ures,andinhisgreat,darkeyes;forhehadgreat,darkeyes,andveryfioo—notwithoutacertaingeintheirdepthssometimes,which,ifitwasnotsoftness,remindedyou,atleast,ofthatfeeling.

    Hehadbeenlookingtwomihefire,andIhadbeenlookingthesamelengthoftimeathim,when,turningsuddenly,hecaughtmygazefastenedonhisphysiognomy.

    “Youexamineme,MissEyre,”saidhe:“doyouthinkmehandsome?”

    Ishould,ifIhaddeliberated,haverepliedtothisquestionbysomethingventionallyvagueandpolite;buttheanswersomehowslippedfrommytonguebeforeIwasaware—“No,sir.”

    “Ah!Bymyword!thereissomethingsingularaboutyou,”saidhe:“youhavetheairofalittlee;quaint,quiet,grave,andsimple,asyousitwithyourhandsbeforeyou,andyoureyesgenerallybentonthecarpet(except,by-the-bye,whentheyaredirectedpierglytomyface;asjustnow,forinstance);andwhenoneasksyouaquestion,ormakesaremarktowhichyouareobligedtoreply,yourapoutaroundrejoinder,which,ifnotblunt,isatleastbrusque.Whatdoyoumeanbyit?”

    “Sir,Iwastooplain;Ibegyourpardon.Ioughttohaverepliedthatitwasogiveanimpromptuaoaquestionaboutappearahattastesmostlydiffer;andthatbeautyisoflittlesequenethingofthatsort.”

    “Yououghttohaverepliednosuchthiyoflittlesequendeed!Andso,underpretenceofsofteningthepreviouse,ofstrokingandsoothioplacidity,youstickaslypenknifeundermyear!Goon:whatfaultdoyoufindwithme,pray?IsupposeIhaveallmylimbsandallmyfeatureslikeanyotherman?”

    “Mr.Rochester,allowmetodisownmyfirstanswer:Iintendednopointedrepartee:itwasonlyablunder.”

    “Justso:Ithinkso:andyoushallbeans