19 - Chapter 19. Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë.

19 - Chapter 19. Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë.  
Agnes Grey is the daughter of a minister, whose family comes to financial ruin. Desperate to earn money to care for herself, she takes one of the few jobs allowed to respectable women in the early Victorian era, as a governess to the children of the wealthy. In working with two different families, the Bloomfields and the Murrays, she comes to learn about the troubles that face a young woman who must try to rein in unruly, spoiled children for a living, and about the ability of wealth and status to destroy social values. After her father's death, Agnes opens a small school with her mother and finds happiness with a man who loves her for herself.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter nineteen of Agnes Gray by Anne Bronte. This liberovox
recording is in the public domain. Chapter nineteen the letter.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
My father's mortal remains had been consigned to the tomb,
and we, with sad faces in somber garments, sat lingering
over the frugal breakfast table, revolving plans for our future life.
My mother's strong mind had not given way beneath even
this affliction. Her spirit, though crushed, was not broken. Mary's
wish was that I should go back to Horton Lodge,

(00:33):
and that our mother should come and live with her
and mister Richardson at the vicarage. She affirmed that he
wished it no less than herself, and that such an
arrangement could not fail to benefit all parties. For my
mother's society and experience would be of inestimable value to them,
and they would do all they could to make her happy.
But no arguments or entreaties could prevail. My mother was

(00:54):
determined not to go. Not that she questioned for a
moment the kind wishes and intentions of her daughter, but
she affirmed that so long as God spared her health
and strength, she would make use of them to earn
her own livelihood and be chargeable to no one, whether
her dependence would be felt as a burden or not.
If she could afford to reside as a lodger in vicarage,

(01:16):
she would choose that house before all others as the
place of her abode. But not being so circumstanced, she
would never come under its roof, except as an occasional visitor,
unless sickness or calamity should render her assistance really needful,
or until age or infirmity made her incapable of maintaining herself.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
No.

Speaker 3 (01:35):
Mary said she, If Richardson and you have anything to spare,
you must lay it aside for your family, and Agnes
and I must gather honey for ourselves. Thanks to my
having had daughters to educate, I have not forgotten my accomplishments.
God willing, I will check this vain repining.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
She said, while the tears coursed one another down her
cheek in spite of her efforts, but she wiped them
away and, resolutely, shaking back her head, continued.

Speaker 3 (02:06):
I will exert myself and look out for a small
house commodiously situated in some populous but healthy district, where
we will take a few young ladies to board and
educate if we can get them, and as many day
pupils as will come, or as we can manage to
instruct your father's relations. And old friends will be able

(02:27):
to send us some pupils or to assist us with
their recommendations. No doubt I shall not apply to my own.
What say you to at Agnes, Will you be willing
to leave your present situation and try.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
Quite willing, Mamma, and the money I have saved will
do to furnish the house. It shall be taken from
the bank directly.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
When it is wanted. We must get the house and
settle on preliminaries.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
First Mary offered to lend the little she possessed, but
my mother declined it, saying that we must begin on
an economical plan. And she hoped that the hall or
part of mine, added to what we could get by
the sale of the furniture, and what little our dear
Papa had contrived to lay aside for her, since the
debts were paid, would be sufficient to last us till Christmas,
when it was hoped something would accrue from our united labors.

(03:15):
It was finally settled that this should be our plan,
and that inquiries and preparation should immediately be set on foot,
and while my mother busied herself with these, I should
return to Horton Lodge at the close of my four
weeks vacation and give notice for my final departure. When
things were in train for the speedy commencement of our school,
we were discussing these affairs on the morning I have
mentioned about a fortnight after my father's death, when a

(03:38):
letter was brought in for my mother and beholding which
the color mounted to her face lately pale enough with
anxious watchings and excessive sorrow from my father, murmured she
as she hastily tore off the cover. It was many
years since she had heard from any of her own
relations before, naturally wondering what the letter might contain. I
watched her countenance while she read it, and was somewhat

(04:00):
surprised to see her bite her lip and knit her
brows as if in anger. When she had done, she
somewhat irrevently cast it on the table, saying, with a
scornful smile.

Speaker 3 (04:10):
Your grandpapa has been so kind as to write to me.
He says, he has no doubt I have long repented
of my unfortunate marriage, and if I will only acknowledge
this and confess I was wrong in neglecting his advice,
and that I have justly suffered for it, he will
make a lady of me once again, if that be possible,

(04:32):
after my long degradation, and remember my girls in his will,
get my desk, agnes, and send these things away. I
will answer the letter directly, but first, as I may
be depriving you both of a legacy, it is just
that I should tell you what I mean to say.

(04:52):
I shall say that he is mistaken in supposing that
I can regret the birth of my daughters, who have
been the pride of myne life and are likely to
be the comfort of my old age, or the thirty
years I have passed in the company of my best
and dearest friend. That had our misfortunes been three times

(05:13):
as great as they were, unless they had been of
my bringing on, I should still the more rejoice to
have shared them with your father and administered what consolation
I was able, And had his sufferings in illness been
ten times what they were, I could not regret having
watched over and labored to relieve them. That if he

(05:37):
had married a richer wife, misfortunes and trials would no
doubt have come upon him. Still, while I am egoist
enough to imagine that no other woman could have cheered
him through them so well, not that I am superior
to the rest. But I was made for him, and
he for me, And I can no more repent the hours, days,

(05:59):
years of happiness we have spent together, and which neither
could have had without the other, than I can the
privilege of having been his nurse in sickness and his
comfort in affliction. Will this do children, or shall I say?
We are all very sorry for what has happened during
the last thirty years, and my daughters wish they had

(06:21):
never been born. But since they have had that misfortune,
they will be thankful for any trifle their Grandpapa will
be kind enough to bestow.

Speaker 2 (06:30):
Of course, we both applauded our mother's resolution. Mary cleared
away the breakfast things I brought the desk. The letter
was quickly written and dispatched, and from that day we
heard no more of our grandfather till we saw his
death announced in the newspaper. A considerable time after all
his worldly possessions. Of course, being left to our wealthy
unknown cousins

Speaker 1 (06:52):
End of Chapter nineteen