The clock struck eleven. I looked at Adele, whose head leant against my shoulder; her eyes were waxing heavy, so I took her up in my arms and carried her off to bed. It was near one before the gentlemen and ladies sought their chambers. The next day was as fine as its predecessor: it […]
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Presently the chambers gave up their fair tenants one after another: each came out gaily and airily, with dress that gleamed lustrous through the dusk. For a moment they stood grouped together at the other extremity of the gallery, conversing in a key of sweet subdued vivacity: they then descended the staircase almost as noiselessly […]
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‘Indeed he is—in three days, he says: that will be next Thursday; and not alone either. I don’t know how many of the fine people at the Leas are coming with him: he sends directions for all the best bedrooms to be prepared; and the library and drawing-rooms are to be cleaned out; I am […]
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A week passed, and no news arrived of Mr. Rochester: ten days, and still he did not come. Mrs. Fairfaxsaid she should not be surprised if he were to go straight from the Leas to London, and thence to the Continent, and not show his face again at Thornfield for a year to come; he […]
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‘Listen, then, Jane Eyre, to your sentence: tomorrow, place the glass before you, and draw in chalk your own picture, faithfully, without softening one defect; omit no harsh line, smooth away no displeasing irregularity; write under it, ‘Portrait of a Governess, disconnected, poor, and plain.’ ‘Afterwards, take a piece of smooth ivory—you have one prepared […]
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‘She was greatly admired, of course?’ ‘Yes, indeed: and not only for her beauty, but for her accomplishments. She was one of the ladies who sang: a gentleman accompanied her on the piano. She and Mr. Rochester sang a duet.’ ‘Mr. Rochester? I was not aware he could sing.’ ‘Oh! he has a fine bass […]
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‘It is fair to-night,’ said she, as she looked through the panes, ‘though not starlight; Mr. Rochester has, on the whole, had a favourable day for his journey.’ ‘Journey!—Is Mr. Rochester gone anywhere? I did not know he was out. ‘Oh, he set of the moment he had breakfasted! He is gone to the Leas, […]
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I well remembered all; language, glance, and tone seemed at the moment vividly renewed. I was now in the schoolroom; Adele was drawing; I bent over her and directed her pencil. She looked up with a sort of start. ‘Qu’ avez-vous, mademoiselle?’ said she. ‘Vos doigts tremblent comme la feuille, et vos joues sont rouges: […]
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I still stood absolutely dumfoundered at what appeared to me her miraculous self-possession and most inscrutable hypocrisy, when the cook entered. ‘Mrs. Poole,’ said she, addressing Grace, ‘the servants’ dinner will soon be ready: will you come down?’ ‘No; just put my pint of porter and bit of pudding on a tray, and I’ll carry […]
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I both wished and feared to see Mr. Rochester on the day which followed this sleepless night: I wanted to hear his voice again, yet feared to meet his eye. During the early part of the morning, I momentarily expected his coming; he was not in the frequent habit of entering the schoolroom, but he […]
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