第82章

第82章twoorthreeofthegentlemensatnearhim，andicaughtattimesscrapsoftheirconversationacrosstheroom.atfirsticouldnotmakemuchsenseofwhatiheard；forthediscourseoflouisaeshtonandmaryingram，whosatnearertome，confusedthefragmentarysentencesthatreachedmeatintervals.theselastwerediscussingthestranger；theybothcalledhim“abeautifulman.”louisasaidhewas“aloveofacreature，”andshe“adoredhim；”andmaryinstancedhis“prettylittlemouth，andnicenose，”asheridealofthecharming.

“andwhatasweet-temperedforeheadhehas！”criedlouisa，—“sosmooth—noneofthosefrowningirregularitiesidislikesomuch；andsuchaplacideyeandsmile！”

andthen，tomygreatrelief，mr.henrylynnsummonedthemtotheothersideoftheroom，tosettlesomepointaboutthedeferredexcursiontohaycommon.

iwasnowabletoconcentratemyattentiononthegroupbythefire，andipresentlygatheredthatthenew-comerwascalledmr.mason；thenilearnedthathewasbutjustarrivedinengland，andthathecamefromsomehotcountry：whichwasthereason，doubtless，hisfacewassosallow，andthathesatsonearthehearth，andworeasurtoutinthehouse.presentlythewordsjamaica，kingston，spanishtown，indicatedthewestindiesashisresidence；anditwaswithnolittlesurpriseigathered，erelong，thathehadtherefirstseenandbecomeacquaintedwithmr.rochester.hespokeofhisfriend’sdislikeoftheburningheats，thehurricanes，andrainyseasonsofthatregion.iknewmr.rochesterhadbeenatraveller：mrs.fairfaxhadsaidso；butithoughtthecontinentofeuropehadboundedhiswanderings；tillnowihadneverheardahintgivenofvisitstomoredistantshores.

iwasponderingthesethings，whenanincident，andasomewhatunexpectedone，brokethethreadofmymusings.mr.mason，shiveringassomeonechancedtoopenthedoor，askedformorecoaltobeputonthefire，whichhadburntoutitsflame，thoughitsmassofcinderstillshonehotandred.thefootmanwhobroughtthecoal，ingoingout，stoppednearmr.eshton’schair，andsaidsomethingtohiminalowvoice，ofwhichiheardonlythewords，“oldwoman，”—“quitetroublesome.”

“tellhersheshallbeputinthestocksifshedoesnottakeherselfoff，”repliedthemagistrate.

“no—stop！”interruptedcoloneldent.“don’tsendheraway，eshton；wemightturnthethingtoaccount；betterconsulttheladies.”andspeakingaloud，hecontinued—“ladies，youtalkedofgoingtohaycommontovisitthegipsycamp；samheresaysthatoneoftheoldmotherbunchesisintheservants’hallatthismoment，andinsistsuponbeingbroughtinbefore‘thequality，’totellthemtheirfortunes.wouldyouliketoseeher？”

“surely，colonel，”criedladyingram，“youwouldnotencouragesuchalowimpostor？dismissher，byallmeans，atonce！”

“buticannotpersuadehertogoaway，mylady，”saidthefootman；“norcananyoftheservants：mrs.fairfaxiswithherjustnow，entreatinghertobegone；butshehastakenachairinthechimney-comer，andsaysnothingshallstirherfromittillshegetsleavetocomeinhere.”

“whatdoesshewant？”askedmrs.eshton.

“‘totellthegentrytheirfortunes，’shesays，ma’am；andsheswearsshemustandwilldoit.”

“whatisshelike？”inquiredthemisseseshton，inabreath.

“ashockinglyuglyoldcreature，miss；almostasblackasacrock.”

“why，she’sarealsorceress！”criedfrédéricklynn.“letushaveherin，ofcourse.”

“tobesure，”rejoinedhisbrother；“itwouldbeathousandpitiestothrowawaysuchachanceoffun.”

“mydearboys，whatareyouthinkingabout？”exclaimedmrs.lynn.

“icannotpossiblycountenanceanysuchinconsistentproceeding，”chimedinthedowageringram.

“indeed，mama，butyoucan—andwill，”pronouncedthehaughtyvoiceofblanche，assheturnedroundonthepiano-stool；wheretillnowshehadsatsilent，apparentlyexaminingsundrysheetsofmusic.“ihaveacuriositytohearmyfortunetold：therefore，sam，orderthebeldameforward.”

“mydarlingblanche！recollect—”

“ido—irecollectallyoucanest；andimusthavemywill—quick，sam！”

“yes—yes—yes！”criedallthejuveniles，bothladiesandgentlemen.“lethercome—itwillbeexcellentsport！”

thefootmanstilllingered.“shelookssucharoughone，”saidhe.

“go！”ejaculatedmissingram，andthemanwent.

excitementinstantlyseizedthewholeparty：arunningfireofrailleryandjestswasproceedingwhensamreturned.

“shewon’tcomenow，”saidhe.“shesaysit’snothermissiontoappearbeforethe‘vulgarherd’(them’sherwords).imustshowherintoaroombyherself，andthenthosewhowishtoconsulthermustgotoheronebyone.”

“youseenow，myqueenlyblanche，”beganladyingram，“sheencroaches.beadvised，myangelgirl—and—”

“showherintothelibrary，ofcourse，”cutinthe“angelgirl.”“itisnotmymissiontolistentoherbeforethevulgarherdeither：imeantohaveheralltomyself.isthereafireinthelibrary？”

“yes，ma’am—butshelookssuchatinkler.”

“ceasethatchatter，blockhead！anddomybidding.”

againsamvanished；andmystery，animation，expectationrosetofullflowoncemore.

“she’sreadynow，”saidthefootman，ashereappeared.“shewishestoknowwhowillbeherfirstvisitor.”