She looked at me bewildered.

"I could never have thought it. He is a proud man: all the Rochesters were proud: and his father，at least，liked money. He，too，has always been called careful. He means to marry you?"

"He tells me so."

She surveyed my whole person: in her eyes I read that they had there found no charm powerful enough to solve the enigma.

"It passes me!" she continued; "but no doubt it is true since you say so. How it will answer，I cannot tell: I really don"t know.

Equality of position and fortune is often advisable in such cases; and there are twenty years of difference in your ages. He might almost be your father."

"No，indeed，Mrs. Fairfax!" exclaimed I，nettled; "he is nothing like my father! No one，who saw us together，would suppose it for an instant. Mr. Rochester looks as young，and is as young，as some men at five-and-twenty."

"Is it really for love he is going to marry you?" she asked.

I was so hurt by her coldness and scepticism，that the tears rose to my eyes.

"I am sorry to grieve you," pursued the widow; "but you are so young，and so little acquainted with men，I wished to put you on your guard. It is an old saying that "all is not gold that glitters"; and in this case I do fear there will be something found to be different to what either you or I expect."

"Why?- am I a monster?" I said: "is it impossible that Mr. Rochester should have a sincere affection for me?"

"No: you are very well; and much improved of late; and Mr. Rochester，I daresay，is fond of you. I have always noticed that you were a sort of pet of his. There are times when，for your sake，I have been a little uneasy at his marked preference，and have wished to put you on your guard: but I did not like to suggest even the possibility of wrong. I knew such an idea would shock，perhaps offend you; and you were so discreet，and so thoroughly modest and sensible，I hoped you might be trusted to protect yourself. Last night I cannot tell you what I suffered when I sought all over the house，and could find you nowhere，nor the master either; and then，at twelve o"clock，saw you e in with him."

"Well，never mind that now," I interrupted impatiently; "it is enough that all was right."