[00:01.45] Chapter 18, The Stranger.
[00:04.60] Thornfield was suddenly full of life and bustle.
[00:10.02] During evenings in the drawing room, I was able to observe Blanche Ingram.
[00:16.76] She seemed clever, but she had no ideas of her own.
[00:22.13] She only repeated what she had read in books, and she could be spiteful to Adele.
[00:29.80] She would push the child away with sharp words and order her from the room.
[00:36.40] I was sure Mr. Rochester saw through her and did not love her, but she was a suitable bride for a country gentleman.
[00:47.69] He did not love her, she did not charm him, but he would marry her.
[00:56.73] On a wet afternoon when Mr. Rochester was out, a stranger arrived at Thornfield, a tall, well-mannered man, who told us his name was Mason.
[01:10.59] He was, he said, an old friend of Mr. Rochester and had just arrived from the West Indies.
[01:20.47] They had known each other there.
[01:23.74] Until then, I had no idea that Mr. Rochester had traveled so far.
[01:32.38] Mr. Mason had a lazy, complacent air about him, and complained of feeling the cold.
[01:39.94] The servant, coming to put coal on the fire, told us that an old Gypsy woman had called at the house, offering to tell the young ladies their fortunes.
[01:52.44] She was, he said, waiting in the library.
[01:58.97] She looks a rough one, he warned them.
[02:03.40] But Miss Ingram ordered him to be quiet.
[02:07.60] The ladies were determined to have their fortunes read, and Blanche Ingram was the first to go to the Gypsy.
[02:18.16] She came back declaring that the old woman was a tinker and a fraud, who should be put in the stocks.
[02:26.94] Whatever the Gypsy had told her, she had not liked it.
[02:33.62] She was moody and cross all evening.
[02:40.45] The other ladies all took their turn and came back giggling.
[02:47.98] Then Sam, the servant came to me.
[02:52.97] The Gypsy says that there is another young lady in the house who must go to her.
[02:59.67] Will you go, miss?
[03:03.73] I was full of curiosity by now.
[03:09.79] Of course I will, Sam, I said, and went to the library.