Page 272 - jane-eyre

asked for.’
‘I suppose, now,’ said Miss Ingram, curling her lip sar-
castically, ‘we shall have an abstract of the memoirs of all
the governesses extant: in order to avert such a visitation, I
again move the introduction of a new topic. Mr. Rochester,
do you second my motion?’
‘Madam, I support you on this point, as on every other.’
‘Then on me be the onus of bringing it forward. Signior
Eduardo, are you in voice to-night?’
‘Donna Bianca, if you command it, I will be.’
‘Then, signior, I lay on you my sovereign behest to fur-
bish up your lungs and other vocal organs, as they will be
wanted on my royal service.’
‘Who would not be the Rizzio of so divine a Mary?’
‘A fig for Rizzio!’ cried she, tossing her head with all its
curls, as she moved to the piano. ‘It is my opinion the fid-
dler David must have been an insipid sort of fellow; I like
black Bothwell better: to my mind a man is nothing without
a spice of the devil in him; and history may say what it will
of James Hepburn, but I have a notion, he was just the sort
of wild, fierce, bandit hero whom I could have consented to
gift with my hand.’
‘Gentlemen, you hear! Now which of you most resembles
Bothwell?’ cried Mr. Rochester.
‘I should say the preference lies with you,’ responded Col-
onel Dent.
‘On my honour, I am much obliged to you,’ was the re-
ply.
Miss Ingram, who had now seated herself with proud

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