"Sir，you have now given me my "cadeau"; I am obliged to you: it is the meed teachers most covet-praise of their pupils" progress."

"Humph!" said Mr. Rochester，and he took his tea in silence.

"e to the fire," said the master，when the tray was taken away，and Mrs. Fairfax had settled into a corner with her knitting; while Adele was leading me by the hand round the room，showing me the beautiful books and ornaments on the consoles and chiffonnieres.

We obeyed，as in duty bound; Adele wanted to take a seat on my knee，but she was ordered to amuse herself with pilot.

"You have been resident in my house three months?"

"Yes，sir."

"And you came from-?"

"Ah! a charitable concern. How long were you there?"

"Eight years."

"Eight years! you must be tenacious of life. I thought half the time in such a place would have done up any constitution! No wonder you have rather the look of another world. I marvelled where you had got that sort of face. When you came on me in Hay Lane last night，I thought unaccountably of fairy tales，and had half a mind to demand whether you had bewitched my horse: I am not sure yet. Who are your parents?"

"I have none."

"Nor ever had，I suppose: do you remember them?"

"No."

"I thought not. And so you were waiting for your people when you sat on that stile?"

"For whom，sir?"