第71章

第71章thestrangestthingofallwas，thatnotasoulinthehouse，exceptme，noticedherhabits，orseemedtomarvelatthem：noonediscussedherpositionoremployment；noonepitiedhersolitudeorisolation.ionce，indeed，overheardpartofadialoguebetweenleahandoneofthecharwomen，ofwhichgraceformedthesubject.leahhadbeensayingsomethingihadnotcaught，andthecharwomanremarked—

“shegetsgoodwages，iguess？”

“yes，”saidleah；“iwishihadasgood；notthatminearetocomplainof，—there’snostinginessatthornfield；butthey’renotonefifthofthesummrs.poolereceives.andsheislayingby：shegoeseveryquartertothebankatmillcote.ishouldnotwonderbutshehassavedenoughtokeepherindependentifshelikedtoleave；butisupposeshe’sgotusedtotheplace；andthenshe’snotfortyyet，andstrongandableforanything.itistoosoonforhertogiveupbusiness.”

“sheisagoodhand，idaresay，”saidthecharwoman.

“ah！—sheunderstandswhatshehastodo，—nobodybetter，”rejoinedleahsignificantly；“anditisnoteveryonecouldfillhershoes—notforallthemoneyshegets.”

“thatitisnot！”wasthereply.“iwonderwhetherthemaster—”

thecharwomanwasgoingon；buthereleahturnedandperceivedme，andsheinstantlygavehercompanionanudge.

“doesn’tsheknow？”iheardthewomanwhisper.

leahshookherhead，andtheconversationwasofcoursedropped.allihadgatheredfromitamountedtothis，—thattherewasamysteryatthornfield；andthatfromparticipationinthatmysteryiwaspurposelyexcluded.

thursdaycame：allworkhadbeencompletedthepreviousevening；carpetswerelaiddown，bed-hangingsfestooned，radiantwhitecounterpanesspread，toilettablesarranged，furniturerubbed，flowerspiledinvases：bothchambersandsaloonslookedasfreshandbrightashandscouldmakethem.thehall，too，wasscoured；andthegreatcarvedclock，aswellasthestepsandbanistersofthestaircase，werepolishedtothebrightnessofglass；inthedining-room，thesideboardflashedresplendentwithplate；inthedrawing-roomandboudoir，vasesofexoticsbloomedonallsides.

afternoonarrived：mrs.fairfaxassumedherbestblacksatingown，hergloves，andhergoldwatch；foritwasherparttoreceivethecompany，—toconducttheladiestotheirrooms，&c.adèle，too，wouldbedressed：thoughithoughtshehadlittlechanceofbeingintroducedtothepartythatdayatleast.however，topleaseher，iallowedsophietoapparelherinoneofhershort，fullmuslinfrocks.formyself，ihadnoneedtomakeanychange；ishouldnotbecalledupontoquitmysanctumoftheschoolroom；forasanctumitwasnowbecometome，—“averypleasantrefugeintimeoftrouble.”

ithadbeenamild，serenespringday—oneofthosedayswhich，towardstheendofmarchorthebeginningofapril，riseshiningovertheearthasheraldsofsummer.itwasdrawingtoanendnow；buttheeveningwasevenwarm，andisatatworkintheschoolroomwiththewindowopen.

“itgetslate，”saidmrs.fairfax，enteringinrustlingstate.“iamgladiordereddinneranhourafterthetimemr.rochestermentioned；foritispastsixnow.ihavesentjohndowntothegatestoseeifthereisanythingontheroad：onecanseealongwayfromthenceinthedirectionofmillcote.”shewenttothewindow.“hereheis！”saidshe.“well，john”(leaningout)，“anynews？”

“they’recoming，ma’am，”wastheanswer.“they’llbehereintenminutes.”

adèleflewtothewindow.ifollowed，takingcaretostandononeside，sothat，screenedbythecurtain，icouldseewithoutbeingseen.

thetenminutesjohnhadgivenseemedverylong，butatlastwheelswereheard；fourequestriansgallopedupthedrive，andafterthemcametwoopencarriages.flutteringveilsandwavingplumesfilledthevehicles；twoofthecavalierswereyoung，dashing-lookinggentlemen；thethirdwasmr.rochester，onhisblackhorse，mesrour，pilotboundingbeforehim；athissiderodealady，andheandshewerethefirstoftheparty.herpurpleriding-habitalmostswepttheground，herveilstreamedlongonthebreeze；minglingwithitstransparentfolds，andgleamingthroughthem，shonerichravenringlets.

“missingram！”exclaimedmrs.fairfax，andawayshehurriedtoherpostbelow.

thecavalcade，followingthesweepofthedrive，quicklyturnedtheangleofthehouse，andilostsightofit.adèlenowpetitionedtogodown；butitookheronmyknee，andgavehertounderstandthatshemustnotonanyaccountthinkofventuringinsightoftheladies，eithernoworatanyothertime，unlessexpresslysentfor：thatmr.rochesterwouldbeveryangry，&c.“somenaturaltearssheshed”onbeingtoldthis；butasibegantolookverygrave，sheconsentedatlasttowipethem.

ajoyousstirwasnowaudibleinthehall：gentlemen’sdeeptonesandladies’silveryaccentsblentharmoniouslytogether，anddistinguishableaboveall，thoughnotloud，wasthesonorousvoiceofthemasterofthornfieldhall，welcominghisfairandgallantguestsunderitsroof.thenlightstepsascendedthestairs；andtherewasatrippingthroughthegallery，andsoftcheerfullaughs，andopeningandclosingdoors，and，foratime，ahush.

“elleschangentdetoilettes，”saidadèle；who，listeningattentively，hadfollowedeverymovement；andshesighed.

“chezmaman，”saidshe，“quandilyavaitdumonde，jelesuivaispartout，ausalonetàleurschambres；souventjeregardaislesfemmesdechambrecoifferethabillerlesdames，etc’étaitsiamusant：commecelaonapprend.”

“don’tyoufeelhungry，adèle？”

“maisoui，mademoiselle：voilàcinqousixheuresquenousn’avonspasmangé.”

“wellnow，whiletheladiesareintheirrooms，iwillventuredownandgetyousomethingtoeat.”