"Don't talk any more of those days, sir," I interrupted, furtively

dashing away some tears from my eyes; his language was torture to

me; for I knew what I must do--and do soon--and all these

reminiscences, and these revelations of his feelings only made my

work more difficult.

"No, Jane," he returned: "what necessity is there to dwell on the

Past, when the Present is so much surer--the Future so much

brighter?"

I shuddered to hear the infatuated assertion.

"You see now how the case stands--do you not?" he continued. "After

a youth and manhood passed half in unutterable misery and half in

dreary solitude, I have for the first time found what I can truly

love--I have found you. You are my sympathy--my better self--my

good angel. I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think

you good, gifted, lovely: a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived

in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my centre and spring of

life, wraps my existence about you, and, kindling in pure, powerful

flame, fuses you and me in one.

"It was because I felt and knew this, that I resolved to marry you.

To tell me that I had already a wife is empty mockery: you know now

that I had but a hideous demon. I was wrong to attempt to deceive

you; but I feared a stubbornness that exists in your character. I

feared early instilled prejudice: I wanted to have you safe before

hazarding confidences. This was cowardly: I should have appealed

to your nobleness and magnanimity at first, as I do now--opened to

you plainly my life of agony--described to you my hunger and thirst

after a higher and worthier existence--shown to you, not my

RESOLUTION (that word is weak), but my resistless BENT to love

faithfully and well, where I am faithfully and well loved in return.

Then I should have asked you to accept my pledge of fidelity and to

give me yours. Jane--give it me now."

A pause.

"Why are you silent, Jane?"

I was experiencing an ordeal: a hand of fiery iron grasped my

vitals. Terrible moment: full of struggle, blackness, burning!

Not a human being that ever lived could wish to be loved better than

I was loved; and him who thus loved me I absolutely worshipped: and

I must renounce love and idol. One drear word comprised my

intolerable duty--"Depart!"

"Jane, you understand what I want of you? Just this promise--'I

will be yours, Mr. Rochester.'"

"Mr. Rochester, I will NOT be yours."




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