CHAPTER XIV 177
feelings are about to receive a shock : such is my presentiment ; stay now , to see whether it will be realised ."
Ere long , Adele ' s little foot was heard tripping across the hall . She entered , transformed as her guardian had predicted . A dress of rose-coloured satin , very short , and as full in the skirt as it could be gathered , replaced the brown frock she had previously worn ; a wreath of rosebuds circled her forehead ; her feet were dressed in silk stockings and small white satin sandals .
" Est-ce que ma robe va bien ?" cried she , bounding forwards ; " et mes souliers ? et mes bas ? Tenez , je crois que je vais danser !"
And spreading out her dress , she chasseed across the room till , having reached Mr . Rochester , she wheeled lightly round before him on tip-toe , then dropped on one knee at his feet , exclaiming -
" Monsieur , je vous remercie mille fois de votre bonte ;" then rising , she added , " C ' est comme cela que maman faisait , n ' est-ce pas , monsieur ?"
" Pre-cise-ly !" was the answer ; " and , ' comme cela ,' she charmed my English gold out of my British breeches ' pocket . I have been green , too , Miss Eyre , -- ay , grass green : not a more vernal tint freshens you now than once freshened me . My Spring is gone , however , but it has left me that French floweret on my hands , which , in some moods , I would fain be rid of . Not valuing now the root whence it sprang ; having found that it was of a sort which nothing but gold dust could manure , I have but half a liking to the blossom , especially when it looks so artificial as just now . I keep it and rear it rather on the Roman Catholic principle of expiating numerous sins , great or small , by one good work . I ' ll explain all this some day . Good-night ."