“What about?”

“Family troubles, for one thing.”

“But he has no family.”

“Not now, but he has had — or, at least, relatives.

He lost his elder brother a few years since.”

“His elder brother?”

“Yes. The present Mr. Rochester has not been very long in possession of the property; only about nine years.”

“Nine years is a tolerable time. Was he so very fond of his brother as to be still inconsolable for his loss?”

“Why, no — perhaps not. I believe there were some misunderstandings