CHAPTER XVIII 239
hot country : which was the reason , doubtless , his face was so sallow , and that he sat so near the hearth , and wore a surtout in the house . Presently the words Jamaica , Kingston , Spanish Town , indicated the West Indies as his residence ; and it was with no little surprise I gathered , ere long , that he had there first seen and become acquainted with Mr . Rochester . He spoke of his friend ' s dislike of the burning heats , the hurricanes , and rainy seasons of that region . I knew Mr . Rochester had been a traveller : Mrs . Fairfax had said so ; but I thought the continent of Europe had bounded his wanderings ; till now I had never heard a hint given of visits to more distant shores .
I was pondering these things , when an incident , and a somewhat unexpected one , broke the thread of my musings . Mr . Mason , shivering as some one chanced to open the door , asked for more coal to be put on the fire , which had burnt out its flame , though its mass of cinder still shone hot and red . The footman who brought the coal , in going out , stopped near Mr . Eshton ' s chair , and said something to him in a low voice , of which I heard only the words , " old woman ," -- " quite troublesome ."
" Tell her she shall be put in the stocks if she does not take herself off ," replied the magistrate .
" No -- stop !" interrupted Colonel Dent . " Don ' t send her away , Eshton ; we might turn the thing to account ; better consult the ladies ." And speaking aloud , he continued -- " Ladies , you talked of going to Hay Common to visit the gipsy camp ; Sam here says that one of the old Mother Bunches is in the servants ' hall at this moment , and insists upon being brought in before ' the quality ,' to tell them their fortunes . Would you like to see her ?"
" Surely , colonel ," cried Lady Ingram , " you would not encourage such a low impostor ? Dismiss her , by all means , at once !"
" But I cannot persuade her to go away , my lady ," said the footman ; " nor can any of the servants : Mrs . Fairfax is with her just now , entreating her to be gone ; but she has taken a chair in the chimney- comer , and says nothing shall stir her from it till she gets leave to come in here ."