CHAPTER XIII 151
He went on as a statue would, that is, he neither spoke nor moved. Mrs. Fairfax seemed to think it necessary that some one should be amiable, and she began to talk. Kindly, as usual-- and, as usual, rather trite-- she condoled with him on the pressure of business he had had all day; on the annoyance it must have been to him with that painful sprain: then she commended his patience and perseverance in going through with it.
" Madam, I should like some tea," was the sole rejoinder she got. She hastened to ring the bell; and when the tray came, she proceeded to arrange the cups, spoons, & c., with assiduous celerity. I and Adele went to the table; but the master did not leave his couch.
" Will you hand Mr. Rochester ' s cup?" said Mrs. Fairfax to me; " Adele might perhaps spill it."
I did as requested. As he took the cup from my hand, Adele, thinking the moment propitious for making a request in my favour, cried out-
" N ' est-ce pas, monsieur, qu ' il y a un cadeau pour Mademoiselle Eyre dans votre petit coffre?"
" Who talks of cadeaux?" said he gruffly. " Did you expect a present, Miss Eyre? Are you fond of presents?" and he searched my face with eyes that I saw were dark, irate, and piercing.
" I hardly know, sir; I have little experience of them: they are generally thought pleasant things."
" Generally thought? But what do YOU think?"
" I should be obliged to take time, sir, before I could give you an answer worthy of your acceptance: a present has many faces to it, has it not? and one should consider all, before pronouncing an opinion as to its nature."
" Miss Eyre, you are not so unsophisticated as Adele: she demands a ' cadeau,' clamorously, the moment she sees me: you beat about the bush."