Page 149 (1/2)

"Well, I someti busy enough now: for a little while at least," said Mrs

Fairfax, still holding the note before her spectacles

Ere I per

of Adele's pinafore, which happened to be loose: having helped her

also to another bun and refilled herwith milk, I said,

nonchalantly "Mr Rochester is not likely to return soon, I suppose?"

"Indeed he is--in three days, he says: that will be next Thursday;

and not alone either I don't knowith him: he sends directions for all the best

bedroo-rooet e Inn, at

Millcote, and fro

their entlemen their valets: so we shall have a full

house of it" And Mrs Fairfax sed her breakfast and hastened

away to commence operations

The three days were, as she had foretold, busy enough I had

thought all the rooed; but it appears I was , such brushing, such washing of paint and

beating of carpets, such taking down and putting up of pictures,

such polishing ofof fires in

bedroo of sheets and feather-beds on hearths, I never

beheld, either before or since Adele ran quite wild in the midst

of it: the preparations for company and the prospect of their

arrival, seemed to throw her into ecstasies She would have Sophie

to look over all her "toilettes," as she called frocks; to furbish

up any that were "passees," and to air and arrange the new For