DForseveraldaysIsawlittleofMr.Rochester.Inthemorningheseemedverybusywithbusiness，andintheafternoongentlemenfromtheneighborhoodcalledandsometimesstayedtodinewithhim.Whenhisfootwaswellenough，he

D

ForseveraldaysIsawlittleofMr.Rochester.Inthemorningheseemedverybusywithbusiness，andintheafternoongentlemenfromtheneighborhoodcalledandsometimesstayedtodinewithhim.Whenhisfootwaswellenough，herodeoutagreatdeal.

Duringthistime，allmyknowledgeofhimwaslimitedtooccasionalmeetingsaboutthehouse，whenhewouldsometimespassmecoldly，andsometimesbowandsmile.HischangesofmannerdidnotoffendmebecauseIsawthatIhadnothingtodowiththecauseofthem.

Oneevening，severaldayslater，IwasinvitedtotalktoMr.Rochesterafterdinner.Hewassittinginhisarmchair，andlookednotquitesosevere，andmuchlessgloomy.Therewasasmileonhislipsandhiseyeswerebright，probablywithwine.AsIwaslookingathim，hesuddenlyturnedandaskedme，“DoyouthinkIamhandsome，MissEyre?”

TheanswersomehowslippedfrommytonguebeforeIrealizedit:“No，sir.”“Ah，youreallyareunusual!Youareaquiet，seriouslittleperson，butyoucanbealmostrude.”“Sir，I'msorry.Ishouldhavesaidthatbeautydoesn'tmatter，orsomethinglikethat”“No，youshouldn't!Isee，youcriticizemyappearance，andthenyoustab(刺)meintheback!Youhavehonestyandfeeling.Therearenotmanygirlslikeyou.ButperhapsIgotoofast.Perhapsyouhaveawfulfaultstocounterbalance(抵消)yourfewgoodpoints.”

Ithoughttomyselfthathemighthavetoo.Heseemedtoreadmymind，andsaidquickly，“Yes，you'reright.Ihaveplentyoffaults.IwentthewrongwaywhenIwastwenty-one，andhaveneverfoundtherightpathagain.Imighthavebeenverydifferent.Imighthavebeenasgoodasyouandperhapswiser.Iamnotabadman，takemywordforit，butIhavedonewrong.Itwasn'tmycharacter，butcircumstanceswhichweretoblame.WhydoItellyouallthis?Becauseyou'rethesortofpersonpeopletelltheirproblemsandsecretstobecauseyou'resympatheticandgivethemhope.”

Itseemedhehadquitealottotalktome.Hedidn'tseemtoliketofinishthetalkquickly，aswasthecaseforthefirsttime.

“Don'tbeafraidofme，Miss.Eyre，”hecontinued.“Youdon'trelaxorlaughverymuch，perhapsbecauseoftheeffectLowoodschoolhashadonyou.Butintimeyouwillbemorenaturalwithme，andlaugh，andspeakfreely.You'relikeabirdinacage.Whenyougeto