|
Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
||||
 |
||||
|
Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
||||
|
|
||||
|
204 Both ladies, as I advanced, rose to welcome me, and both addressed me by the name of ‘Miss Eyre.’ Eliza’s greeting was delivered in a short, abrupt voice, without a smile; and then she sat down again, fixed her eyes on the fire, and seemed to forget me. Georgiana added to her ‘How d ‘ye do?’ several commonplaces about my journey, the weather, and so on, uttered in rather a drawling tone: and accompanied by sundry side-glances that measured me from head to foot-now traversing the folds of my drab merino pelisse, and now lingering on the plain trimming of my cottage bonnet. Young ladies have a remarkable way of letting you know that they think you a ‘quiz’ without actually saying the words. A certain superciliousness of look, coolness of manner, nonchalance of tone, express fully their sentiments on the point, without committing them by any positive rudeness in word or deed. A sneer, however, whether covert or open, had now no longer that power over me it once possessed: as I sat between my cousins, I was surprised to find how easy I felt under the total neglect of the one and the semi-sarcastic attentions of the other-Eliza did not mortify, nor Georgiana ruffle me. The fact was, I had other things to think about; within the last few months feelings had been stirred in me so much more potent than any they could raise-pains and pleasures so much more acute and exquisite had been excited than any it was in their power to inflict or bestow-that their airs gave me no concern either for good or bad. ‘How is Mrs. Reed?’ I asked soon, looking calmly at Georgiana, who thought fit to bridle at the direct address, as if it were an unexpected liberty. ‘Mrs. Reed? Ah, mama, you mean; she is extremely poorly: I doubt if you can see her to-night.’ ‘If,’ said I, ‘you would just step upstairs and tell her I am come, I should be much obliged to you.’ Georgiana almost started, and she opened her blue eyes wild and wide. ‘I know she had a particular wish to see me,’ I added, ‘and I would not defer attending to her desire longer than is absolutely necessary.’ ‘Mama dislikes being disturbed in an evening,’ remarked Eliza. I soon rose, quietly took off my bonnet and gloves, uninvited, and said I would just step out to Bessie-who was, I dared say, in the kitchen-and ask her to ascertain whether Mrs. Reed was disposed to receive me or not to-night. I went, and having found Bessie and despatched her on my errand, I proceeded to take further measures. It had heretofore been my habit always to shrink from arrogance: received as I had been to-day, I should, a year ago, have |
