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t I fed with crumbs。”
“Can you understand her when she runs on so fast?” asked Mrs。 Fairfax。
I understood her very well; for I had been accustomed to the fluent tongue of Madame Pierrot。
“I wish;” continued the good lady; “you would ask her a question or two about her parents: I wonder if she remembers them?”
“Adèle;” I inquired; “with whom did you live when you were in that pretty clean town you spoke of?”
“I lived long ago with mama; but she is gone to the Holy Virgin。 Mama used to teach me to dance and sing; and to say verses。 A great many gentlemen and ladies came to see mama; and I used to dance before them; or to sit on their knees and sing to them: I liked it。 Shall I let you hear me sing now?”
She had finished her breakfast; so I permitted her to give a specimen of her acplishments。 Descending from her chair; she came and placed herself on my knee; then; folding her little hands demurely before her; shaking back her curls and lifting her eyes to the ceiling; she menced singing a song from some opera。 It was the strain of a forsaken lady; who; after bewailing the perfidy of her lover; calls pride to her aid; desires her attendant to deck her in her brightest jewels and richest robes; and resolves to meet the false one that night at a ball; and prove to him; by the gaiety of her demeanour; how little his desertion has affected her。
The subject seemed strangely chosen for an infant singer; but I suppose the point of the exhibition lay in hearing the notes of love and jealousy warbled with the lisp of childhood; and in very bad taste that point was: at least I thought so。
Adèle sang the canzote tunefully enough; and with the na?veté of her age。 This achieved; she jumped from my knee and said; “Now; Mademoiselle; I will repeat you some poetry。”
Assuming an attitude; she began; “La Ligue des Rats: fable de La Fontaine。” She then declaimed the little piece with an attention to punctuation and emphasis; a flexibility of voice and an appropriateness of gesture; very unusual indeed at her age; and which proved she had been carefully trained。
“Was it your mama who taught you that piece?” I asked。
“Yes; and she just used to say it in this way: ‘Qu’ avez vous 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 Frédéric 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 Frédéric; 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; Adèle 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; &c。 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; pared 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 cabi 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 slanted 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 Pariain 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 arrange