第37部分(第4/7 页)

selecting　certain　of　their　number　to　be　of　his　party。　“Miss　Ingram　is　mine；　of　course；”　said　he：　afterwards　he　named　the　two　Misses　Eshton；　and　Mrs。　Dent。　He　looked　at　me：　I　happened　to　be　near　him；　as　I　had　been　fastening　the　clasp　of　Mrs。　Dent’s　bracelet；　which　had　got　loose。

“Will　you　play？”　he　asked。　I　shook　my　head。　He　did　not　insist；　which　I　rather　feared　he　would　have　done；　he　alloy　usual　seat。

He　and　his　aids　now　withdrew　behind　the　curtain：　the　other　party；　which　was　headed　by　Colonel　Dent；　sat　down　on　the　crescent　of　chairs。　One　of　the　gentlemen；　Mr。　Eshton；　observing　me；　seemed　to　propose　that　I　should　be　asked　to　join　them；　but　Lady　Ingram　instantly　negatived　the　notion。

“No；”　I　heard　her　say：　“she　looks　too　stupid　for　any　game　of　the　sort。”

Ere　long　a　bell　tinkled；　and　the　curtain　drew　up。　Within　the　arch；　the　bulky　figure　of　Sir　George　Lynn；　whom　Mr。　Rochester　had　likewise　chosen；　was　seen　enveloped　in　a　white　sheet：　before　him；　on　a　table；　lay　open　a　large　book；　and　at　his　side　stood　Amy　Eshton；　draped　in　Mr。　Rochester’s　cloak；　and　holding　a　book　in　her　hand。　Somebody；　unseen；　rang　the　bell　merrily；　then　Adèle　（who　had　insisted　on　being　one　of　her　guardian’s　party）；　bounded　forward；　scattering　round　her　the　contents　of　a　basket　of　flowers　she　carried　on　her　arm。　Then　appeared　the　magnificent　figure　of　Miss　Ingram；　clad　in　white；　a　long　veil　on　her　head；　and　a　wreath　of　roses　round　her　brow；　by　her　side　walked　Mr。　Rochester；　and　together　they　drew　near　the　table。　They　knelt；　while　Mrs。　Dent　and　Louisa　Eshton；　dressed　also　in　white；　took　up　their　stations　behind　them。　A　ceremony　followed；　in　dumb　show；　in　which　it　was　easy　to　recognise　the　pantomime　of　a　marriage。　At　its　termination；　Colonel　Dent　and　his　party　consulted　in　whispe