotoLimmeridgeHouse。AfterstartingallthepettyobjectionsthatIcouldthinkoftogoingtoCumberland，andafterhearingthemanswered，oneafteranother，tomyowncompletediscomfiture，ItriedtosetupalastobstaclebyaskingwhatwastobecomeofmypupilsinLondonwhileIwasteachingMrFairlie’syoungladiestosketchfromnature。Theobviousanswertothiswas，thatthegreaterpartofthemwouldbeawayontheirautumntravels，andthatthefewwhoremainedathomemightbeconfidedtothecareofoneofmybrotherdrawing-masters，whosepupilsIhadoncetakenoffhishandsundersimilarcircumstances。Mysisterremindedmethatthisgentlemanhadexpresslyplacedhisservicesatmydisposal，duringthepresentseason，incaseIwishedtoleavetom；mymotherseriouslyappealedtomenottoletanidlecapricestandinthewayofmyowninterestsandmyownhealth；andPescapiteouslyentreatedthatIwouldnotwoundhimtotheheartbyrejectingthefirstgratefulofferofservicethathehadbeenabletomaketothefriendwhohadsavedhislife。
　　Theevidentsincerityandaffectionwhichinspiredtheseremonstranceswouldhaveinfluencedanymanwithanatomofgoodfeelinginhiscomposition。
　　ThoughIcouldnotconquermyownunaccountableperversity，Ihadatleastvirtueenoughtobeheartilyashamedofit，andtoendthediscussionpleasantlybygivingway，andpromisingtodoallthatwaswantedofme。
　　TherestoftheeveningpassedmerrilyenoughinhumorousanticipationsofmycominglifewiththetwoyoungladiesinCumberland。Pesca，inspiredbyournationalgrog，whichappearedtogetintohishead，inthemostmarvellousmanner，fiveminutesafterithadgonedownhisthroat，assertedhisclaimstobeconsideredacompleteEnglishmanbymakingaseriesofspeechesinrapidsuccession，proposingmymother’shealth，mysister’shealth，myhealth，andthehealths，inmass，ofMrFairlieandthetwoyoungMisses，patheticallyreturningthankshimself，immediatelyafterwards，forthewholeparty。`Asecret，Walter，’saidmylittlefriendconfidentially，aswewalkedhometogether。`Iamflushedbytherecollectionofmyowneloquence。Mysoulburstsitselfwithambition。OneofthesedaysIgointoyournobleParliament。ItisthedreamofmywholelifetobeHonourablePesca，M。P。！’
　　ThenextmorningIsentmytestimonialstotheprofessor’semployerinPortlandPlace。Threedayspassed，andIconcluded，withsecretsatisfaction，thatmypapershadnotbeenfoundsufficientlyexplicit。Onthefourthday，however，ananswercame。ItannouncedthatMrFairlieacceptedmyservices，andrequestedmetostartforCumberlandimmediately。Allthenecessaryinstructionsformyjourneywerecarefullyandclearlyaddedinapostscript。
　　Imademyarrangements，unwillinglyenough，forleavingLondonearlythenextday。TowardseveningPescalookedin，onhiswaytoadinner-party，tobidmegood-bye。
　　`Ishalldrymytearsinyourabsence，’saidtheProfessorgaily，`withthisgloriousthought。Itismyauspicioushandthathasgiventhefirstpushtoyourfortuneintheworld。Go，myfriend！WhenyoursunshinesinCumberlandEnglishproverb，inthenameofheavenmakeyourhay。MarryoneofthetwoyoungMisses；becomeHonourableHartright，M。P。；andwhenyouareonthetopoftheladderrememberthatPesca，atthebottom，hasdoneitall！’
　　Itriedtolaughwithmylittlefriendoverhispartingjest，butmyspiritswerenottobecommanded。Somethingjarredinmealmostpainfullywhilehewasspeakinghislightfarewellwords。
　　WhenIwasleftaloneagainnothingremainedtobedonebuttowalktotheHampsteadcottageandbidmymotherandSarahgood-bye。IIITheheathadbeenpainfullyoppressiveallday，anditwasnowacloseandsultrynight。
　　Mymotherandsisterhadspokensomanylastwords，andhadbeggedmetowaitanotherfiveminutessomanytimes，thatitwasnearlymidnightwhentheservantlockedthegarden-gatebehindme。IwalkedforwardafewpacesontheshortestwaybacktoLondon，thenstoppedandhesitated。
　　Themoonwasfullandbroadinthedarkbluestarlesssky，andthebrokengroundoftheheathlookedwildenoughinthemysteriouslighttobehundredsofmilesawayfromthegreatcitythatlaybeneathit。TheideaofdescendinganysoonerthanIcouldhelpintotheheatandgloomofLondonrepelledme。Theprospectofgoingtobedinmyairlesschambers，andtheprospectofgradualsuffocation，seemed，inmypresentrestlessframeofmindandbody，tobeoneandthesamething。IdeterminedtostrollhomeinthepurerairbythemostroundaboutwayIcouldtake；tofollowthewhitewindingpathsacrossthelonelyheath；andtoapproachLondonthroughitsmostopensuburbbystrikingintotheFinchleyRoad，andsogettingback，inthecoolofthenewmorning，bythewesternsideoftheRegent’sPark。
　　Iwoundmywaydownslowlyovertheheath，enjoyingthedivinestillnessofthescene，andadmiringthesoftalternationsoflightandshadeastheyfollowedeachotheroverthebrokengroundoneverysideofme。SolongasIwasproceedingthroughthisfistandprettiestpartofmynightwalkmymindremainedpassivelyopentotheimpressionsproducedbytheview；andIthoughtbutlittleonanysubject——indeed，sofarasmyownsensationswereconcerned，IcanhardlysaythatIthoughtatall。
　　ButwhenIhadlefttheheathandhadturnedintotheby-road，wheretherewaslesstosee，theideasnaturallyengenderedbytheapproachingchangeinmyhabitsandoccupationsgraduallydrewmoreandmoreofmyattentionexclusivelytothemselves。BythetimeIhadarrivedattheendoftheroadIhadbecomecompletelyabsorbedinmyownfancifulvisionsofLimmeridgeHouse，ofMrFairlie，andofthetwoladieswhosepracticeintheartofwater-colourpaintingIwassosoontosuperintend。
　　Ihadnowarrivedatthatparticularpointofmywalkwherefourroadsmet——theroadtoHampstead，alongwhichIhadreturned，theroadtoFinchley，theroadtoWestEnd，andtheroadbacktoLondon。Ihadmechanicallyturnedinthislatterdirection，andwasstrollingalongthelonelyhigh-road——idlywondering，Iremember，whattheCumberlandyoungladieswouldlooklike——when，inonemoment，everydropofbloodinmybodywasbroughttoastopbythetouchofahandlaidlightlyandsuddenlyonmyshoulderfrombehindme。
　　Iturnedontheinstant，withmyfingerstighteningroundthehandleofmystick。
　　There，inthemiddleofthebroad，brighthigh-road——there，asIfithadthatmomentsprungoutoftheearthordroppedfromtheheaven——
　　stoodthefigureofasolitaryWoman，dressedfromheadtofootinwhitegarments，herfacebentingraveinquiryonmine，herhandpointingtothedarkcloudoverLondon，asIfacedher。
　　Iwasfartooseriouslystartledbythesuddennesswithwhichthisextraordinaryapparitionstoodbeforeme，inthedeadofnightandinthatlonelyplace，toaskwhatshewanted。Thestrangewomanspokefirst。
　　`IsthattheroadtoLondon？’shesaid。
　　Ilookedattentivelyather，assheputthatsingularquestiontome。
　　Itwasthennearlyoneo’clock。AllIcoulddiscerndistinctlybythemoonlightwasacolourless，youthfulface，meagreandsharptolookataboutthecheeksandchin；large，grave，wistfullyattentiveeyes；nervous，uncertainlips；andlighthairofapale，brownish-yellowhue。Therewasnothingwild，nothingimmodestinhermanner：itwasquietandself-controlled，alittlemelancholyandalittletouchedbysuspicion；notexactlythemannerofalady，and，atthesametime，notthemannerofawomaninthehumblestrankoflife。Thevoice，littleasIhadyetheardofit，hadsomethingcuriouslystillandmechanicalinitstones，andtheutterancewasremarkablyrapid。Sheheldasmallbaginherhand：andherdress