then, when I got a little angry, and made her sit still, she
continued to talk incessantly of her "ami, Monsieur Edouard
Fairfaxde Rochester," as she dubbed him (I had not before
heard his prenomens), and to conjecture what presents he
had brought her: for it appears he had intimated the night
before, that when his luggage came from Millcote, there would
be found amongst it a little box in whose contents she had an
interest.

"Et cela doit signifier," said she, "qu'il y aura là dedans.
un cadeau pour moi, et peutêtre pour vous aussi, mademoiselle.
Monsieur a parlé de vous: il m'a demandé le nom de ma
gouvernante, et si elle n'était pas une petite personne, assez
mince et un peu pâle. J'ai dit qu'oui: car c'est vrai, n'est-ce
pas, mademoiselle?"

I and my pupil dined as usual in Mrs. Fairfax's parlour;
the afternoon was wild and snowy, and we passed it in the
school-room. At dark I allowed Adèle to put away books and
work, and to run downstairs; for, from the comparative
silence below, and from the cessation of appeals to the door-
bell, I conjectured that Mr. Rochester was now at liberty.
Left alone, I walked to the window; but nothing was to be
seen thence: twilight and snow-flakes together thickened the
air, and hid the very shrubs on the lawn. I let down the cur-
tain and went back to the fireside.

In the clear embers I was tracing a view, not unlike a
picture I remembered to have seen of the castle of Heidelberg,
on the Rhine, when Mrs. Fairfax came in, breaking up by her
entrance the fiery mosaic I had been piecing together, and
scattering too some heavy unwelcome thoughts that were
beginning to throng on my solitude.

"Mr. Rochester would be glad if you and your pupil would
take tea with him in the drawing-room this evening," said
she: "he has been so much engaged all day that he could
not ask to see you before."

"When is his tea-time?" I inquired.

"Oh, at six o'clock: he keeps early hours in the country.
You had better change your frock now; I will go with you
and fasten it. Here is a candle."

"Is it necessary to change my frock?"

"Yes, you had better: I always dress for the evening when
Mr. Rochester is here."

This additional ceremony seemed somewhat stately:
however, I repaired to my room, and, with Mrs. Fairfax's. aid,

-114-