own　separate　interests　and　pleasures。　The　Ladies　Lynn　and　Ingram　continued　to　consort　in　solemn　conferences；　where　they　nodded　their　two　turbans　at　each　other；　and　held　up　their　four　hands　in　confronting　gestures　of　surprise；　or　mystery；　or　horror；　according　to　the　theme　on　which　their　gossip　ran；　like　a　pair　of　magnified　puppets。　Mild　Mrs。　Dent　talked　with　good…natured　Mrs。　Eshton；　and　the　two　sometimes　bestowed　a　courteous　word　or　smile　on　me。　Sir　George　Lynn；　Colonel　Dent；　and　Mr。　Eshton　discussed　politics；　or　county　affairs；　or　justice　business。　Lord　Ingram　flirted　with　Amy　Eshton；　Louisa　played　and　sang　to　and　with　one　of　the　Messrs。　Lynn；　and　Mary　Ingram　listened　languidly　to　the　gallant　speeches　of　the　other。　Sometimes　all；　as　with　one　consent；　suspended　their　by…play　to　observe　and　listen　to　the　principal　actors：　for；　after　all；　Mr。　Rochester　and—because　closely　connected　with　him—Miss　Ingram　were　the　life　and　soul　of　the　party。　If　he　was　absent　from　the　room　an　hour；　a　perceptible　dulness　seemed　to　steal　over　the　spirits　of　his　guests；　and　his　re…entrance　was　sure　to　give　a　fresh　impulse　to　the　vivacity　of　conversation。

The　want　of　his　animating　influence　appeared　to　be　peculiarly　felt　one　day　that　he　had　been　summoned　to　Millcote　on　business；　and　was　not　likely　to　return　till　late。　The　afternoon　was　wet：　a　walk　the　party　had　proposed　to　take　to　see　a　gipsy　camp；　lately　pitched　on　a　mon　beyond　Hay；　e　of　the　gentlemen　were　gone　to　the　stables：　the　younger　ones；　together　with　the　younger　ladies；　were　playing　billiards　in　the　billiard…room。　The　dowagers　Ingram　and　Lynn　sought　solace　in　a　quiet　game　at　cards。　Blanche　Ingram；　after　having　repelled；　by　supercilious　taciturnity；　some　efforts　of　Mrs。　Dent　and　Mrs。　Eshton　to　draw　her　into　conversation；　had　first