Hewasnotinanyofthelowerrooms;hewasnotintheyard，thestables，orthegrounds。IaskedMrs。Fairfaxifshehadseenhim;—yes:shebelievedhewasplayingbilliardswithMissIngram。Tothebilliard—roomIhastened:theclickofballsandthehumofvoicesresoundedthence;Mr。Rochester，MissIngram，thetwoMissesEshton，andtheiradmirers，wereallbusiedinthegame。Itrequiredsomecouragetodisturbsointerestingaparty;myerrand，however，wasoneIcouldnotdefer，soIapproachedthemasterwherehestoodatMissIngram’sside。SheturnedasIdrewnear，andlookedatmehaughtily:hereyesseemedtodemand，“Whatcanthecreepingcreaturewantnow？”andwhenIsaid，inalowvoice，“Mr。Rochester，”shemadeamovementasiftemptedtoordermeaway。Irememberherappearanceatthemoment—itwasverygracefulandverystriking:sheworeamorningrobeofsky—bluecrape;agauzyazurescarfwastwistedinherhair。Shehadbeenallanimationwiththegame，andirritatedpridedidnotlowertheexpressionofherhaughtylineaments。
“Doesthatpersonwantyou？”sheinquiredofMr。Rochester;andMr。Rochesterturnedtoseewhothe“person”was。Hemadeacuriousgrimace—oneofhisstrangeandequivocaldemonstrations—threwdownhiscueandfollowedmefromtheroom。
“Well，Jane？”hesaid，asherestedhisbackagainsttheschoolroomdoor，whichhehadshut。
“Ifyouplease，sir，Iwantleaveofabsenceforaweekortwo。”
“Whattodo？—wheretogo？”