第78章

第78章merrydaysweretheseatthornfieldhall；andbusydaystoo：howdifferentfromthefirstthreemonthsofstillness，monotony，andsolitudeihadpassedbeneathitsroof！allsadfeelingsseemednowdrivenfromthehouse，allgloomyassociationsforgotten：therewaslifeeverywhere，movementalldaylong.youcouldnotnowtraversethegallery，oncesohushed，norenterthefrontchambers，oncesotenantless，withoutencounteringasmartlady’s-maidoradandyvalet.

thekitchen，thebutler’spantry，theservants’hall，theentrancehall，wereequallyalive；andthesaloonswereonlyleftvoidandstillwhentheblueskyandhalcyonsunshineofthegenialspringweathercalledtheiroccupantsoutintothegrounds.evenwhenthatweatherwasbroken，andcontinuousrainsetinforsomedays，nodampseemedcastoverenjoyment：indooramusementsonlybecamemorelivelyandvaried，inconsequenceofthestopputtooutdoorgaiety.

iwonderedwhattheyweregoingtodothefirsteveningachangeofentertainmentwasproposed：theyspokeof“playingcharades，”butinmyignoranceididnotunderstandtheterm.theservantswerecalledin，thedining-roomtableswheeledaway，thelightsotherwisedisposed，thechairsplacedinasemicircleoppositethearch.whilemr.rochesterandtheothergentlemendirectedthesealterations，theladieswererunningupanddownstairsringingfortheirmaids.mrs.fairfaxwassummonedtogiveinformationrespectingtheresourcesofthehouseinshawls，dresses，draperiesofanykind；andcertainwardrobesofthethirdstoreywereransacked，andtheircontents，intheshapeofbrocadedandhoopedpetticoats，satinsacques，blackmodes，lacelappets，&c.，werebroughtdowninarmfulsbytheabigails；thenaselectionwasmade，andsuchthingsaswerechosenwerecarriedtotheboudoirwithinthedrawing-room.

meantime，mr.rochesterhadagainsummonedtheladiesroundhim，andwasselectingcertainoftheirnumbertobeofhisparty.“missingramismine，ofcourse，”saidhe：afterwardshenamedthetwomisseseshton，andmrs.dent.helookedatme：ihappenedtobenearhim，asihadbeenfasteningtheclaspofmrs.dent’sbracelet，whichhadgotloose.

“willyouplay？”heasked.ishookmyhead.hedidnotinsist，whichiratherfearedhewouldhavedone；heallowedmetoreturnquietlytomyusualseat.

heandhisaidsnowwithdrewbehindthecurtain：theotherparty，whichwasheadedbycoloneldent，satdownonthecrescentofchairs.oneofthegentlemen，mr.eshton，observingme，seemedtoproposethatishouldbeaskedtojointhem；butladyingraminstantlynegativedthenotion.

“no，”iheardhersay：“shelookstoostupidforanygameofthesort.”

erelongabelltinkled，andthecurtaindrewup.withinthearch，thebulkyfigureofsirgeorgelynn，whommr.rochesterhadlikewisechosen，wasseenenvelopedinawhitesheet：beforehim，onatable，layopenalargebook；andathissidestoodamyeshton，drapedinmr.rochester’scloak，andholdingabookinherhand.somebody，unseen，rangthebellmerrily；thenadèle(whohadinsistedonbeingoneofherguardian’sparty)，boundedforward，scatteringroundherthecontentsofabasketofflowersshecarriedonherarm.thenappearedthemagnificentfigureofmissingram，cladinwhite，alongveilonherhead，andawreathofrosesroundherbrow；byhersidewalkedmr.rochester，andtogethertheydrewnearthetable.theyknelt；whilemrs.dentandlouisaeshton，dressedalsoinwhite，tookuptheirstationsbehindthem.aceremonyfollowed，indumbshow，inwhichitwaseasytorecognisethepantomimeofamarriage.atitstermination，coloneldentandhispartyconsultedinwhispersfortwominutes，thenthecolonelcalledout—

“bride！”mr.rochesterbowed，andthecurtainfell.

aconsiderableintervalelapsedbeforeitagainrose.itssecondrisingdisplayedamoreelaboratelypreparedscenethanthelast.thedrawing-room，asihavebeforeobserved，wasraisedtwostepsabovethedining-room，andonthetopoftheupperstep，placedayardortwobackwithintheroom，appearedalargemarblebasin—whichirecognisedasanornamentoftheconservatory—whereitusuallystood，surroundedbyexotics，andtenantedbygoldfish—andwhenceitmusthavebeentransportedwithsometrouble，onaccountofitssizeandweight.

seatedonthecarpet，bythesideofthisbasin，wasseenmr.rochester，costumedinshawls，withaturbanonhishead.hisdarkeyesandswarthyskinandpaynimfeaturessuitedthecostumeexactly：helookedtheverymodelofaneasternemir，anagentoravictimofthebowstring.presentlyadvancedintoviewmissingram.she，too，wasattiredinorientalfashion：acrimsonscarftiedsash-likeroundthewaist：anembroideredhandkerchiefknottedabouthertemples；herbeautifully-mouldedarmsbare，oneofthemupraisedintheactofsupportingapitcher，poisedgracefullyonherhead.bothhercastofformandfeature，hercomplexionandhergeneralair，estedtheideaofsomeisraelitishprincessofthepatriarchaldays；andsuchwasdoubtlessthecharactersheintendedtorepresent.

sheapproachedthebasin，andbentoveritasiftofillherpitcher；sheagainliftedittoherhead.thepersonageonthewell-brinknowseemedtoaccosther；tomakesomerequest：—“shehasted，letdownherpitcheronherhand，andgavehimtodrink.”fromthebosomofhisrobehethenproducedacasket，openeditandshowedmagnificentbraceletsandearrings；sheactedastonishmentandadmiration；kneeling，helaidthetreasureatherfeet；incredulityanddelightwereexpressedbyherlooksandgestures；thestrangerfastenedthebraceletsonherarmsandtheringsinherears.itwaseliezeranda：thecamelsonlywerewanting.