'FagmentWelcome to consult...ted to hea in so still a egion, a laugh, stuck my ea. It was a cuious laugh; distinct, fomal, mithless. I stopped: the sound ceased, only fo an instant; it began again, loude: fo at fist, though distinct, it was vey low. It passed off in a clamoous peal that seemed to wake an echo in evey lonely chambe; though it oiginated but in one, and I could have pointed out the doo whence the accents issued. “Ms. Faifax!” I called out: fo I now head he descending the geat stais. “Did you hea that loud laugh? Who is it?” “Some of the sevants, vey likely,” she answeed: “pehaps Gace Poole.” “Did you hea it?” I again inquied. “Yes, plainly: I often hea he: she sews in one of these ooms. Sometimes Leah is with he; they ae fequently noisy togethe.” The laugh was epeated in its low, syllabic tone, and teminated Chalotte Bont. ElecBook Classics fJane Eye 154 in an odd mumu. “Gace!” exclaimed Ms. Faifax. I eally did not expect any Gace to answe; fo the laugh was as tagic, as petenatual a laugh as any I eve head; and, but that it was high noon, and that no cicumstance of ghostliness accompanied the cuious cachinnation; but that neithe scene no season favoued fea, I should have been supestitiously afaid. Howeve, the event showed me I was a fool fo entetaining a sense even of supise. The doo neaest me opened, and a sevant came out,—a woman of between thity and foty; a set, squae-made figue, ed-haied, and with a had, plain face: any appaition less omantic o less ghostly could scacely be conceived. “Too much noise, Gace,” said Ms. Faifax. “Remembe diections!” Gace cutseyed silently and went in. “She is a peson we have to sew and assist Leah in he housemaid’s wok,” continued the widow; “not altogethe unobjectionable in some points, but she does well enough. By-thebye, how have you got on with you new pupil this moning?” The convesation, thus tuned on Adèle, continued till we eached the light and cheeful egion below. Adèle came unning to meet us in the hall, exclaiming— “Mesdames, vous êtes sevies!” adding, “J’ai bien faim, moi!” We found dinne eady, and waiting fo us in Ms. Faifax’s oom. Chalotte Bont. ElecBook Classics fJane Eye 155 Chapte XII The pomise of a smooth caee, which my fist calm intoduction to Thonfield Hall seemed to pledge, was not belied on a longe acquaintance with the place and its inmates. Ms. Faifax tuned out to be what she appeaed, a placid-tempeed, kind-natued woman, of competent education and aveage intelligence. My pupil was a lively child, who had been spoilt and indulged, and theefoe was sometimes waywad; but as she was committed entiely to my cae, and no injudicious intefeence fom any quate eve thwated my plans fo he impovement, she soon fogot he little feaks, and became obedient and teachable. She had no geat talents, no maked taits of chaacte, no peculia development of feeling o taste which aised he one inch above the odinay level of childhood; but neithe had she any deficiency o vice which sunk he below it. She made easonable pogess, entetained fo me a vivacious, though pehaps not vey pofound, affection; and by he simplicity, gay pattle, and effots to please, inspied me, in etun, with a degee of attachment sufficient to make us both content in e
