He had been looking two minutes at the fire， and I had been looking the same length of time at him， when， turning suddenly， he caught my gaze fastened on his physiognomy.
“You examine me， Miss Eyre，” said he： “do you think me handsome？”
I should， if I had deliberated， have replied to this question bysomething conventionally vague and polite； but the answer somehow slipped from my tongue before I was aware—“No， sir.”
“Ah！ By my word！ there is something singular about you，” saidhe：“you have the air of a little nonnette； quaint， quiet， grave， and simple， as you sit with your hands before you， and your eyes generally bent on the carpet (except， by-the-bye， when they are directed piercingly to my face； as just now， for instance)； and when one asks you a question， or makes a remark to which you are obliged to reply， you rap out a round rejoinder， which， if not blunt， is at least brusque. What do you mean by it？”
“Sir， I was too plain； I beg your pardon. I ought to have replied that it was not easy to give an impromptu answer to a question about appearances； that tastes mostly differ； and that beauty is of little consequence， or something of that sort.”
“You ought to have replied no such thing. Beauty of little consequence， indeed！ And so， under pretence of softening the previous outrage， of stroking and soothing me into placidity， you stick a sly penknife under my ear！ Go on： what fault do you find with me， pray？ I suppose I have all my limbs and all my features like any other man？”
“Mr. Rochester， allow me to disown my first answer： I intended no pointed repartee： it was only a blunder.”
“Just so： I think so： and you shall be answerable for it. Criticise me： does my forehead not please you？”
He lifted up the sable waves of hair which lay horizontally over his brow， and showed a solid enough mass of intellectual organs， but an abrupt deficiency where the suave sign of benevolence should have risen.
“Now， ma’am， am I a fool？”
“Far from it， sir. You would， perhaps， think me rude if I inquired in return whether you are a philanthropist？”
“There again！ Another stick of the penknife， when she pretended to pat my head： and that is because I said I did not like the society of children and old women (low be it spoken！). No， young lady， I am not a general philanthropist； but I bear a conscience；” and he pointed to the prominences which are said to indicate that faculty， and which， fortunately for him， were sufficiently conspicuous； giving， indeed， a marked breadth to the upper part of his head：“and， besides， I once had a kind of rude tenderness of heart. When I was as old as you， I was a feeling fellow enough， partial to the unfledged， unfostered， and unlucky；but Fortune has knocked me about since： she has even kneaded me with her knuckles， and now I flatter myself I am hard and tough as an India-rubber ball； pervious， though， through a chink or two still， and with one sentient point in the middle of the lump. Yes： does that leave hope for me？”
“Hope of what， sir？”
“Of my final re-transformation from India-rubber back to flesh？”
“Decidedly he has had too much wine，” I thought； and I did not know what answer to make to his queer question： how could I tell whether he was capable of being re-transformed？
“You looked very much puzzled， Miss Eyre； and though you are not pretty any more than I am handsome， yet a puzzled air becomes you； besides， it is convenient， for it keeps those searching eyes of yours away from my physiognomy， and busies them with the worsted flowers of the rug； so puzzle on. Young lady， I am disposed to be gregarious and communicative to-night.”
With this announcement he rose from his chair， and stood， leaning his arm on the marble mantelpiece： in that attitude his shape was seen plainly as well as his face； his unusual breadth of chest， disproportionate almost to his length of limb. I am sure most people would have thought him an ugly man； yet there was so much unconscious pride in his port； so much ease in his demeanour； such a look of complete indifference to his own external appearance； so haughty a reliance on the power of other qualities， intrinsic or adventitious， to atone for the lack of mere personal attractiveness， that， in looking at him， one inevitably shared the indifference， and， even in a blind， imperfect sense， put faith in the confidence.
“I am disposed to be gregarious and communicative to-night，”he repeated， “and that is why I sent for you： the fire and the chandelier were not sufficient company for me； nor would Pilot have been， for none of these can talk. Adèle is a degree better， but still far below the mark； Mrs. Fairfax ditto； you， I am persuaded， can suit me if you will： you puzzled me the first evening I invited you down here. I have almost forgotten you since： other ideas have driven yours from my head； but to-night I am resolved to be at ease； to dismiss what importunes， and recall what pleases. It would please me now to draw you out—to learn more of you—therefore speak.”
Instead of speaking， I smiled； and not a very complacent or submissive smile either.
“Speak，” he urged.
“What about， sir？”
“Whatever you like. I leave both the choice of subject and the manner of treating it entirely to yourself.”
Accordingly I sat and said nothing：“If he expects me to talk for the mere sake of talking and showing off， he will find he has addressed himself to the wrong person，” I thought.
“You are dumb， Miss Eyre.”
I was dumb still. He bent his head a little towards me， and with a single hasty glance seemed to dive into my eyes.