wn。 After a brief stay there； I shall bear my treasure to regions nearer the sun： to French vineyards and Italian plains； and she shall see whatever is famous in old story and in modern record： she shall taste； too； of the life of cities； and she shall learn to value herself by just parison with others。”
“Shall I travel？—and with you； sir？”
“You shall sojourn at Paris； Rome； and Naples： at Florence； Venice； and Vienna： all the ground I have wandered over shall be re…trodden by you： wherever I stamped my hoof； your sylph’s foot shall step also。 Ten years since； I flew through Europe half mad； with disgust； hate； and rage as my panions： now I shall revisit it healed and cleansed； with a very angel as my forter。”
I laughed at him as he said this。 “I am not an angel；” I asserted； “and I will not be one till I die： I will be myself。 Mr。 Rochester； you must neither expect nor exact anything celestial of me—for you will not get it； any more than I shall get it of you： which I do not at all anticipate。”
“What do you anticipate of me？”
“For a little while you will perhaps be as you are now；—a very little while； and then you will turn cool； and then you will be capricious； and then you will be stern； and I shall have much ado to please you： but when you get well used to me； you will perhaps like me again；—like me； I say； not love me。 I suppose your love will effervesce in six months； or less。 I have observed in books written by men； that period assigned as the farthest to which a husband’s ardour extends。 Yet； after all； as a friend and panion； I hope never to bee quite distasteful to my dear master。”
“Distasteful！ and like you again！ I think I shall like you again； and yet again： and I will make you confess I do not only like； but love you—with truth； fervour； constancy。”
“Yet are you not capricious； sir？”
“To women who please me only by their faces； I am the very devil when I find out they have neither souls nor hearts—when they open to me a perspective of flatness； triviality； and perhaps imbecility； coarseness； and ill…temper： but to the clear eye and eloquent tongue； to the soul made of fire； and the character that bends but does not break—at once supple and stable； tractable and consistent—I am ever tender and true。”
“Had you ever experience of such a character； sir？ Did you ever love such an one？”
“I love it now。”
“But before me： if I； indeed； in any respect e up to your difficult standard？”
“I never met your likeness。 Jane； you please me； and you master me—you seem to submit； and I like the sense of pliancy you impart； and while I am twining the soft； silken skein round my finger； it sends a thrill up my arm to my heart。 I am influenced—conquered； and the influence is sweeter than I can express； and the conquest I undergo has a witchery beyond any triumph I can win。 Why do you smile； Jane？ What does that inexplicable； that uncanny turn of countenance mean？”
“I was thinking； sir （you will excuse the idea； it was involuntary）； I was thinking of Hercules and Samson with their charmers—”
“You were； you little elfish—”
“Hush； sir！ You don’t talk very wisely just now； any more than those gentlemen acted very wisely。 However； had they been married； they would no doubt by their severity as husbands have made up for their softness as suitors； and so will you； I fear。 I wonder how you will answer me a year hence； should I ask a favour it does not suit your convenience or pleasure to grant。”
“Ask me something now； Jane；—the least thing： I desire to be entreated—”
“Indeed I will； sir； I have my petition all ready。”
“Speak！ But if you look up and smile with that countenance； I shall swear concession before I know to what； and that will make a fool of me。”
“Not at all； sir； I ask only this： don’t send for the jewels； and don’t crown me with roses： you might as well put a border of gold lace round that plain pocket handkerchief you have there。”
“I might as well ‘gild refined gold。’ I know it： you request is granted then—for the time。 I will remand the order I despatched to my banker。 But you have not yet asked for anything； you have prayed a gift to be withdrawn： try again。”
“Well then； sir； have the goodness to gratify my curiosity； which is much piqued on one point。”
He looked disturbed。 “What？ what？” he said hastily。 “Curiosity is a dangerous petition： it is well I have not taken a vow to accord every request—”
“But there can be no danger in plying with this； sir。”
“Utter it； Jane： but I wish that instead of a mere inquiry into； perhaps； a secret； it was a wish for half my estate。”
“Now； King Ahasuerus！ What do I want with half your estate？ Do you think I am a Jew…usurer； seeking good investment in land？ I would much rather have all your confidence。 You will not exclude me from your confidence if you admit me to your heart？”
“You are wele to all my confidence that is worth having； Jane； but for God’s sake； don’t desire a useless burden！ Don’t long for poison—don’t turn out a downright Eve on my hands！”
“Why not； sir？ You have just been telling me how much you liked to be conquered； and how pleasant over…persuasion is to you。 Don’t you think I had better take advantage of the confession； and begin and coax and entreat—even cry and be sulky if necessary—for the sake of a mere essay of my power？”
“I dare you to any such experiment。 Encroach； presume； and the game is up。”
“Is it； sir？ You soon give in。 How stern you look now！ Your eyebrows have bee as thick as my finger； and your forehead resembles what； in some very astonishing poetry； I once saw styled； ‘a blue…piled thunderloft。’ That will be your married look； sir； I suppose？”
“If that will be your married look； I； as a Christian； will soon give up the notion of consorting with a mere sprite or salamander。 But what had you to ask； thing；—out with it？”
“There； you are less than civil now； and I like rudeness a great deal better than flattery。 I had rather be a thing than an angel。 This is what I have to ask；—Why did you take such pains to make me believe you wished to marry Miss Ingram？”
“Is that all？ Thank God it is no worse！” And now he unknit his black brows； looked down； smiling at me； and stroked my hair； as if well pleased at seeing a danger averted。 “I think I may confess；” he continued； “even although I should make you a little indignant； Jane—and I have seen what a fire…spirit you can be when you are indignant。 You glowed in the cool moonlight last night； when you mutinied against fate； and claimed your rank as my equal。 Ja； by…the…bye； it was you who made me the offer。”
“Of course I did。 But to the point if you please； sir—Miss Ingram？”
“Well； I feigned courtship of Miss Ingram； because I wished to render you as madly in love with me as I was with you； and I knew jealousy would be the best ally I could call in for the furtherance of that end。”
“Excellent！ Now you are small—not one whit bigger than the end of my little finger。 It was a burning shame and a scandalous disgrace to act in that way。 Did you think nothing of Miss Ingram’s feelings； sir？”
“Her feelings are concentrated in one—pride； and that needs humbling。 Were you jealous； Jane？”
“Never mind； Mr。 Rochester： it is in no way interesting to you to know that。 Answer me truly once more。 Do you think Miss Ingram will not suffer from your dishonest coquetry？ Won’t she feel forsaken and deserted？”
“Impossible！—when I told you how she； on the contrary； deserted me： the idea of my insolvency cooled； or rather extinguished； her flame in a moment。”
“You have a curious； designing mind； Mr。 Rochester。 I am afraid your principles on some points are eccentric。”
“My principles were never trained； Jane： they may have grown a little awry for want of attention。”
“Once again； seriously； may I enjoy the great good that has been vouchsafed to me； without fearing that any one else is suffering the bitter pain I myself felt a while ago？”
“That you may； my good little girl： there is not another being in the world has the same pure love for me as yourself—for I lay that pleasant unction to my soul； Jane； a belief in your affection。”
I turned my lips to the hand that lay on my shoulder。 I loved him very much—more than I could trust myself to say—more than words had power to express。
“Ask something more；” he said presently； “it is my delight to be entreated； and to yield。”
I was again ready unicate your intentions to Mrs。 Fairfax； sir： she saw me with you last night in the hall； and she was shocked。 Give her some explanation before I see her again。 It pains me to be misjudged by so good a woman。”
“Go to your room； and put on your bon；” he replied。 “I mean you to acpany me to Millcote this morning； and while you prepare for the drive； I will enlighten the old lady’s understanding。 Did she think； Ja； you had given the world for love； and considered it well lost？”
“I believe she thought I had forgotten my station； and yours； sir。”
“Station！ station！—your station is in my heart； and on the necks of those who would insult you； now or hereafter。—Go。”
I was soon dressed； and when I heard Mr。 Rochester quit Mrs。 Fairfax’s parlour； I hurried down to it。 The old lady； had been reading her morning portion of Scripture—the Lesson for the day； her Bible lay open before her； and her spectacles were upon it。 Her occupation； suspended by Mr。 Rochester’s announcement； seemed now forgotten： her eyes； fixed on the blank wall opposite； expressed the surprise of a quiet mind stirred by unwonted tidings。 Seeing me； she roused herself： she made a sort of effort to smile； and framed a few words of congratulation； but the smile expired； and the sentence was abandoned unfinished。 She put up her spectacles； shut the Bible； and pushed her chair back from the table。
“I feel so astonished；” she began； “I hardly know what to say to you； Miss Eyre。 I have surely not been dreaming； have I？ Sometimes I half fall asleep when I am sitting alone and fancy things that have never happened。 It has seemed to me more than once when I have been in a doze； that my dear husband； who died fifteen years since； has e in and sat down beside me； and that I have even heard him call me by my name； Alice； as he used to do。 Now； can you tell me whether it is actually true that Mr。 Rochester has asked you to marry him？ Don’t laugh at me。 But I really thought he came in here five minutes ago； and said that in a month you would be his wife。”
“He has said the same thing to me；” I replied。
“He has！ Do you believe him？ Have you accepted him？”
“Yes。”
She looked at me bewildered。 “I could never have thought it。 He is a proud man： all the Rochesters were proud： and his father； at least； liked money。 He； too； has always been called careful。 He means to marry you？”
“He tells me so。”
She surveyed my whole person： in her eyes I read that they had there found no charm powerful enough to solve the enigma。
“It passes me！” she continued； “but no doubt； it is true since you say so。 How it will answer； I cannot tell： I really don’t know。 Equality of position and fortune is often advisable in such cases； and there are twenty years of difference in your ages。 He might almost be your father。”
“No； indeed； Mrs。 F