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Had Grace been young and handsome, I should have been tes than prudence or fear influenced Mr

Rochester in her behalf; but, hard-favoured and matronly as she was,

the idea could not be ad once; her youth would be contemporary with her master's: Mrs

Fairfax told me once, she had lived here many years I don't think

she can ever have been pretty; but, for aught I know, she th of character to compensate for the

want of personal advantages Mr Rochester is an amateur of the

decided and eccentric: Grace is eccentric at least What if a

former caprice (a freak very possible to a nature so sudden and

headstrong as his) has delivered him into her power, and she now

exercises over his actions a secret influence, the result of his own

indiscretion, which he cannot shake off, and dare not disregard?"

But, having reached this point of conjecture, Mrs Poole's square,

flat figure, and uncomely, dry, even coarse face, recurred so

distinctly to ht, "No; iested the secret voice

which talks to us in our own hearts, "you are not beautiful either,