ing-belldispersedtheparty.ItwasnottillafterdihatIsawhimagaihenseemedquiteathisease.ButIlikedhisphysiognomyevehanbefore:itstruckmeasbeingatthesametimeuledandinanimate.Hiseyewandered,andhadnomeaninginitswandering:thisgavehimanoddlook,suchasIneverrememberedtohaveseen.Forahandsomeandnotanunamiable-lookingman,herepelledmeexceedingly:thereowerinthatsmooth-skinnedfaceofafullovalshape:nofirmnessinthataquilinenoseandsmallcherrymouth;therewasnothoughtonthelow,evenforehead;noandinthatblank,browneye.

    AsIsatinmyusualnook,andlookedathimwiththelightofthegirahemantelpiecebeamingfulloverhim—forheoccupiedanarm-chairdrawnclosetothefire,ashrinkingstillnearer,asifhewerecold,IparedhimwithMr.Rochester.Ithink(withdeferespokerastcouldnotbemuchgreaterbetweenasleekganderandafiercefal:betweenameeksheepandtherough-coatedkeen-eyeddog,itsguardian.

    HehadspokenofMr.Rochesterasanoldfriend.Acuriousfriendshiptheirsmusthavebeen:apointedillustration,indeed,oftheoldadagethat“extremesmeet.”

    Twoorthreeofthegentlemensatnearhim,andIcaughtattimesscrapsoftheirversationacrosstheroom.AtfirstIcouldnotmakemuseofwhatIheard;forthediscourseofLouisaEshtonandMaryIngram,whosatome,fusedthefragmentarysentehatreachedmeatintervals.Theselastwerediscussiraheybothcalledhim“abeautifulman.”Louisasaidhewas“aloveofacreature,”andshe“adoredhim;”andMaryinstancedhis“prettylittlemouth,andniose,”asheridealofthecharming.

    “Andwhatasweet-temperedforeheadhehas!”criedLouisa,—“sosmooth—hosefrowningirregularitiesIdislikesomud