第39部分(第3/7 页)

　I　could　not　make　much　sense　of　what　I　heard；　for　the　discourse　of　Louisa　Eshton　and　Mary　Ingram；　who　sat　nearer　to　me；　confused　the　fragmentary　sentences　that　reached　me　at　intervals。　These　last　were　discussing　the　stranger；　they　both　called　him　“a　beautiful　man。”　Louisa　said　he　was　“a　love　of　a　creature；”　and　she　“adored　him；”　and　Mary　instanced　his　“pretty　little　mouth；　and　nice　nose；”　as　her　ideal　of　the　charming。

“And　what　a　sweet…tempered　forehead　he　has！”　cried　Louisa；—“so　smooth—none　of　those　frowning　irregularities　I　dislike　so　much；　and　such　a　placid　eye　and　smile！”

And　then；　to　my　great　relief；　Mr。　Henry　Lynn　summoned　them　to　the　other　side　of　the　room；　to　settle　some　point　about　the　deferred　excursion　to　Hay　mon。

I　was　now　able　to　concentrate　my　attention　on　the　group　by　the　fire；　and　I　presently　gathered　that　the　new…er　was　called　Mr。　Mason；　then　I　learned　that　he　was　but　just　arrived　in　England；　and　that　he　came　from　some　hot　country：　which　was　the　reason；　doubtless；　his　face　was　so　sallow；　and　that　he　sat　so　near　the　hearth；　and　wore　a　surtout　in　the　house。　Presently　the　words　Jamaica；　Kingston；　Spanish　Town；　indicated　the　West　Indies　as　his　residence；　and　it　was　with　no　little　surprise　I　gathered；　ere　long；　that　he　had　there　first　seen　and　bee　acquainted　with　Mr。　Rochester。　He　spoke　of　his　friend’s　dislike　of　the　burning　heats；　the　hurricanes；　and　rainy　seasons　of　that　region。　I　knew　Mr。　Rochester　had　been　a　traveller：　Mrs。　Fairfax　had　said　so；　but　I　thought　the　continent　of　Europe　had　bounded　his　wanderings；　till　now　I　had　never　heard　a　hint　given　of　visits　to　more　distant　shores。

I　was　pondering　these　things；　when　an　incident；　and　a　somewhat　unexpected　one；　broke　the　thread　of　my　musings。　Mr。　Mason；　shivering　as　some　one　cha