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donc？ lui dit un de ces rats； parlez！〃 She made me lift my hand… so…
to remind me to raise my voice at the question。 Now shall I dance
for you？'
'No； that will do： but after your mama went to the Holy Virgin；
as you say； with whom did you live then？'
'With Madame Frederic and her husband： she took care of me； but she
is nothing related to me。 I think she is poor； for she had not so fine
a house as mama。 I was not long there。 Mr。 Rochester asked me if I
would like to go and live with him in England； and I said yes； for I
knew Mr。 Rochester before I knew Madame Frederic； and he was always
kind to me and gave me pretty dresses and toys： but you see he has not
kept his word； for he has brought me to England； and now he is gone
back again himself； and I never see him。'
After breakfast； Adele and I withdrew to the library； which room；
it appears； Mr。 Rochester had directed should be used as the
schoolroom。 Most of the books were locked up behind glass doors； but
there was one bookcase left open containing everything that could be
needed in the way of elementary works； and several volumes of light
literature； poetry； biography； travels； a few romances； etc。 I suppose
he had considered that these were all the governess would require
for her private perusal； and； indeed； they contented me amply for
the present； compared with the scanty pickings I had now and then been
able to glean at Lowood； they seemed to offer an abundant harvest of
entertainment and information。 In this room； too； there was a
cabinet piano； quite new and of superior tone； also an easel for
painting and a pair of globes。
I found my pupil sufficiently docile； though disinclined to
apply： she had not been used to regular occupation of any kind。 I felt
it would be injudicious to confine her too much at first； so； when I
had talked to her a great deal； and got her to learn a little； and
when the morning had advanced to noon； I allowed her to return to
her nurse。 I then proposed to occupy myself till dinner…time in
drawing some little sketches for her use。
As I was going upstairs to fetch my portfolio and pencils； Mrs。
Fairfax called to me： 'Your morning school…hours are over now； I
suppose；' said she。 She was in a room the folding doors of which stood
open： I went in when she addressed me。 It was a large； stately
apartment； with purple chairs and curtains； a Turkey carpet；
walnut…panelled walls； one vast window rich in stained glass； and a
lofty ceiling； nobly moulded。 Mrs。 Fairfax was dusting some vases of
fine purple spar； which stood on a sideboard。
'What a beautiful room！' I exclaimed； as I looked round； for I
had never before seen any half so imposing。
'Yes； this is the dining…room。 I have just opened the window； to
let in a little air and sunshine； for everything gets so damp in
apartments that are seldom inhabited； the drawing…room yonder feels
like a vault。'
She pointed to a wide arch corresponding to the window； and hung
like it with a Tyrian…dyed curtain； now looped up。 Mounting to it by
two broad steps； and looking through； I thought I caught a glimpse
of a fairy place； so bright to my novice…eyes appeared the view
beyond。 Yet it was merely a very pretty drawing…room； and within it
a boudoir； both spread with white carpets； on which seemed laid
brilliant garlands of flowers； both ceiled with snowy mouldings of
white grapes and vine…leaves； beneath which glowed in rich contrast
crimson couches and ottomans； while the ornaments on the pale Parian
mantelpiece were of sparkling Bohemian glass； ruby red； and between
the windows large mirrors repeated the general blending of snow and
fire。
'In what order you keep these rooms； Mrs。 Fairfax！' said I。 'No
dust； no canvas coverings： except that the air feels chilly； one would
think they were inhabited daily。'
'Why； Miss Eyre； though Mr。 Rochester's visits here are rare；
they are always sudden and unexpected； and as I observed that it put
him out to find everything swathed up； and to have a bustle of
arrangement on his arrival； I thought it best to keep the rooms in
readiness。'
'Is Mr。 Rochester an exacting； fastidious sort of man？'
'Not particularly so； but he has a gentleman's tastes and habits；
and he expects to have things managed in conformity to them。'
'Do you like him？ Is he generally liked？'
'Oh； yes； the family have always been respected here。 Almost all
the land in this neighbourhood； as far as you can see； has belonged to
the Rochesters time out of mind。'
'Well； but； leaving his land out of the question； do you like
him？ Is he liked for himself？'
'I have no cause to do otherwise than like him； and I believe he is
considered a just and liberal landlord by his tenants： but he has
never lived much amongst them。'
'But has he no peculiarities？ What； in short； is his character？'
'Oh！ his character is unimpeachable； I suppose。 He is rather
peculiar； perhaps： he has travelled a great deal； and seen a great
deal of the world； I should think。 I daresay he is clever； but I never
had much conversation with him。'
'In what way is he peculiar？'
'I don't know… it is not easy to describe… nothing striking； but
you feel it when he speaks to you； you cannot be always sure whether
he is in jest or earnest； whether he is pleased or the contrary； you
don't thoroughly understand him； in short… at least； I don't： but it
is of no consequence； he is a very good master。'
This was all the account I got from Mrs。 Fairfax of her employer
and mine。 There are people who seem to have no notion of sketching a
character； or observing and describing salient points； either in
persons or things： the good lady evidently belonged to this class；
my queries puzzled； but did not draw her out。 Mr。 Rochester was Mr。
Rochester in her eyes； a gentleman； a landed proprietor… nothing more：
she inquired and searched no further； and evidently wondered at my
wish to gain a more definite notion of his identity。
When we left the dining…room she proposed to show me over the
rest of the house； and I followed her upstairs and downstairs；
admiring as I went； for all was well arranged and handsome。 The
large front chambers I thought especially grand： and some of the
third…storey rooms； though dark and low； were interesting from their
air of antiquity。 The furniture once appropriated to the lower
apartments had from time to time been removed here； as fashions
changed： and the imperfect light entering by their narrow casement
showed bed…steads of a hundred years old； chests in oak or walnut；
looking； with their strange carvings of palm branches and cherubs'
heads； like types of the Hebrew ark； rows of venerable chairs；
high…backed and narrow； stools still more antiquated； on whose
cushioned tops were yet apparent traces of half…effaced
embroideries； wrought by fingers that for two generations had been
coffin…dust。 All these relics gave to the third storey of Thornfield
Hall the aspect of a home of the past： a shrine of memory。 I liked the
hush； the gloom； the quaintness of these retreats in the day； but I by
no means coveted a night's repose on one of those wide and heavy beds：
shut in； some of them； with doors of oak； shaded； others； with wrought
old English hangings crusted with thick work； portraying effigies of
strange flowers； and stranger birds； and strangest human beings；…
all which would have looked strange； indeed； by the pallid gleam of
moonlight。
'Do the servants sleep in these rooms？' I asked。
'No； they occupy a range of smaller apartments to the back； no
one ever sleeps here： one would almost say that； if there were a ghost
at Thornfield Hall； this would be its haunt。'
'So I think： you have no ghost； then？'
'None that I ever heard of；' returned Mrs。 Fairfax； smiling。
'Nor any traditions of one？ no legends or ghost stories？'
'I believe not。 And yet it is said the Rochesters have been
rather a violent than a quiet race in their time： perhaps； though；
that is the reason they rest tranquilly in their graves now。'
'Yes… 〃after life's fitful fever they sleep well；〃' I muttered。
'Where are you going now； Mrs。 Fairfax？' for she was moving away。
'On to the leads； will you come and see the view from thence？' I
followed still； up a very narrow staircase to the attics； and thence
by a ladder and through a trap…door to the roof of the hall。 I was now
on a level with the crow colony； and could see into their nests。
Leaning over the battlements and looking far down； I surveyed the
grounds laid out like a map： the bright and velvet lawn closely
girdling the grey base of the mansion； the field； wide as a park；
dotted with its ancient timber； the wood； dun and sere； divided by a
path visibly overgrown； greener with moss than the trees were with
foliage； the church at the gates； the road； the tranquil hills； all
reposing in the autumn day's sun； the horizon bounded by a
propitious sky； azure； marbled with pearly white。 No feature in the
scene was extraordinary； but all was pleasing。 When I turned from it
and rep