A　very　rich　and　powerful　one：　she　sang　delightfully；　it　was　a　treat　to　listen　to　her；—and　she　played　afterwards。　I　am　no　judge　of　music；　but　Mr。　Rochester　is；　and　I　heard　him　say　her　execution　was　remarkably　good。”

“And　this　beautiful　and　acplished　lady；　she　is　not　yet　married？”

“It　appears　not：　I　fancy　neither　she　nor　her　sister　have　very　large　fortunes。　Old　Lord　Ingram’s　estates　were　chiefly　entailed；　and　the　eldest　son　came　in　for　everything　almost。”

“But　I　wonder　no　wealthy　nobleman　or　gentleman　has　taken　a　fancy　to　her：　Mr。　Rochester；　for　instance。　He　is　rich；　is　he　not？”

“Oh！　yes。　But　you　see　there　is　a　considerable　difference　in　age：　Mr。　Rochester　is　nearly　forty；　she　is　but　twenty…five。”

“What　of　that？　More　unequal　matches　are　made　every　day。”

“True：　yet　I　should　scarcely　fancy　Mr。　Rochester　would　entertain　an　idea　of　the　sort。　But　you　eat　nothing：　you　have　scarcely　tasted　since　you　began　tea。”

“No：　I　am　too　thirsty　to　eat。　Will　you　let　me　have　another　cup？”

I　was　about　again　to　revert　to　the　probability　of　a　union　between　Mr。　Rochester　and　the　beautiful　Blanche；　but　Adèle　came　in；　and　the　conversation　was　turned　into　another　channel。

When　once　more　alone；　I　reviewed　the　information　I　had　got；　looked　into　my　heart；　examined　its　thoughts　and　feelings；　and　endeavoured　to　bring　back　with　a　strict　hand　such　as　had　been　straying　through　imagination’s　boundless　and　trackless　waste；　into　the　safe　fold　of　mon　sense。

Arraigned　at　my　own　bar；　Memory　having　given　her　evidence　of　the　hopes；　wishes；　sentiments　I　had　been　cherishing　since　last　night—of　the　general　state　of　mind　in　which　I　had　indulged　for　nearly　a　fortnight　past；　Reason　having　e　forward　and　told；　in　her　own　quiet　way　a　plain；　unvarnished　ta