"Appearances would warrant that conclusion: and，no doubt (though，with an audacity that wants chastising out of you，you seem to question it)，they will be a superlatively happy pair. He must love such a handsome，noble，witty，acplished lady; and probably she loves him，or，if not his person，at least his purse. I know she considers the Rochester estate eligible to the last degree; though (God pardon me!) I told her something on that point about an hour ago which made her look wondrous grave: the corners of her mouth fell half an inch. I would advise her black-aviced suitor to look out: if another es，with a longer or clearer rent-roll,- he"s dished-"

"But，mother，I did not e to hear Mr. Rochester"s fortune: I came to hear my own; and you have told me nothing of it."

"Your fortune is yet doubtful: when I examined your face，one trait contradicted another. Chance has meted you a measure of happiness: that I know. I knew it before I came here this evening. She has laid it carefully on one side for you. I saw her do it. It depends on yourself to stretch out your hand，and take it up: but whether you will do so，is the problem I study. Kneel again on the rug."

"Don"t keep me long; the fire scorches me."

I knelt. She did not stoop towards me，but only gazed，leaning back in her chair. She began muttering,-

"The flame flickers in the eye; the eye shines like dew; it looks soft and full of feeling; it smiles at my jargon; it is susceptible; impression follows impression through its clear sphere; where it ceases to smile，it is sad; an unconscious lassitude weighs on the lid: that signifies melancholy resulting from loneliness. It turns from me; it will not suffer further scrutiny; it seems to deny，by a mocking glance，the truth of the discoveries I have already made,- to disown the charge both of sensibility and chagrin: its pride and reserve only confirm me in my opinion. The eye is favourable.

"As to the mouth，it delights at times in laughter; it is disposed to impart all that the brain conceives; though I daresay it would be silent on much the heart experiences. Mobile and flexible，it was never intended to be pressed in the eternal silence of solitude; it is a mouth which should speak much and smile often，and have human affection for its interlocutor. That feature too is propitious.