第72章

第72章andissuingfrommyasylumwithprecaution，isoughtaback-stairswhichconducteddirectlytothekitchen.allinthatregionwasfireandcommotion；thesoupandfishwereinthelaststageofprojection，andthecookhungoverhercruciblesinaframeofmindandbodythreateningspontaneouscombustion.intheservants’halltwocoachmenandthreegentlemen’sgentlemenstoodorsatroundthefire；theabigails，isuppose，wereupstairswiththeirmistresses；thenewservants，thathadbeenhiredfrommillcote，werebustlingabouteverywhere.threadingthischaos，iatlastreachedthelarder；thereitookpossessionofacoldchicken，arollofbread，sometarts，aplateortwoandaknifeandfork：withthisbootyimadeahastyretreat.ihadregainedthegallery，andwasjustshuttingtheback-doorbehindme，whenanacceleratedhumwarnedmethattheladieswereabouttoissuefromtheirchambers.icouldnotproceedtotheschoolroomwithoutpassingsomeoftheirdoors，andrunningtheriskofbeingsurprisedwithmycargoofvictualage；soistoodstillatthisend，which，beingwindowless，wasdark：quitedarknow，forthesunwassetandtwilightgathering.

presentlythechambersgaveuptheirfairtenantsoneafteranother：eachcameoutgailyandairily，withdressthatgleamedlustrousthroughthedusk.foramomenttheystoodgroupedtogetherattheotherextremityofthegallery，conversinginakeyofsweetsubduedvivacity：theythendescendedthestaircasealmostasnoiselesslyasabrightmistrollsdownahill.theircollectiveappearancehadleftonmeanimpressionofhigh-bornelegance，suchasihadneverbeforereceived.ifoundadèlepeepingthroughtheschoolroomdoor，whichsheheldajar.“whatbeautifulladies！”criedsheinenglish.“oh，iwishimightgotothem！doyouthinkmr.rochesterwillsendforusby-and-bye，afterdinner？”

“no，indeed，idon’t；mr.rochesterhassomethingelsetothinkabout.nevermindtheladiesto-night；perhapsyouwillseethemto-morrow：hereisyourdinner.”

shewasreallyhungry，sothechickenandtartsservedtodivertherattentionforatime.itwaswellisecuredthisforage，orbothshe，i，andsophie，towhomiconveyedashareofourrepast，wouldhaverunachanceofgettingnodinneratall：everyonedownstairswastoomuchengagedtothinkofus.thedessertwasnotcarriedouttillafternineandattenfootmenwerestillrunningtoandfrowithtraysandcoffee-cups.iallowedadèletositupmuchlaterthanusual；forshedeclaredshecouldnotpossiblygotosleepwhilethedoorskeptopeningandshuttingbelow，andpeoplebustlingabout.besides，sheadded，amessagemightpossiblycomefrommr.rochesterwhenshewasundressed；“etalorsqueldommage！”

itoldherstoriesaslongasshewouldlistentothem；andthenforachangeitookheroutintothegallery.thehalllampwasnowlit，anditamusedhertolookoverthebalustradeandwatchtheservantspassingbackwardsandforwards.whentheeveningwasfaradvanced，asoundofmusicissuedfromthedrawing-room，whitherthepianohadbeenremoved；adèleandisatdownonthetopstepofthestairstolisten.presentlyavoiceblentwiththerichtonesoftheinstrument；itwasaladywhosang，andverysweethernoteswere.thesoloover，aduetfollowed，andthenaglee：ajoyousconversationalmurmurfilleduptheintervals.ilistenedlong：suddenlyidiscoveredthatmyearwaswhollyintentonanalysingthemingledsounds，andtryingtodiscriminateamidsttheconfusionofaccentsthoseofmr.rochester；andwhenitcaughtthem，whichitsoondid，itfoundafurthertaskinframingthetones，renderedbydistanceinarticulate，intowords.

theclockstruckeleven.ilookedatadèle，whoseheadleantagainstmyshoulder；hereyeswerewaxingheavy，soitookherupinmyarmsandcarriedherofftobed.itwasnearonebeforethegentlemenandladiessoughttheirchambers.

thenextdaywasasfineasitspredecessor：itwasdevotedbythepartytoanexcursiontosomesiteintheneighbourhood.theysetoutearlyintheforenoon，someonhorseback，therestincarriages；iwitnessedboththedepartureandthereturn.missingram，asbefore，wastheonlyladyequestrian；and，asbefore，mr.rochestergallopedatherside；thetworodealittleapartfromtherest.ipointedoutthiscircumstancetomrs.fairfax，whowasstandingatthewindowwithme—

“yousaiditwasnotlikelytheyshouldthinkofbeingmarried，”saidi，“butyouseemr.rochesterevidentlyprefershertoanyoftheotherladies.”

“yes，idaresay：nodoubtheadmiresher.”

“andshehim，”iadded；“lookhowsheleansherheadtowardshimasifshewereconversingconfidentially；iwishicouldseeherface；ihaveneverhadaglimpseofityet.”

“youwillseeherthisevening，”answeredmrs.fairfax.“ihappenedtoremarktomr.rochesterhowmuchadèlewishedtobeintroducedtotheladies，andhesaid：‘oh！lethercomeintothedrawing-roomafterdinner；andrequestmisseyretoaccompanyher.’”

“yes；hesaidthatfrommerepoliteness：ineednotgo，iamsure，”ianswered.

“well，iobservedtohimthatasyouwereunusedtocompany，ididnotthinkyouwouldlikeappearingbeforesogayaparty—allstrangers；andhereplied，inhisquickway—‘nonsense！ifsheobjects，tellheritismyparticularwish；andifsheresists，sayishallcomeandfetchherincaseofcontumacy.’”

“iwillnotgivehimthattrouble，”ianswered.“iwillgo，ifnobettermaybe；butidon’tlikeit.shallyoubethere，mrs.fairfax？”