THE month of courtship had wasted: its very last hours were being numbered. There was no putting off the day that advanced- the bridal day; and all preparations for its arrival were plete. I，at least，had nothing more to do: there were my trunks，packed，locked，corded，ranged in a row along the wall of my little chamber; to-morrow，at this time，they would be far on their road to London: and so should I (D.V.),- or rather，not I，but one Jane Rochester，a person whom as yet I knew not. The cards of address alone remained to nail on: they lay，four little squares，in the drawer. Mr. Rochester had himself written the direction，'Mrs. Rochester,- Hotel，London,' on each: I could not persuade myself to affix them，or to have them affixed. Mrs. Rochester! She did not exist: she would not be born till to-morrow，some time after eight o'clock A.M.; and I would wait to be assured she had e into the world alive before I assigned to her all that property. It was enough that in yonder closet，opposite my dressing-table，garments said to be hers had already displaced my black stuff Lowood frock and straw bonnet: for not to me appertained that suit of wedding raiment; the pearl-coloured robe，the vapoury veil pendent from the usurped portmanteau. I shut the closet to conceal the strange，wraith-like apparel it contained;

which，at this evening hour- nine o'clock- gave out certainly a most ghostly shimmer through the shadow of my apartment. 'I will leave you by yourself，white dream,' I said. 'I am feverish: I hear the wind blowing: I will go out of doors and feel it.'

It was not only the hurry of preparation that made me feverish; not only the anticipation of the great change- the new life which was to mence to-morrow: both these circumstances had their share，doubtless，in producing that restless，excited mood which hurried me forth at this late hour into the darkening grounds: but a third cause influenced my mind more than they.

I had at heart a strange and anxious thought. Something had happened which I could not prehend; no one knew of or had seen the event but myself: it had taken place the preceding night. Mr. Rochester that night was absent from home; nor was he yet returned: business had called him to a small estate of two or three farms he possessed thirty miles off- business it was requisite he should settle in person，previous to his meditated departure from England. I waited now his return; eager to disburthen my mind，and to seek of him the solution of the enigma that perplexed me. Stay till he es，reader: and，when I disclose my secret to him，you shall share the confidence.